Gleanings in Old Garden Literature. 



head. The first lines . . . exhibit Stourhead on a 

 more magnificent scale." 



Of course, it is obvious enough that the 

 poet, in depicting Eden, borrowed his notion 

 of it from the gardens of England in his 

 own age ; but I merely adduced this com- 

 parison as a trait which pervades the Straw- 

 berry Hill essay. Walpole never wrote many 

 lines without letting everybody know that 

 he was a man of birth and fashion, and, 

 to boot, of genius. 



Walpole's essay is, nevertheless, very read- 

 able, very intelligent, and very instructive. 

 By way of variety, no one can be displeased 

 to have a better notion of it than there is, 

 I somehow fancy, at present. With the in- 

 troductory sketch we can dispense. Its 

 chief value and interest centre in the re- 

 marks which the writer has left upon the 

 gardens and gardening of his own day. In 

 the opinions and ideas which prevailed in 

 Bacon's time on horticulture, the manage- 

 ment of flowers, and the arrangement of 

 ornamental grounds, the intervening years 

 had wrought momentous changes. The 



