148 ROYAL GARDENS 



style and class of house to which the garden belongs (as well 

 as the landscape surrounding it) ; but in addition to all this 

 he must gradually build up in his mind before the actual work 

 is begun, a definite idea of the result he wishes to achieve, and 

 every detail of the means he intends to employ. Frequently, 

 when gardens are felt to be lacking in charm it is simply 

 owing to want of design. Trees, shrubs, lawns, paths, flower 

 borders and garden accessories, all good some beautiful in 

 themselves, are not in the right places, or are not in true 

 proportion to each other. It is very seldom that the best 

 results are obtained by accident. And a short inquiry into the 

 qualities and principles which artists (perhaps unconsciously) 

 have used in painting, may help to simplify and make in- 

 tentional the practice of garden design. For that, after all, 

 occupies a position about midway between the science of 

 horticulture and the art of landscape painting. 



An exceedingly thoughtful and stimulating book has 

 recently been published,^ in which the mental processes that 

 have gone to the making of great masterpieces of painting are 

 analysed. The author names four absolutely essential qualities, 

 (i) Unity ; (2) Vitality ; (3) Infinity ; and (4) Repose. The 

 principles by which these qualities may be obtained are each 

 discussed under seven minor, but vastly important, heads. 

 And the whole volume is generally looked upon as forming 

 one of the most valuable and lucid contributions to the 

 science of art criticism ever written. Without stretching 

 the analogy between the arts of painting and garden- 

 designing to breaking-point, I purpose to try and show, as 

 briefly as possible, that he who wishes to lay out a garden 

 successfully may derive considerable assistance from a study of 

 the four scientific principles which underlie, and are essential 

 to, the production of good pictures. 



I . Unity. — By this is meant singleness of purpose ; to be 

 achieved, as far as painting is concerned, by simplicity in 



^ Notes on the Science of Picture-jnaking, by C. J. Holmes, M.A., Slade Professor of 

 Fine Art in the University of Oxford. 



