THE METROPOLITAN PARK SYSTEM. 153 



little that is bad ; it is natural, healthy, and advantageous in a 

 large way to all concerned. It should accordingly be recognized 

 and made the basis of legislation ; for without such recognition 

 and consequent legislation the necessary pi'ovision for growth 

 cannot be made. Of this the whole region referred to now shows 

 abundant and lamentable evidence. Recognition has already 

 been much too long delayed." 



The first definite suggestion for a metropolitan park system was 

 made early in the year 1891. A metropolitan park commission to 

 investigate and report upon the subject was authorized by the 

 General Court of 1892, and was appointed by Governor Russell in 

 the summer of that year. Its report was made in February, 1893. 

 In accordance with its recommendations the metropolitan park law 

 was passed, and a permanent commission was appointed that year 

 for the Metropolitan Parks District thus constituted. 



At the present moment two great public reservations have been 

 established, one to the southward and the other to the northward 

 of Boston — comprising, altogether, something over seven thou- 

 sand acres of beautiful wilderness ; and a third reservation, com- 

 paratively small in extent but of great importance in its natural 

 features, has been created to the westward. The commission, 

 moreover, is actively engaged in the preparations for carrying out 

 the other leading features of its great task ; a work which may 

 require several years before it can be completed. 



What has already been done is of a character so great and far- 

 reaching as in itself to justify the legislation asked for. But what 

 remains to be done, and what will most assuredly be done, is of 

 equal and perhaps greater moment. It seems marvellous, almost, 

 in view of accustomed slowness in the execution of great move- 

 ments, that all this could have been realized in so short a period. 

 It is, however, to be regarded as the final and decisive step in a 

 long process which has led to this end. There are several weighty 

 factors that have entered into this process, and this action, which 

 is of such great moment to this part of the world, forms one of the 

 most notable events in the general park movement in the United 

 States — a movement which should be briefly considered in this 

 connection. 



This movement had its origin in the impulse given by a gi'eat 

 personality — as, in fact, all great activities find their beginning 

 in individual initiative, and none, indeed, more so than those for 



