“Now。”saidmyfriend，“whatweregardasexaltationofthelandscapemaybereallysuch，asrespectsonlythemoralorhumanpointofview。Eachalterationofthenaturalscenerymaypossiblyeffectablemishinthepicture，ifwecansupposethispictureviewedatlargeinmassfromsomepointdistantfromtheearth’ssurface，althoughnotbeyondthelimitsofitsatmosphere。Itiseasilyunderstoodthatwhatmightimproveacloselyscrutinizeddetail，mayatthesametimeinjureageneralormoredistantlyobservedeffect。
　　Theremaybeaclassofbeings，humanonce，butnowinvisibletohumanity，towhom，fromafar，ourdisordermayseemorderourunpicturesquenesspicturesque，inaword，theearth-angels，forwhosescrutinymoreespeciallythanourown，andforwhosedeathrefinedappreciationofthebeautiful，mayhavebeensetinarraybyGodthewidelandscape-gardensofthehemispheres。”
　　Inthecourseofdiscussion，myfriendquotedsomepassagesfromawriteronlandscape-gardeningwhohasbeensupposedtohavewelltreatedhistheme：
　　“Thereareproperlybuttwostylesoflandscape-gardening，thenaturalandtheartificial。Oneseekstorecalltheoriginalbeautyofthecountry，byadaptingitsmeanstothesurroundingscenery，cultivatingtreesinharmonywiththehillsorplainoftheneighboringland；detectingandbringingintopracticethosenicerelationsofsize，proportion，andcolorwhich，hidfromthecommonobserver，arerevealedeverywheretotheexperiencedstudentofnature。Theresultofthenaturalstyleofgardening，isseenratherintheabsenceofalldefectsandincongruitiesintheprevalenceofahealthyharmonyandorderthaninthecreationofanyspecialwondersormiracles。Theartificialstylehasasmanyvarietiesastherearedifferenttastestogratify。Ithasacertaingeneralrelationtothevariousstylesofbuilding。TherearethestatelyavenuesandretirementsofVersailles；Italianterraces；andavariousmixedoldEnglishstyle，whichbearssomerelationtothedomesticGothicorEnglishElizabethanarchitecture。Whatevermaybesaidagainsttheabusesoftheartificiallandscapegardening，amixtureofpureartinagardensceneaddstoitagreatbeauty。Thisispartlypleasingtotheeye，bytheshowoforderanddesign，andpartlymoral。Aterrace，withanoldmosscoveredbalustrade，callsupatoncetotheeyethefairformsthathavepassedthereinotherdays。Theslightestexhibitionofartisanevidenceofcareandhumaninterest。”
　　“FromwhatIhavealreadyobserved。”saidEllison，“youwillunderstandthatIrejecttheidea，hereexpressed，ofrecallingtheoriginalbeautyofthecountry。Theoriginalbeautyisneversogreatasthatwhichmaybeintroduced。Ofcourse，everythingdependsontheselectionofaspotwithcapabilities。Whatissaidaboutdetectingandbringingintopracticenicerelationsofsize，proportion，andcolor，isoneofthosemerevaguenessesofspeechwhichservetoveilinaccuracyofthought。Thephrasequotedmaymeananything，ornothing，andguidesinnodegree。Thatthetrueresultofthenaturalstyleofgardeningisseenratherintheabsenceofalldefectsandincongruitiesthaninthecreationofanyspecialwondersormiracles，isapropositionbettersuitedtothegrovellingapprehensionoftheherdthantotheferviddreamsofthemanofgenius。Thenegativemeritsuggestedappertainstothathobblingcriticismwhich，inletters，wouldelevateAddisonintoapotheosis。
　　Intruth，whilethatvirtuewhichconsistsinthemereavoidanceofviceappealsdirectlytotheunderstanding，andcanthusbecircumscribedinrule，theloftiervirtue，whichflamesincreation，canbeapprehendedinitsresultsalone。Ruleappliesbuttothemeritsofdenialtotheexcellencieswhichrefrain。Beyondthese，thecriticalartcanbutsuggest。Wemaybeinstructedtobuilda“Cato。”butweareinvaintoldhowtoconceiveaParthenonoran“Inferno。”Thethingdone，however；thewonderaccomplished；andthecapacityforapprehensionbecomesuniversal。Thesophistsofthenegativeschoolwho，throughinabilitytocreate，havescoffedatcreation，arenowfoundtheloudestinapplause。What，initschrysalisconditionofprinciple，affrontedtheirdemurereason，neverfails，initsmaturityofaccomplishment，toextortadmirationfromtheirinstinctofbeauty。
