Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1848-11-18
NATIONAL INTELLIGENCER.
NOTES ON NEW BOOKS.

Lam Johnson Esq, Fellow Of the Horticultural Society
of India Corresponding member Of the Royal Caledonan
and Maryland Horticultural Societies author of fThe
Principles Of Practical Gardening, the Gardeners AL
manac,' &c. With $50 wood cuts. Edited with hume
rous additions by DAVID LASDRETH. Of Philadelphia.
philadelphia Lea 81 Blanchard ls47." IL PIP. 635,
double columns. Received from Mr.. Frank Taylor.
This is book simply Of utility, and affecting very little
any other merit of authorship originality. Confined main
ly to the garden propehe culture Of escuents and flowers
does than touch the ornamental art Of Landscape
Gardenng-a thing believe hardly yet attempted among
us, and, indeed almost confined to Great Britain and the
Chinese; the former Of which countries it to Pope
Where the latter nspid and unnven,ve country got art
SO beautiful and creative is difficult conceive. Mr. John
son acknowledges his and these for the information
Of readers who know that book however good cannot
supply the place of ell Others will the Garden
ers Chronicle, Paxtons botanical Dictionary, Whae
leys Landscape Gardening" Gennys Practical Garden
er and Florist" Maunds Botanic Garden, Lndey's The
ory Ct Horticulture" "The United Gardener and Land
Stewards Journal" Cuthber Johnson son Fertilizers,
Idems 'Famers Encyclopedia" Loudon's Gardeners
Encyclopedia, Idems Gardeners Magazine" Johnsons
"Princples of GARDENING Abercrombies Gardeners Die
tionary Johnsons Gardeners Almanac" Transactions
of the London Horticultural Society,"" "Caledonan Hori
cultural Transactions, Horticultural Magazine Ocean
doles Philosophy of Plants As list Of the books which
stu writer practical gardening has had need to consult
or follow we take for granted that this brief catalogue win
be sevceabe such Of happier readers Fortune has
crowned with that best of her gifts which Milton describes
mean
Retired Leisure,
That in trim gardens takes his pleasure
We must not however before leave what regards the
authorship and execution of the book forget menon that
this American edition much to the revision and adapa
ton bestowed upon by Mr.. Landreth probably Of the
best horicuursts the country He has, with great udg
men and pains, excluded all that, in the original work,
needfu only for British climate, and added what equi
site for the differences Of our
We might here the book and the subjects but, apart
from that regular history of the of Gardening which may
be found amply treated by Loudon, in the Introductory part
Of his Encyclopedia already mentioned there
recollection very pleasing illustrations Of the NATTER which
found in the Poets, casually in the early civil ho
rans. To glance of these may prove dispeasng
to our readers.
II probably to the efforts OF the Poets to embellh their
descriptions of Rural Life that the rise Of this Of
all other ornamental arts. Constantly intent adorning
their with than Nature Practice yet offered they
created by their conceptions imitation and the grew
what they painted Thus the sculpture Of Phidias ackno
lodged that of Homers ideas of the Gods his
architectural descriptions wee doubt in like MANNER the
first suggestion of stateness and grace then attained
and the Drama Of the Greeks clearly little but reduction
into regular dialogue Of the animated action Of his epopee.
The Greek garden Of Homers time well be sup
posed have been any thing beyond that Of nursery for
fruits and for kitchen stuff in the Of which he makes the
good old er-King Of Ithaca Laees-an earlier and better
Docesianpass the late evening Of his days. The picture
is in the last book Of the Odyssey, and bcspeak all its
parts that reality, that conformity the actual his me
which was this particular case the business of the poet
md NJ man yho hv
and Eugene Sue, Moherwe and Tennyson and Topper
there but few who degn Popes Homer on their
shelves, well cite the passage, from obscure
suihory For verify that day hath arrived which the witty
critic foreod ironically lite dreaming of literary
TO like the presen-when he said to
builder Of prose that had submitted his works bis
Judgment Sir, your productions will, have Doubt
: be read when Homer Virgil and Mios shall he forgotten
but not ill thea" Homer Co. are rgotten so, as we
have said must quote; and first Of ALL from the Odyssey,
book xiv:
From the town Ulysses and his band
Passed 70 Laerles cultivated land.
The ground himself had purchased with his PAIN,
And labor made the rugged soil plain.
There stood his mansion, Of the rural sort,
With useful buildings round the lowly court;
Where the few servants, that divide his care,
Took their laborious rest and humble fare,
And one Sicilan mstron, old and sage,
With constant duty tends his dropping age.
Arriving incog, and careful not overwhclm bis Arm
father with the surprise Of bis unboped return Ulysses goes
unattended to seek him:
Then to his train he gives his spear and shield,
The house they enter, and be seeks the field,
Through Of shade with various fruitage crowned,
And aborpd scenes Of richest verdure round.
Nor aged Dolius nor his sons there,
Nor servants, absent another care
To search the woods FOR sets Of fowery thorn,
Their orchard bounds 10 strengthen and adom.
Thus that hedges already into and
the King himself found in the act Of pruning bis u-rees
and ,inea process by the by which, the grape the
Greeks appeal from their mythology, have borrowed from
the ASS and hence that animal enjoyed the honor Of always
bearing his back the ever-psy Senus Bacchuss tutor
and surely his master in the management Of the Vine,
the art Of ebey FOR that science that needs
But all alone the hoary King he found,
His habit coarse, but warmly wrapt around;
His head, that bowed with many pensve care,
Fenced with double cap Of goa;.skin hair:
His huskins cd, in former service torn,
But well repaied and gloves against the thorn
In this array the Kingly gardener sooJ,
And cleared plant, encountered with its wool.
The cautious son, fearful OF making himself suddenly
known approaches him stranger and 70 lows
The old man;
(Who, digging round the plant, siiI hangs his bead,
Nor ought RENTS the work, while thus he said y
Great is thy skill, oh father great thy toll
Thy careful hand is stamped all the SOIL
Thy squadron vineyards well thy art declare, }
The olive green, blue fg, and pendant pn,