3(3 On the presetit Style of Ornamental Gardening. 



our large country houses to the subject, and to show them, as 

 far as I am able, how very much more than has yet been 

 attempted in ornamental gardening may be done, with the 

 best possible effect, the greatest convenience, and also at no 

 very enormous expense. 



I am induced to offer these remarks to you from the con- 

 viction I have been led to entertain, for the last two or three 

 years, in my wanderings about this highly gifted corner of the 

 globe, that the taste of our countrymen is rapidly improving, 

 and that the thirst for embellishment of garden ground isj 

 with many sensible and well informed gentry, a growing source 

 of amusement, recreation, and delight. 



I could, indeed, have wished that a more able hand than 

 mine had taken up this interesting subject, and that your 

 valuable pages had, before this, afforded that communication 

 to the world which I thus imperfectly transmit to you. 



In the first instance, let me be understood to be a zealous 

 admirer of what is justly denominated the English style of 

 gardening. For many of the purposes for which it is adopted, 

 I do not think it possible that there could be, generally, any 

 style so completely worthy of the admiration it has so univer- 

 sally gained; nor, for the comfort and convenience, or the 

 elegance and beauty, of our small country places, could any 

 general style be so appropriately adapted. But when I say 

 this. Sir, I consider that I am giving it all the merit it de- 

 serves, and that, as a style, to be so rigidly followed as it is, 

 with the same serpentining of walks, clumping of shrubberies, 

 and kidney-shaping of flower-beds, it is not calculated to add 

 to the beauty, the splendour, or the convenience and comfort, 

 of our country residences on the larger scale. 



It will be acknowledged, no doubt, that the great and pri- 

 mary object in all laying out of ground, and particularly that 

 which immediately surrounds a country residence, is to create 

 such a cheerfulness of scene, such a courting, if I may so call 

 it, of sunshine about us, and from our windows, as will induce 

 us to wander forth into the air at all seasons of the year. The 

 more this feeling is impressed upon us, and the more the 

 desire to loiter forth is excited in us, by so much do I consider 

 the purpose of a pleasure-garden to be answered. Such a 

 scene presented to our view from our windows as will lead, 

 nay, compel us often to 



" Deceive the tedious time. 

 And steal, unfelt, the sultry hours away ; " 



such a scene as will induce us to 



" Court the balmy air of heaven ; " 



