The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1893-08-09
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The Rector Of Abernthney.

ney Hall. The stage had put me down
by a nook in the highway. felt weary
and excited and seated myself upon the
trunks which the driver had but mo-
ment before unstrapped from the boot.
But the WEAKNESS all left me, and the
excitement changed to quiet calmness
as I gazed on the scene before me.
Some so yards to my right, uncovered
among it's little world Of trees, stood the
manse. It was beautiful building;
there was no defniteness about the style
Of architecture-it simply seemed to be
the creation of an exquisite taste. There
was nothing about it suggestive Of forti-
fcation and defense, like those of the
Tudor or Elizabethan styles; it was mel
Their of the open Italian order nor yet of
the modern pointed gothic. 1t was
sort of compromise between the latter,
probably what might be called the An
glo-Italian, and manse peculiarly adapt
ed to the artificial landscape gardening
in the front and the naturalness of the
dusky woods and the frowning hills in
the background. There was no accumu-
lation of buttresses and gables aid tur-
rets and such other conceits that lower
the dignity Of a house; true, there were
terraces, but they were ornamental &C
companiments-they impaired an inn
posing breadth to the whole group of
buildings.
The approach to the house was through
broad, extensive avenue, lined on either
side with variety of trees planted with
the most delicate attention to effect. |
detected the silvery green of the white
poplar mingling with the dark green Of
the native oak, blended here and there
with the abnormal tints of the sycamore
and the purple beech. The gardens
glowed with the same inspiration of
beauty and taste. From where stood
my eye could not criticise their regular
ity, but I saw the outlined hedges of
poisoning hawthorn, the fowerbeds ell
circled with their ribbons OF lockwood
and the gay petunia Haunting beside the
humble violet and the bee haunted
thyme.
felt that the spirit which presided
over that exquisite blending of nature
and art was thoroughly an artist, not
simply of the appreciative but of the
creative school, He was moe of an
artist than the painter on canvas. The
latter commences with tabula rasa;
his pencil is subject to his will; he puts
down rock here and a brooklet there
and works in his buildings and trees as
taste may suggest Or the laws Of per-
spective demand Then he can remove
with the same facility with which he
creates. The landscape gardener must
accept localities as he finds them; Ire
must conceal deformities and create
beauties. The greater and more numer-
GUS the difficulties he has to surmount,
the more superior to the landscape
painter is his taste and genius.
Beware of the man, says some one,
who loves neither flowers nor children.
There is not simply a speciousness about
that remark 1t is the embodiment Of
truth. We are conscious of the weight
and Importance of the caution. no mat
ter how limited our experience. AS |
gazed upon the scene before me | felt
convinced that the proprietor of Alb
ernthney Hall loved both flowers and
children; that he was gentleman of re-
fined sensibilities, Christian and
scholar had come to act as governess
to his children. | had misgivings in
reference to my new home. My conjec
lures of harshness and want of appre-
citation at times made me almost shrink
away from duty. But l was satisfied
xryhn oil Of Il