Horace Walpole, in his well-known treatise upon landscape gardening, has attributed to Milton the first conception of a garden designed in all the freedom and variety of natural scenery. In the poet's description of Eden, he says:� �from that sapphire fount the crisped brooks Rolling on orient pearl and sands of gold, With mazy error under pendent shades, Ran nectar, visiting each plant, and fed Flow'rs worthy of Paradise, which not nice art In beds and curious knots, but Nature born Pour'd forth profuse on hill, and dale, and plain, Both where the morning sun first warmly smote The open field, and where the unpierced shade Embrowned the noontide bowers: thus was this place A happy rural seat of various view.
