always admired and copied beauty of every kind, (and strange it would be were it otherwise) in animals, as well as in the human species, that they neither reject smoothness nor symmetry, but only the ill-judged and tiresome display of them; that with regard to regular and perfect architecture, it made a principal ornament in pictures of the highest class, but that while its smoothness, symmetry, and regularity were preserved, its formality was avoided; in short, that the study of painting, far from abridging his pleasures, would open a variety of new sources of amusement, and without cutting off any of those which he already possessed, would only direct them into better channels---he might be disposed to consult an art, which promised many fresh and untasted delights, without forcing him to abandon all those which he had enjoyed before.

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NOTES AND ILLUSTRATIONS.

P.16, 1. 5. I CAN hardly think it necessary to make any excuse for calling Lord Orford Mr.Walpole; it is the name by which he is best known in the literary world, and to which his writings have given a celebrity inuch beyond what any hereditary honour can bestow. It is more necessary, perhaps, to make an apology for the liberty I must take of canvassing with freedom many positions in his very ingenious and entertaining Treatise on Modern Gardening. That treatise is written in a very high strain of panegyric on the art of which he gives so amusing a history: mine is a direct and undisguised attack upon it. The greater his authority, the more necessary it is to combat the impression which that alone will make on most minds. I do it, however, with great deference and reluctance; for I know how difficult it is to steer between the tameness of over-caution, and the appearance of acrimony, or of want of re

spect towards a person for whom I feel so much, and to whom on so many accounts it is due. But he who is warmly engaged in a cause, and has to fight against strongly-rooted opinions upheld by powerful supporters, must, if he hopes to vanquish them, take every fair advantage of his opponents, and not seem too timid and fearful of giving offence where none is intended.

P. 17, 1.1. As some doubts have arisen about the meaning of the word clump, which so frequently occurs this essay, it may not be improper to define what I mean by it. My idea of a clump, in contradistinction to a group, is, any close mass of trees of the same age and growth, totally detached from all others. I have generally supposed them to be of a round, or at least of a regular form: their size of course must vary; and no rule can well be given when such a detached mass ceases to be a clump, and may be called a plantation.

P. 25,1.22. There is frequently a resemblance, and a very happy one, between the picturesque irregularities of bye-roads, and those of brooks and rivers; just as there is a most unfortunate likeness between the regularity of gravel-walks and roads, and those of artificial rivers, where all the effects of accident have been destroyed or guarded aganist. An example has been given of picturesque irregularity in a road, where, from meeting with some obstruction, it branches off for a time on each side; a similar circumstance in a

brook is described in the Abbé Delille's exquisite Poem on Gardens, which I had not read when 1 first published my essay, but which I have hardly ceased to read since I had it in my possession. I shall only tratiscribe the lines which suit my particular purpose? I trust, however, they will induce the reader to look over the whole description, Where he will find the various charms of a rapid Hittle stream, painted with a most congenial life and animation.m

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Plus loin il se separe en deux ruisseaux agiles;
Qui se suivant l'un l'autre avec rapidité,
Disputent de vitesse et de limpidité.

The whole poem indeed is full of the justest taste, the nicest discrimination; and the most brilliant imagery, and all expressed in the happiest, and most poetical style. I should think myself very ungrateful, if I did not acknowledge the very great pleasure and instruction I have received from it, and add my testimony to that I believe of every other reader,

P. 27, 1. last. The use of attending to the effects of accident and neglect, which has been exemplified in trees and hollow lanes, extends to objects of much greater importance; to every species of improvement, even to the highest and most important of all, that of government. Neither improvers nor legislators will leave every thing to neglect and accident; but it certainly is wise in both, by carefully ob