26 



Landscape Gardening 



embellishing the country residence, in a practical mode, 

 based upon what are now generally received as the correct 

 principles of the art, we would desire the novice, after 

 ma king himself acquainted with all that can be acquired 

 from written works within his reach, to strengthen his 

 taste and add to his knowledge, by a practical inspection of 

 the best country seats among us. In an infant state of 



FIG. 4. MAIN LAWN NEW JEKSEY STATE HOSPITAL, TRENTON. 

 DESIGNED BY A. J. DOWNING 



society, in regard to the fine arts, much will be done in 

 violation of good taste; but here, where nature has done 

 so much for us, there is scarcely a large country residence 

 in the Union, from which useful hints in Landscape Gar- 

 dening may not be taken. And in nature, a group of trees, 

 an accidental pond of water, or some equally simple object, 

 may form a study more convincing to the mind of a true 

 admirer of natural beauty, than the most carefully drawn 

 plan, or the most elaborately written description. 



