THE AMATEUR GARDEN 



which procures and preserves the noblest hap- 

 piness of the community with the least enthral- 

 ment of the individual. 



Now, I hope that as world-citizens and even 

 as Americans we may bear in mind that, while 

 this maxim may be wholly true, it is not there- 

 fore the whole truth. What maxim is ? Let us 

 ever keep a sweet, self-respecting modesty with 

 which to confront and consort with those who 

 see the science of government, or art of garden- 

 ing, from the standpoint of some other equally 

 true fraction of the whole truth. All we need 

 here maintain for our Jeffersonian maxim is that 

 its wide domination in American sentiment ex- 

 plains the larger part of all the merits and 

 faults of American government and American 

 gardening. It accounts for nearly all our Amer- 

 ican laws and ordinances, manners, customs, 

 and whims, and in the great discussion of Where 

 to Plant What (in America) no one need hope 

 to prevail who does not recognize that this high 

 principle of American democracy is the best rule 

 for American gardening. That gardening is 

 best, for most Americans, which best ministers 



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