128 



LANDSCAPE GARDENING. 



" Wynendale and Dettingen. It may, how- 

 " ever, be a consolation to the admirers of 

 " strict uniformity and regularity, if any 

 " such there still be, to be assured that their 

 " object is, in fact, unattainable ; it is as im- 

 " possible to draw straight lines of wood — 

 " that is, .lines which shall produce the ap~ 

 " pearance of mathematical regularity along 

 66 the uneven surface of a varied country — as 

 " it would be to draw a correct diagram upon 

 " a crumpled sheet of paper, or lay a carpet 

 " down smoothly upon a floor littered with 

 " books. The attempt to plant upon such a 

 6i system will not, therefore, present the re- 

 " gular plan expected ; but, on the contrary, a 

 " number of broken lines, interrupted circles, 

 " and salient angles, as much at variance with 

 " Euclid as with Nature." 



Now, I will ask, is there any passage in 

 the whole of this quotation that warrants 

 Sir Henry Steuart's deduction from it ? Are 

 the broken lines, interrupted circles, salient 

 angles, pincushions, hatchets, and penny tarts, 

 represented as the offspring of the vanity and 

 bad taste of our present landscape gardeners ? 

 Is he borne out in his affirmation — 66 In all 

 " these they will tell you they are imitating 



