fborace tKflalpolc 249 



tion of a legend that Henry II. secured his 

 mistress in a labyrinth ; it was no doubt more 

 difficult to find her in a park than in a palace, 

 when the intricacy of the woods and various 

 lodges buried in covert might conceal her 

 actual habitation. 



It is more extraordinary that having so long 

 ago stumbled on the principle of modern gar- 

 dening, we should have persisted in retaining 

 its reverse, symmetrical, and unnatural gardens. 

 That parks were rare in other countries, Hentz- 

 ner, who travelled over great part of Europe, 

 leads- us to suppose, by observing that they 

 were common in England. In France they re- 

 tain the name, but nothing is more different 

 both in compass and disposition. Their parks 

 are usually square or oblong enclosures, regu- 

 larly planted with walks of chestnuts or limes, 

 and generally every large town has one for its 

 public recreation. They are exactly like Bur- 

 ton's Court, at Chelsea College, and rarely 

 larger. 



One man, one great man we had, on whom 

 nor education nor custom could impose their 

 prejudices ; who, on evil days though fallen, 

 and with darkness and solitude compassed 

 round, judged that the mistaken and fantastic 

 ornaments he had seen in gardens were un- 

 worthy of the Almighty hand that planted the 



