18 INTRODUCTION. 



shafts of their ridicule. These geniuses were 

 seconded by Kent, who, as a painter and 

 architect, was admirably adapted to embody 

 their imaginations. In his capacity of land- 

 scape planter, he laid out the grounds of 

 Claremont and Esher, about the year 1730 % 

 and as he painted the hall at Stowe, it is pro- 

 bable that he assisted Lord Cobham in the 

 grouping of his plantations also, which had 

 been commenced on the modern plan about 

 the time that Pope was occupied in forming 

 his gardens at Twickenham. Kent was fol- 

 lowed in succession by Wright, Brown, Hol- 

 land, and Repton, who brings us down to the 

 present day. 



As this work will include the history of 

 the trees that grace the park, as well as the 

 shrubs that ornament the lawn, we shall pro- 

 ceed to make some brief remarks as to the 

 antiquity of these enclosures. The Persians 

 of old had parks, called by the Greeks para- 

 deisoi, which contained animals for the chase ^ 

 and the Romans had similar enclosures, ha- 

 bitationes ferarum, or habitations for beasts 

 of the chase. It is generally supposed, that 

 the park of Blenheim is the site of grounds 

 that were once used by the Romans for 

 hunting. It is also conjectured to be the 



