Importance of visiting Gardens. 367 



extensive new place, where, I had been informed, every thing 

 done and doing was upon the most approved and scientific 

 principles ; but imagine my disappointment, when the gardener 

 politely expressed his regret that I had come so far for nothing, 

 as he had received orders to show no one through the grounds 

 until all was finished. The unfitness of gardeners to lay out a 

 small piece of ground is sometimes alluded to, perhaps too 

 justly, by those who seem to feel a pleasure in descanting upon 

 our ignorance, and depreciating the abilities which, as a body, 

 we really do possess ; but, if this exclusive system once become 

 generally acted upon, how can we ever improve in this respect ? 

 How can those who never were employed in the formation of a 

 new place be possessed of clear ideas on the subject, or be qua- 

 lified for conducting operations in a proper manner ? Whatever 

 may be urged in defence of this exclusive system, it is manifestly 

 prejudicial to the improvement of the young gardener. It is 

 little satisfaction to tell him, that, some years afterwards, he may 

 enjoy the privilege of walking over the grounds. His curiosity 

 may be then satisfied, and his admiration excited ; but he will learn 

 no more of the art of laying out a garden, than a person desirous 

 of becoming a lapidary would acquire of that art by merely 

 beholding a finely cut and highly polished pebble. Great as is 

 the improvement we may derive from the descriptions of gardens 

 with which you favour us, it would be greater still if we could 

 add our own personal examination after reading the description; 

 and, for my part, I would rather want the description altogether, 

 than receive the mortifying intelligence, at the conclusion, that 

 the place is not allowed to be generally seen. 



One reason for excluding the public in general from visiting 

 such places may be, that they are not sufficiently attentive to the 

 old rule, " Look, but handle not ; and, far less, take not : " for, 

 however this may apply to the public generally, inattention to 

 the duties of integrity can seldom, if ever, be laid to the charge 

 of the visiting gardener : nay, so well known is our strict adhe- 

 rence to propriety in this respect, that, in places where only a part 

 of the public is admitted after obtaining an order, &c, the visit- 

 ing gardener at once finds admittance. As a pleasant proof of 

 this, I might refer to Alton Towers, the romantic seat of the 

 Earl of Shrewsbury : a place from which all strangers, except 

 those travelling with a livery-servant and their own carriage, are 

 excluded ; but to which gardeners are freely admitted. This 

 extraordinary place is one which every young man who has it in 

 his power ought to visit ; and one where he will scarcely be more 

 delighted with the magical fairyland stretched out before him, 

 than with the pleasing manners of Mr. Miller ; who, notwith- 

 standing his unquestionable abilities, does not disdain to treat 

 with the greatest attention even a visiting journeyman gardener. 



