LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE. 49 



cal mind. I shall not enter upon the discussion of these 

 questions. I do not presume even to say that in any 

 case it would be possible to carry out such a design as I 

 have suggested in all its details. My object has been to 

 point out defects in" preexisting systems which cannot be 

 denied, and to suggest principles by which those evils 

 may be averted. How far those principles are capable 

 of practical application, remains to be seen. It is 

 certain that we have such an opportunity as no nation 

 ever before enjoyed of testing and developing both the 

 theory and the practice of the art. 



Before taking leave of Chicago it may not be amiss to 

 call attention to a lesson, the truth of which has been 

 confirmed by her recent experience. 



The opportunity of reconstructing the plan of a con- 

 siderable portion of the city, before rebuilding upon the 

 burnt districts, naturally suggested itself as too favorable 

 to be suffered to escape, but the effort at its accomplish- 

 ment resulted as all similar efforts have done. Before 

 the ruins of London had ceased smoking after the great 

 fire of 1666, a plan for the reconstruction of the burnt 

 district was prepared and laid before the King by Chris- 

 topher Wren, which was so obvious an improvement upon 

 the old system of narrow and crooked streets, that a very 

 strong effort was made to secure its adoption, but it was 

 found impossible to reconcile the multitude of compli- 

 cated and conflicting interests which must necessarily be 

 affected, and no essential change was secured. New 

 York had a similar experience after the fire of 1835, and 

 Chicago now adds her experience in proof of the fact 



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