156 
REVIEW. 
mer-house, rustic in so far as it is formed of wood; but it bears the impress of art , and when closely 
examined of high art too ; indeed, it is the neatest thing of the kind we ever met with. It was formed 
we believe by the late Mr. Wells, and a country carpenter. Over the rock, the roots of some of the 
trees, the large Oaks especially, present themselves in a very picturesque manner ; indeed, though sur¬ 
rounded by many features highly artistic, many of the best features of the pleasure-grounds at Redleaf 
are natural, and bear evidence of their origin so unmistakably, as to be additionally interesting on that 
account. Upon the grass in this garden are distributed some Chinese porcelain vases, containing specimen 
plants, such as Fuchsias, &c. Valuable as they may be, we cannot say we admire them; in a scene 
supposed to be purely English, they are out of character, and ought to be removed. Upon the grass also 
are placed some promising specimens of Berberis, Araucaria, and Cedrus, the only fault of which is, 
that they will soon become too large for the space they are destined to occupy. This unfortunately is 
a fault throughout the place, as most of the choice plants, more especially the specimens of Pinus, 
have been planted much to near together.—A. 
fvinitni. 
A Treatise on the Theory ancl Practice of Landscape Gardening, adapted to North America , with Remarks on Rural 
Architecture. By A. J. Downing. London : Longman and Co. 
The progress of civilization in all countries has been characterized by an equally advancing taste for the higher 
refinements of social life. The age of chivalry was distinguished by the gratification of animal pleasure and 
manual prowess. The age of peace, by the development of the human mind, as exemplified in the vast amount of 
scientific discovery and mechanical invention, of which all civilized nations afford abundant examples—as evi¬ 
denced in our modes of transit, in our manufactures, in our buildings, and lastly in our parks and gardens. Eng¬ 
land, the richest nation on the globe’s surface, and because also of her isolated position and her maritime prowess, 
has been left at leisure to enjoy her wealth and promote those sciences which immediately relate to a life of luxury 
and social refinement. Let us stop for a moment and cast a retrospective glance at the state of gardening in the 
earlier periods of the world’s history, and let us also compare those gardens, the gardens of mighty kings and 
emperors, with those in this country—a country of taste, wealth, and refinement—as set apart for the enjoyment 
of the monarch or her lieges. Solomon, the Jewish king, a man of wealth and great taste, did not neglect this 
important appendage to his enjoyments. He gardened on a large scale, introduced lakes of great extent, all for the 
enjoyment of himself and subjects:—“ I made me gardens and paradises, and I planted in them all kinds of fruit 
trees. I made me pools of water, to water with them the groves flouris hin g with trees.” The kings of Persia 
were celebrated for their extensive and beautifully arranged gardens; for, according to Pliny, they had in them 
buildings for repose and banquetings, fountains for cooling the air, aviaries for choice birds, and towers for the 
sake of distant prospect. The gardens of the Athenian and Roman governors were not less remarkable for their 
grandeur of conception and decorative characters. Let us, however, come down nearer our own time, and consider 
the provision made by the sovereigns of Europe for the enjoyment of themselves and subjects; for almost in every 
instance these are not set apart for the gratification of the prince exclusively, but for the great body of the people 
likewise. Take for examples, for their extent and magnificence, the gardens of the Caserta near Maples; the Royal 
Gardens at the Hague; those in.France at the Tuileries, the Luxembourg, St. Cloud, and Versailles; in Austria, 
at Schonbrunn near Vienna ; at Potsdam near Berlin ; at Munich in Bavaria ; the Imperial Gardens at St. Peters- 
burgh, and, in fact, as an appendage to every palace where a kingdom or principality exists in Europe, and that, 
too, on a scale commensurate with their greatness. The greatest talent of the ages in which they were formed 
was called into requisition. They bear the impress of master minds; they are striking examples of the exist¬ 
ence of principles to guide them in the development of grand ideas; their sculptural embellishments betray 
a taste of the most refined imaginable kind; their whole arrangement bears evidence of design. "What can 
we say then for the royal gardens of England, which ought to be schools of improvement to guide our nobility 
and great landed proprietors in all that relates to the improvement and embellishment of their country residences ? 
Me have indeed the remnant left us at Hampton Court that a royal garden evincing design once existed in England; 
and, as if it had been a blot on our national character, the government officials are annually using their best en¬ 
deavours to efface every evidence of its existence. Windsor, one of the noblest royal palaces in Europe, has 
capabilities unequalled in the world for the formation of a royal garden. What now exists under that name is a 
by-word throughout Europe, and a stain upon the national character. This is amply redeemed by the multitudes 
of examples, conceived on a princely style of magnificence, as carried out by the great majority of the English 
aristocracy; and, as our author observes, “in the United States it is highly improbable that we shall ever witness 
such splendid examples of landscape gardening as those abroad to which we have alluded.” There can be no ques¬ 
tion whatever, but that a country of such vast extent as the United States, rising in wealth and influence with such 
marvellous rapidity, that the world has exhibited nothing equal to it, must one day take a high stand in ornamental 
gardening. Hence it is of the more importance that the infant mind of her people, (if we may be allowed the ex¬ 
pression,) in the reception of first impressions, should have clear and precise views laid before them. The expe¬ 
rience of the great practitioners of the old world, and the principles they have propounded, should be laid clearly 
