126 ON ORNAMENTAL GARDENING. 



If water entered into the composition, the painter would ad- 

 vise it to be disposed in its natural place — the lowest ground; 

 and whether a lake or river, he would have it as unlike a canal as 

 possible. The natural abruptness of the banks he would preserve, 

 as well as all their sinuosities and overhanging trees and bushes. 

 Nor would he be anxious to expose too much of the water in one 

 place, unless it would appear as a reach, either advancing towards 

 or receding from the eye, for the sake of the reflections from the 

 ripple on its surface. If a lake, he would choose to have it of a 

 very irregular shape, and as much diversified by trees and islands 

 as its size would allow, carefully masking its extremities, if such 

 were too visible. 



If buildings of any description, either for use or ornament, 

 were in the landscape, the painter would advise them to be partly 

 concealed, and only allowing the most ornamental or character- 

 istic angle to jut out from among trees. If the park was of a 

 finely undulating surface, consisted of smoothly rounded knolls, 

 with winding dips between, the painter would adapt the forms of 

 his groups and thickets, and the characters of the trees to cor- 

 respond. On the other hand, if the environs presented strong 

 natural features, as cliffs and rugged declivities, deep ravines 

 forming the beds of mountain streams, &c, he would add such 

 accompaniments of vegetation, alpine and aquatic trees, &c, as 

 would harmonise with the general aspect of the place, so as to 

 produce (whatever may be the character of the district) a well 

 connected and harmonious whole. 



Now if all this would be advised by a painter, or an amateur 

 having a "painter's eye," it differs not a jot from what would be 

 done by every landscape gardener who knows his business, or 

 who deserves the name. Hiding the hard lines in the dressed 

 ground, and employing more under-growths among the trees in 

 the park, are the only aditional amendments in the common prac- 

 tice, which the painter could recommend in laying out a park in 

 the English style. He would also object to any great extent of 

 lawn being seen from any principal station, because nothing is so 

 horrifying to a painter as great blotches of any one colour on the 

 canvas, witheut chequering of shadows, of flocks or herds, or of 

 other objects admitting variety of tints ; and therefore a park 

 laid out by a painter would be rather a series of diverging glades, 

 than a park dignified by the grandeur of its vast masses of wood, 

 and its expansive extent of verdant turf. 



