2005-04-06 P & R Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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procession never stops or falters in its course. and we miss the auspicious hour. the chance is gone forever. We may cast our longing eyes upon its retreating form. and curse our blindness and . stupidity, but it is as utterly beyond recall as the day in whose arms it was borne. If provision were made for future necessities by the preparation of a design arrangement whicb should secure the most economical and convenient attainment of the objects which are of primary importance. and at the same time the best esthetic effect of Which the natural feature.s 'Were susceptible. It certainly 'Would operate as a strong inducement to attract immigrants if such a plan were ,published. and they could see for themselves that their future wants and comfort had been provided for. So as with cities. not one of which would now pay largely to secure opportunities for public improvements which might once have been had for a song. but whose purchase would have then seemed a wild scheme. , But purchase along .is notenougb. If simply bought and hetd for a rise. it may prevent neighboring occupation; and thus depreciateinvaiue. Improvemenismust be added of such character as wiU attract occupants by giving evidence that a broad and ~iberalspirit has been exeriedin prOViding for thieir welfare and comfort. . , , . The apology always offered is the poverty of a new settlement aJid ihedamand for all the means at their disposal to meet the expenses of absolute necessity. But aHof th~ wind is taken out of that slliJ by the fact that the true taste would be far less expensive than the present system, because it would leave undisturbed sucbnaturalfeaturesas,could be preServed without~tualinconvenience. and thus save much of what is commonly the most costly of the works of pUblic impr~ement. Sir Uvedale Price in his "Essay on the Picturesque," temarks; "The dlaracteristicbeauties of a village, as distinct from a city,are intricacy,variety, and play ofoutHne. Whatever is done should . be done with a view to promote these objectives. The houses, therefore should be disposed with that view, and sbo~ld differ as much in their disposition from those of a regularly built city, as the trees which are meant to have the charactet' of natural groups should from those of an avenue.' Where ever symmetry and exact lJniformityare introduced, those objects which produce a marked intricacy arid variety must in genet'al be sacrificed. In an ~avenue. lor instance. sudden inequalities of ground, with wild groups of trees and bushes, which are ornaments of forest scenery, would not accord with the prevailing character."