278 ftbe <3ar6ert 



misfortune, in truth, there is, that throws a 

 difficulty on the artist. A principal beauty in 

 our gardens is the lawn and smoothness of 

 turf; in a picture it becomes a dead and uni- 

 form spot, incapable of chiaro-scuro, and to be 

 broken insipidly by children, dogs, and other 

 unmeaning figures. 



Since we have been familiarized to the study 

 of landscape we hear less of what delighted our 

 sportsmen-ancestors a fine open country. Wilt- 

 shire, Dorsetshire, and such ocean -like extents, 

 were formerly preferred to the rich blue pros- 

 pects of Kent, to the Thames-watered views in 

 Berkshire, and to the magnificent scale of na- 

 ture in Yorkshire. An open country is but a can- 

 vas on which a landscape might be designed. 



It was fortunate for the country and Mr. Kent 

 that he was succeeded by a very able master ; 

 and did living artists come within my plan, I 

 should be glad to do justice to Mr. Brown ; but 

 he may be a gainer by being reserved for some 

 abler pen. 



In general it is probably true, that the pos- 

 sessor, if he has any taste, must be the best 

 designer of his own improvements. He sees 

 his situation in all seasons of the year, at all 

 times of the day. He knows where beauty will 

 not clash with convenience, and observes in 

 Ids silent walks, or accidental rides, a thousand 



