ON ART IN A GARDEN. 31 



cherish the trees here, abolish the tree there ; en- 

 large this slope, level that ; open out a partial peep 

 of blue distance here, or a gleam of silver water 

 there. He must terrace the slope, step by step, 

 towards the stream at the base, select the sunniest 

 spots for the flower-beds, and arrange how best the 

 gardens at their varying levels shall be approached 

 or viewed from the house. In this way and that he 

 must so manoeuvre the perspective and the lights and 

 shades, so compose or continue the sectional lines 

 and general bearings of the ground as to enforce the 

 good points that exist, and draw out the latent possi- 

 bilities of the place, and this with as easy a hand, 

 and as fine tact as the man can muster. 



And now to come to our point. A dressed gar- 

 den, I said, is Nature idealised pastoral scenery put 

 fancifully, in man's way. A gardener is a master of 

 what the French writer calls "the charming art of 

 touching up the truth." 



Emerson observes that all the Arts have their 

 origin in some enthusiasm ; and the art of gardening 

 has for its root, man's enthusiasm for the woodland 

 world. It indicates a taste for flowers and trees 

 and landscapes. It is admiration that has, so to 

 speak, passed from the stage of emotion to that of 

 form. A garden is the result of the emulation which 

 the vision of beauty in the world at large is ever 

 provoking in man 



" Straight mine eye hath caught new pleasures 

 While the landskip round it measures." 



What of Nature has affected man on various 



