158 



The mistaken idea of referring the 

 perfection of Landscape Gardening to 



" of what I found there. You know of old that I am 

 ■"' quite of your side in the question between you, and 

 " am certain that the farther you go in this controversy, 

 " the more you will have the advantage. Nothing in- 

 " deed can be so absurd, nor so unphilosophical, as 

 " the system which Mr, Knight and Mr. Price seem 

 " to set up. It not only is not true in practice, that 

 ** men should expose themselves to agues and rheunia- 

 " tisms, by removing from their habitations every con- 

 " venience that may not happen to fall in with the ideas 

 " of picturesque beauty 3 but it is not true that w^hat is 

 " adverse to comfort and convenience is in situations 

 " of that sort the most beautiful. The writers of this 

 " school, with all their affectation of superior sensibi- 

 "■ lity, shew evidently/ that they do not trace with any 

 " success the causes of their pleasure. Does the plea- 

 " sure that we receive from the view of parks and gar- 

 " dens result from their affording in their several parts 

 "^^ subjects that would appear to advantage in a picture? 

 " In the first place, what is most beautiful in nature is 

 " not always capable of being represented most advan- 

 " tageously by painting j the instance you gi\e of an 

 " extensive prospect, the most affecting sight that the 

 "■ eye can bring before us, is quite conclusive. I do 

 "■ not know any thing that does, and naturally should, 

 " so strongly affect the mind, as the sudden transition 

 " from such a portion of space as we commonly have 

 ." before our eyes, to such a view of the habitable globe 



