HISTORY & DESCRIPTION OF STYLES 51 



such seasonal effects. As an instance of the regard 

 to distorted old age and effects may be given the 

 famous pine of Karasaki which spreads over a 

 vast area, its boughs being propped in all direc- 

 tions. Many pilgrimages are made to admire 

 this, and a native guide book writes " The place 

 is one of the eight fine views of Omi, and is speci- 

 ally noted for its fine view on a rainy night/' 

 The object and circumstances are far from an 

 European's notion of a fine view. 



" The Garden of Peace " at the Japan British 

 Exhibition was, to a native, probably a vision of 

 beauty correctly developed, while " The Garden 

 of the Floating Island " recalled to him the love- 

 liest scenery of his land idealized by artists. The 

 perspective of the latter was apparent, and no 

 one could fail to admire the skill shown in the 

 diminishing size of the hill and its vegetation, with 

 the tiny temple at its summit. However its 

 artifice did not deceive, probably because our 

 eyes are more accustomed to gauging distance by 

 dimness than by size. 



But while deprecating any attempts to com- 

 pletely imitate Japanese art we may select many 

 features to naturalize with our own. One excel- 

 lent principle, applicable to any style, is that the 

 aspect of the garden must be first taken into account 

 as seen from the principal rooms of the house, 

 and secondarily from important points in the gar- 

 den, such as from bridges, tea houses and import- 