　　“Theauthor’sobservationsontheartificialstyle。”continuedEllison，“arelessobjectionable。Amixtureofpureartinagardensceneaddstoitagreatbeauty。Thisisjust；asalsoisthereferencetothesenseofhumaninterest。Theprincipleexpressedisincontrovertiblebuttheremaybesomethingbeyondit。Theremaybeanobjectinkeepingwiththeprincipleanobjectunattainablebythemeansordinarilypossessedbyindividuals，yetwhich，ifattained，wouldlendacharmtothelandscape-gardenfarsurpassingthatwhichasenseofmerelyhumaninterestcouldbestow。Apoet，havingveryunusualpecuniaryresources，might，whileretainingthenecessaryideaofartorculture，or，asourauthorexpressesit，ofinterest，soimbuehisdesignsatoncewithextentandnoveltyofbeauty，astoconveythesentimentofspiritualinterference。Itwillbeseenthat，inbringingaboutsuchresult，hesecuresalltheadvantagesofinterestordesign，whilerelievinghisworkoftheharshnessortechnicalityoftheworldlyart。Inthemostruggedofwildernessesinthemostsavageofthescenesofpurenature
　　thereisapparenttheartofacreator；yetthisartisapparenttoreflectiononly；innorespecthasittheobviousforceofafeeling。
　　NowletussupposethissenseoftheAlmightydesigntobeonestepdepressedtobebroughtintosomethinglikeharmonyorconsistencywiththesenseofhumanarttoformanintermediumbetweenthetwo：letusimagine，forexample，alandscapewhosecombinedvastnessanddefinitivenesswhoseunitedbeauty，magnificence，andstrangeness，shallconveytheideaofcare，orculture，orsuperintendence，onthepartofbeingssuperior，yetakintohumanitythenthesentimentofinterestispreserved，whiletheartintervolvedismadetoassumetheairofanintermediateorsecondarynatureanaturewhichisnotGod，noranemanationfromGod，butwhichstillisnatureinthesenseofthehandiworkoftheangelsthathoverbetweenmanandGod。”
　　Itwasindevotinghisenormouswealthtotheembodimentofavisionsuchasthisinthefreeexerciseintheopenairensuredbythepersonalsuperintendenceofhisplansintheunceasingobjectwhichtheseplansaffordedinthehighspiritualityoftheobjectinthecontemptofambitionwhichitenabledhimtrulytofeel
　　intheperennialspringswithwhichitgratified，withoutpossibilityofsatiating，thatonemasterpassionofhissoul，thethirstforbeauty，aboveall，itwasinthesympathyofawoman，notunwomanly，whoselovelinessandloveenvelopedhisexistenceinthepurpleatmosphereofParadise，thatEllisonthoughttofind，andfound，exemptionfromtheordinarycaresofhumanity，withafargreateramountofpositivehappinessthaneverglowedintheraptday-dreamsofDeStael。
　　Idespairofconveyingtothereaderanydistinctconceptionofthemarvelswhichmyfrienddidactuallyaccomplish。Iwishtodescribe，butamdisheartenedbythedifficultyofdescription，andhesitatebetweendetailandgenerality。Perhapsthebettercoursewillbetounitethetwointheirextremes。
　　Mr。Ellison’sfirststepregarded，ofcourse，thechoiceofalocality，andscarcelyhadhecommencedthinkingonthispoint，whentheluxuriantnatureofthePacificIslandsarrestedhisattention。
　　Infact，hehadmadeuphismindforavoyagetotheSouthSeas，whenanight’sreflectioninducedhimtoabandontheidea。“WereI
　　misanthropic。”hesaid，“suchalocalewouldsuitme。Thethoroughnessofitsinsulationandseclusion，andthedifficultyofingressandegress，wouldinsuchcasebethecharmofcharms；butasyetIamnotTimon。Iwishthecomposurebutnotthedepressionofsolitude。Theremustremainwithmeacertaincontrolovertheextentanddurationofmyrepose。TherewillbefrequenthoursinwhichI
　　shallneed，too，thesympathyofthepoeticinwhatIhavedone。Letmeseek，then，aspotnotfarfromapopulouscitywhosevicinity，also，willbestenablemetoexecutemyplans。”
　　Insearchofasuitableplacesosituated，Ellisontravelledforseveralyears，andIwaspermittedtoaccompanyhim。AthousandspotswithwhichIwasenrapturedherejectedwithouthesitation，forreasonswhichsatisfiedme，intheend，thathewasright。Wecameatlengthtoanelevatedtable-landofwonderfulfertilityandbeauty，affordingapanoramicprospectverylittlelessinextentthanthatofAetna，and，inEllison’sopinionaswellasmyown，surpassingthefar-famedviewfromthatmountaininallthetrueelementsofthepicturesque。
