THE PLANTEE's GUIDE. 



33 



with as many fibres adhering to them as escaped lacera- 

 tion ; leaving the tree suspended horizontally on the cross- 

 bar, and ready to be dra^Yn away root-foremost, as the 

 artist might require it. 



This, we must own, was no very gentle treatment 

 of the roots, any more than of the branches. Yet 

 Brown's improvement possessed the double advantage 

 of contributing, by the height of the wheels, to the safety 

 of the tree during the transmission ; and, by materially 

 increasing the despatch, it proportionally diminished the 

 cost of the process. 



Notwithstanding the superior character and elegant 

 learning of Messrs Price and Knight, and the weight 

 which may be allowed to their authority, it is impos- 

 sible for us to conceive that Brown was as destitute 

 of genius and talents as they would willingly persuade 

 us. The idea is clearly disproved by the prodigious 

 extent of his reputation, and of the works in which he 

 was employed.''^ It will not, therefore, be thought 

 too much to say here, that his genius was of that 

 aspiring and ardent sort which fitted him rather for 

 bold design than minute detail and patient investiga- 

 tion ; and as the character and properties of trees 

 formed a study belonging to objects of the latter class, 

 it could not very long detain his attention. Besides, 

 he perceived that it was by no means applicable to the 

 execution of great outlines of wood, how useful soever 

 and effective it might become for the foreground and the 

 middle distance of the landscape. Be this, however, as 

 it may, it appears that the art received no further im- 

 provement at his hands, and seemingly as little at those 

 of his successors. Even the ingenious contrivance of Lord 



* Note XIII. 



C 



