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" It will be understood, I trust, that I do not recommend 

 these curves for the beauty of the lines themselves, as in a 

 picture. Their own immediate beauty could not appear, 

 except upon the map. The merit of the curve consists in its 

 continually altering the point of view, and in the variety and 

 beauty it is thus capable of producing ; affording to the spec- 

 tator of intellect and susceptibility, a continued development 

 of beauty ; and as the disposition of light and shade, and 

 atmospheric effect, is ever changing, the variety will seem 

 infinite — the pleasure endless : whilst, on the other hand, a 

 straight street flanked j on either side by columns, however 

 lavishly the riches of architecture may have been expended 

 on it, must soon, not only cease to please, but grow wearisome 

 to the eye. 



" The mathematical fact that the straight line is the nearest 

 distance between two points, cannot, I think, be successfully 

 urged against this, by the advocates of utility. In giving a 

 winding direction to a leading thoroughfare of a town, in- 

 tended as a trunk for branch streets, no ground would be lost ; 

 the gentle curvature which I recommend, would cause but 

 little difference in the length, and the passenger would be 

 fully recompensed for a longer walk, by its containing a pro- 

 portionably larger amount of shops or places of business, 

 whilst its devious course would enable it to embrace a greater 

 number of distinct points or localities required to be united. 



" I do not however insisit upon the curve, as a form that 

 should be universally employed : there are circumstances 

 under winch the straight line would be more proper ; in short 

 streets for instance, running from one great thoroughfare to 

 another, the latter would be _ most befitting, as no purpose 

 would be answered by the curve. Width is the chief source 

 of effect in these. Neither can the detached principle be 

 insisted upon, except in streets where magnificence is the lead- 

 ing aim : the high value of land in the centre of a large town 

 would prohibit it. What I would invariably insist upon is the 



