LANDSCAPE GARDENING. 
289 
improve their ideas upon the same models, and that they should imitate 
as far as possible the compositions of the ancient masters. 
But we have next to inquire what it really is in the paintings of 
Claude Lorraine, Poussin, and others, which inclines us to look upon 
their productions with so much pleasure. Many of them, no doubt, 
are only ideal compositions; and consequently there is no such thing as 
comparing them with existing scenes, in order to judge of their faithful¬ 
ness. Still, even supposing them to be ideal, we cannot withhold our 
admiration of the general harmony of their pictures—the well-balanced 
light and shade—the imperceptible touches by which the colours are 
blended with each other—the happy combinations of trees, shrubs, and 
herbs on the foreground—and the numerous interesting objects in the 
offscape;—these arrest the attention of the most incurious, and also show 
the rich and fertile imagination of the artist. Much of our approbation so 
readily bestowed on those matchless works may be, however, only com¬ 
plimentary to the masterly manner in which the colours are laid on, 
and the way in which the objects and figures are disposed. We may 
admire the forms of the trees, without being able to say what trees 
they are ; we may extol the mild or solemn light thrown over the 
whole picture, without being able to guess at what hour of the day or 
night it was studied or painted. We, besides, must often make allow¬ 
ance for the licence of a poetical painter, and for the exuberance of his 
fancy, especially in his choosing just such a placid or stormy sky as 
will best suit the character of his scene. He may introduce dead or 
shattered trees, or other wrecks of nature—ruins of buildings, or other 
wrecks of art; but all this, so allowable and admirable in paintings, 
cannot be introduced with propriety into the works of the gardener; 
and thus far the first should not be held up as a model to be closely 
followed by the latter. 
It is very true, we have heard of dead trees being planted , and ruins 
built at a vast expense, by talented and rational men ! But who would 
call such freaks pure taste ? If the ruins of an old mansion happen to 
stand upon the ground required to be dressed around a new house, they 
may remain with propriety, because some local history is connected 
with such vestigia, and ideas associated of an interesting kind : but to 
build ruins, or, what is said to be a better way, build a handsome 
structure having somewhat of an architecturesque character, and then 
immediately let it be partly demolished and defaced by the hammers of 
the builders! and when this is artificially weather-stained, and covered 
with ivy, wall-flowers, verbascums, &c., it must then be fancied a 
striking feature of some favourite scene, is quite ludicrous. 
VOL. v.— NO. LXII, 
P P 
