A Dialogue upon the Gardens of the Right Honorouble the Lord Viscount Cobham at Stow in BuckinghamshireGilpin, William
Philosophy
A Dialogue upon the Gardens of the Right Honorouble the Lord Viscount Cobham at Stow in Buckinghamshire
Gilpin, William
Cobham, Richard Temple, Viscount, 1669?-1749; Landscape gardening -- Early works to 1800
As we are got into the North, I must confess I do not know any Part of
the Kingdom that abounds more with elegant natural Views: Our
well-cultivated Plains, as you observed before, are certainly not
comparable to their rough Nature in point of Prospect. About three Years
ago I rode the Northern Circuit: The Weather was extremely fine; and I
scarce remember being more agreeably entertained than I was with the
several charming Views exhibited to me in the northern Counties.
Curiosity indeed, rather than Business, carried me down: And as I had my
Time pretty much to myself, I spent it in a great measure in hunting
after beautiful Objects. Sometimes I found myself hemmed within an
Amphitheatre of Mountains, which were variously ornamented, some with
scattered Trees, some with tufted Wood, some with grazing Cattle, and
some with smoaking Cottages. Here and there an elegant View likewise was
opened into the Country.----A Mile's riding, perhaps, would have carried
me to the Foot of a steep Precipice, down which thundered the whole
Weight of some vast River, which was dashed into Foam at the Bottom, by
the craggy Points of several rising Rocks: A deep Gloom overspread the
Prospect, occasioned by the close Wood that hung round it on every
Side.--I could describe to you a Variety of other Views I met with
there, if we _here_ wanted Entertainment in the Way of Landskip. One,
however, I cannot forbear mentioning, and wishing at the same time that
his Lordship had such Materials to work with, and it could not be but he
would make a most noble Picture.----The Place I have in view is upon the
Banks of the River _Eden_ (which is indeed one of the finest Rivers I
ever saw). I scarce know a fitter Place for a Genius in this Way to
exert itself in. There is the greatest Variety of garnished Rocks,
shattered Precipices, rising Hills, ornamented with the finest Woods,
thro' which are opened the most elegant Vales that I have ever met with:
Not to mention the most enchanting Views up and down the River, which
winds itself in such a manner as to shew its Banks to the best
Advantage, which, together with very charming Prospects into the
Country, terminated by the blue Hills at a Distance, make as fine a
Piece of Nature, as perhaps can any where be met with.
_Calloph._ I admire your Taste in Landskip extremely; you have marked
out just such Circumstances as would take me most in a View. I am I find
almost as enthusiastic a Lover of Nature as you are. Yet tho' I can
allow her to have an excellent _Fancy_, I do not think she has the best
_Judgment_. Tho' Nature is an admirable _Colourist_, her _Composition_
is very often liable to Censure. For which Reason I am for having her
placed under the Direction of _Art_: And the Rule I would go by should
be Mr. _Pope_'s;
--_Treat the Goddess like a modest Fair,
Not over-dress, nor leave her wholly bare._
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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