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Repton, Humphry, 1752-1818 / Observations on the theory and practice of landscape gardening: including some remarks on Grecian and Gothic architecture, collected from various manuscripts, in the possession of the different noblemen and gentlemen, for whose use they were originally written; the whole tending to establish fixed principles in the respective arts
(1803)
Chapter V: Woods--Whateley's remarks exemplified at Shardeloes--intricacy--variety--a drive at Bulstrode traced, with reasons for its course--further example from Heathfield Park--a belt--on thinning woods--leaving groups--opening a lawn in great woods--example Chashiobury, pp. 60-64
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want the last touches of the master: this would be ?remedied on the canvas in proportion as the picture became more highly finished; but on the ground, it can only be effected by taking away many trees in the front of the wood, leaving some few individually, and more distinctly separated from the rest: this will give the finishing touches to the outline where no other defect is apparent. The eye, or rather the mind, is never long delighted with that which it surveys without effort at a single glance, and therefore sees without exciting curiosity or interest. It is not the vast extent of lawn, the great expanse of water, or the long range of wood, that yields satisfaction; for these, if shapeless, or, which is the same thing, if their exact shape, however large, be too apparent, only attract our notice by the space they occupy, "to fill that space with objects of beauty, to delight "the eye after it has been struck, to fix the attention where it "has been caught, to prolong astonishment into admiration, are "purposes not unworthy of the greatest designs." This can only be effected by intricacy, the due medium- between uniformity on the one hand, and confusion on the other; which is produced by throwing obstacles in the way to amuse the eye, and to retard that celerity of vision so natural, where no impediments occur to break the uniformity of objects. Yet while the hasty progress of the eye is checked, it ought not to be arrested too abruptly. The mind requires a continuity, though not a sameness; and while it is pleased with succession and variety, it is offended by sudden contrast, which destroys the unity of composition., There is a small clump at B. which is of great use in breaking
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