graceful stems, removed and extended the perspective by delufive comparison.

Thus the pencil of his imagination beftowed all the arts of landscape on the Scenes be handled. The great principles on which he worked were perspective, and light and Shade. Groupes of trees broke too uniform or too extensive a lawn; evergreens and woods were opposed to the glare of the champain, and where the view was less fortunate, or so much expofed as to be beheld at once, he blotted out Some parts by thick fhades, to divide it into variety, or to make the richeft fcene more enchanting by referving it to a farther advance of the Spectator's steps. Thus, felecting favourite objects, and veiling deformities by fcreens of plantation; fometimes allowing the rudeft waste to add its foil to the richest theatre, he realized the compofitions of the greatest mafters in painting. Where objects were wanting to animate his borizon, his tafte as an architect could beftow immediate termination. His buildings, his feats, his temples, were more the works of his pencil than of his compaffes. We owe the restoration of Greece and the diffufion of architecture to his fkill in landscape.

But of all the beauties he added to the face of this beautiful country, none furpassed his management of water.

Adieu

to

tiges élégantes, en même tems qu'ils éloignent & étendent la perspective par la decevante comparaifon des objets intermé

diaires.

Ainfi le pinceau de fon imagination prodigua tous les artifices d'un beau paysage aux scènes qu'il deffina. Les grands principes fur lesquels il travailloit étoient la perspective & le clair obfcur. Des groupes d'arbres rompirent l'uniformité d'une clariére trop étendue; des bois, des arbustes toujours verts contrastérent avec l'éclat des campagnes; & quand le point de vue étoit moins heureux ou affez découvert pour être aperçu d'un feul coup-d'œil, il en obfcurcit quelques parties pour y mettre de la variété ou pour augmenter le charme du fite le plus riche en ménageant la découverte & ne la développant au fpectateur que fucceffivement. Ainfi choififfant les objets heureux, & cachant les difformités par des plantations placées au devant comme des repouffoirs; quelquefois employant le défert le plus fauvage pour faire valoir la fcène la plus riche, il réalisa les compofitions des grands peintres. Manquoit-il d'objets pour animer son horifon? fon talent d'architecte fçavoit auffitôt le terminer avec goût. Ses fabriques, fes pavillons, fes temples étoient plutôt l'ouvrage du pinceau que du compas. C'eft à fon habilité dans la perspective que nous devons la reftauration du ftyle grec & les progrès de l'architecture.

Mais la plus grande beauté de toutes celles dont il orna ce beau pays-ci, c'eft l'emploi & la diftribution des eaux. Adieu

to canals, circular bafons, and cafcades tumbling down marble steps, that laft abfurd magnificence of Italian and French villas. The forced elevation of cataracts was no more. The gentle fream was taught to ferpentize feemingly at its pleafure, and where difcontinued by different levels, its course appeared to be concealed by thickets properly interfperfed, and glittered again at a distance where it might be supposed naturally to arrive. Its borders were fmoothed, but preferved their waving irregularity. A few trees fscattered bere and there on its edges Sprinkled the tame bank that accompanied it meanders; and when it disappeared among the bills, fhades defcending from the heights leaned towards its progrefs, and framed the diftant point of light under which it was loft, as it turned afide to either hand of the blue borizon.

Thus dealing in none but the colours of nature, and catching its most favourable features, men faw a new creation opening before their eyes. The living landscape was chaftened or polished, not transformed. Freedom was given to the forms of trees; they extended their branches unreftricted, and where any eminent oak, or master beech had escaped maiming and furvived the foreft, bush and bramble was removed, and all its honours were reftored to distinguish and Shade the plain. Where the united plumage of an ancient wood extended wide its undulating canopy, and flood venerable in its darkness, Kent thinned the foremost ranks, and

left

Adieu les canaux, les baffins circulaires, les cascades tombant fur un escalier de marbre, cette abfurde magnificence moderne des jardins Italiens & François. Plus de cataractes péniblement guindées. Un joli ruiffeau parut ferpenter à fon gré: s'il étoit arrêté par la différence des niveaux du terrein, fon cours fembloit être feulement caché par des bocages artiftement diftribués & on le voyoit reparoître dans l'éloignement à la distance où il devoit naturellement arriver. Ses bords étoient en pente douce, mais conservant toujours leur ondulation irréguliere. Quelques arbres difperfés ça & là le long des rives de ce Méandre y répandoient leur ombrage; & quand il difparoiffoit entre les côteaux, d'autres ombrages tombant des hauteurs conduifoient l'œil fur fa route supposée & formoient dans le lointain le point de vue où on le perdoit comme s'il tournoit d'un autre côté de l'horifon.

C'est ainsi qu'avec le feul coloris de la nature, avec l'art de faifir fes plus beaux traits, on vit paroître une création nouvelle. Le payfage vivant fut corrigé quelquefois ou embelli, jamais dénaturé. On rendit aux arbres la liberté de leurs formes, ils étendirent fans gêne leurs rameaux. Si quelque chêne ou hêtre distingué avoit échappé à la serpe & survêcu au reste de la forêt, on arrachoit foigneufement a l'entour le buis & la ronce pour lui rendre l'honeur de décorer & d'ombrager la plaine. Si le feuillage touffu d'un bois antique étendoit au loin fon dais mobile & devenoit imposant par fa vénérable obfcurité, Kent éclairciffoit les premier rangs &

n'y

:

left but fo many detached and Scattered trees, as Softened the approach of gloom and blended a chequered light with the thus lengthened Shadows of the remaining columns.

re

Succeeding artifts have added new master-ftrokes to these touches; perhaps improved or brought to perfection Some that I have named. The introduction of foreign trees and plants, which we owe principally to Archibald duke of Argyle, contributed effentially to the richness of colouring so peculiar to our modern landscape. The mixture of various greens, the contraft of forms between our foreft-trees and the northern and Weft-Indian firs and pines, are improvements more cent than Kent, or but little known to him. The weeping-willow and every florid fhrub, each tree of delicate or bold leaf, are new tints in the compofition of our gardens. The last century was certainly acquainted with many of those rare plants we now admire. The Weymouth-pine has long been naturalized here, the patriarch plant ftill exifts at Longleat. The light and graceful acacia was known as early; witness those ancient stems in the court of Bedfordboufe in Bloom/bury-fquare; and in the bishop of London's garden at Fulham are many exotics of very ancient date.

I doubt