260 ON FORMING THE DIRECTIONS OF TLEASURE-GROUND WALK*. 



iron at the bottom, to draw the lines in the earth. The artist holds 

 this stick with the right hand above, and the left below, and in such 

 a manner as that the iron point is turned towards the ground back- 

 wards. With an erect position and proceeding, and his glance di- 

 rected forwards towards the existing localities, the main points being 

 previously determined by the plan, and which his line (if no obstacles 

 intervene) is to arrive at, he pursues, with a steady pace, the beautiful 

 undulating line which his practised imagination presents to his mind> 

 and, as it were, displays before him. 



With his tracing-stick turned backwards, and grasped with a firm 

 hand, the point pressing on the earth, the artist imprints the line of 

 beauty on the ground mechanically without any further care or re- 

 quiring to look behind him ; immediately after him follow two 

 labourers, who set in posts, but do not beat them firmly in at first. 

 When he has reached the end of his line, he turns back, examines its 

 course, improves it, and then has the posts firmly driven in, or the 

 line cut out with a sharp hoe. 



Thus the artist remains in an upright position ; he overlooks as he 

 draws the points determined beforehand which his line is to touch, 

 and advances towards them in a manner as agreeable as it is natural, 

 He has the whole locality which his grounds are to embrace, and the 

 forms which he has already sketched, and which are to be in unison 

 and harmony with the rest, constantly before his eyes : and his per- 

 ception of the beauty and truth of nature directs his steps, and con- 

 sequently his tracing-stick, which follows faithfully the motions of its 

 master. 



The chief artistical value of a good picture lies more in the correct- 

 ness of the drawing than in the colouring ; therefore, the faults of 

 colouring are more pardonable than those of drawing. Thus, also, 

 correct drawings of beautiful picturesque forms and outlines are re- 

 quired in gardens, because they also greatly contribute in giving the 

 grounds their chief merit. For this reason, the manner above described 

 of drawing on a large scale is to be preferred to the usual method, 

 because it is capable of defining more distinctly than the other does. 

 The practised artist is able, also, to draw as quickly as he goes, but 

 while drawing out the line he must not look backward, or he will be 

 in danger of losing the imaginary line, and forming another which 

 will not properly harmonize/ 





