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into execution. According to Lord continued in repute for upwards of a 

 Walpole, he was painter enough to century ; tor it appears to have been in 

 taste the charms of landscape, suffi- vogue as late as 1770. The court and 

 ciently bold and opinionative to dare nation wished to be dazzled by novelty 

 and to dictate, and born with a genius and singularity, and his long, clipped 

 to strike out a great system from the alleys, triumphal arches, richly deco- 

 twilight of imperfect essays. He leap- 1 rated parterres, his fountains and cas- 

 ed the fence, and saw that all nature! cades, with their grotesque and strange 

 was a garden. The great principles on • ornaments, his groves full of architec- 

 which he worked were perspective, i ture and gilt trellises, and his profusion 

 light and shade. Groups of trees broke | of statues, enchanted every class of ob- 

 a too extensive lawn ; evergreens and servers. His principal works were the 

 wood were opposed to the glare of the ' gardens of Versailles, Meudon, St. 

 champaign, and, by selecting favourite Cloud, Sceaux, Chantilly, and the ter- 

 objects, and veiling deformities, he re- race of St. Germain. Gray, the poet, 

 alized the compositions of the great was struck with their splendor when 

 masters in painting. Where objects ! filled with company, and when the 

 were wanting to animate his horizon, ' water-works were in full action; but 

 his taste as an architect could immedi-^ Lord Kaimes says, they would tempt 

 ately produce them. His buildings, one to believe, that nature was below 

 his temples, his seats, were more the! the notice of a great monarch. Le 

 work of his pencil than of his science Nijtre was succeeded by Dufresny, who, 

 as a constructor. He bade adieu to differing considerably in taste from that 

 all the stiff modes of canals, circular, great artist, determined on inventing a 

 basins, and cascades tumbling over | more picturesque style ; but his efforts 

 marble steps. Dealing in none but the I were rarely carried into full execution, 

 true colours of nature, and seizing upon | He, however, constructed in a manner 

 its most interesting features, a new i superior to his predecessor, the gardens 

 creation was gradually presented. The j of Abbe Pajot and those of Moulin and 

 living landscape was chastened or po- , Chemin creux. After the peace of 1762, 

 lished, not transformed. The elegant! the English system began to pass into 

 works of Rcpton, the unrivalled essays , France, and portions of ancient gardens 

 of Price on the picturesque, and the ' were destroyed, to make way for young 

 valuable pulilications of Gilpin, Madock, plantations a l^Anglaise. Laugier was 

 Panty, Sang and Loudon, with those of the first author who espoused the Eng- 

 many other writers on landscape and j lish style, and the next in order was 

 ornamental gardening, have had an ex- i Prevot. It was at this time that Viscount 

 tensive influence in promoting correct ! Girardin commenced his improvements 

 ideas of natural scenery. The improv- j at P>menonville, and the change of the 

 ed style of horticulture, every where horticultural taste in France, may be 

 apparent in Great Britain, attracted the : referred to the last quarter of the 18th 

 attention of the other nations of Europe, century. The English style has gra- 

 and English gardening became the de- , dually found its way into most civilized 

 signation for all that was beautiful in | countries. Only 25 years have elapsed 

 that pleasing art — the synonyme of per- since the London Horticultural Society 

 fection in rural culture. At the period ! was established, and there are now more 

 when this new system of laying out | than 50 similar institutions in Great 

 ground was gaining converts, and be- Britain, which still maintains the first 

 gan to be practically adopted, Viscounts rank in the art ; but France is making 

 Girardin, a French military officer of| great efforts to rival her. A horticul- 

 high rank, travelled through England, [ tural society was established in Paris 

 and, on his return, he not only improved | in 1S26, and has already more than two 

 his seat at Ermenonville in conformity thousand members, and the number is 

 to that style, but published a work of| rapidly increasing. It has been patron- 

 great celebrity on the Composition des ] ised by the court, and most of the nobles 

 Paysages sur le Terrain, ou des Moyens^ and men of distinction in France have 

 d'embellir la Nature pris des i/a6i7a- I eagerly united with the proprietors of es- 

 tions. The French style of laying out I tales and practical cultivators to collect 

 gardens had been settled by Le Notre, | and disseminate intelligence throughout 

 during the reign of Louis XIV., and | that flourishing empire. In the various 



