ijo The Art of Landscape Gardening 



proved, not only by such moving objects, but also by 

 their use in cropping those vagrant branches which no 

 art could watch with sufficient care and attention. It is 

 to such accidental browsing of cattle that we are indebted 

 for those magical effects of light and shade in forest 

 scenery, which art in vain endeavours to imitate in 

 pleasure-grounds. 



Perhaps the brook might be made the natural boundary 

 of Arno's Vale, where a deep channel immediately at the 

 foot of the hill, with or without posts and rails, would 

 make an effectual fence. It will perhaps be objected that 

 a walk by the side of such a fence would be intolerable, 

 yet surely this watercourse, occasionally filled with a lively 

 stream, is far preferable to a dry channel ; and yet the only 

 walk from the house at present is by the side of what may 

 be so called : and, far from considering this a defect, I 

 know it derives much of its interest from this very cir- 

 cumstance. A gravel walk is an artificial convenience, 

 and that it should be protected is one of its first requi- 

 sites : therefore, so long as good taste and good sense 

 shall coincide, the eye will be pleased where the mind is 

 satisfied. Indeed, in the rage for destroying all that ap- 

 peared artificial in the ancient style of gardening, I have 

 frequently regretted the destruction of those majestic ter- 

 races which marked the precise line betwixt nature and art. 



To describe the various sorts of fences suitable to 

 various purposes would exceed the limits and intentions 

 of this work : every county has its peculiar mode of 

 fencing, both in the construction of hedges and ditches, 

 which belong rather to the farmer than the landscape 

 gardener, and in the different forms and materials of 

 pales, rails, hurdles, gates, etc. ; my object is rather to 

 describe such application of common expedients as may 

 have some degree of use or novelty. 



