public 



ful meadows, over which clusters of level-armed 

 sheltering trees cast broad shadows, and upon which 

 are scattered flocks of black-faced sheep, while men, 

 women, and children are seen sitting here and there 

 forming groups in the shade, or moving in and out 

 among the woody points and bays. 



"It may be inferred from what I have said that very 

 rugged ground, abrupt eminences, and what is techni- 

 cally called picturesque in distinction from merely 

 beautiful or simply pleasing scenery, is not the most 

 desirable for a town park. Decidedly not in my 

 opinion. The park should as far as possible comple- 

 ment the town. Openness is the one thing you can- 

 not get in buildings. Picturesqueness you can get. 

 Let your buildings be as picturesque as your artists 

 can make them. This is the beauty of a town. 

 Consequently the beauty of the park should be 

 the other. It should be the beauty of the fields, the 

 meadow, the prairie, of the green pastures and the 

 still waters. What we want to gain is tranquillity 

 and rest of mind. Mountains suggest effort. But 

 besides this objection there are others of what I may 

 indicate as the housekeeping class. It is impossible 

 to give the public range over a large extent of ground 

 of a highly picturesque character, unless under very 

 exceptional circumstances, and sufficiently guarded 

 against the occurrence of opportunities and tempta- 

 tions to shabbiness, disorder, indecorum, and inde- 

 cency that will be subversive of every good purpose 

 the park should be designed to fulfil." 



