Preface 



TO 



SKETCHES AND HINTS 



TO improve the scenery of a country, and to dis- 

 play its native beauties with advantage, is an art 

 which originated in England, and has therefore been 

 called English gardening; yet as this expression is not 

 sufficiently appropriate, especially since gardening, in 

 its more confined sense of horticulture, has been like- 

 wise brought to the greatest perfection in this country, 

 I have adopted the term landscape gardening, as 

 most proper, because the art can only be advanced and 

 perfected by the united powers of the landscape painter 

 and the practical gardener. The former must conceive 

 a plan, which the latter may be able to execute ; for 

 though a painter may represent a beautiful landscape 

 on his canvas, and even surpass nature by the com- 

 bination of her choicest materials, yet the luxuriant 

 imagination of the painter must be subjected to the 

 gardener's practical knowledge in planting, digging, 

 and moving earth; that the simplest and readiest means 

 of accomplishing each design may be suggested; since 

 it is not by vast labour, or great expense, that nature is 

 generally to be improved ; on the contrary, 



" Insult not Nature with absurd expense. 



Nor spoil her simple charms by vain pretence ; 

 Weigh well the subject, be with caution bold. 

 Profuse of genius, not profuse of gold. ' ' 



