38 A BOOK OF ENGLISH GARDENS 



And scattered clumps, that nod at one another, 

 Each stiffly waving to its formal brother ; 

 Tired with the extensive scene, so dull and bare, 

 To Heaven devoutly I've addressed my prayer : 

 Again the moss-grown terrace to raise ; 

 And spread the labyrinth's perplexing maze ; 

 Replace in even lines the ductile Yew 

 And plant again the ancient avenue." 



Even Sir William Chambers an enthusiastic 

 admirer of Chinese Gardens while he was dotting 

 Kew Gardens with pagodas, and natural effects, 

 remonstrated about the wholesale destruction of 

 trees : " Our designers have scarcely left an acre of 

 shade or three trees growing in a line from Land's 

 End to the Tweed." 



Nevertheless, regardless of remonstrance, there 

 were people who still admired Brown's work, and 

 at his death in 1783, his place was taken by his 

 devoted disciple, Humphrey Repton. "Amenity" 

 Repton was the first to call himself a " Landscape 

 Gardener," and if the character of his talents was 

 defined, it would be found to be more for elegant 

 ornament and prettiness than for any decided effort 

 of original genius. He liked discussing and writing 

 about his views, and he leaves no one in doubt as to 

 what he considers perfect Landscape Gardening 

 viz., " Firstly, to display the natural beauties and 

 hide the natural defects of every situation ; secondly, 

 to give the appearance of extent and freedom by 



