A N HEROIC EPISTLE то SIR WILLIAM CHAMBERS, Knight. COMPTROLLER GENERAL OF HIS MAJESTY'S WORKS, And Author of a late Differtation on ORIENTAL GARDENING. Enriched with explanatory Notes, chiefly extracted from that elaborate Printed for J. ALMON, oppofite BURLINGTON-HOUSE, in PICCADILLY. [Price One Shilling.] MDCCLXXIII. 39-13723 828 M4127 he 1773 PRE FAC E. TH HIS Poem was written last summer, immediately after the publication of Sir William Chambers's Differtation; but the bookfeller, to whom it was offered, declined publishing it, till the town was full. His reason for this is obvious; yet it would hardly have weigh'd with the author, had he not thought, that his hero's fame would increase in proportion to his publisher's profit. However he forefaw, that, by this delay, one inconvenience might arife, which this preface is written to remove. Readers of the prefent generation are so very inattentive to what they read, that it is probable, one half of Sir William's may have forgotten the principles which his book inculcates. Let thefe, then, be reminded, that it is the author's profest aim in extolling the taste of the Chinese, to condemn that mean and paltry manner which Kent introduced, which Southcote, Hamilton, and Brown followed, and which, to our national disgrace, is called the English ftyle of gardening. He fhews the poverty of this tafte, by aptly comparing it to a dinner, which confifted of three grofs pieces, three times repeated; and proves to a demonstration, that Nature herself is incapable of pleasing, without the affistance of Art, and that too of the most luxuriant kind. In short, fuch art as is displayed in the Emperor's garden of Yven Ming 518 ( 4 ) Ming-Yven, near Pekin; where fine lizards, and fine women, human giants, and giant baboons, make but a- small part of the superb fcenery. He teaches us, that a perfect garden muft contain within itself all the amufements of a great city that Urbs in rure, not Rus in urbe, is the thing, which an improver of true taste ought to aim at. He fays ---but it is impoffible to abridge all that he says :---Let this therefore fuffice, to tempt the reader again to perufe his invaluable Differtation, fince without it, he will never relifh half the beauties of the following epiftle; for (if her Majesty's Zebra, and the powder-mills at Hounflow be excepted) there is scarce a single image in it, which is not taken from that work.. But though the images be borrowed, the author claims fome fmall merit from his application of them. Sir William fays too modeftly," that European artists must not hope to rival Oriental fplendor." The poet fhews, that European artifts may eafily rival it; and, that Richmond gardens, with only the addition of a new bridge to join them to Brentford, may be new modelled, perfectly à la Chinois. He exhorts his Knight to undertake the glorious task, and leaves no caufe to doubt, but that, under the aufpicious patronage he now fo juftly enjoys, added to the ready vote of thofe, who furnish ways and means, the royal work will speedily be compleated.. Knightsbridge, Jan. 20th, 1 AN AN HEROIC EPISTLE то SIR WILLIAM CHAMBERS, Knight, &c. &c. NIGHT of the Polar Star! by Fortune plac'd K thine the of tatte To shine the Cynosure of British taste ; Whose orb collects, in one refulgent view, The fcatter'd glories of Chinese Virtù ; Verse 2. [Cynofure of British tafte.] Cynofure, an affected phrafe. Cynofura is the constellation of Urfa Minor, or the Leffer Bear, the next star to the Pole. Dr. Newton, on the word in Milton. |