DRESS GROUND. 41 



distinct shrubs, without connection, with- 

 out design. The utter insensibiUty of the 

 owner to any ray of taste relieved me from 

 the painful endeavour to restore a harmony 

 which he had destroyed for ever. 



Upon the whole, from a due consideration 

 of the question between the old and new 

 system of landscape gardening, I cannot but 

 think that the former has been sacrificed on 

 account of some tasteless absurdities con- 

 nected with it, which the early improvers, not 

 being able to separate from it, took the 

 shorter method of destroying the whole, sub- 

 stituting the simplicity of unadorned nature 

 as the accompaniment to the mansion rich in 

 architectural decoration and variety ; whereas 

 the architectural foreground, in connection 

 with a shrubbery below it, would lead in an 

 easy gradation to the natural scenery of the 

 park or pasture beyond it.* 



And here, perhaps, I may be allowed to 

 express my opinion that the magnificent 



* Sir Uvedale Price seems to be of this opinion when he 

 says, " Besides the profit arising from total change, a dis- 

 " ciple of Mr. Brown has another motive for recommend- 

 " ing it : he hardly knows where to begin, or what to set 

 " about, till every thing is cleared ; for those objects which 

 " to painters are indications are to him obstructions." 



