“ men have mentioned, I very much queftion, as from every
“ enquiry I have made (and I have not been fparing to make
“ them) I have by no means fufficient reafon to warrant me in
“ acceding to, or confirming, the accounts which they have
“ given us.
“ I f any place in England can be faid in any refpeCt to have
“ fimilar features to the weftern park, which I have feen this
“ day, it is Lowther Hall in Weftmoreland, which (when I
“ knew it many years ago) from the extent o f profpect, the
“ grand furrounding objeds, the noble fituation, the diverfity
“ o f furface, the extenfive woods, and command o f water,, I
“ thought might be rendered by a man o f fenfe, fpirit, aud
“ tafte, the finefl: fcene in the Britiih dominions.”
After this defcriptive and interefting detail o f the beauties o f the
two fides o f the imperial park or gardens at Gehol, his Lordlhip
makes a few general obfervations on Chinefe gardening, and
the ornamental edifices that are ufually employed to aid the
effed, as well as contribute to ufe and convenience. He
obferves,
“ 'Whether our flyle o f gardening was really copied from the
tl Chinefe, or originated with ourfelves, I leave for vanity to
“ affert, and idlenefs to difcufs. A difcovery which is the re-
“ fult o f good fenfe and reflexion may equally occur to the
“ moft diftant nations, w ithout either borrowing from the other.
“ There is certainly a great analogy between our gardening
“ and
“ and the Chinefe, but our excellence feems to be rather in im-
“ proving nature, theirs to conquer her, and yet produce the
“ fame eífeét. It is indifferent to a Chinefe where he makes
% his garden, whether on a fpot favoured, or abandoned, b y
“ the rural deities. I f the latter, he invites them, or compels
“ them to return. His point is to change every thing from
“ what he found it, to explode the old faihion o f the creation,
“ and introduce novelty in every corner. I f there be a waite,
“ he adorns it with trees ; i f a dry defert, he waters it with a
“ river, or floats it with a lake. I f there be a fmooth fiat, he varies
“ it with all poffible converfions. He undulates the furface,
“ he raifes it in hills, fcoops it into vallies, and roughens it
“ with rocks. H e foftens afperities, brings amenity into the
“ wildernefs, or animates the tamenefs o f an expanfe, by ac-
“ companying it with the majefty o f a foreft. Deceptions and
“ eye-traps the Chinefe are not unacquainted with, but they
“ ufe them very fparingly. I obferved no artificial ruins,
“ caves, or hermitages. Though the fublime predominates in
“ its proper ftation, you are infenfibly led to contemplate it,
“ not ftartled by its fudden intrufion, for in the plan cheer-
“ fulnefs is the principal feature, and lights up the face o f the
“ fcene. T o enliven it ftill more, the aid o f architecture is
“ invited; all the buildings are perfeCt o f their kind, either
“ elegantly limpie, or highly decorated, according to the
H efieCt that is intended to arife, ereCted at fuitable diftances,
“ and judicioufly contrafted, never crowded together in confu-
“ fion, nor aifeCtedly confronted, and ftaring at each other
“ without meaning. Proper edifices in proper places-. The
“ fummer