700 Gilpirfs Practical Hints 



Gilpiti, S., Esq.: Practical Hints on Landscape-Gardening. 

 8vo. London, 1832. 2l5. 



We have read this work with pleasure, and only regret 

 that we cannot spare room to enter into its merits at greater 

 length. The name of Gilpin will inspire with respect every 

 one who has perused the numerous excellent works, by the 

 late author of that name, on landscape scenery. Mr. Gilpin 

 was the contemporary and intimate friend of the justly cele- 

 brated author of the Observatioits on Modem GardeniJig ; and 

 it cannot be denied that this work, and the writings of Mr. 

 Gilpin, did more, in their day, to improve the public taste in 

 regard to rural beauty, than all the other writings of the same 

 kind, then published, put together. It is no ordinary presump- 

 tion in favour of the writer whose work we are noticing, that 

 he is collaterally related to the author of the Essays on Forest 

 Scencrj/. 



Mr. Gilpin avows his object to be, to reduce to practice the 

 principles of taste developed by Sir Uvedale Price, in his 

 JSssajjs 071 the Picturesque. In his application of these prin- 

 ciples to the situation of the house, the character of the sur- 

 rounding scenery, the approach, and the plantations, we 

 know not that there is a single hint, so far as these hints 

 go, to which wc would object ; and there is one, on the cha- 

 racter of lodges, which is original; viz., that sometimes the 

 character of tlie lodge should be determined by that of the 

 situation, rather than by that of the house. 



We entirely sympathise with the author in his defence of 

 the irregular outlines of plantations on even surfaces, and 

 only wonder that he should attach so much importance to 

 the articles in the Qiiarfcrlij lieviexv, on Sir Plein-y Steuart's 

 Planter s Guide anil Montcath's Practical Forester ; even 

 though they are understood to have been written by Sir 

 Walter Scott. The truth is, that little dependence is to be 

 placed on a fluent writer like Sir Walter Scott, whose main 

 object was eflect, on any subject in which science or definite 

 views are required. \\'^itness the rash assertion, in one of 

 the reviews in question, that the degeneracy of the Scotch 

 pine is owing to nurserymen importing the seeds of that 

 tree from Canada. (See our Vol. IV. p. 5515.) 



We agree also with Mr. (iilj)in in his views and statements 

 respecting the Planter's Guide of Sir Hein'y Steuart. How- 

 ever much Sir Ilemy may have shown of physiological 

 knowledge in his work, he certainly cannot be complimented 

 on his taste in laying out grounds ; and, in proof of this, 

 we should quote against him the same passage which has 

 been quoted by jNIr. Gilpin, viz., that in which Sir Henry 

 recommends a juvenile work of ours [A Treatise on Country 



