,">12 L<(n<lscai>c hardening 



lew strongly marked objects, either picturesque or simply 

 beautiful, will often confer their character upon a whole 

 landscape; as the destruction of a single group of bold rocks, 

 covered with wood, may render a scene, once picturesque, 

 completely insipid. 



The early writers on the modern style were content with 

 trees allowed to grow in their natural forms, and with an 

 easy assemblage of sylvan scenery in the pleasure-grounds, 

 which resembled the usual woodland features of nature. 

 The effect of this method will always be interesting, and an 

 agreeable impression will always be the result of following 

 the simplest hints derived from the free and luxuriant forms 

 of nature. No residence in the country can fail to be 

 pleasing, whose features are natural groups of forest trees, 

 smooth lawn, and hard gravel w r alks. 



But this is scarcely Landscape Gardening in the true 

 sense of the word, although apparently so understood by 

 many writers. By Landscape Gardening, we understand 

 not only an imitation, in the grounds of a country residence, 

 of the agreeable forms of nature, but an expressive, harmo- 

 nious, and refined imitation. In Landscape Gardening, we 

 should aim to separate the accidental and extraneous in 

 nature, and to preserve only the spirit, or essence. This 

 subtle essence lies, we believe, in the expression more or 

 less pervading every attractive portion of nature. And it 

 is by eliciting, preserving, or heightening this expression, 

 that we may give our landscape gardens a higher charm, 

 than even the polish of art can bestow. 



Now, the two most forcible and complete expressions to 

 be found in that kind of natural scenery which may be 

 reproduced in Landscape Gardening, are the Beautiful and 

 the Picturesque. As we look upon these as quite distinct, 

 and as success in practical embellishment must depend on 

 our feeling and understanding these expressions before- 

 hand, it is necessary that we should attach some definite 

 meaning to terms which \ve shall be continually obliged 

 to employ. This is, indeed, the more requisite, from the 

 vague and conflicting opinions of most preceding writers on 



