Vol. XIII. No. 355.] | SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 1829. | [PRICE 2d. |
The definition of the word villa is a country seat; butthe reader will ask, how can a country seat be in the midst of ametropolis, or in its brick and mortar confines? The term, however,admits of various modifications. The villas of the Romans resembledlarge city palaces removed into the country, and some of them werefour times larger than Versailles with its three thousandapartments. The villas of modern Rome likewise more resemblepalaces than abodes of domestic convenience; and one of them, theVilla Mondrogone, has more windows than there are days in the year.Such are the Italian villas, of which the name conveys as accuratean idea as the English reader acquires from the Frenchchateau, which, in reality, implies a comfortlessfactory-looking abode, with a blaze of fresco embellishments.
The first engraving in the annexed page is the villa, or, weshould rather say, the suburban retreat, of the Marquess ofHertford, designed by Mr. Decimus Burton. The noble owner, who hasenjoyed the peculiar advantages of travel, and is a man ofvertu and fine taste, has selected a design of beautifulsimplicity and chastity of style. The entrance-hall is protected bya hexastyle (six column) portico of that singular Athenian order,which embellishes the door of the Tower of the Winds. The roof isVenetian, with projecting eaves; and the wings are surmounted byspacious glass lanterns, which light the upper rooms. The buildingsand offices are on a larger scale than any other in the park, andcorrespond in style with the opulence of the noble owner. Theoffices are spread out, like the villas of the ancients, upon theground-floor. Adjoining the front of the villa is a tent-likecanopy, surmounting a spacious apartment, set aside, we believe,for splendid dejeuné entertainments in the summer.This roof may be seen from several parts of the park. The entrancelodge is particularly chaste, the gates are in handsome park-likestyle; and the plantations and ornamental gardens in equally goodtaste. The establishment is, as we have said, the most extensive inthe Regent's Park, and is in every respect in correspondent tastewith the beautiful Italian fronted town residence of the noblemarquess, opposite the Green Park, in Piccadilly; and its luxuriouscomforts well alternate with the fashionable hospitalities ofSudborne Hall, the veritable country seat of thisdistinguished nobleman.
The second engraving is another specimen of the Regent's Parkvilla style. The order is handsome Doric; but much cannot