Theory and Practice 163 



broken, the intervals shew none of the varied scenery 

 beyond. I do not, therefore, hesitate to say that, by 

 judiciously removing some hundred trees, the place 

 would be made to appear more wooded : for it fre- 

 quently happens that a branch near the eye may hide 

 a group of twenty trees, or a single tree conceal a whole 

 grove. 



In thus recommending the liberal use of the axe, 

 I hope I shall not be deemed an advocate for that bare 

 and bald system of gardening which has been so justly 

 ridiculed. I do not profess to follow either Le Notre 

 or Brown, but, selecting beauties from the style of each, 

 to adopt so much of the grandeur of the former as may 

 accord with a palace and so much of the grace of the 

 latter as may call forth the charms of natural landscape. 

 Each has its proper situation ; and good taste will make 

 fashion subservient to good sense. 



The modern rage for natural landscape has fre- 

 quently carried its admirers beyond the true limits of 

 improvement, the first object of which ought to be 

 convenience, and the next picturesque beauty. 



My taste may, perhaps, be arraigned for asserting 

 that the straight terrace at the Hasells ought not to 

 be disturbed : although it is a remnant of geometric 

 gardening of the last century, yet it is an object of such 

 comfort and convenience that it would be unpardon- 

 able to destroy it for no other reason than because a 

 straight walk is out of fashion ; this would be acknow- 

 ledging (what I protest against) that the art of landscape 

 gardening ought to be under the dominion of fashion. 



If this terrace were constantly an object of view, or 

 very materially offensive to the general scenery of the 

 place, its linear direction might cut the composition 



