SckelVs Landscape-Gardening. 545 



hills, the soil necessary for which purpose should be obtained 

 by excavating lakes, ponds, or rivers; and, while his imagina- 

 tion is occupied with the present and future picture of his own 

 creation, a very complete survey ought to be made of the whole 

 place, not omitting whatever has been effected by nature or art. 



2. The fundamental lines of the new garden should then be 

 put on the plan, and be kept in character with the spot itself, 

 and with the surrounding scener}', and true to the aesthetic rules 

 of composition. The artist must bear in n^ind what his present 

 operations will effect after a lapse of several years ; because, 

 without taking this into consideration, the garden would only 

 be the work of chance, and not one produced by the funda- 

 mental principles of art. He should also bear in mind that the 

 first forms which nature or his imagination have impressed 

 upon his heart are generally the best to abide by when altera- 

 tions are necessai'y ; at least I have always found this to be the 

 case from my own experience : and he should finally contem- 

 plate his composition from every point of view, to see what 

 effect is produced. It is much more difficult to form a picture 

 in a garden itself, than to make one on the canvass, because the 

 latter is only contemplated from one point of view. Of all 

 things, the landscape-gardener must not forget to take advan- 

 tage of the external natural beauties, which he must take in 

 when they suit his picture by means of ha-has : " you must call 

 in the country," says Pope. 



3. There are, however, cases in which a working plan for the 

 grounds cannot be acted upon ; such as a spot selected for a 

 garden, already furnished by nature with beautiful hills and 

 valleys, fine woods, rocks, rivers, lakes, and waterfalls. In such 

 cases the artist has only to follow up and assist nature, taking 

 care to retain as much as possible all the natural beauties; and, 

 when these are too far separated, he must bring them closer 

 together, still retaining the character of a natural picture. He 

 must, therefore, remove the less beautiful from that which is 

 superior, and make it predominate in the purest and most agree- 

 able romantic forms. 



When any part of the ground has been disfigured, either by 

 the hand of man or any other circumstance, he must endeavour 

 to restore it to its original line of beauty ; and, when a natural 

 wood is either too uniform or not romantic, he must enrich and 

 beautify it by new plantations, and in every respect make it 

 accord with the character of the natural garden. When rocks, 

 waterfalls, springs, or rivers, are concealed from view by bushes, 

 he must, by a prudent and judicious removal, bring them for- 

 ward in the landscape, without at the same time destroying, or 

 even lessening, that secret and lonely character which surrounds 

 these objects in nature. 



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