s the very crown of the whole place. He prided
himself very much upon these fair and flourishing trees, adding that in
such a tract as the wine-district, destitute of shade, a thickly shaded
place was a thing to be taken into consideration against a hot day of
summer.

"You will perceive that I have gone beyond my own territory, in order
to add to its beauty; above there upon the height is a group of trees,
which I have kept in order and thinned out, laying out paths, and
making new plantations, in order to get a picturesque view. I have
built my house not to please the eyes of others, but where I could
have the best prospect from it. The peasant's house yonder was built
after a plan of my own, and I was very properly obliged to contribute a
part of the cost. That plantation beyond is a screen to hide the
glaring stone-quarry; and that pretty church spire above there in the
mountain-village,--that was built by me. I was very highly praised for
doing it, and a great deal of flattering, pious incense was burned for
me, but I can assure you that my sole motive in doing it was to gain a
fine view. I am obliged to change the whole character of the region--a
very difficult job--and here comes in the covetousness of people. Just
see, a basket-maker builds him a house yonder, with a horribly steep
roof covered with red tiles, that is a perpetual eye-sore to me; and I
cannot reach the fellow. He wishes to sell the house to me for an
extravagant price, but what can I do with it? He may just keep it, and
accommodate himself to my arrangements."

There was a violent energy in Sonnenkamp's manner of speaking,
reminding Eric of an expression of Bella's, that the man was a
conqueror; such an one has always something tyrannical in him, and
desires to arrange and dispose everything in the world according to his
own individual taste, or his own personal whims. The villages, the
churches, the mountains, and the woods, were to him only points in the
landscape, and they must all come into one favorite angle of vision.

And now Herr Sonnenkamp conducted his guest through the park, and
explained to him how he had arranged the grounds, and how through the
disposition of elevations and depressions he had broken up the
uniformity; but that in many cases he had only to bring out the natural
advantages, and give them their right effect: he pointed out the
careful disposition of light and shadow, and how he oftentimes set out
a clump of trees, a