216 Miscellanies. 



accordance with the practice of all the important European societies, and 

 our readers have had an opportunity of judging of its effects by the full ab- 

 stracts from them which have been published in tliis Journal.* The use- 

 fulness and energy of scientific societies depends very much on the fre- 

 quency of their contact with the public, and the announcement of their 

 proceedings at short intervals, assures the distant members and the pub- 

 lic, of their activity in the cause of science. We shall have occasion 

 undoubtedly to refer to these proceedings again. 



25. A Treatise on the Theory and Practice of Landscape Gardening, 

 adapted to North America ; with a view to the improvement of country 

 residences ; comprising historical notices and general principles of the art, 

 directions for laying out grounds and arranging plantations, the descrip- 

 tion and cultivation of hardy trees, decorative accompaniments to the house 

 and grounds, the formation of pieces of artificial water, flower gardens, 

 etc.; with remarks on Rural Architecture; by A. J. Downing. New 

 York and London, Wiley and Putnam. 1841. pp. 451, 8vo. — The na- 

 ture and scope of this work may be learned from the copious title-page, 

 which, indeed, would seem almost to supersede the necessity of a table 

 of contents. We notice, with much gratification, the unusually beautiful 

 manner in which this interesting volume is " got up," as the phrase is. It 

 is printed on paper of excellent quality, (for this country,) and illustrated 

 with seventy eight wood engravings, besides the vignettes at the com- 

 mencement of each chapter, and an engraving on copper in the frontis- 

 piece. Some of the wood cuts, as the figure of the Kentucky Coffee 

 Tree, the Charter Oak at Hartford, the residence of Washington Irving, 

 and of the author's own residence at Newburgh, New York, are very 

 creditable specimens of the art. We regret that our limits foibid our en- 

 tering, at present, even upon a cursory examination of this highly inter- 

 esting and useful work, which, while it presents an encouraging view of 

 what has already been accomplished in this country, will doubtless greatly 

 contribute to the diffusion of correct taste, and the promotion of this ele- 

 gant art amongst us. The " hundreds of individuals who wish to orna- 

 ment their grounds and embellish their places, but who are at a loss how 

 to proceed, for the want of some leading principles," may here meet with 

 the information they need; and Mr. Downing's volume, the first Ameri- 

 can treatise on landscape gardening, will at once take the rank of the 

 standard work upon the subject. 



* These abstracts are complete in tliis Journal to the beginning of this year, and 

 the Society have published ihem as late as June. 



