It is far from our intention to intimate any thing the least disrespectful to landscape painting : let the ingenious artist cull from Nature her choicest beauties, and let him associate them, in the manner best suited to his own single, and permanent point of view but do not let us carry his production back again to Nature, and contract her unbounded beauties within the limits of a picture frame. If, indeed, the eye were fixed in one point, the trees could be raised to their full height at command, and the sun be made to stand still,—the rural artist might work by the rules of light and shade, and compose his landscape by the painter's law. But, while the sun continues to pour forth its light impartially, and the trees to rise with slow progression, it would be ridiculous to attempt it. Let him rather seek out, imitate, and associate, such STRIKING PASSAGES IN NATURE, as are immediately applicable to the place to be improved, without regard to rules of landscape, merely human;— and let him,

in this and all

Be various, wild, and free, as Nature's self." MASON.

Instead of sacrificing the natural beauties of the place to one formal landscape, let every step dis close fresh charms unsought for. How strikingly beautiful the changes formed by the islands, and their respective mountains, in sailing through the

West Indies! The eye does not catch the same view twice the scene is ever changing, ever delightful.

WE should not have offered our sentiments so freely upon landscape, had not a French writer of some eminence*, in a work lately published, laid it down as an invariable rule, that all ornamental grounds should have a complete landscape, to be seen from some part of the house; and to be made from a perspective drawing, previously taken from the window of the saloon, or the top of the mansion. The work, in other respects, has, nevertheless, great merit, and is in fact an ingenious Essay on English Gardening. The Author's vanity, however, will not suffer him to make this concession: no, it is neither ancient, nor modern, nor English, nor Chinese; and there is some reason to suspect, that the Marquis holds out landscape for no other purpose, than to endeavour to give his work the air of originality; for, in other respects, it contains, in effect, what Wheatley and Mason, Kent and Brown, have previously taught and practised.

• The Marquis D'Ermenonville, friend of the celebrated Rousseau, who died at his house, and whose remains were de posited in his grounds, at Ermenonville.

NOTWITHSTANDING, however, the nature of the place ought not to be sacrificed to the mansion;— the house must ever be allowed to be a principal in the composition. It ought to be considered as the center of the system; and the rays of art, like those of the sun, should grow fainter as they recede from the center. The house itself being entirely a work of art, its immediate environs should be highly finished; but as the distance increases, the appearance of design should gradually diminish, until Nature and fortuitousness have full possession of the scene.

In general, the approach should be to the backfront, which, in suitable situations, ought to lie open to the park or pasture grounds. On the sides more highly ornamented, a well kept gravel walk may embrace the stonework; to this the polished lawn and shrubery succeed; next, the grounds closely pastured; and lastly, the surrounding country, which ought not to be considered as out of the artist's reach: for his art consists, not more in decorating particular spot's, than in endeavouring to render the whole face of Nature delightful.

ANOTHER reason for this mode of arrangement is, objects immediately under the eye are seen more distinctly than those at a distance, and ought to be

such as are pleasing in the detail. The beauties of a flower can be discerned on a near view, only; while, at a distance, a roughet of coppice wood, and the most elegant arrangement of flowering shrubs, have the same effect. The most rational entertainment, the human mind is capable of receiving, is that of observing the operations of Nature. The foliation of a leaf, the blowing of flowers, and the maturation of fruit, are among the most delightful subjects that a contemplative mind can be employed in. These processes of Nature are slow, and except the object fall spontaneously under the eye of the observer, the inconveniencies of visiting it in a remote part, so far interfere with the more important employments of life, as to blunt, if not destroy, the enjoyment. This is a strong argument in favor of shrubs and flowers being planted under or near our windows, especially those from whence they may be viewed during the hours of leisure and tranquillity.

FURTHER, the vegetable creation being subject to the animal, the shrub may be cropped, or the flower trodden down, in its day of beauty. If, therefore, we wish to converse with Nature, in private, intruders must be kept off,—the shrubery be severed from the ground;-yet not in such a man. ner as to drive away the pasturing flock from our sight. For this reason, the polished lawn ought

not to be too extensive, and the fence, which incloses it should be such, as will not interrupt the view: But whether it be seen or unseen, suspected or unsuspected, is a matter of no great import: its utility in protecting the shrubs and flowers,-in keeping the horns of cattle from the window, and the feet of sheep from the gravel and broken ground,-in preserving that neatness on the outside, which ought to correspond with the finishings and furniture within,-render it of sufficient importance, to become even a part of the ornament.

BEFORE any step can be taken towards the execution of the design, be it large or small, a map or plan of the place, exactly as it lies in its unimproved state, should be made; with a corresponding sketch, to make the intended improvements upon. Not a hovel nor a twig should be touched, until the artist has studied maturely the natural abilities of the place, and has decidedly fixed in his mind, and finally settled on his plan, the proposed alterations: and even then, let him "dare with caution."

THERE is a striking similarity between a neglected scene in Nature, and a neglected cottage beauty; and the mode of improvement is, in either instance, similar. If the face unwashed, and uncombed hair, be considered as ornamental,—Art