1 66 The Art of Landscape Gardening 



principle: utility sets up her claim and declares that, 

 however concurrent the genuine beauty of nature and 

 picture may be, the garden scene is hers, and must be 

 rendered conformable to the purposes of human life ; 

 if to these every consonant charm of painting be 

 added, she is pleased; but by no means satisfied, if 

 that which is convertible to use be given absolutely 

 to wildness." " 



The natural situation of Burley differs from that of 

 every other large place which has fallen under my con- 

 sideration. To say that the house stands on a lofty hill 

 would be giving a very imperfect idea of its situation ; 

 on the contrary, it ought rather to be described as a 

 magnificent palace, built on the extremity of a vast plain, 

 or, what is called by geographers, a table mountain, from 

 the brow of which it boldly commands an assemblage 

 of wood, water, lawn, and distant country, spread mag- 

 nificently at its base. 



The view from the principal suite of apartments, how- 

 ever rich and varied in itself, becomes much more inter- 

 esting by the power of contrast, because the great plain 

 to the north affords no promise of such views, and, there- 

 fore, the surprise occasioned by this unexpected scen- 

 ery, is a subject worthy the attention of the improver: 

 the effects of surprise are seldom to be produced by 

 art, and those who attempt to excite it by novelty or 

 contrast are in danger of falling into puerile conceits.^' 

 But where, as in the present instance, much of the nat- 

 ural sublime exists, this effect should be increased by 

 every means which does not betray the insignificance 

 of art, when compared with the works of nature. For 

 this reason, if the approach were brought along the 

 straight line of avenue, gradually ascending, the situa- 



