viii PREFACE. 



forming either; and con fequently prejudice himfelf, with- 

 out doing ferviee to the Art, 



But though it might be impertinent as well as ufelefs 

 to flart a new fyftem of one's own, it cannot be improper, 

 nor totally unferviceable, to publifh that of others ; 

 efpecially of a people whofe fkill in Gardening has often 

 been the fubject of praife; and whofe manner has been fet 

 up amongfl: us as the ftandard of imitation, without ever 

 having been properly defined. It is a common faying, 

 That from the worft things fome good may be extracted ; 

 and even if what I have to relate fhould be inferior to 

 what is already known, yet furely fome ufeful hints may 

 be collected from it. 



I may therefore, without danger to myfelf, and it is 

 hoped without offence to others, offer the following 

 account of the Chinefe manner of Gardening ; which is 

 collected from my own obfervations in China, from con- 

 verfations with their Artifts, and remarks tranfmitted to 

 me at different times by travellers. A fketch of what 



3 I have 



