ON GARDENS 33 



" Ha-Ha's," was first thought of by Bridgman, 

 and this destruction of walls was the first step that 

 led to all the other innovations. 



Even architects became followers of the new 

 school (sometimes called the Natural, Irregular, 

 Landscape, Romantic, English, or Chinese School, 

 in opposition to the Formal, which was often called 

 the Architectural, Classical, Regular, Symmetrical 

 or Italian, French or Dutch). Batty Langley pub- 

 lished a gorgeous book upon the " New Principles 

 of Gardening," setting out to prove the impossible, 

 viz., that the " Rural style" and " Grand manner" 

 could be made to agree together. Kent followed 

 Bridgman ; he was originally a coachbuilder, but 

 feeling that he was not in sympathy with his trade, 

 went to London, where he studied art for a short time. 

 He showed such distinct signs of ability that he 

 found patrons willing to supply him with the money 

 to travel. At Rome fortune favoured him, and he 

 met Lord Burlington, who became his patron and 

 devoted champion for the rest of his life. 



Although Kent designed some very fine severe 

 buildings, and was an architect of ability, he joined 

 in the work of the fashionable destroyers, and 

 became one of the worst offenders in the destruc- 

 tion of old Gardens. 



In the amusing language of Walpole, "he leaped 

 the fence and saw that all Nature was a Garden." 

 Lovers of old Gardens would have had great 



