HUMPHRY REPTON 



219 



must conceive a plan, which the latter may be able to execute ; 

 for though a painter may represent a beautiful landscape on his 

 canvas, and even surpass Nature by the combination of her 

 choicest materials, yet the luxuriant imagination of the painter 

 must be subjected to the gardeners practical knowledge in 

 planting, digging and moving earth ; that the simplest and 

 readiest means of accomplishing each design may be suggested. 



The perfection of Landscape Gardening consists in the 

 four following requisites : First, it must display the Natural 

 beauties, and hide the natural defects of every situation. Secondly, 

 it should give the appearance of extent and freedom, by carefully 

 disguising or hiding the boundary. Thirdly, it must studiously 

 conceal every interference of art, however expensive, by which the 

 Scenery is improved ; making the whole appear the production of 

 Nature only ; and fourthly, all objects of mere convenience or 

 comfort, if incapable of being made ornamental, or of becoming 

 proper parts of the general scenery, must be removed or con- 

 cealed. 1 



Each of the four objects here enumerated are directly opposite 

 to the principles of ancient gardening, which may be thus stated. 

 First, the natural beauties or defects of a situation had an influence, 

 when it was the fashion to exclude by lofty walls every surround- 

 ing object. Secondly, these walls were never considered as 

 defects, but were ornamented with vases, expensive iron gates, 

 and palisades to render them more conspicuous. Thirdly, so 

 far from making gardens appear natural, every expedient was 

 used to display the expensive efforts of Art, by which Nature had 

 been subdued : the ground was levelled by a line ; the water 

 was squared or scalloped into regular basins ; the trees, if not 

 clipped into artificial shape, were at least so planted by line and 

 measurement, that the formal hand of art could not here be 



1 This last article, I confess, has occasionally misled modern improvers into 

 the absurdity of not only banishing the appearance but the reality of all com- 

 fort and convenience to a distance ; as I have frequently found in the bad choice 

 of a spot for the kitchen garden. 



