Author's Introduction 



The compression and brevity which I have 

 aimed at in matters of common knowledge will, 

 I hope, earn the gratitude of the reader, but as 

 a small merit I may claim that really nothing 

 has been copied from books, but that everything 

 which I give has been found to be true from per- 

 sonal experience and practically verified. 



For the better understanding of what follows 

 it will be necessary briefly to give the manner in 

 which I intend ordering my remarks. 



I shall show by titles in their order the con- 

 tents of each chapter, and for this I shall for the 

 most part utilize the park laid out by myself, 

 since my theory, as I have said, is chiefly carried 

 out in this park. 



Drawings, which make the text more read- 

 able, have been inserted wherever necessary for 

 complete comprehension. A thorough exposi- 

 tion of general principles is followed by a short 

 history and description of the park itself, with 

 continual reference to the rules previously laid 

 down. It is not, however, my intention to go 

 into too great detail, but to set forth the results 

 obtained rather than the particular road taken, 

 and, as the title "Hints" shows, in no way to 

 give a complete manual, confining myselt to 

 those matters in which we seem to be chiefly 

 lacking, and finally leave to the technical work- 

 man or expert whatever lies in his province. 



works. What Blumenbach said of phrenology applies to this book: 

 »*The true is not new, and the new is not true." Repton has sup- 

 plied most of the useful matter, but, for the most part, it has been mis- 

 understood. 



