Garden design in Italy

SECT. I. Of the Revival, Progress, and present State of Gardening in Italy [Editor's Note: this is the start of J C Loudon's History of Garden Design. At the time of its publication (several editions between 1822 and 1835) it was by far the most comprehensive publication on the subject. He drew on every available source of information and it remains an excellent guide to the state of garden history and design knowledge in the early nineteenth century]