5.52 



LANDSCAPE GARDENING. 



Objects of acknowledged ) is infinite also ; but supposing the choice 

 iirdt-nmi;. to ^ once jj xct j a ij OU t the number of sides, no apparent 

 "~ Y " caprice of the artist in adjusting their relative propor- 

 tions, prevents a disagreeable and inexplicable puzzle 

 to the spectator." 



In the progress of the arts, the expression of design, 

 though at first difficult, becomes afterwards easy, and 

 renders regularity and uniformity only expressive of 

 common design. Hence, to confer a character of supe- 

 riority in works of design, variety would be introduced ; 

 and as uniformity was the sign of design, so uniformi- 

 ty and variety would become the sign of improved or 

 embellished design. " Considering, therefore, forms 

 in this light as beautiful, merely from their expression 

 of design, the observation of Dr. Hutcheson may per- 

 haps be considered as an axiom with regard to their 

 beauty, viz. That where the uniformity is equal, the 

 beauty of forms is in proportion to their variety ; and 

 when their variety is equal, tteir beauty is in propor- 

 tion to their uniformity." (Alison's Essays, p. 106.) 



To this stage, in the progress of desig'n, may be re- 

 ferred the architectural ornaments introduced in gar- 

 den scenery, such as seats, buildings, statues, urns ; 

 and in the later stages of the art, serpentine walks, la- 

 byrinths, verdant sculpture, and many other improve- 

 ments. The variety and embellishment thus conferred 

 on .the arts, produced in time many absurdities that 

 we would not wish to see resorted to with a revival of 

 the ancient style, unless in examples considered solely 

 with a view to imitation. * The sculpture of trees, 

 however, might, when first introduced, be greatly ad- 

 mired, even by men of sense, for its novelty, and the 

 discovery of a certain degree of skill in the artist; 

 but as, in our times, they would neither be new or me- 

 ritorious, they could scarcely be consistently introduced 

 with a view to embellish design. 



To prevent variety from degenerating into confu- 

 sion, and, as Mr. Stewart characteristically expresses 

 it, " puzzle the spectator," unity of intention must 

 never be lost sight of. This, indeed, is necessarily im- 

 plied in every work of art, since, without it, the slight- 

 est attempt at design would only end in a chaos of ma- 

 terials. 



Fitness, Fitness, or the proper adaptation of means to an end, 



is the second source of the relative beauty of forms. 

 Considered in relation to the parts of a building, it is 

 generally denominated proportion, and refers to the 

 adequate strength of certain parts to bear certain 

 weights, &c. In the detail of the ancient, and in scenes 

 of relative beauty in the modern style of gardening, it 

 relates to the magnitude and situations of buildings, 

 and other artificial objects, relative to natural ones to 

 the extent of the different scenes or constituent parts of 

 a residence, compared to the whole to the propriety 

 and congruity of certain objects as ornaments and, in 

 general, to the adequacy of means to an end, whatever 

 these means or that end may be. 



Utility. Utility is the third source of the relative beauty of 



forms. None of the other beauties will compensate for 

 the entire want of utility in any scene of architecture 

 or gardening. Objects at first thought beautiful, soon 

 lose this expression when they are found to be of no 

 use ; and others, with first impressions the most disa- 

 greeable, are felt to become beautiful as they are known 

 to be useful. " This species of beauty," Mr. Alison 

 observes, " is in itself productive of a much weaker 



emotion than that which arises from the different sources Objecu i 

 of ornamental beauty ; but it is of a more constant and Gartle 

 permanent kind, and much more uniformly fitted to ex- 

 cite the admiration of mankind." (Essays' jin Taste, 

 vol. ii. p. 201 .) " To unite these different kinds ofbeau- 

 ty ; to dignify ornamental forms also by use ; and to 

 raise merely useful forms into beauty, is the great ob- 

 ject of ambition among every class or artists. Where- 

 ever both these objects can be attained, the greatest 

 possible beauty that form can receive will be produced. 

 But as this can very seldom be the case, the following 

 rules seem immediately to present themselves for the 

 direction of the artist : 



1. That where the utility of forms is eejual, that will 

 be the most beautiful to which the most pleasing ex- 

 pression of form is given. 



2. That where those expressions are at variance ; 

 when the beauty of the form cannot be produced with- 

 out sacrificing its utility ; that form will be most uni- 

 versally and most permanently beautiful, in which the 

 expression of utility is most fully preserved. Essays, 

 vol. ii. p. 202. 



Some of the various modifications of utility, as ap- 

 plied to country residences, may be here enumerated. 



For the purpose of habitation, for example, good air 

 and water, a genial climate, fertile soil, cheerful pro- 

 spect, and suitable neighbourhood, &c. are known re- 

 quisites. 



Convenience must be joined to use, coinforts to con- 

 veniencies, and luxuries to comforts. Exercise, whe- 

 ther in the shape of walking, riding, or driving, re- 

 quires to be provided for ; and recreation, whether in 

 the common field sports, athletic games, or in botani- 

 cal, agricultural, and other useful, elegant, or scienti- 

 fic pursuits, must be kept in view ; rural futes and 

 amusements might also be enumerated. 



Accidental associations form the last class of relative Accidental 

 beauties, and are " such associations as, instead of being Assodii- 

 common to all mankind, are peculiar to the individual." tlons- 

 " They take their rise from education, from peculiar ha- 

 bits of thought, from situation, from profession ; and 

 the beauty they produce is felt only by those whom si- 

 milar causes have led to the formation of similar asso- 

 ciations." (Stewart's Essays.) Among these may be 

 reckoned, 



1. Classical and historical associations. The influence 

 of the former in architecture is well known ; the lat- 

 ter often adds charms to a spot, in no respect remark- 

 able to those who are unacquainted with its history. 

 Classical associations, Mr. Stewart observes, " have add- 

 ed immensely to our natural resources, but, at the same 

 time, warped our taste in various instances ;" acqui- 

 ring, as Mr. Alison adds, " a superiority over the 

 more permanent principles of beauty, and determining 

 for a time the taste of nations." 



2. National associations are also frequently at variance 

 with such as are universal, and have perhaps greater 

 influence than any other associations whatever. (Stew- 

 art's Es.'-ays.) 



3. Personal associations, or such as arise from the ac- 

 cidental style of natural beauties, to which we have 

 been accustomed in our youth. Many particulars come 

 under this head, whieh it would be tedious to enume- 

 rate; but one mode of vanity and selfish feeling de- 

 serves particular notice, as intimately connected with 

 the business of the landscape gardener. It is that in- 



As at a cottage and garden in the style of Henry the VIII.'s time, formed at Woburn bj his Grace the Duke of Bedford, in which 

 dipt yews are very properly introduced to complete the illusion. 



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