412 SclelVs Landscape-Gardening. 



his locality, whether that be small or large, as Nature will 

 acknowledge it, if it is but formed after her laws, and is a 

 romantic picture, resembling her without being overdone. 



4. The landscape-gardener ought, therefore, to consider well 

 what natural objects he will give to the space he has to lay out, 

 without producing anything contrary to nature, and without 

 committing an error of long standing, by crowding objects on 

 a few acres which in nature occupy the space of a mile. Such 

 practices were formerly in use, and gave rise to the idea that the 

 English style of landscape-gardening could not be practised on 

 a small space, but only on one that is flat and large. 



But a space, however small, can receive picturesque natural 

 objects, and these can be found without difficulty in Nature 

 herself. A piece of ground may, therefore, be transformed into 

 a garden without reference to the size, so that objects are chosen 

 that Nature would have placed there, and sufficient space 

 allowed for them to have a proper effect and expression. 



5. I have laid out a great many small private gardens for my 

 friends in the natural style, and some of them were but the 

 tenth part of an acre, and were only ornamented with roses and 

 jasmines, while others had slender and beautiful trees, and those 

 that were larger had a more varied plantation ; and sometimes 

 a small hill was added, with a seat for repose, or a small valley 

 formed, &c. 



It is well known to all observers of nature, that very small 

 spots are frequently seen in forests, which are beautifully en- 

 chanting, and quite delightful to walk in ; and it is such scenes 

 as these that ought to be imitated by the landscape-gardener, 

 in a limited space. The beauty of a natural garden does not 

 arise from its extent of surface, but from its intrinsic artistical 

 value, its beautiful forms and scenes. 



6. The landscape-gardener must, therefore, sufficiently take 

 into consideration what he should effect and produce by art, 

 otherwise he will not be successful : and he must also remember 

 that he cannot produce mountains, but only small hills of a 

 height not exceeding more than 20 or 30 feet ; and that it is not 

 in his power to create such bold forms of nature, as fearful 

 abysses, and far-projecting rocks, which hasten the steps of the 

 traveller, or lakes and cataracts several miles long, which have 

 already been mentioned as beyond his power of imitating. 

 Such powerful productions of nature only furnish him with 

 models for art; and the most careful imitations neither deceive 

 nor produce the smallest degree of terror. 



7. Artificial rivers, also, should never be more than 50 or 80 

 feet wide; and lakes formed by art should never contain more 

 than 20 or 30 acres. Neither of these objects would appear too 



