146 



LANDSCAPE GARDENING. 



" ception to the tasteless herd of Mr. Brown's 

 " followers. But while you are pleased to 

 " allow me some of the qualities necessary to 

 " my profession, you suppose me deficient in 

 " others ; and, therefore, strongly recommend 

 " the study of what the higher artists have 

 " done both in their pictures and drawings ; 

 " a branch of knowledge which I have always 

 " considered to be not less essential to my 

 " profession than hydraulics or surveying, 

 " and without which I should never have 

 " presumed to arrogate to myself the title of 

 " Landscape Gardener, which you observe is 

 " a title of no small pretension," &c. &c. 



The strongest passage in this letter is the 

 following : — " Amidst the severity of your 

 " satire against Mr. Brown and his followers, 

 " I cannot be ignorant that many pages are 

 " chiefly pointed at my opinions ; although 

 " with more delicacy than your friend Mr. 

 " Knight has shown," &c. 



The conclusion of the letter is in harmony 

 with the beginning — " Notwithstanding the 

 " occasional asperity of your remarks on my 

 " opinions, and the unprovoked sally of Mr. 

 " Knight's wit, I esteem it a very pleasant 

 66 circumstance of my life to have been per- 



