DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.50017#0263
GARDEN LETTERS 175
pardonable at least, if in doing my endeauour to rectifie
some mistakes, and advancing so vsefull and innocent a
divertisement, I made some essay, and cast in my
symbole with the rest. To this designe, if forraine
observation may conduce, I might likewise hope to
refine upon some particulars, especially concerning the
ornaments of gardens, which I shall endeavor so to
handle, as that they may become usefull and practic-
able, as well as magnificent, and that persons of all
conditions and faculties, which delight in gardens, may
therein encounter something for their owne advan-
tage. The modell, which I perceive you haue seene,
will aboundantly testifie my abhorrency of those painted
and formal projections of our cockney gardens and
plotts, which appeare like gardens of past-board and
march-payne, and smell more of paynt then of flowers
and verdure : our drift is a noble, princely, and uni-
versal Elysium, capable of all the amcenities that can
naturally be introduced into gardens of pleasure, and
such as may stand in competition with all the august
designes and stories of this nature, either of antient or
moderne tymes; yet so as to become vsefull and
significant to the least pretences and faculties. We
will endeauour to shew how the aire and genious of
gardens operat vpon humane spirits towards virtue and
pardonable at least, if in doing my endeauour to rectifie
some mistakes, and advancing so vsefull and innocent a
divertisement, I made some essay, and cast in my
symbole with the rest. To this designe, if forraine
observation may conduce, I might likewise hope to
refine upon some particulars, especially concerning the
ornaments of gardens, which I shall endeavor so to
handle, as that they may become usefull and practic-
able, as well as magnificent, and that persons of all
conditions and faculties, which delight in gardens, may
therein encounter something for their owne advan-
tage. The modell, which I perceive you haue seene,
will aboundantly testifie my abhorrency of those painted
and formal projections of our cockney gardens and
plotts, which appeare like gardens of past-board and
march-payne, and smell more of paynt then of flowers
and verdure : our drift is a noble, princely, and uni-
versal Elysium, capable of all the amcenities that can
naturally be introduced into gardens of pleasure, and
such as may stand in competition with all the august
designes and stories of this nature, either of antient or
moderne tymes; yet so as to become vsefull and
significant to the least pretences and faculties. We
will endeauour to shew how the aire and genious of
gardens operat vpon humane spirits towards virtue and