692 ctn rural improvement, and book hi. 



6. The glory of national character is a motive which 

 will have considerable influence with every patriotic mind, 

 whether that glory respects the heroic or the polite arts. One 

 great branch of what I have been endeavouring to recommend 

 for the encouragement and protection of the wealthy originated 

 in, and is almost peculiar to, this country : I mean the pic- 

 turesque improvement of rural scenery. Here then is 

 a source of national fame which every patriot should be eager 

 to advance ; and which of itself, if carried to that pitch of per- 

 fection of which it is capable, will rank Great Britain with 

 Greece and Rome in an infinitely more noble and original man- 

 ner, than ever can be done by the mere imitation of arts in 

 Which the nations of those countries excelled. Here is an art 

 of our own invention, and one the subjects of which ever 

 have been , and ever will be, the admiration of all mankind ! 

 Let us cultivate this art with vigour, let us render our coun- 

 try not only conspicuous for giving birth to it, but for bring- 

 ing it to perfection ! 



Surely if any motive can influence the patriotic, it must 

 be this ; especially as, unlike poetry or painting, picturesque 

 improvement is so nearly connected with the interest and 

 riches of the individual ; not to say that it far exceeds these 

 sister arts in conferring happiness on all who are engaged 

 in it. I trust there are still many ready to patronize the 



