PLANTING.
141
hensive spirit that pervade the Essays on the
Picturesque, as a guide to the man of taste,
argues, surely, but a slender acquaintance
with that quality. Neither are the peculiar
circumstances under which the Essays were
composed, and which impugn their authority,
at all apparent; nor have I, at least, been
able to discover the bitterness of controversy
ascribed to them by Sir Henry Steuart. Mr.
Repton’s name, if 1 mistake not, occurs but
twice in the whole work, and each time in a
note. The first is upon the impropriety of
breaking an avenue, where Sir Uvedale Price
says, — 44 The bad consequence of this system
44 of separating trees which had long grown
44 together, is no where more apparent than
44 when an old avenue is broken into clumps ;
44 yet it may very well happen that a land-
44 scape painter, however strongly he may
44 condemn the alteration, as it affected the
44 general views, and the character of the
44 place, might find some particular advantage
44 from it, with respect to his own art: for, as
44 he is not obliged to make an exact portrait,
44 it is sufficient for his purpose if he discover
44 the principal materials for composition from
44 the spot where he places himself. He, there-
141
hensive spirit that pervade the Essays on the
Picturesque, as a guide to the man of taste,
argues, surely, but a slender acquaintance
with that quality. Neither are the peculiar
circumstances under which the Essays were
composed, and which impugn their authority,
at all apparent; nor have I, at least, been
able to discover the bitterness of controversy
ascribed to them by Sir Henry Steuart. Mr.
Repton’s name, if 1 mistake not, occurs but
twice in the whole work, and each time in a
note. The first is upon the impropriety of
breaking an avenue, where Sir Uvedale Price
says, — 44 The bad consequence of this system
44 of separating trees which had long grown
44 together, is no where more apparent than
44 when an old avenue is broken into clumps ;
44 yet it may very well happen that a land-
44 scape painter, however strongly he may
44 condemn the alteration, as it affected the
44 general views, and the character of the
44 place, might find some particular advantage
44 from it, with respect to his own art: for, as
44 he is not obliged to make an exact portrait,
44 it is sufficient for his purpose if he discover
44 the principal materials for composition from
44 the spot where he places himself. He, there-