154 The Landscape Gardening Book 



furnished a grateful shade to the keepers of the vineyard, who 

 must labor there under the hot Italian sun ; and they afforded the 

 best possible means of training the vines, for best results. 



When the pergola mania seizes a victim, let him stop long 

 enough to ask himself two questions. The first one is: If it 

 were an arbor that thus possessed my mind, would I wish to 

 build it? The second is: Shall it be — or is it possible for it to 

 be — an immediate attribute of the house? 



If the first question meet with an affirmative answer and the 

 second a negative, then an architectural treatment will not be 

 the best and most appropriate. Remember that the Capuchins' 

 arbors are architectural only as they lead off from the pile of the 

 buildings. It is not, however, that architectural treatment 

 should be applied only to a structure that is an attribute of the 

 house — that is by no means so. But architectural treatment of 

 an arbor — of a roofless, simple, vine support — is appropriate 

 only when this is the case. 



It is not, either, that we should imitate the Capuchins; but 

 they have done what they have done the very best that may be. 

 When the best has been done, when simple, straightforward 

 reasons have been the guide and a beautiful result has been 

 attained, anything that goes against the principle thus estab- 

 lished will be lacking in merit and lacking in artistic effect. 



So much for the pergola — for the arbor, to think of it as we 

 should. Words — and we — are such deceivers; we should be 

 careful how we use them. 



A loggia is architectural, indeed is fairly monumental — yet 

 a loggia may be btiilt with perfect propriety in any part of a 

 garden. For a loggia is primarily an outdoor, roofed, sitting- 

 room, usually enclosed on one long side, and open on the other 

 and on the ends. Often, though not necessarily, it is a part of 



