xxviii Editor's Introduction 



edges of turf cut in stiff lines, so that you see more of 

 black earth than of green foliage and the free beauty 

 of nature is quite checked. Mr. Nash, however, adheres 

 to a very different principle, and the new gardens of 

 Buckingham Palace are models to all planters. 



This criticism of Blenheim and the apprecia- 

 tion of the landscape architect, Brown, are spe- 

 cially interesting : — 



The park is five German miles in circumference, and 

 the piece of water, the finest of its kind existing, occu- 

 pies almost eighty acres. The pleasure-grounds are on 

 an equally grand scale; forty men are ordinarily em- 

 ployed in mowing. Opposite the house the water forms 

 a cascade, so admirably constructed of large masses of 

 rock brought from a great distance, that it is difficult to 

 believe it artificial. 



One cannot help admiring the grandeur of Brown's 

 conceptions as one wanders through these grounds: he 

 is the Shakespeare of gardening. 



Doubtless the Prince here allowed himself to 

 say a little more in favor of this famous place 

 than he would have on sober thought. It should 

 be remembered that Puckler was entertained in 

 England everywhere by the aristocracy and even 

 royalty in the most magnificent manner, and 

 consequently it is remarkable that he should have 

 criticized adversely any of the English estates. 

 Think for a moment: would any one at the pres- 

 ent time make a tour of American and English 

 estates and write in his letters as boldly and criti- 

 cize as pointedly as Puckler did a hundred years 

 ago? Perhaps it would be healthy for the art of 



