<3oR>0mitb 223 



the care of gardens. Instead of shears he bore 

 a scythe ; and he appeared rather with the im- 

 plements of husbandry than those of a modern 

 gardener. Having remembered this place in its 

 pristine beauty, I could not help condoling with 

 him on its present ruinous situation. I spoke to 

 him of the many alterations which had been 

 made, and all for the worse ; of the many shades 

 which had been taken away ; of the bowers that 

 were destroyed by neglect, and the hedgerows 

 that were spoiled by clipping. The Genius 

 with a sigh received my condolement, and 

 assured me that he was equally a martyr to 

 ignorance and taste, to refinement and rusticity. 

 Seeing me desirous of knowing further, he went 

 on : 



" You see, in the place before you, the pater- 

 nal inheritance of a poet ; and to a man content 

 with little, fully sufficient for his subsistence : 

 but a strong imagination and a long acquaint- 

 ance with the rich are dangerous foes to con- 

 tentment. Our poet, instead of sitting down to 

 enjoy life, resolved to prepare for its future en- 

 joyment, and set about converting a place of 

 profit into a scene of pleasure. This he at first 

 supposed could be accomplished at a small ex- 

 pense ; and he was willing for a while to stint 

 his income, to have an opportunity of display- 

 ing his taste. The improvement in this manner 



