The celebrated Lord Karnes appears to have been the first who introduced the modern style into Scotland, some time between 1740 and 1750, by displaying it on his own re sidence at Blair Drummond. An irregular midge, leading from the house, was laid out in walks, commanding a view, over the shrubs on the declivity, of portions of distant pros pect. One part of this scene was composed entirely of evergreens, and formed an agreeable winter garden. Lord Karnes did not entirely reject the ancient style, either at Blair Drummond, or in his Essay on Gardening and Ar chitecture, published in the "Elements of Criticism." In that short but comprehensive essay, he shews an acquaint ance with the Chinese style and the practice of Kent, ad mits both of absolute and relative beauty as the objects of gardening and architecture, and from this complex destina tion, accounts for that difference and wavering of taste in these arts, " greater than in any art that has but a single destination." (Vol. ii. p. 431. 4th edit. 1769.) Lord Kanmes's example in Scotland, may be compared to that of Hamilton or Shenstone in England ; it was not ge nerally followed, because it was not generally understood. That the Elements of Criticism tended much to purify the taste of the reading class, there can be no doubt. Every person also admired Blair Drummond ; but as every coun try gentleman could not bestow sufficient time and attention to gardening, to be able to lay out his own place, it became necessary to have recourse to at ; and, as it happened, those who were employed, had naquired only that habit of mechanical imitation, which copies the most obvious forms, without understanding the true merits of the original. In short, they wet c itinerant pupils of Brown, or professors in his school, who resided in Scotland ; and thus it is, that after commencing in the best taste, Scotland continued, till with in the last twenty years, to patronise the very worst. As a contrast to the style of Blair Drummond, and a proof of what we have asserted in regard to the sty is introduced tin mediately afterwards, we next refer to the grounds at Dud dington House, near Edinburgh, laid out about the year 1750. The architect of the house was Sir William Cham bers; the rural artist, whose original plans we have exa mined, was a Mr. Robertson, sent down from London. We know of no example in any country, of so perfect a speci men of Brown's manner, nor of one in which the effect of the whole, and the details of every particular part, are so consistent, and co-operate so well together in producing a sort tame, spiritless beauty, of which we cannot give a distinct idea. It dues net resemble avowed art, nor yet na tural scenery ; it seems, indeed, as if nature had commenc ed the work and changed her plan, determining no longer to add to her productions those luxuriant and seemingly supel !Nous appendages which produce variety and grace. The trees here, all planted at the same time, and of the same age, seem to grow by rule. The clumps remind us of regularly tufted perukes. The waters of the tame ri ver neither dare to sink within, nor to overflow its banks ; the clumps keep at a respectful distance ; and the serpen tine turns of the roads and walks seem to hint that every movement to be made here must correspond.
The extent of this place, we suppose, may exceed 200 acres. The house is placed on an eminence in the centre, from which the grounds descend on three sides, and on the remaining side continue on a level till they reach the boun dary belt. This belt completely encircles the w hole ; it is from 100 to 300 feet wide, with a turf drive in the middle. One part near the house is richly varied by shrubs and flow ers, and kept as garden scenery ; in the rest the turf is mown, but the ground untouched. A string of wavy canals,
on different levels, joined by cascades, enter at one side of the grounds, and taking a circuitous sweep through the park, pass off at the other. This water creates occasion for Chinese bridges, islands, and cascades. The kitchen garden and offices are placed behind the house, and con cealed by a mass of plantation. Over the rest of the grounds are distributed numerous oval unconnected clumps, and some single trees. In the drive are several temples and covered seats, placed in situations where arc caught views of the house, sometimes seen between two clumps, and at other times between so many as to form a perspective or avenue. There is also a temple on the top of a hill, partly artificial, which forms the object from several of these seats, and from other open glades or vistas left in the inside of the belt. The outer margin of this plantation is every where kept perfectly entire, so that there is not a single view but what is wholly the property of the owner ; unless in one in stance, where the summit of Arthur's Scat, an adjoining hill, is caught by the eye from one part of the belt, over the tops of the trees, in its opposite periphery.
That this place has, or had, in 1790, great beauties, we do not deny ; but they are beauties of a peculiar kind, not of general nature—not the beauties of Blair Drummond, or such as a liberal and enlightened mind would desirC to ren der general; but in great part such as Sir William Cham bers holds up to ridicule in his Dissertation on Oriental dening, (see his Introduction, p. vi. to xi.) and Mr. Price, in his Essays on the Picturesque. Yet Duddington may be reckoned the model of all future improvements in Scotland, till within the last twenty years. The same artist laid out Livingston, effected sonic improvements at Hopeton House, Dalkeith, Dalhousie, Niddry, the Whim, Moredun, various other places near Edinburgh, and others in Ayr shire.
One of these places called forth the genius of Mr. James Ramsay, who, from being a mason, became a landscape gardener of considerable lepute, and, at least, the best Which appeared in Scotland within the period alluded to. He gave ground plans and drawings in perspective, both of the buildings and verdant scenery. Leith Head, a small place near Edinburgh, is his entire creation. His style was that of Brown, in his waters and new plantations near the house ; but he was less attached to the belt, his clumps were not always regular, and he endeavoured to introduce a portion of third distance into all his views. Mr. Ramsay died at Edinburgh in 1794, and sonic record of his life is due to his memory.
Since Mr. Ramsay's time, no landscape gardener of any note has settled in Scotland. The late Mr. Kyle, gardener at Moredun, Mr. Mawer, gardener at Duddingtoa, and afterwards nurseryman and planner at Dairy, and Mi. Nicol, well known for his horticultural writings, gave plans for policies ; but it is as designers of kitchen gardens, and hot houses, that we have to bestow our approbation of these and various other similarly produced living professors.
From nearly the first introduction of the new style in Scotland, to the present time, annual journics have been made into Scotland, from the county of Durham, by the late Mr. White, and subsequently by his son. Mr. White, senior, we believe, was a pupil of Brown, of much infor mation on country matters, and generally respected is Scotland. Of his professional talents we have said enough, when we have mentioned their source. Airthrie, near Stirling, and Bargeny in Ayrshire, are the principal pro ductions of this family.