11 



and that all danger of damage, misuse and wasteful destruction of 

 public property practically amounts to nothing, except as it results 

 from insufficient extent of the means of communication and of rest 

 within the park, or from an appearance of slovenliness, or want of 

 completeness and finish iii its arrangements for gratifying the eye, 

 which adjoin these accommodations. 



Till', ARTISTIC ELEMENT IN THE DESIGN OF A PAKE. 



The general principles in regard to scenery, which have governed 

 us in our study, remain to be indicated ; and inasmuch as some 

 misapprehension in our judgment generally prevails concerning the 

 province of art in the formation of scenery, and especially of scenery 

 in the natural style, we propose to briefly express our views upon 

 that subject. 



A mere imitation of nature, however successful, is not art, and 

 the purpose to imitate nature, or to produce an effect which shall 

 seem to be natural and interesting, is not sufficient for the duty 

 before us. 



A scene in nature is made up of various parts; each part has its 

 individual character and its possible ideal. It is unlikely that acci- 

 dent should bring together the best possible ideals of each separate 

 part, merely considering them as isolated tacts, and it is still more 

 unlikely that accident should group a number of these possible 

 ideals in such a way that not only one or two but that all should be 

 harmoniously related one to the other. It is evident, however, that 

 an attempt to accomplish this artificially is not impossible, and that 

 a proper study of the circumstances relating to the perfect develop- 

 ment of each particular detail will at least enable the designer to 

 reckon surely on a certain success of a high character in that detail, 

 and a comprehensive bringing together of the results of his study 

 in regard to the harmonious relations of one, two or more details 

 may enable him to discover the law of harmonious relation between 

 multitudinous details ; and if he can discover it, there is nothing to 

 prevent him from putting it into practice. The result would be a 

 work of art, and the combination of the art thus defined, with the 

 art of architecture in the production of landscape compositions, is 

 what we denominate landscape architecture. 



The first process in the application of this art upon any given site, 



