28 GARDEN MANAGEMENT. 



The whole closing with a most attractive picture of happiness and content- 

 ment which all must appreciate : — 



" So hand in hand they pass'd, the loveliest pair 

 That ever since in love's embraces met. 

 Adam the goodliest man of men since born 

 His sons, the fairest of her daughters Eve. 

 Under a tuft of shade that on a green 

 Stood -nhispering soft, by a fresh fountain side 

 They sat them down ; and after no more toil 

 Of their sweet gardening labour than sufficed 

 To recommend cool Zephyr, and make ease 

 More easy." 



77. This description is no less suggestive and instructive than it is gor- 

 geous and sublime. It is not more distinguished by lofty genius than sound 

 practical sense ; it is a vivid representation of what taste and genius may 

 accomplish now. Earth, air, and water, light and shade, form and colour, 

 animation and repose, in their turn, utility and ornament, silence and 

 the sweet voices of nature,— the song of birds, dash of waterfalls, and sweep 

 of flowin''- rivers, as they speed onwards, over seas of pearl and sands of 

 gold^ — ambrosial fruits and delicious perfumes, and the idea of appropriation 

 and possession, — all are here. It may be impossible to find a site so charming 

 as the poet here describes ; but the closer we can approach to it the nearer shall 

 we approximate to perfection. The great characteristics that form the sub- 

 stratum of his glowing picture may be discovered and remembered by all, 

 and enable any one to choose or reject a site in proportion as it approaches 

 to, or falls greatly short of, the poet's standard. 



78. The site of a garden depends on circumstances too numerous and 

 varied to be even guessed at here. The owner of land, however small his 

 domain, will find no difficulty in selecting one suitable to the pretensions of 

 the house and his own tastes; for some men will think with Horace and 

 Cowley, and wish to be master of a small house and large garden ; while 

 others will prefer having a different arrangement. In either case the choice is 

 easily made, where the proprietor is able to choose for himself ; for there are 

 few localities in this country between the ultima thule of the exti-eme north 

 and the Land's End where a good garden site may not be obtained. The few 

 spots to be avoided are places of too gi-eat elevation and low marshy valleys : 

 the first is too much exposed for either fruits, vegetables, or flowers to grow 

 and ripen ; in the other, the damp fogs common to such localities render the 

 fruit vapid and flavourless, as well as dwarfed in size ; with other disad- 

 vantages, which will be noticed afterwards. Within these limits, however, 

 ■wherever a crop of wheat will grow and ripen, a good garden may be foi-med. 

 While the difficulty of giving special directions as to site are thus enhanced by 

 the innumerable variations of scenery, climate, and other circumstances, there 

 are still a few characteristics in which every desirable site must agree. These 

 appear to be Security, Healthfulness, Beauty, Utiuty, Variety, Con- 



