82 



HISTORY OF GARDENING. 



Paet 1. 



Blair Druvimond, and a proof of what we have asserted in regard to the kind of modern 

 landscape-gardening introduced to Scotland. This seat was laid out about the year 1750. 

 Tlie architect of the house was Sir William Chambers ; the name of the rural artist, 

 whose original plans Vv'e have examined, was Robertson, nephew to the king's gardener 

 of that name, sent down from London. We know of no example in any country of so 

 perfect a specimen of Brown's manner, nor of one in which the effect of the whole, and 

 the details of every particular part, are so consistent, and co-operate so well together in 

 producing a sort of tame, spiritless beauty, of which we cannot give a distinct idea. It 

 does not resemble avowed art, nor yet natural scenery ; it seems, indeed, as if nature 

 had commenced the work and changed her plan, determining no longer to add to her 

 productions those luxuriant and seemingly superfluous appendages which produce 

 variety and grace. The trees here, all planted at the same time, and of the same age, 

 seem to grov/ by rule. The clumps remind us of regularly tufted perukes. The waters 

 ot the tame river neither dare to sink within, nor to overflow its banks ; the clumps keep 

 at a respectful distance ; and tlie serpentine turns of the roads and walks, seem to hint 

 that every movement to be made here, must correspond. 



The extent of Duddingston, we suppose, may exceed 200 acres. The house is placed on an eminence in 

 the centre, from which the grounds descend on three sides, and on the remaining side continue on a level 

 till they reach the boundary belt. This belt completely encircles the whole ; it is from 50 to 200 feet wide, 

 with a turf drive in the middle. One part near the house is richly varied by shrubs and flowers, and kept 

 as garden-scenery ; in tlie rest the turf is mown, but the ground untouched. A string of wavy canals, on 

 diflferent levels, joined by cascades, enter at one side of the grounds, and taking a circuitous sweep through 

 the park, pass oft" at the other. This water creates occasion for Chinese bridges, islands, and cascades. 

 The kitchen-garden and oiiices are placed behind the house, and concealed by a mass of plantation. 

 Over the rest of the grounds are distributed numerous oval unconnected clumps, and some single trees. 

 In the drive are several temples and covered seats, placed in situations where are caught views of the 

 house, sometimes seen between two clumps, and at other times between so many as to form a perspective 

 or avenue. There is also a temple on the top of a hill, partly artificial, which forms the object from 

 several of these seats, and from other open glades or vistas left in the inside of the belt. The outer margin 

 of this plantation is every where kept perfectly entire, so that there is not a single view but what is 

 wholly the property of the owner ; unless in one instance, where the summit of Arthur's Seat, an adjoining 

 hill, is caught by the eye from one part of the belt, over the tops of the trees in its opposite per:»)her)'. 

 That this place has, or had in 1790, great beauties, we do not deny; but they are beauties of a peculiar 

 kind, not of general nature — not the beauties of Blair Drummond, or such as a liberal and enlightened 

 mind would desire to render general ; but in great part such as Sir William Chambers holds up to ridicule 

 in his Dissertation on Oriental Gardening (see his Introduction, p. fi — 11.), and Price, in his Essays on 

 the Picturesque. Yet Duddingston may be reckoned the model of all future improvements in Scotland, till 

 within the last twenty years. The same artist laid out Livingston, effected some improvements at Hope- 

 ton House, Dalkeith, Dalhousie, Niddi-y, the Whim, Moredun, various other places near Edinburgh, and 

 some in Ayrshire. 



363. No artist of note had hitherto arisen in Scotland in this department of gardenings 

 if we except James Ramsay. This person was employed by Robertson, in Ayrshire, as 

 a mason, but soon displayed a taste for disposing of verdant scenery, and afterwards 

 became a landscape-gardener of considerable repute. He gave ground-plans and draw- 

 ings in perspective, both of the buildings and verdant scenery. I>eith Head, a small 

 place near Edinburgh, is entirely his creation. His style was that of Brown, in his 

 waters and new plantations near the house ; but he was less attaclied to the belt, his 

 clumps were not always regular, and he endeavoured to introduce a portion of third 

 distance into all his views. Ramsay died at Edinburgh in 1794, and this record of his 

 taste is due to his memory. 



364. English professors of the modern style have occasionally visited Scotland, and some 

 regularly. From nearly the first introduction of the new style to the present time, 

 annual journeys have been made into Scotland from the county of Dui-ham by the late 

 White, and subsecjuently by his son. White, senior, we believe, was a pupil of Brown, 

 of much information on country-matters, and generally respected in Scotland. Of his 

 professional talents we have said enough, when we have mentioned their source. Air- 

 tlirie, near Stirling, and Bargany, in Ayrshire, are the principal productions of this 

 family. In what respects the talents of White, junior, differ from those of his father, or 

 whether they differ at all, v/e are not aware ; though we think it highly probable they 

 will partake of the general improvement of the age. We have already mentioned that 

 none of the eminent English artists had ever been in Scotland ; but that Valleyfield 

 was laid out from Repton's designs. Nasmyth, an eminent landscape-painter in Edin- 

 burgh, and G. Parkyns, author of Monastic Itejuains, have occasionally given designs 

 for laying out grounds in Scotland, both in excellent taste. 



The country-seats of Scotland are elsewhere described. (Part IV. Book I. Chap. III.) 



SuBSECT. 3. Gardening in Ireland, as an Art of Design and Taste. 



365. Of the ancient state of gardening in Ireland very little is known. A shoit Essay 

 on the Riie and Progress of Gardening in Ireland, by J. C. Vy^alker, is given in the 

 Transactions of the Royal Irish Acadeviy (vol. xiv. part 3. ) from wliich we shall glean 

 what is available for our purpose. 



366. In the time of Queen Elizabeth, Fynnes Morrison, " a minute obsei-Ver," travelled 



