THE GARDENS OF EPICURUS 55 



what it is now I can give little account, having passed 

 through several hands that have made great changes in 

 gardens as well as houses ; but the remembrance of 

 what it was, is too pleasant ever to forget, and there- 

 fore I do not believe to have mistaken the figure of it, 

 which may serve for a pattern to the best gardens of 

 our manners, and that are most proper for our country^ 

 and climate. 



What I have said of the best forms of gardens, is , 

 meant only of such as are in some sort regular ; for there 

 may be other forms wholly irregular, that may, for 

 ought I know, have more beauty than any of the 

 others ; but they must owe it to some extraordinary 

 dispositions of nature in the seat, or some great race of 

 fancy or judgment in the contrivance, which may pro- 

 duce many disagreeing parts into some figure, which 

 shall yet upon the whole, be very agreeable. Some- 

 thing of this I have seen in some places, but heard 

 more of it from others, who have lived much among 

 the Chinese ; a people, whose way of thinking seems 

 to lie as wide of ours in Europe, as their country does. 

 Among us, the beauty of building and planting is placed 

 chiefly in some certain proportions, symmetries, or 

 uniformities ; our walks and our trees ranged so, as 

 to answer one another, and at exact distances. The 



