INTRODUCTION. 17 



Italy, during the Commonwealth, imbibed 

 similar ideas. Thus our plantations at that 

 time consisted entirely of long, dull avenues, 

 and our pleasure-gardens of clipped hedges, 

 walks laid out upon geometrical principles, 

 and ever-green trees shorn into fanciful and 

 ridiculous figures. Le Notre, who planned 

 the celebrated gardens of Versailles, came 

 over at this time to England, by desire of 

 Charles, to plant the parks of Greenwich 

 and St. James's. 



Early in the eighteenth century, the formal 

 and heavy style of gardening which had for 

 some time prevailed, was changed by the 

 united efforts of the English poets and 

 painters of the day. By their pure taste and 

 united efforts, they gave birth to that classical 

 style of planting which has since been so 

 much admired and imitated throughout the 

 most refined parts of Europe. 



Whilst Addison was forming a rural garden 

 at his retirement at Bilton near Rugby, Pope 

 was employed in laying out a picturesque 

 plantation at Twickenham. At the same 

 time, with their pens they engaged in open 

 war against the right angles and disfiguring 

 shears of the gardeners of their day, against 

 whom they levelled some of the keenest 



VOL. i. c 



