374 DRESSED OR GEOMETRICAL GARDENS. Paet III. 



more importance than it had any right to claim from its 

 extent. The same remark applies to all kinds of gardens ; 

 though they should be of sufficient size not to appear insig- 

 nificant, nor vainly to imitate those of greater dimensions. 

 Their beauty does not depend solely on their extent. 



"It is a 'prevailing but most erroneous opinion (says 

 Captain Mangles) that the enjoyments derivable from a garden 

 are just in proportion to its magnitude; so far from this being 

 the case, at least in our opinion, we most decidedly believe 

 that it would be conferring a most essential service on the 

 science of gardening, either to lessen by one half almost 

 every ornamental garden in the country, or allow double the 

 amount of labour to that usually bestowed upon them. In 

 ninety-nine gardens out of every hundred, it will be found 

 that their extent is such, compared to the labour allowed 

 for keeping, that the time and attention required for the 

 nicer operations of the art is almost, if not wholly, absorbed 

 in the manual labour required for keeping in repair the beds, 

 grass walks, &c. This ought not to be : the pleasures and 

 enjoyments of a garden by no means depend on its extent 

 but on its higher state of culture and keeping."* 



But though actual size is not necessary, it is of importance, 

 when gardens or grounds are small, that they should not 

 have the appearance of being confined to a limited space ; 

 and an effect of greater extent should be given them than 

 they really possess, by a suitable direction of lines both in the 

 walks, and in the disposition of the bushes and trees of the 

 borders. Those lines should lead the eye to the distance ; 

 and where that is bounded by a continuous belt of trees, 

 judicious openings should be made to connect the space 

 beyond them with the grounds ; which ought not to proclaim 

 that they are confined to their own narrow limits. Even 



* Page 111, of that very useful little work, the "Floral Calendar," by Capt. 

 Man cries, E, N. 



