403 



genial grace of style, illuminated by the sense of that beauty 

 which it was its aim to indicate, and with a cheerfulness 

 which is one of the marked characteristics of Downing as an 

 author; the easy mastery of the subject, and its intrinsic 

 interest; - - all these combined to secure to the book the posi- 

 tion it has always occupied. The testimony of the men 

 most competent to speak with authority in the matter was 

 grateful, because deserved, praise. Loudon, the editor of 

 "Repton's Landscape Gardening," and perhaps at the time 

 the greatest living critic in the department of rural art, at 

 once declared it "a masterly work;" and after quoting freely 

 from its pages, remarked : " We have quoted largely from this 

 work, because in so doing we think we shall give a just idea of 

 the great merit of the author." Dr. Lindley, also, in his " Gar- 

 dener's Chronicle," dissented from "some minor points," but 

 said: " On the whole, we know of no work in which the funda- 

 mental principles of this profession are so well or so concisely 

 expressed:" adding, "No English landscape gardener has 

 written so clearly, or with so much real intensity." 



The "quiet, thoughtful, and reserved boy" of the Mont- 

 gomery Academy had thus suddenly displayed the talent 

 which was not suspected by his school-fellows. The younger 

 partner had now justified the expectation he aroused; and the 

 long, silent, careful years of study and experience insured 

 the permanent value of the results he announced. The fol- 

 lowing year saw the publication of the " Cottage Residences," 

 in which the principles of the first volume were applied in 

 detail. For the same reason it achieved a success similar to 

 the "Landscape Gardening." Rural England recognized 

 its great value. Loudon said: "It cannot fail to be of great 

 service." Another said: "We stretch our arm across the 

 'big water' to tender our Yankee coadjutor an'English shake 

 and a cordial recognition." These welcomes from those 

 who knew what and why they welcomed, founded Downing's 

 authority in the minds of the less learned, while the simplicity 

 of his own statements confirmed it. From the publication 

 of the "Landscape Gardening" until his death, he continued 

 to be the chief American authority in rural art. 



