tiiith regard to Practical Gardeners. 469. 



shapeless clouds float among the pointed rocks, through which 

 the toiling sunbeams descend in portentous streams. On one 

 eminence stands the ruined church or castle; below, the 

 broken bridge ; to the right are seen the gipsy's ragged train 

 of laden asses and shaggy dogs, entering a dark recess of a 

 gloomy wood ; to the left appear a few scattered huts, with 

 their squalid inhabitants : nor is composure here ; the trees are 

 bending, and the thickest woods seem vexed by the passing gale. 

 The character of the last and most imposing kind of scenery 

 is the sublime. In this all the greater works of nature are 

 combined. The mighty outstretched ocean ; mountains 

 covered with never melted snow, and fracted into deep and 

 dreary chasms; towering cliffs of sable granite or basaltes, 

 stratum upon stratum, piled immense ; impetuous torrents fall 

 in cataracts, from steep to steep; aloft, among the shelfy rocks, 

 the stunted pine, or scathed oak, are, lonely, seen ; below, a 

 dark abyss, obscured by over- rising clouds of chilling spray. 

 No trace of human foot or human home is here; and nought 

 but savage life, in beasts or birds of prey, appears. 



Such scenes of savage grandeur awaken feelings of the most 

 intense emotion ; and, if contemplated under the visit of a 

 thunder-storm, impress the mind with the most solemn awe. 



These are what may be called the types of the different 

 characters given to real landscape ; and though they are all 

 perfectly distinct in nature, it more frequently happens that 

 scenery is of a mixed character, and, as such, has been copied 

 by the painter, and imitated by the gardener. From them, 

 and their combinations, all our ideas on the subject are drawn ; 

 and, on them, all the rules of practice in our imitations ought 

 to be founded. 



The materials of the landscape-gardener, namely, ground, 

 wood, and water, may be treated of separately ; but, before 

 entering on this part of the subject, it may be necessary to give 

 a brief sketch of the history of the art, as it has descended to 

 our own times. 



Descriptions of ancient gardens occupy but a very small 

 portion of ancient history. We learn they existed in all ages ; 

 but of the style of them we know but little, till we arrive at 

 accounts given of those belonging to the emperors and opu- 

 lent citizens of Rome. Around that emporium of arts and 

 science, a style of gaixlening originated, whicli afterwards was 

 designated the Italian. The climate of Italy required light 

 airy buildings, which received much architectural ornament. 

 Their domestic elegance was carried beyond the bounds of 

 their apartments. Colonnades, verandas, corridors, &c., neces- 

 sarily attached to every house, were extended around ; and, 



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