fense of the words) highly picturesque scenes near many gentlemen's houses in this kingdom, and that it also will be allowed, that to deftroy the peculiar character of any scene is not the way to improve it: hence it naturally follows, that to en-. able either the owner himself, or the profeffor, to make any real improvements in such scenes, it is neceffary, not only that they fhould not despise or renounce, but that they should study, and obtain a thorough knowledge of the character to which it belongs. Should therefore the Brownifts in general. renounce the picturefque, they certainly ought to do what I hardly expect renounce improving all fuch fcenes: and with regard to the profeffors, fhould they only renounce the character, and all study of it, they will at leaft give fair warning; and thofe who, after fuch a declaration, fhould employ them, would have no right to complain of the mischief

F4

mifchief they might do.* Still, however, Mr. Brown, and thofe whom you have very justly, though feverely, called " the taste"lefs herd of his followers," have been univerfally and profeffedly, fmoothers, fhavers, clearers, levellers, and dealers in diftinct ferpentine lines and edges; they have also been fatisfied with the equivocal name of improvers, and from them a declaration of fuch a nature would be lefs furprifing; but that you, a landscape-gardener, and the first, I believe, that has affumed that title-that you should fet out by giving up (or what nearly amounts to it) the picturefque, and by endeavouring to weaken the affinity between painting and landscape-gardening, is what I am equally grieved and furprised at.

Before I fay any thing farther on the ufe of the picturefque in landscape-gardening, I must beg leave to call the reader's *Effay on the Picturesque, page 38.

attention

attention to a few points in this controverfy. I wish it to be remembered, that, according to the diftinction I have made, (and which you have paid me the compliment of calling judicious) the picturefque, by being difcriminated from the beautiful and the fublime, has a separate character, and not a mere reference to the art of painting. The picturesque, therefore, in that fenfe, as compofed of rough and abrupt objects, is in many cafes not applicable to modern gardening; but the principles of painting are always fo. This is, in my opinion, a very material difference, and one which I have tried to explain and establish throughout my book; yet it seems to me, that either from defign or inattention, you have not made the diftinction.

In the next place (as I obferved before) the term of gardening is extremely apt to mislead. What would be proper in a park,

park, or sheep-walk, would be equally improper very near the house, or in fight of the windows. Now I have obferved, that upon all occafions where you renounce the picturefque, or wish to make your readers renounce it, you act like troops, or veffels, that retire under the guns of a battery; you always keep clofe to the mansion; you talk of the habitation and convenience of man, of a garden scene, &c. One might therefore fuppofe that all the talents of a landscape-gardener were to be displayed within a few hundred yards of the house, where (as I obferved towards the beginning of my Effay*) the picturesque must often be facrificed to neatness, and to things of comfort, as gravel walks with regular borders, &c.

In the third place I must beg it to be remembered, that I have taken no fmall pains to fhew, that, though a diftinct chaEffay on the Picturefque, page 37.

racter,

racter, the picturefque is generally mixed with the beautiful, and that it is for want of observing how nature has blended them that improvers have fallen into fo much tameness and infipidity.* Now Now you

have, throughout your Letter, confidered the picturesque as to be applied in its roughest state; as a harfh difcord without being prepared, or refolved-a dofe of crude antimony without any corrective all by way of deterring your patients from mixing fuch fharp, ftimulating ingredients with the foft emollients of Mr. Brown. It is alfo curious to obferve, how you have avoided mentioning whatever might lead the imagination towards picturesque scenes, left your readers fhould be feduced by the bare recital of them: you therefore, after having, by a fort of proxy, made choice. of unmixed beauty (and what that beauty is fhall afterwards be confidered) have re*Effay on the Picturesque, page 125.

marked