PLANTING. 



147 



" son ally known to you both, and to have 

 " witnessed your good taste in many situ- 

 " ations. I shall beg leave, therefore, to 

 " subscribe myself, with regard and esteem," 

 &c. &C. 



I am the more solicitous to remove the 

 charge of bitterness of controversy from the 

 Essays, both as its supposed existence might 

 interfere with their utility, and also to rescue 

 the memory of their author from an imputation 

 which, from personal knowledge, I can testify 

 did no way attach to him. Whatever may ap- 

 pear severe throughout the work in question, 

 is attributable to an uncommon quickness of 

 perception, joined to a keenness of expression 

 that delighted all who had the pleasure of his 

 acquaintance, and who, I doubt not, would 

 universally confirm the appeal made to them 

 in the concluding part of his answer to Mr. 

 Repton's letter, — a letter which evinces that 

 a playful brilliancy of taste, not the bitterness 

 of controversy, guided the pen of an author, 

 who will be admired the more, the closer he 

 is studied. 



The passage alluded to runs thus : — 

 " The joint compliment you have paid 

 " to my friend and me, I can, for my own 



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