DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.1456#0053
40 The Theory Part I.
juft Mean ftiould be obferved in Things of this Kind, equally
avoiding too great a Slendernefs, as well as too great a Mafly-
nefs of Ornaments.
I t may not be improper here to warn the Reader againft
the Notion fome People have got, that Parterres are the moft
difficult things to invent; and that thefe Pieces require more
Skill and Application than the general Difpofition of a Gar-
den. Now although it be agreed, that Parterres are the moft
rich and delicate Part of a Garden, they are however but Parts
of a fine Whole; that is to fay, of a general Plan. It is the
fame thing to lay, that a Chamber is more difficult to contrive
and beautify than a large Building, of which it makes but a
part. In like manner, Parterres are to be efteem'd as fmall
Matters of Invention, compared with the Difpofitions and ge-
neral Diftributions of Gardens.
All Parterres are near alike; the Subject being exhaufted
in five or fix Defigns, one always falls into the lame Track,
and the Form becomes almoft common; but general Diipo-
fitions are always different, 'tis the Situation of the Place
that governs them: Each of them requires a new Turn of
Thought, and a Compliance with Nature, fb as carefully to
fedrefs what is defective, and improve what is happily placed:
For a Proof of this, there are no two Gardens lb perfectly like
one another as two Parterres, uniefs it was done with defign
to make them alike.
Perhaps.the Realbn why thefe Perfbnsmake a Myftery
of defigning and inventing a Parterre, is, that they are riot
capable of any thing elfe; and that a general Plan, as a Grove
finely ornamented, will prefently put them to a nonplus ; like
a Painter who can draw nothing but a Head, and cannot finifh
the intire Figure. Or it may be from the greater Want that
private . Gentlemen have of a Parterre, than other Pieces for
which there is no room in their fmall Gardens, and fb they
look upon them as ufelefs, and infinitely inferior to Parterres.
Befides, when a whole Garden is well contrived, well difpo-
ied, and there is nothing but the Parterre that has an ill Effect,
it is eafy to pull it to pieces, the fame Box ferving to plant a
new Defign, and this, at no considerable Expence. But the
cafe is very different in a general Plan, or in a large Grove ;
when thefe are once planted, there is no making an Altera-
tion
juft Mean ftiould be obferved in Things of this Kind, equally
avoiding too great a Slendernefs, as well as too great a Mafly-
nefs of Ornaments.
I t may not be improper here to warn the Reader againft
the Notion fome People have got, that Parterres are the moft
difficult things to invent; and that thefe Pieces require more
Skill and Application than the general Difpofition of a Gar-
den. Now although it be agreed, that Parterres are the moft
rich and delicate Part of a Garden, they are however but Parts
of a fine Whole; that is to fay, of a general Plan. It is the
fame thing to lay, that a Chamber is more difficult to contrive
and beautify than a large Building, of which it makes but a
part. In like manner, Parterres are to be efteem'd as fmall
Matters of Invention, compared with the Difpofitions and ge-
neral Diftributions of Gardens.
All Parterres are near alike; the Subject being exhaufted
in five or fix Defigns, one always falls into the lame Track,
and the Form becomes almoft common; but general Diipo-
fitions are always different, 'tis the Situation of the Place
that governs them: Each of them requires a new Turn of
Thought, and a Compliance with Nature, fb as carefully to
fedrefs what is defective, and improve what is happily placed:
For a Proof of this, there are no two Gardens lb perfectly like
one another as two Parterres, uniefs it was done with defign
to make them alike.
Perhaps.the Realbn why thefe Perfbnsmake a Myftery
of defigning and inventing a Parterre, is, that they are riot
capable of any thing elfe; and that a general Plan, as a Grove
finely ornamented, will prefently put them to a nonplus ; like
a Painter who can draw nothing but a Head, and cannot finifh
the intire Figure. Or it may be from the greater Want that
private . Gentlemen have of a Parterre, than other Pieces for
which there is no room in their fmall Gardens, and fb they
look upon them as ufelefs, and infinitely inferior to Parterres.
Befides, when a whole Garden is well contrived, well difpo-
ied, and there is nothing but the Parterre that has an ill Effect,
it is eafy to pull it to pieces, the fame Box ferving to plant a
new Defign, and this, at no considerable Expence. But the
cafe is very different in a general Plan, or in a large Grove ;
when thefe are once planted, there is no making an Altera-
tion