74 aLanOscape arcbitecture 



the side of truth and nature, and these very weapons, 

 sharpened by intelligence and experience, have to be 

 continually rediscovered and refashioned to fit the 

 facts and ideas the present stage of the development 

 of the art has found and verified. Not only is there 

 less pure imitation but there is a better realization of 

 the truth of the words of Nicholas de Cusa written 

 more than four hundred years ago: "There is nothing 

 in the universe that does not enjoy a certain singularity 

 which is to be found in no other thing." But there is 

 more to be done than to impress one's own personality 

 on a place. That alone will not suffice. "The more 

 experience advances the more there is of adaptation 

 of environment as well as adaptation to environment." 

 An estate should have due attention paid to the reten- 

 tion as far as possible of any essential charm it may 

 possess, but the owner should, at the same time, feel 

 entire liberty to impress his or her personality on the 

 place to any degree that will not destroy that supreme 

 quality, "the genius of the place." A natural scene 

 may be beautiful in itself, without change, but change, 

 if it be personal and human in its origin, increases the 

 charm of the place for most people, tenfold. What 

 would Wordsworth's descriptions of nature be without 

 the human note? 



The following reference to an actual place in the 

 cotmtry will perhaps give a better illustration of what 

 I mean. A little cottage in the hills, it is about five 

 miles back of the Hudson and ten or twelve mUes from 

 the northern border of New York City. It occupies 



