434 Recollections of a Tour made in May, 1839, 



striking proof of the comparatively rapid growth in height and bulk of the 

 latter species. Between Shenstone and Walsall there is a plantation of one 

 or two acres on the estate of Sir Kobert Lawley, which has made extra- 

 ordinary progress. It is on good, deep, loamy soil, rather moist; and we 

 were informed by an intelligent countryman in the neighbourhood, that 

 though only fourteen years planted, the trees, if cut down and sold, would 

 purchase the land. The great objection to these trees is the sameness 

 which they produce in the appearance of the landscape ; but this sameness 

 is greatly owing to all the trees being apparently of similar forms, ages, and 

 sizes ; conditions that will be changed as soon as a part of the trees become 

 fully grown, and are partially cut down as timber. Besides, supposing the 

 trees to be fully grown, and not to be cut down, but to remain till they have 

 the same appearance of age as the oaks and elms, their heads having become 

 comparatively round, instead of pointed, as they are at present, would har- 

 monise with these slow-growing round-headed trees, in the same manner as 

 they do at present with the old thorns and hollies which are left standing in 

 parks. But even if they did not harmonise in a picturesque point of view, 

 still, if they were useful as producing a great bulk of timber in a short time, 

 and also a great deal of shelter and shade (both which effects are useful in 

 grazing countries), why should they be objected to merely because they do 

 not satisfy the eye that looks at them with reference only to one particular 

 kind of beauty or effect ? Artists, from the time of Gilpin, have, in our opinion, 

 been far too exclusive in their mode of viewing nature ; and, by confining their 

 admiration to the picturesque or sculpturesque, or, in other words, to what 

 is peculiarly suitable for their art, they have lost sight of the beauties of 

 high polish, neatness, cultivation, agriculture, architecture, arboriculture, and 

 other kinds far more important to society, and affording much greater 

 evidence of civilisation, comfort, and the general diffusion of human happi- 

 ness, than mere picturesque beauty. We allow that a taste for picturesque 

 beauty is an evidence of refinement, or of cultivated taste ; but we contend 

 that it is only one beauty out of many that ought to be sought for in a 

 civilised country, by minds of general cultivation. The enthusiast in favour 

 of the picturesque, however, can see no other beauty, and hates straight 

 roads, hedges, and walls, and every appearance of order, regularity, sym- 

 metry, and neatness. This feeling has been strengthened and perpetuated 

 by the eloquent writings of such authors as Gilpin and Price, though un- 

 intentionally ; because the true way of judging of the writings of these great 

 men is, to consider them as endeavouring to oppose the formality and 

 sameness of the taste which prevailed in their times; in Gilpin's time, of the 

 old avenue and terrace style, and in the time of Price, of the clump and belt 

 style. The writings of every author, indeed, to be truly judged, ought to be 

 taken in connexion with the times in which he lived. 



This exclusiveness of taste on the part of educated persons is not 

 more justifiable than the exclusiveness of taste of those who are com- 

 paratively ignorant of the fine arts ; such, for example, as that of common 

 farmers and country labourers, who can see no beauty in fields that are not 

 laid out in ridges and well cultivated, in hedges that are not straight and 

 neatly clipped, or in trees that have not clean and straight stems and strictly 

 symmetrical heads. Farther, with reference to the black Italian poplars, is 

 not some general change in the face of the country preferable to having it 

 for ever the same in appearance ? It is an undeniable fact, that the black 

 Italian poplar will produce a greater bulk of timber in a given time on ordi- 

 nary soils, than any other tree at present cultivated in this country. So long 

 as there is a demand for timber, therefore, let us plant this tree, and let its 

 utility compensate for its want of beauty; .but if any one would rather be 

 without utility for the sake of beauty, to this doctrine we have no objection ; 

 on the contrary, we are glad that there are such persons, because our leading 

 principle is, that taste should be free, and it is only by this being the case, that 

 we can see displayed that interesting variety of objects and scenery, which 

 is to be found in this country, more frequently, perhaps, than in any other. 



