22 



transition from one sentiment to another. The gardens 

 of VERSAILLES are, not improperly speaking, a very 

 large knot of very small gardens, laid all by the side 

 of each other, raising the coiitinuaily-repeated senti- 

 ment of surjnise ; yet these offend not from the qnick- 

 uess of the transition from one compartment to ano- 

 ther, but because in some compartments no setitiment 

 at all is created, and in others it is too trivial to join 

 in alliance with any sentiment of dignity whatever. 



Could we suppose a great monarch lavishing his 

 treasures, as it is said the emperor of china has done, 

 in beautifying the face of nature; the most fortunate 

 disposition of grounds for an attempt towards per- 

 fection in this art, would be where there was a con- 

 siderable flat adjoining to the palace ; where that 

 Hat ran into gentle unevennesses; where these un- 

 evenesses lost themselves in a romantic retired situ- 

 ation, and where that romantic situation again open- 

 ed and extended itself into a view of awful, mag- 

 nificent, and simple nature. 



It is a frequent error in our ENGLISH gardens,^ 

 that from the marble, and gold, and magniticence of 

 a palace, we often step at once into all the wildness 

 of the country : the transition from the extreme 

 height of art, to the extreme simplicity of nature, is 

 too strong. The french method of parterres, 

 though too stitf, is perhaps preferable: but at any 

 rate, a flat piece of ground laid out, if not with all 

 the stiff'ness, yet with all tlie ormiments of art, is the 

 proper transition from a palace to a garden. If this 

 again rmis imperceptibly into the appearance of the 

 country, then loses itself as it goes farther from the 

 house in a retirement, and in the end swells into a 

 view of great and simple nature ; such a succession 

 would be agreeable both to the natural progress of 

 things, and the natural current of our ideas. Per- 

 haps it is not too bold to say, that such a garden,, 

 sliding by easy steps from the highest magnificence of 

 art into the highest magnificence of nature, would be 

 perfect. 



END. 



