12 



influence, from the palace to the cottage, and adorning the pre- 

 cincts, or overspreading' the entire regions of her adventurous 

 precursor. 



After the immortal Linnaeus published his " System of Nature," 

 Botany became a popular science, and its numerous votaries pro- 

 duced a variety of interesting elementary works, which, with 

 those of Miller, Wheatly, Abercrombie, Repton, Price, Mad- 

 dock, Panty, Sang, Loudon, and Knight, the British Columella, 

 rapidly diffused intelligence among all classes of society. A 

 passion for experiment and ornamental planting was thus induced, 

 which give sufficient promise, that what had been figuratively 

 expressed, might be, ultimately, realized, and the whole island 

 become, in truth, a " Garden." 



Architecture claims a conspicuous rank among the arts which 

 are subservient to rural economy ; but in the United States it 

 cannot be expected, that individuals should indulge, that natural 

 propensity of man, for magnificent edifices ; still their establish- 

 ments may assume the beauties of a refined taste, and be made 

 to harmonize more perfectly with the purposes of their appropri- 

 ation, and the scenery in which they are embowered, without 

 enhancing the cost of construction. The error has not been 

 merely that of negligence in the plan, indifference as to location, 

 and a disregard of all the characteristics of the various orders of 

 architecture ; but in the heedless selection of materials, an osten- 

 tatious extravagance in the size, and a wasteful exuberance of 

 fancied embellishments. 



There being no law of primogeniture in the American Repub- 

 lics, estates are continually subdivided, until each portion is so 

 reduced, as not to exceed the means of general occupancy : 

 whatever sums, therefore, are lavished on a country residence, 

 beyond the conveniences and comforts usually required by the 

 great mass of the freeholders, are lost to the heirs, and often prove 

 ruinous to the aspiring projector. 



We admire what has been done in other countries, and pos- 

 sessing means ample as the actual proprietor of the stately edi- 



