Its marvellous effect lay
      altogether in its artistic arrangement as a picture. I could have
      fancied, while I looked at it, that some eminent
      landscape-painter had built it with his brush. The point of view from which I first saw the valley, was not
      altogether, although it was nearly, the best point from which to
      survey the house. I will therefore describe it as I afterwards
      saw it—from a position on the stone wall at the southern extreme
      of the amphitheatre. The main building was about twenty-four feet long and sixteen
      broad—certainly not more. Its total height, from the ground to
      the apex of the roof, could not have exceeded eighteen feet. To
      the west end of this structure was attached one about a third
      smaller in all its proportions:—the line of its front standing
      back about two yards from that of the larger house, and the line
      of its roof, of course, being considerably depressed below that
      of the roof adjoining. At right angles to these buildings, and
      from the rear of the main one—not exactly in the middle—extended
      a third compartment, very small—being, in general, one-third less
      than the western wing. The roofs of the two larger were very
      steep—sweeping down from the ridge-beam with a long concave
      curve, and extending at least four feet beyond the walls in
      front, so as to form the roofs of two piazzas. These latter
      roofs, of course, needed no support; but as they had the air of
      needing it, slight and perfectly plain pillars were inserted at
      the corners alone. The roof of the northern wing was merely an
      extension of a portion of the main roof. Between the chief
      building and western wing arose a very tall and rather slender
      square chimney of hard Dutch bricks, alternately black and red:—a
      slight cornice of projecting bricks at the top. Over the gables
      the roofs also projected very much:—in the main building about
      four feet to the east and two to the west. The principal door was
      not exactly in the main division, being a little to the
      east—while the two windows were to the west. These latter did not
      extend to the floor, but were much longer and narrower than
      usual—they had single shutters like doors—the panes were of
      lozenge form, but quite large. The door itself had its upper half
      of glass, also in lozenge panes—a movable shutter secured it at
      night. The door to the west wing was in its gable, and quite
      simple—a single window looked out to the south. There was no
      external door to the north wing, and it also had only one window
      to the east. The blank wall of the eastern gable was relieved by stairs (with
      a balustrade) running diagonally across it—the ascent being from
      the south. Under cover of the widely projecting eave these steps
      gave access to a door leading to the garret, or rather loft—for
      it was lighted only by a single window to the north, and seemed
      to have been intended as a store-room. The piazzas of the main building and western wing had no floors,
      as is usual; but at the doors and at each window, large, flat
      irregular slabs of granite lay imbedded in the delicious turf,
      affording comfortable footing in all weather. Excellent paths of
      the same material—not nicely adapted, but with the velvety sod
      filling frequent intervals between the stones, led hither and
      thither from the house, to a crystal spring about five paces off,
      to the road, or to one or two out-houses that lay to the north,
      beyond the brook, and were thoroughly concealed by a few locusts
      and catalpas. Not more than six steps from the main door of the cottage stood
      the dead trunk of a fantastic pear-tree, so clothed from head to
      foot in the gorgeous bignonia blossoms that one required no
      little scrutiny to determine what manner of sweet thing it could
      be. From various arms of this tree hung cages of different kinds. In one, a large wicker cylinder with a ring at top, revelled a
      mocking bird; in another an oriole; in a third the impudent
      bobolink—while three or four more delicate prisons were loudly
      vocal with canaries. The pillars of the piazza were enwreathed in jasmine and sweet
      honeysuckle; while from the angle formed by the main structure
      and its west wing, in front, sprang a grape-vine of unexampled
      luxuriance. Scorning all restraint, it had clambered first to the
      lower roof—then to the higher; and along the ridge of this latter
      it continued to writhe on, throwing out tendrils to the right and
      left, until at length it fairly attained the east gable, and fell
      trailing over the stairs. The whole house, with its wings, was constructed of the
      old-fashioned Dutch shingles—broad, and with unrounded corners. It is a peculiarity of this material to give houses built of it
      the appearance of being wider at bottom than at top—after the
      manner of Egyptian architecture; and in the present instance,
      this exceedingly picturesque effect was aided by numerous pots of
      gorgeous flowers that almost encompassed the base of the
      buildings. The shingles were painted a dull gray; and the happiness with
      which this neutral tint melted into the vivid green of the tulip
      tree leaves that partially overshadowed the cottage, can readily
      be conceived by an artist. From the position near the stone wall, as described, the
      buildings were seen at great advantage—for the southeastern angle
      was thrown forward—so that the eye took in at once the whole of
      the two fronts, with the picturesque eastern gable, and at the
      same time obtained just a sufficient glimpse of the northern
      wing, with parts of a pretty roof to the spring-house, and nearly
      half of a light bridge that spanned the brook in the near
      vicinity of the main buildings. I did not remain very long on the brow of the hill, although long
      enough to make a thorough survey of the scene at my feet. It was
      clear that I had wandered from the road to the village, and I had
      thus good traveller’s excuse to open the gate before me, and
      inquire my way, at all events; so, without more ado, I proceeded. The road, after passing the gate, seemed to lie upon a natural
      ledge, sloping gradually down along the face of the north-eastern
      cliffs. It led me on to the foot of the northern precipice, and
      thence over the bridge, round by the eastern gable to the front
      door. In this progress, I took notice that no sight of the
      out-houses could be obtained. As I turned the corner of the gable, the mastiff bounded towards
      me in stern silence, but with the eye and the whole air of a
      tiger.