165 



the character of Mr. Brown's scliool of im- 

 provement, 'i'here is* indeed, a very falae 

 idea with respect to originality which may 

 have influenced Mr* Brown, — that of reject- 

 ing all study and imitation of what other* 

 have done, for fear of being suspected oi 

 want of invention* Sir Joshua Ile}-nold9 

 has admirably pointed out the fallacy of 

 this notion, and the truth of a seeming pa- 

 radox, namely that imitation (of course no6 

 of a servile kind) is often a source of origi- 

 nality ; and he has very happily remarked, 

 that by ceasing to study the works of others, 

 an artist is reduced to the poorest of all imi- 

 tations — that of his own works. This seems 

 precisely the case with Mr. Brown, and 

 might possibly be owing to his ill-directed 

 aim at originality. 



Were my arguments in favcrur of many 

 parts of the old style of gardening ever sa 

 convincing, the most I could hope from 

 Ihem at present would be to produce some 

 caution; and to assist in preserving'sorae of 

 the few remains of old magnificence that 

 still exist, by making the owner less ready 

 m52 



