WILLIAM ROBINSON 305 



describe, saying that its beauty ' would have made any hearts 

 light/ Such a one as that in which the 'fayre' Emilie walked 

 up and down one May morning long ago, gathering 



' Flowers partie white and red 

 To make a subtle garland for her head.' 



This garden, as we have seen, should be square of shape, it 

 should be enclosed with walls, and with trellis work, and espaliers; 

 within it should be grown quinces and pears, plums, cherries and 

 apples of many kinds and also buUaces and the service-berries 

 which, English born as they are, have been forgotten in England. 

 Also, in this place, we must have a medlar tree like that from 

 which the goldfinch, ' leaping prettily,' sang to the old poet, and 

 we may plant an Agnus castus, for we read how the chief lady of 

 the company, which came into Chaucer's dream, bore an Agnus 

 castus branch. Plant also Holly trees and Spindle, and bushes 

 of Broom and of Berberry, and a Rowan tree which we must have 

 not only for beauty but also for good luck, since the old Ballads 

 say that ^witches have no power where there is roan-tree wood.'' — 

 On the Art of Gardening. 1881. 



TN some writings on garden design, it is assumed as a truism that WILLIAM 

 -^ the landscape and naturalistic view of that design was the ROBINSON. 

 invention of certain men, and a mere passing fashion, like many 

 that have disfigured the garden. This is a serious error, as land- 

 scape beauty has existed ever since the eyes of men were first 

 opened to the beauty of the earth, as now when from thousands of 

 places in England beautiful landscape views are seen. It exists in 

 wild mountain woodland, and in the forest plain, apart altogether 

 from man's efforts, as seen in the parks of England from Alnwick 

 to Richmond ; and in either case it is too lovely a lesson to forget 

 so long as man has any eyes to see beauty. If all the works of 

 man in landscape planting were swept away, there would still be 

 beautiful landscape on vast areas in many lands. There are ten 



u 



