Original Beauty of Lines and Forms. 251 



gates and fences, the transition from indifferent lines to lines of original 

 beauty should not be abrupt ; e.g. Chinese gates and palisades, as contrasted 

 with enriched Dutch and British iron gates and palisades. 



These illustrations appear to be sufficient to prove that there is such a 

 thing as original beauty in lines and forms; and this study may afford valuable 

 hints to a garden-artist, provided he has the power of attending to what 

 passes in his own mind, to such a degree as to prevent him from mistaking 

 impressions arising from associations founded on utility, on historical or clas- 

 sical authorities, on imitations of antiquity or of nature, or on accidental 

 associations, with impressions produced by figure or outline alone. To 

 cultivate this sort of knowledge, Stewart's Philosophy of the Human Mind, 

 Stewart's Philosophical Essays, and Allison's Essays on Taste, will be found 

 works of preeminent value. 



After some practice in applying these principles to the lines and forms of 

 flower-gardens, the young garden-artist may exercise himself in exemplify- 

 ing them in the scattering of trees, groups, or clumps, over a flat surface. 

 He may use dots on a sheet of paper, or marks with a stick on a sandy road, 

 and begin with dots or clumps thrown down at random, or without any 

 beauty either original or by association. {Jig. 80.) He may next exhibit an 



* # • 80 



<§h 



approximation to grouping, by bringing nearer together some of the dots 



.. o til 



J&tJ& 



or clumps {fig. si.) j show grouping more decidedly {fig. 82.); and, lastly, 



"• : • • 82 MS & 



