296 XanDscape Hrcbttecture 



poetic or pastoral character which should be evident in 

 the park, even from outside of the entrance. 



The question of museums in the park is discussed by- 

 Park Commissioner W. A. Stiles, one of the most en- 

 lightened officials who has ever written on the subject: 



"All this (employment of museums) is very attrac- 

 tive, and not impracticable. But when Mr. H — — 

 declares that a pubHc park does not fulfil its highest 

 function until it develops into a vast and multi- 

 tudinous museum for popular instruction he plainly 

 ignores the specific purpose for which pleasure 

 grounds like Central Park have been created. Indeed 



one may read Mr. H 's article attentively and fail 



to discover whether he has ever cared to inform him- 

 self precisely what that purpose is. The fact is that 

 in popular language there is no well-defined group of 

 ideas suggested by the word park, and it is applied to 

 areas of ground which are used for the most varied 

 and incongruous purposes. To one man it means a 

 baseball field, to another a military parade ground, to 

 a third a place where race horses are used to facilitate 

 gambling. Indeed the danger of the assaults on the 

 integrity of city parks is constant because of the lack 

 of clear popular conception of their true functions, 

 and they never will be safe from attacks until their 

 primary purpose is universally understood, and until 

 this purpose is admitted to be of sufficient importance 

 to justify their existence and maintenance."^ 



' Garden and Forest, vol. ii., May 2, 1891. 



