The Natural Style in Landscape Gardening 



And, we ought to add, altogether bad. Though 

 some theorists may argue that the modern man's 

 lack of strong convictions is a weakness, it is per- 

 fectly plain that the growth of tolerance, the broad- 

 ening of view, the greater catholicity of taste in all 

 matters, mark a very genuine advance. It is a 

 great and genuine gain for the spirit of humanity. 



This change, which has marked all realms of 

 thought, has been as effective in the field of land- 

 scape gardening as anywhere else. To those of us 

 who remember it, it has been equally agreeable. 



We may fairly claim to have achieved a full 

 freedom in these matters. Every well-trained 

 landscape architect in America designs freely in 

 either the formal or the natural style, frequently 

 using both styles in different parts of the same 

 project. The ill-natured polemics of the seven- 

 ties have disappeared altogether from the garden 

 literature of the present day. 



This change has been wholly for good. I rejoice 

 in every thought of it ; and as I take up now a dis- 

 cussion of the natural style, my unwavering alle- 

 giance to the modern Catholicism must be most em- 



12 



