An Explanatory Discourse by Tan Chet-qua of Quang-chew-fu, Gent.Chambers, William, Sir
Philosophy
An Explanatory Discourse by Tan Chet-qua of Quang-chew-fu, Gent.
Chambers, William, Sir
Gardens, Chinese -- Early works to 1800; Gardens, English -- Early works to 1800
By these means this whole kingdom might soon become one magnificent vast
Garden, bounded only by the sea; the many noble seats and villas with
which it abounds, would give uncommon consequence to the scenery; and it
might still be rendered more splendid, if, instead of disfiguring your
churches with monuments, our Chinese manner of erecting mausoleums by
the sides of the roads was introduced amongst you; and if all your
public bridges were adorned with triumphal arches, rostral pillars,
bas-reliefs, statues, and other indications of victory, and glorious
atchievements in war: an empire transformed into a splendid Garden, with
the imperial mansion towering on an eminence in the center,[23] and the
palaces of the nobles scattered like pleasure-pavilions amongst the
plantations, infinitely surpasses any thing that even the Chinese ever
attempted: yet vast as the design appears, the execution is certainly
within your reach.
Such, as far as I am able to judge, continued our Orator, is the true
application of nature to horticulture; perhaps the only one that can be
attempted with success: wherever she is made in little, or introduced
upon a confined plan, the effect is always trifling and bad, as will
appear to any man of real taste, who inspects the artificial scenery
even of your most approved gardens: Nature admits of no reduction in
her dimensions; trees will not grow in miniature; nor are her bold
movements to be expressed upon the surface of a few acres: and not to
mention any of your performances, it is scarcely in the power of the
most consummate art, to imitate nature perfectly; nor were it possible,
could the most skilful arrangements acquire their true effect, till
after the expiration of many years: our children may see the perfection
of what we plant; we never can.
Our eastern artists, therefore, seldom attempt to create, but rather
imitate the tonsor, the habit-maker, the posture-master, and all the
other polishers of man; who dispose, decorate, cleanse, clip, and add
grace to what is already formed to their hands: to make nature, they
say, is tedious and difficult beyond conception; but she may soon be
embellished, her redundancys suppressed, her faults corrected, her wants
supplied, her beauties improved, and set to view.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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