FRENCH FASHIONS 213 



written before or afterward, is " The Theory and Le Blond's 

 Practice of Gardening," by A. Le Blond, attributed to 

 D'Argenville, translated by John James and published 

 in 1703. It explains Le Notre's theories, as applied 

 to gardens of ordinary dimensions, planned to be 

 laid out and kept up at moderate expense. Le 

 Blond's precepts are so valuable to every one inter- 

 ested in this subject that they have been quoted 

 almost verbatim in the following pages. It would 

 be impossible to improve on either the matter or the 

 manner. 



In the first place it was assumed that the garden 

 architect should be a man of parts. He must be pro- 

 ficient in the practice of the arts of architecture, 

 drawing, and ornamental design, and in the sciences 

 of geometry and horticulture. Starting with a natural 

 sense of beauty, he should acquire good judgment 

 from actual experience and from the contemplation of 

 the finest examples of art and nature. Garden archi- 

 tecture was a profession necessitating unusual intel- 

 ligence strengthened by varied attainments not to be 

 acquired without great difficulty. 



The garden was to correspond to the building in its correspond- 

 neighbourhood. But the house was to be sacrificed to ^e/house 

 the garden rather than the garden to the house. ** gard 

 " By reason a Country-house ought to differ from one 

 in Town, where the Extent of the Buildings is more 



