Art Out-of. Doors 



out affecting the nicer elegancies of art/' 

 Too often, on similar sites, these nicer ele- 

 gancies are sought, and, mingling with the 

 wild Pindaric local strains which they can- 

 not extinguish, produce an inartistic, be- 

 cause an inharmonious, effect. 



I have cited these two cases to show that 

 exceptional men, if they take time and 

 trouble, if they work slowly, carefully, and 

 lovingly enough, may master difficult prob- 

 lems in the art of gardening. And, of 

 course, what can be done on a large scale 

 can more easily be done on a small scale. 

 Nevertheless, it must not be thought that I 

 mean it is wise, on general principles, to 

 dispense vrith professional help. I mean 

 just the opposite. I have cited these two 

 cases for encouragement ; now, for right in- 

 struction, I will say that they are the only 

 two I have ever seen vrhere, without profes- 

 sional help — or at least without the advice of 

 men well experienced in artistic composition 

 of some sort — an amateur has laid out his 

 domain with entire success. Well-designed 

 large country-places, devoid of conspicuous 



48 



