LAYING OUT OF GROUNDS. 165 



an exemplar of taste and a perpetual delight is some- 

 bow wanting. 



The true art of landscape gardening lies in such 

 disposition of roadways, plantations, walks, and build- 

 ings as shall most effectively develop all the natural 

 beauties of the land under treatment, without con- 

 flicting (or rather in harmony) with the uses to which 

 such lands may be devoted. Thus, in a private estate, 

 home interests and conveniences must be kept steadily 

 in view, and these must never be sacrificed for the 

 production of a pictuesque effect, however striking in 

 itself. Again, in a public park the same law obtains, 

 and any good design for such must show great ampli- 

 tude of road sv ay, and broad, open spaces for the dis- 

 port of the multitude. Upon farm-lands, which I 

 hold to be not without the domain of landscape treat- 

 ment, there must be due regard to the offices of rural 

 economy, and the decorative features may be safely 

 brought out in the shape of gateways, belts of pro- 

 tecting shrubbery, or scattered coppices upon the 

 pasture-lauds. Upon ground entirely level, the range 

 of possible treatment is, of course, very much limited ; 

 but the true artist in landscape effects can do some- 

 thing even with this ; no architect worthy of the 

 name despairs if he is confined to four walls of even 

 height ; in his own art, if he loves it, he finds deco- 

 rative resources. 



