Editor's Introduction xv 



They possessed, moreover, a charm and wit that 

 recalled the touch of the incomparable letter- 

 writers of the eighteenth century : a century of 

 which Prince Puckler was a product in certain 

 singular ways ; truly a grand seigneur with all his 

 large and modern ideas ; a soldier, a patriot, a 

 philosopher, and a humanitarian,; verily a land- 

 scape gardener of a most unique type ! He came 

 back to Germany from England no richer except 

 in literary fame. From that time the major part 

 of his attention was given to the development of 

 his estates and to the elaboration of his notes and 

 maps which later he published in the form of the 

 present book. 



Traveling he naturally could not forego, and his 

 advice, moreover, was sought from time to time 

 for the improvement of great estates throughout 

 Europe from the Royal Park at Babelsburgh, 

 near Potsdam, to the Bois de Boulogne in Paris. 

 In 1 845 he had largely developed his estates at 

 Muskau, as may be seen to-day, but he had like- 

 wise so completely exhausted his means that he 

 was at last forced to sell his beloved ancestral home 

 to Frederick of the Netherlands and retire to 

 Braunitz, a smaller estate at some distance away. 

 It is said that so bitter was his disappointment 

 at leaving Muskau, that although he lived more 

 than thirty years afterward he never again visited 

 his old home. During these thirty years he con- 

 tinued to improve Braunitz, to write, and to 

 travel, and to take part in most of the great events 

 of the day. In 1863 he was made a member of 



