Author's Introduction 7 



on a larger scale, the imperceptibly flowing ditch 

 is widened to what is called a stream, a gigantic 

 bridge is built of rough birch trunks in a formid- 

 able arch over the modest brook, two or three 

 stiff avenues are cut through the wood to give 

 distant views, and here and there the much- 

 affected temples and ruins are dotted about, of 

 which the first usually become in a short space 

 what the second pretend to be. 



This, with a few exceptional cases, is as a rule 

 the highest achievement of such an undertaking, 

 which really only causes regret that good land 

 should be so uselessly withdrawn from field and 

 vegetable culture. 



Meanwhile all this has been ridiculed with 

 more or less wit often enough, but // is seldom 

 better done, even now, and for this reason alone do 

 I here repeat, that many great and costly plans, 

 begun with the best intentions and executed at 

 some expense, unfortunately too evidently bear 

 traces of the very poor place which the art of 

 landscape gardening as yet holds in our Father- 

 land. It is true that there are a few exceptions, 

 but a completed example which could be set be- 

 side the best English plans has not come within 

 my experience. We may hope, however, that the 

 royal gardens, under the direction of the excel- 

 lent director, Lenne, which are to surround all 

 Potsdam with a park, will present us with such 

 an example. 



Far from intending to instruct in any exhaus- 

 tive manner on this subject, a fairly long prac- 



