2i 4 THE PRAISE OF GARDENS 



Selection. 



Beautiful composition. 



To make a picture out of reality, in short, first entrance into art. 

 A pure and completely beautiful surrounding always has a 

 beneficial effect upon the company. 



HARM OF DILETTANTISM IN THE GARDEN-ART. 



The real is treated as a work of Fancy. 



Garden amateurism is pursuing something infinite : 



1. Because it is not definite and limited in idea. 



2. Because the material, always accidental, is ever changing and 

 ever resisting the idea. 



Garden-dilettantism often allows the nobler arts to serve it 

 in an unworthy manner, and makes a plaything of their solid 

 tendency, 



Furthers sentimental and fantastic Nullity. 



It dwarfs the sublime in Nature and neutralises it by imitation. 



It perpetuates the reigning degeneracy of the age by its desire 

 to be unconditioned and lawless in .^Esthetics, to give way to 

 arbitrary fancy, by not correcting itself like other arts and holding 

 itself in check. 



The blending of Art and Nature. 



Its preference for appearances. Ferneres uber Kunst. 



RICHARD Greek scholar : 1784-1806, M. P. for Ludlow ; 1814, Trustee of the British 

 PAYNE Museum, to which he bequeathed his collection of coins and ancient bronzes, and 

 KNIGHT where his bust is placed", 1794, published ' The Landscape? a didactic poem ; 

 \ 75 4/ tmitedwith Sir Uvedale Price in reacting against the extremes and exaggera- 

 tions of the ' Landscape ' School of Brown and Repton. 



June 26th, 1839. Delbury. I rode to Dowton Castle on Monday a 

 gimcrack Castle and bad-house, built by Payne Knight, an epicurean Philo- 

 sopher, who, after building the Castle went and lived in a lodge or cottage 

 in the park : there he died, not without suspicion of having put an end to 

 himself, which would have been fully conformable to his notions. He was a 

 sensualist in all ways, but a quiet and self-educated scholar. His property is 



