MISCELLANEOUS ESSAYS. 319
in this article f 'volth the befi ideas, nvhicb the imprcvement of iajie has introduced amongjl us in Eng- land. This piece, ive may '^oenture to fay, is much the bejl vjhicb has ever keen if:ritten on this fubje^.
Of the art of laying out gardens amciig the Chineje, by Mr. Cham' hers.
TH E gardens, fays he, which 1 faw in China, were very fmall ; neverthelefs from them, and what could be gathered from Lep- qua, a celebrated Cliinefe painter, with whom I had feveral conver- fations on the fubject of gardening, I think I have acquired fufficient knowledge of their notions on this head.
Nature is their pattern, and their aim is to imitate her in ail her beautiful irregularities. The firil confideration is the form of the ground, whether it be flat, floping, hilly, or mountainous, extenfive, or of fmall compafs, ofadry or marfhy nature, abounding with rivers and fprings, or liable to a fcarcity of water; to all which circumftances they attend with great care,churing fuch difpofitions as humour the ground, can be executed with the Jeail expence, hide its defedls, and fet its advantages in the moll con- fpicuous light.
As the Chinefe are not fond of walking, we feldom meet with avenues or fpacious walks, as in our European plantations. The whole ground is laid out in a va- riety of fceres, and you are led, by winding pafTages cut in the groves, to the differents points of view, eacn of which is marked by a feat, a building, or feme other object.
The perfection of their gardens confifts in the number, beauty, and diverfity of thefe fcenes. The Chi- nefe gardeners, like the Euro- pean painters, collecl from nature the moil pleafing objefts, which they endeavour to combine in fuch a manner, as not only to appear to the bell advantage feparacely, but iikewife to unite in forming aa elegant and ilriking whole.
Their artilb diltinguifh three dif- ferent fpecies of fcenes, to whiclx they give the appellations of pleaf- ing, horrid, and enchanted. Their enchanted fcenes anfwer, in a great meafure, to wh.it we call romantic, and in thefe they make ufe of feveral artifices to excite iurprize. Sometimes they make a rapid ftream, or torrent, pafs under ground, the turbulent noife of which ftrikes the ear of tha new comer, who is at a lofs to know from whence it proceeds. At other times they difpofe the rocks, buildings, and other objects that form the compofition, in fuch a manner, as that the wind paffing through the different interltices and cavities, made in them for that purpofe, caufes firange and un- common founds. They introduce into thefe fcenes all kinds of extra- ordinary trees, plants, and flowers, form artificial and complicated echoes, and let loofe different forts of monftrous birds and ani- mals.
In their fcenes of horror, they introduce impending rocks, dark caverns, and impetuous cataratls ruOiing down the mountains from all fides ; the trees arr, ill formed, and feeminglv torn to pieces by the violence of tempefts ; (ome are thrown down, and intercept the courfe of the torrents, appearing
as
