Page 72 - cn - fg -Belvoir -A Beautiful View - 2021 Catalogue

{September 1805} - An extract from a letter written by the Duchess to the Duke;

I have read many books on planting, gardening, and in truth, I have therefore only had the common

sense to distinguish and find out many things that are going wrong here, I deserve no credit, I have only

adopted the opinions of others which were perhaps the cleverest men of their age.

For example, who wrote on gardening, Burke on the sublime , and beautiful, and Price.

It is Mason’s opinion that to be beautiful, roads, ought to consist of the same sort of trees; entirely

of oak or beech, I do not entirely agree with him. I must beg leave to copy a passage out of Mason’s, he

has, I think true taste, and by what you said yesterday I am sure you will agree with me.

The greatest fault of modern planting is their injudicious application of fir trees. A quick growth and

perpetual verdant have been the temptations for introducing them; but their advantages are very insufficient to

justify the prevailing mark which gives the universal estimation. Trees are the comic figure are by nature

unsociable , not to be allowed a place amidst the luxuriant heads of oaks, or other noblest or the forest.