238 STUDIES OF NATURE. 



the window to look at the real landfcape : and 

 there is another, who oftentatioully exhibits the 

 buft of Socrates in his ftudy, who would not re- 

 ceive that Philofopher into his houfe, were he in 

 life, and who, perhaps, would not fcruple to con- 

 cur in adjudging him to death, were he under pro- 

 fecution. 



The tafle of our Artifts has been corrupted by 

 that of our trades-people. As they know that it is 

 not Nature, but their own {kill, which is prized, 

 their great aim is to difplay themfeives. Hence it 

 is, that they introduce a profufion of rich accef- 

 fories into mad of our monuments, while they fre- 

 quently omit altogether the principal objefl. They 

 produce, for inftance, as an embellifliment for gar- 

 dens, vafes of marble, into which it is impoflible 

 to put any vegetable ; for apartments, urns and 

 pitchers, into which you cannot pour any fpecies 

 of fluid; for our cities, colonnades without palaces, 

 gates in places where there are no walls, public 

 fquares fenced with barriers, to prevent the people 

 from aflembling in them. It is, they tell us, that 

 the grafs may be permitted to flioot. A fine pro- 

 jed; truly ! One of the heavieft curfes which the 

 Ancients pronounced againft their enemies was, 

 that they might fee the grafs grow in their public 

 places. If they willi to fee verdure in ours, why 

 do they not plant trees in them, which would give 



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