Ifntrofcuction 



The Essays of Walpole and Sir William 

 Temple have been placed side and side, partly 

 by reason of their charm and intrinsic value, 

 and partly because they may be regarded as 

 representative arguments for the natural and 

 the artificial schools of treatment respectively. 

 From the well rounded paragraphs of Sir Wil- 

 liam, the reader can turn directly to Walpole' s 

 withering review of their doctrines in a paper 

 upon which, for grace and brilliancy, his repu- 

 tation might be rested. 



The other selections need no special refer- 

 ence, but all are interesting as a mark of the 

 claim that the art of gardening has asserted 

 over minds of such various types. 



The paper of Walpole " On Modern Garden- 

 ing," and the creations of Kent, to which it 

 refers, may be said to mark an era in the his- 

 tory of landscape art, and the influence of this 

 scholarly essay is yet seen, impressed upon the 

 features of many an English park and garden. 



The revival of classical architecture under the 

 Stuarts and the advent of William and Mary 

 with their train of Dutch courtiers had con- 



