192 PARKS AND PLEASUBE-GEOinSDS. 



is resting in a hollow, vale or platform, and is retained 

 there by a natural obstruction not easily removed, 

 there will be "-a want of truth or fidelity" of expres- 

 sion in relation to " the thing imitated" that will tend 

 to excite aversion rather than pleasure in the minds of 

 those who have been trained to a genuine taste for the 

 beauties of nature. Wherever the artificial lake is 

 seen, generally speaking, it ought to appear in the 

 lowest part of the landscape within the park; or if 

 it cannot be made to present this appearance from 

 every point of view, care should be taken to secure a 

 considerable breadth of space between the lake itself 

 and the natural outlet by which its waters seem to be 

 drained off. Without these necessary features, there 

 is a want of truthfulness in the expression. It is true 

 that in hilly and mountainous countries, pools are 

 found without the conditions above specified, but there 

 is always something to account for them, and they are 

 mostly mere spots in the landscape ; while in parks 

 and pleasure-grounds, sheets of water are, from their 

 nature, prominent objects, and whatever is obtrusively 

 artificial or out of harmony is sure to be offensive. 

 When a series of ponds or lakes arc formed on the 

 same stream, and in the same park, it is desirable that 

 the natural form of the ground should be such as to 

 indicate that, in each case, no great amount of obstruc- 

 tion was necessary to attain the designed effect. 



The place, then, for an artificial lake is a natural 

 hollow where no great embankment is required, or 

 where a moderate excavation will afford materials for 

 the banks needed to retain the water, for the islands 

 and promontories on the lake itself, and for the knolls 

 and slopes by which the ground in its vicinity may be 



