26 TRANSACTIONS OF THE AMERICAN SOCIETY 



that conferences had been held with architects who asked that a Special Committee be appointed to confer 

 with a committee froih the American Institute of Architects. . ^ , \ 



A paper, "A Great Water Park in Jamaica Bay, New York," by Mr. Harold A. Caparn (see page 92J, 



was read. 



December 10, 1907. Meeting and dinner at the Transportation Club, New York City. 

 Present: Miss Jones, Messrs. Caparn, Leavitt, Lowrie, F. L. Olmsted, Parsons, and Vaux, Fellows; 

 Miss Coffin, Messrs. Chamberlin, Gay, Gallagher, Lay, Morell, and Nolen, Juniors. 



REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON REPRINTS OF WORK ON LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE 



The actual appearance in tangible form of a 1907 "Repton" invites a brief look backward to the origin 

 of this edition, and a consideration of the steps leading to its publication. 



The suggestion originated with Mr. Parsons in the spring of 1906, at a meeting of the Society, to 

 which he brought a copy of a volume describing the work of Puckler Von Muskau. The question arose in 

 an informal discussion after the meeting: Why shouldn't the Society try to bring about the re-pubhcation 

 of some of these old classics? 



As a result of this suggestion, I presented a proposal to Messrs. Houghton Mifflin Company to reprint 

 several of the best of the old garden books as a test of the public demand, and that, if these proved successful, 

 to continue the series. It was proposed, as a start, to print Whately, Repton, and Puckler Von Muskau, 

 and to follow them with some others to be agreed upon later, including, perhaps, the Essays of Mason, 

 Horace Walpole, Scott, Pope, and Addison, and a translation of Girardin's work. It was believed that 

 such volumes would make an interesting and, in many ways, an authoritative library on landscape 

 architecture. 



After carrying on negotiations for some time, Houghton Mifflin Company agreed to issue Repton 

 and Whately, taking all the financial responsibility themselves, except that the Society was to agree to 

 back the enterprise to the extent of $400 worth of books on each volume issued. On this basis the preparation 

 of the Repton was definitely taken up. 



It was decided to go back of the Loudon edition of Repton, which was issued many years after 

 Repton's death, to the original edition. A careful examination of all of Repton's works showed that his 

 best books were "Sketches and Hints," issued in 1795, when he was forty-three years old, and "Theory 

 and Practice," issued in 1803, when he was fifty-one. The only other volume of importance was that 

 entitled "Fragments," issued in 1816, and believed to be largely the work of Repton's son. The illustrations 

 in the new volume are all reproduced from the original editions and, with one or two exceptions, are very 

 satisfactory. Some compromises had to be made on account of the cost, the desire of the Society 

 and the publishers both being to keep the price of the book down to $3, so that it might have a wider 

 circulation. 



In editing the book the main idea was to make as few changes as possible and, with the exception of 

 the elimination of some material clearly without interest or value at the present day, and the transference 

 of the notes to the end of the book, there are few changes of any importance. The controlling principle 

 was to retain the real flavor and integrity of the original work, so that even Repton himself, resting in the 

 old churchyard at Aylsham in Norfolkshire, amid sweet-smelling roses and boxwood borders, would have 

 no inclination to rise in his grave, or, if he did, it would simply be to give approval to our action. 



Importance now attaches to the sale of the book: The publishers are giving it wide and appropriate 

 advertisement, and it is probable that the result for them will be such that they will be inclined, with less 

 hesitation, to take up the other volumes. The Society has its guarantee to meet, and has already made 

 substantial progress toward that end. Although the canvass has been on for less than two weeks there 

 are already one hundred volumes subscribed for, which is more than half of the number for which we are 

 responsible. The book is to be sold at $3 net, and the Society will deliver it postpaid at that price, so that 

 it can be bought as cheap through the Society as at a bookstore. Moreover, the publishers have agreed 

 to allow the Society a discount of 30 per cent on all volumes sold by it. This means that, if the Society 

 should sell two hundred copies, it would have a profit of $180 less only the cost of handling and postage. 

 It is hoped that the Society will be able to pass its guarantee and dispose of an even larger number. A- 

 special circular has been prepared with an order-blank on the Society, and these are available for 

 the members' use. 



