times by false economy; sometimes by injudicious extravagance. I have also lived to reach that period, when the improvement of houses and gardens is more delightful to me than that of parks and forests, landscapes, or distant prospects. I can now expect to produce little that is new; I have therefore endeavoured to collect and arrange the observations of my past life. This has formed my amusement during the intervals of spasm, from a disease incurable, during which I have endeavoured to call up (by my pencil), the places and scenes of which I was most proud, and marshalled them before me'; happy in many pleasing remembrances, which revive the sunshine of my days, though sometimes clouded by the recollection of friends removed, of scenes destroyed, and of promised happiness changed to sadness.”

During his latter years, Mr. Repton delighted chiefly in his own home. He there felt “ how many joys, and comforts, and luxuries, may be preserved beyond that period of life, when youth and health require no special indulgences.” “Having so long dedicated the active part of my professional career, to increasing the enjoyment of rural scenery for others," adds he, “ my own infirmities have lately taught me, how the solace of garden scenery, and garden delights, may be extended a little further, when the power of walking fails, and when it is no longer for decrepid age to reach the ground, to gather fruits, or to pluck, and smell and admire those humble flowers, which

grow near the earth.” He also discovered, that “ the loss of loco-motion may be supplied by the Bath chair;" but, at the same time, he constantly testified his abhorrence of “the grinding of the wheels along a gravel walk, when the shaking and rattling soon be come intolerable to an invalid.” Accordingly, with his usual professional zeal, he recommends glades of fine mown turf, or broad verges of grass, both for ease and comfort.

Meanwhile, old age crept on apace, and aggravated the infirmities produced by disease. At intervals however, he still continued to cultivate those studies and pursuits, which had ever been dear to him; but at length he became unable to revisit his favourite haunts, or to contemplate his little parterres, filled with the choicest flowers; yet even then, his port-folio occasionally afforded him delight, until his pencil was arrested by the hand of death, in the year 1818.

Mr. Repton was an artist of singular merit, and not unfrequently displayed great taste and elegance, both in his own original plans, and the improvement suggested by him in respect to the labours of others. Notwithstanding the moisture and uncertainty of our climate, he wished occasionally to introduce flower beds, small cascades, and even jets d'eau, into the home grounds; but on the other hand, he admired the ancient style of gardens, and in some cases preferred the grandeur of straight avenues to the artificial curve of modern times. He is supposed by good judges, to have excelled in the embellished Gothic as to architecture; and in home views, in landscape gardening. On the whole, considering the time of life at which his professional career commenced, it is impossible to withhold our admiration, on contemplating the changes either meditated or effected by him.

Of his family, consisting of several sons and daughters, one of the former was bred a solicitor at Aylesham, in Norfolk, under a near relation ; while another, originally brought up under Mr. Nash as an architect, has lately married a daughter of Lord Chancellor Eldon.

Among his friends, he numbered Mr. Windham, as has already been mentioned, and also Mr. Wilberforce; the latter of whom first recommended Dr. Milner's “ Theory of Colours” to his attention. At Hollwood, he had opportunities of seeing Mr. Pitt more than once; and while there, he endeavoured to embue the mind of that celebrated statesman with a love of nature and the delights of a country life.

The last hours of his existence were gratified by the welltimed remembrance of a celebrated man, who stated, in a kind and obliging communication, that the sort of taste which he had so eminently contributed to promote and diffuse, has a peculiar tendency to sooth, refine, and improve the mind;

a

and consequently to promote most esssentially the true and rational enjoyment of life.”

Mr. Repton both lived and died in character. His mind and time had been uniformly occupied with his professional pursuits during a long series of years; and he concluded his life and labours, with a quotation from the works of a celebrated foreigner, who possessed congenial taste and feelings with himself:

“ Allons' mes amis, il faut cultiver nos Jardins !"

LIST OF THE WORKS

Of the late Mr. Repton.

1. An Account of the Hundred of North Erpingham, in the County of Norfolk; with a Preface, 1781.

2. Variety, a Collection of Essays, 12mo. 1788.

3. The Bee, or a Critique on the Exhibition of Paintings at Somerset-House, 8vo. 1788.

4. The Bee, a Critique on the Shakspeare Gallery, 8vo. 1789.

5. Sketches and Hints on Landscape Gardening, 4to. 1794.

6. A Letter to Uvedale Price, Esq., on the same Subject, 8vo. 1794.

7. Observations on Landscape Gardening, 4to. 1803.

8. Observations on the Changes of Taste in Landscape Gardening and Architecture, 4to. 1806.

9. Odd Whims; being a Republication of some Papers in

Variety," with a Comedy, and other Poems added, 2 vols. 1804.

10. On the Introduction of Indian Architecture and Gardening, 1 vol. 1808.

11. Observations on the Theory and Practice of Landscape Gardening, 1 vol. 2 editions.

12. Fragments on the Theory and Practice of Landscape Gardening, including some Remarks on the Theory and Practice of Grecian and Gothic Architecture, 4to. 1816.

Several of Mr. Repton's works were embellished with plates, originally sketched by his own pencil; he furnished the vignettes, for twenty years, to the “ Polite Repository Pocketbook ;” and has also left behind him a large port-folio of original drawings, together with a variety of sketches of either real or intended improvements.

In addition to all this, two MSS. volumes of " Recollections of his past Life," are in possession of his family.

No. XIV.

JOHN GIFFORD, Esq.

EDITOR OF THE ANTI-JACOBIN REVIEW, &c. &c. ONE OF THE

MAGISTRATES UNDER THE POLICE ACT FOR THE CITY OF WESTMINSTER, AND HONORARY SECRETARY TO THE PITT CLUB.

[With an Analysis of his principal Works.] John Richards GREEN, afterwards known by the name of John Gifford, was born in 1758. He appears to have been the only son of John Green, who was bred to the profession of the law, but died soon after the birth of this child, while his own father and mother were still alive, and consequently before he had inherited the family estate of his grandmother's ancestors, the Richards's of Bromley, in Worfield, Shropshire.

In consequence of the early decease of his father, the care of the infant devolved on his paternal grandfather, and grandmother, the former of whom (Mr. Green) appears to have held a place in the General Post-Office; the latter, called Susanna, had been a Miss Corbett, of the county of Salop. Most probably on account of convenience, he resided in Tash street, in the parish of St. Andrew Holborn; and it was here that the grandson spent the early portion of his life.

At the age of fourteen (1772,) he unfortunately lost his grandfather, who was provident enough, however, to leave him three guardians: these consisted of two relations ; Richard Corbett of Shiffnal, in Shropshire, Joseph Wilkes of Over Selle, in the county of Leicester, and a friend, who by residing in London, might be enabled to superintend his

pro

gress in life.

As considerable property had thus devolved by the death of so near a relative, on young Green, it was deemed pr per