[ 89 3 



fable cf landfcape. In France and Italy the nobilky do not 

 rejide much^ and make fmall expence at their villas. I 

 Jhould think the little princes of Germafiy, who fpare no 

 profufion on their palaces and coiintry-houfesy mojl likely to 

 be our imitators -, ejpecially as their country and climate 

 bear in many parts refemblance to ours. In France, and 

 Jiill le/s in Italy, they could with dijiculty attain that ver^ 

 dure which the humidity of our clime beftows as the ground- 

 work of our improvements. As great an obfiacle in France 

 is the ejnbargo laid on the growth of their trees. As after 

 a certain âge, when they ivould rife to bulk, they are liabk 

 to be marked by the crowns furveyors as royal timher, it is^ 

 a curiojity to fee an old trce. A landfcape and a crown- 

 furveyor are incompatible. 



I hâve thus brought down to the concliifon of the laji 

 reign (the period I had marked to this work) the hijîory 

 qf .our arts and artifts, from the earlieft csra in which we 

 can ke faid to hâve had either. l'hougb there hâve been 

 only gleams of light and flajhes of genius, rather than pro- 

 grejjive improvements, or flourijhing fchools -, the inequality 

 and infujjcietice of the exécution, hâve fiowed more from my 

 ûwn def0 than from thofe of the fubjeB. T^he merits of 



the 



