This moving Elegy on John Claudius Loudon was written by John Robertson, his assistant for 9 years. A fascinating aspect of the poem is the twin themes of 𝐬𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 and working to create what we call 𝐩𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐜 𝐠𝐨𝐨𝐝𝐬. This is what Geddes and McHarg did. Robertson drew the plan of Birkenhead Park - which inspired Frederick Law Olmsted (in 1850) "to admit that in democratic America there was nothing to be thought of as comparable with this People's Garden". That's why he entered the 1857 Central Park Competition and later used the title Landscape Architect on his plan. Working to create public goods is a key aspect of our profession - and we must thank Loudon for this.

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