90 COME INTO THE GARDEN 



ting an urn, a statue, or anything else in the 

 midst of open lawn. No argument in the world 

 can justify such a position for any kind of ob- 

 ject, any more than it can justify putting a sim- 

 ilar object in the midst of a drawing-room floor. 

 Things of this nature are to adorn, not to mon- 

 opolize. True, a sculpture of merit deserves a 

 setting wherein all its beauties may be fittingly 

 enjoyed; but such a work demands its own 

 gallery or alcove, whether it be outdoors or in, 

 and only when an area sufficient to provide 

 this is available should an image or group of 

 such importance be used. For then the object 

 itself, not the garden, is the feature; the latter, 

 or that portion of it immediately about a great 

 work of art, is secondary — an effect obviously 

 to be avoided, w^here space is limited. 



Let it not be understood that I am arguing 

 against merit, however, in garden statuary or 

 ornament, for of merit there can never be too 

 much anywhere — certainly not in the garden. 

 It is only the too ambitious conception that 

 should be barred from the garden which it will 

 overtop and render insignificant. Neither in 

 actual size nor in the idea expressed may orna- 

 ment ever assume greater proportions than the 

 thing it ornaments. Be sure that it has done 

 this, however, whenever it conveys the stronger 



