Appendi.i' 435 



landscape gardening I see three different aspects of il, in 

 each of which his powerful character has impressed itself 

 on following generations. First and probably least was the 

 professional work in the design of private and public grounds. 

 At the present time none of his authentic works exist except 

 in the most fragmentary condition, and the records of his 

 designs are too meager to be given much careful study. Yet 

 in his own day and in the immediately succeeding years his 

 work was seen by all aspiring young landscape architects and 

 to them was inspiration, law and gospel. 



Next, and easily superior to his executed works, were his 

 writings, and preeminently his book on "Landscape Garden- 

 ing." The influence of these books and essays has been and 

 still is of immeasurable proportions. 



The third feature of his service to us, and one which seems 

 to have been widely overlooked, was his practical establish- 

 ment in America of the profession of landscape architecture, 

 as it is now fashionably called, though he always spoke of it 

 under the good English term of landscape gardening. Other 

 men had unquestionably practiced this art in America 

 before him; but his genius soared so far above all else that 

 had ever been done as to put the whole profession upon a 

 new plane. Other men found it easy to follow in the path 

 which he had opened. Several of these disciples did so well 

 under his inspiration as to have preserved their names to 

 the present day. Frank J. Scott and H. W. S. Cleveland 

 may be named as examples of this immediate discipleship. 



Out of this story, which we necessarily trace with so 

 much difficulty, of the personal influence of Downing in the 

 beginnings of the profession, there emerges however one 

 conspicuous incident. Calvert Vaux has already been men- 

 tioned as coming to America in 1850 to be associated with 

 Downing in his professional work. This very able and 

 well-trained young architect doubtless had a considerable 

 influence upon his acute and impressionable partner; but 

 it is quite as certain that the stronger qualities of Downing 

 left their impress upon Vaux. The professional work under- 

 taken by them jointly was continued by Vaux after Down- 



