S^r: WILLIAM CHAMBERS, Kn^t _Comptroller General of his Majesty's Works._ [Illustration: Jacket Cover] LONDON: Printed by W. GRIFFIN, Printer to the ROYAL ACADEMY; sold by Him in _Catharine-Street_: and by T. DAVIES, Bookseller to the ROYAL ACADEMY, in _Russel-Street, Covent Garden_: also by J. DODSLEY, _Pall Mall_: WILSON and NICOLL, _Strand_: J. WALTER, _Charing Cross_: and P. ELMSLEY, _Strand_. 1772. A DISSERTATION ON _ORIENTAL GARDENING_; BY S^R WILLIAM CHAMBERS, COMPTROLLER-GENERAL OF HIS MAJESTY'S WORKS, _&c._ THE SECOND EDITION, WITH ADDITIONS. TO WHICH IS ANNEXED, AN EXPLANATORY DISCOURSE, BY TAN CHET-QUA, of QUANG-CHEW-FU, Gent. LONDON: Printed by W. GRIFFIN, Printer to the ROYAL ACADEMY; sold by Him in _Catharine-street_; and by T. DAVIES, Bookseller to the ROYAL ACADEMY, in _Russel-street, Covent-Garden_: also by J. DODSLEY, _Pall-Mall_; WILSON and NICOLL, _Strand_; J. WALTER, _Charing-Cross_; and P. ELMSLEY, _Strand_. 1773. AN EXPLANATORY DISCOURSE, BY TAN CHET-QUA, OF Quang-Chew-fu, Gent. FRSS, MRAAP; ALSO, MIAAF, TRA, CGHMW and ATTQ. WHEREIN The PRINCIPLES laid down in the Foregoing DISSERTATION, are illustrated and applied to PRACTICE. PREFACE. Every new system naturally meets with opposition; when the monster Novelty appears, all parties, alarmed at the danger, unite to raise a clamour: each cavils at what it doth not like, or doth not comprehend, till the whole project is pulled to pieces, and the projector stands plumed of every feather; not only robbed of the praise due to his labour and good intentions, but, like a common enemy, branded with scorn and abuse. In the first hurry of criticism, every deviation is accounted an error; every singularity an extravagance; every difficulty a visionary's dream: warm with resentment, biassed by interests and prejudices, the angry champions of the old, rarely show mercy to the new; which is almost always invidiously considered, and too often unjustly condemned. Sensible of these difficulties, the Author of the foregoing Dissertation, written in direct opposition to the stream of fashion, harboured no sanguine hopes of fame from his Publication: far from expecting at the first, either applause or encouragement, he even judged artifice necessary to screen him from resentment; and cloathed truth in the garb of fiction, to secure it a patient hearing. The success of his little work, however, in one sense, far exceeded expectation: at its first appearance here, it found not only a patient, but a very indulgent reception; and it has since been equally fortunate in France, and other parts of Europe; where Monsieur Delarochette's elegant translation has made it known.