Wood and Plantations 67 



In all cases good taste will suggest that the more polished 

 parts of the lawns and grounds should, whatever character 

 is attempted, be those nearest the house. There the most 

 rare and beautiful sorts of trees are displayed, and the 

 entire plantations agree in elegance with the style of art 

 evinced in the mansion itself. When there is much extent, 

 however, as the eye wanders from the neighborhood of the 

 residence, the whole evinces less polish; and gradually, 

 towards the furthest extremities, grows ruder, until it assimi- 

 lates itself to the wildness of general nature around. This, 

 of course, applies to grounds of large extent, and must not 

 be so much enforced where the lawn embraced is but mod- 

 erate, and therefore comes more directly under the eye. 



It will be remembered that, in the foregoing section, we 

 stated it as one of the leading principles of the art of Land- 

 scape Gardening, that in every instance where the grounds 

 of a country residence have a marked natural character, 

 whether of beautiful or picturesque expression, the efforts 

 of the improver will be most successful if he contributes 

 by his art to aid and strengthen that expression. This 

 should ever be borne in mind when we are commencing 

 any improvements in planting that will affect the general 

 expression of the scene, as there are but few country resi- 

 dences in the United States of any importance which have 

 not naturally some distinct landscape character; and the 

 labors of the improver will be productive of much greater 

 satisfaction and more lasting pleasure, when they aim at 

 effects in keeping with the whole scene, than if no regard be 

 paid to this important point. This will be felt almost 

 intuitively by persons who, perhaps, would themselves be 

 incapable of describing the cause of their gratification, but 

 would perceive the contrary at once; as many arc unable 

 to analyze the pleasure derived from harmony in music, 

 while they at once perceive the introduction of discordant 

 notes. 



We do not intend that this principle should apply so 

 closely, that extensive grounds naturally picturesque shall 

 have nothing of the softening touches of more perfect beauty; 



