Humphry, an eminent landscape-gardener, was born at Bury St Edmund's in 1752, and was educated for the mercantile profession. A course of bad success soon occurred to determine his ultimate calling. He was set up as a general merchant; but in no long time he met with losses which discouraged him. In 1783, he became confidential secretary to Mr Windham, secretary to the lord-lieutenant of Ireland; but a disgust at politics sent him back almost immediately to his country-house near Aylesham, in Norfolk. No less unfortunate was his connection in 1784 with Palmer, the introducer of the mail-coach system. He was obliged to take a small house at Hare Street in Essex, and to try some new means of livelihood. It was at this time that Repton began his successful career as a landscape-gardener. His good taste and elegant acquirements procured him constant employment. The works which he continued to publish on the subjects of his calling increased his reputation. At the time of his death, in 1818, there was scarcely a county in England which did not contain beautiful examples of his skill. Among the publications of Repton are the following:—Sketches and Hints on Landscape-Gardening, 4to, 1791; Observations on Landscape-Gardening, 4to, 1803; Observations on the Changes in Landscape-Gardening, 8vo, 1806; and a Treatise On the Introduction of Indian Architecture and Gardening, fol. 1808. These works, accompanied by a memoir of the author, were reprinted in a collected form in 1840 by the late Mr Loudon.