　　“Iamaware。”saidthetraveller，ashedrewasighofdeepdelightaftergazingonthisscene，entranced，fornearlyanhour，“Iknowthathere，inmycircumstances，nine-tenthsofthemostfastidiousofmenwouldrestcontent。Thispanoramaisindeedglorious，andI
　　shouldrejoiceinitbutfortheexcessofitsglory。ThetasteofallthearchitectsIhaveeverknownleadsthem，forthesakeof’prospect，’toputupbuildingsonhill-tops。Theerrorisobvious。
　　Grandeurinanyofitsmoods，butespeciallyinthatofextent，startles，excitesandthenfatigues，depresses。Fortheoccasionalscenenothingcanbebetterfortheconstantviewnothingworse。
　　And，intheconstantview，themostobjectionablephaseofgrandeuristhatofextent；theworstphaseofextent，thatofdistance。Itisatwarwiththesentimentandwiththesenseofseclusionthesentimentandsensewhichweseektohumorin’retiringtothecountry。’Inlookingfromthesummitofamountainwecannothelpfeelingabroadintheworld。Theheart-sickavoiddistantprospectsasapestilence。”
　　ItwasnotuntiltowardthecloseofthefourthyearofoursearchthatwefoundalocalitywithwhichEllisonprofessedhimselfsatisfied。Itis，ofcourse，needlesstosaywherewasthelocality。
　　Thelatedeathofmyfriend，incausinghisdomaintobethrownopentocertainclassesofvisiters，hasgiventoArnheimaspeciesofsecretandsubduedifnotsolemncelebrity，similarinkind，althoughinfinitelysuperiorindegree，tothatwhichsolongdistinguishedFonthill。
　　TheusualapproachtoArnheimwasbytheriver。Thevisiterleftthecityintheearlymorning。Duringtheforenoonhepassedbetweenshoresofatranquilanddomesticbeauty，onwhichgrazedinnumerablesheep，theirwhitefleecesspottingthevividgreenofrollingmeadows。Bydegreestheideaofcultivationsubsidedintothatofmerelypastoralcare。Thisslowlybecamemergedinasenseofretirementthisagaininaconsciousnessofsolitude。Astheeveningapproached，thechannelgrewmorenarrow，thebanksmoreandmoreprecipitous；andtheselatterwereclothedinrich，moreprofuse，andmoresombrefoliage。Thewaterincreasedintransparency。Thestreamtookathousandturns，sothatatnomomentcoulditsgleamingsurfacebeseenforagreaterdistancethanafurlong。Ateveryinstantthevesselseemedimprisonedwithinanenchantedcircle，havinginsuperableandimpenetrablewallsoffoliage，aroofofultramarinesatin，andnofloorthekeelbalancingitselfwithadmirablenicetyonthatofaphantombarkwhich，bysomeaccidenthavingbeenturnedupsidedown，floatedinconstantcompanywiththesubstantialone，forthepurposeofsustainingit。Thechannelnowbecameagorgealthoughthetermissomewhatinapplicable，andIemployitmerelybecausethelanguagehasnowordwhichbetterrepresentsthemoststrikingnotthemostdistinctive-featureofthescene。Thecharacterofgorgewasmaintainedonlyintheheightandparallelismoftheshores；itwaslostaltogetherintheirothertraits。Thewallsoftheravinethroughwhichtheclearwaterstilltranquillyflowedarosetoanelevationofahundredandoccasionallyofahundredandfiftyfeet，andinclinedsomuchtowardeachotheras，inagreatmeasure，toshutoutthelightofday；whilethelongplume-likemosswhichdependeddenselyfromtheintertwiningshrubberiesoverhead，gavethewholechasmanairoffunerealgloom。Thewindingsbecamemorefrequentandintricate，andseemedoftenasifreturninginuponthemselves，sothatthevoyagerhadlonglostallideaofdirection。
　　Hewas，moreover，enwraptinanexquisitesenseofthestrange。Thethoughtofnaturestillremained，buthercharacterseemedtohaveundergonemodification，therewasaweirdsymmetry，athrillinguniformity，awizardproprietyintheseherworks。Notadeadbranchnotawitheredleafnotastraypebblenotapatchofthebrownearthwasanywherevisible。Thecrystalwaterwelledupagainstthecleangranite，ortheunblemishedmoss，withasharpnessofoutlinethatdelightedwhileitbewilderedtheeye。