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

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



that subject. 



A nicrc imitation of nature, however successful, is nol 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 facts, 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 denned, 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, 

 is the formation of a judgment upon the capabilities and the limita- 

 tions of that site, with reference to the artistic purpose. It is obvi- 

 ously impossible, for instance, to produce in the vicinity of Brooklyn 

 such scenery as will affect the mind as it is affected by the Alps or 

 the Sierras, on the one hand, or by the luxuriant vegetation of a 

 tropical swamp on the other. 



Moreover, there are certain kinds of scenery which experience 

 shows to be most satisfactory within a town park, which require an 

 extensive aggregation of their elements. It will be readily seen, 

 for instance, that if all the wood, water and turf, within a certain 

 area of ground, were distributed in patches, strips and pools, 

 however extensive as a whole, and however varied in detail 

 it might seem to those who should thoroughly explore all its 



