ARTIPICIAL LAKES. 195 



a natural obstruction, the success of the designer and 

 executant may be regarded as complete. Pleads of 

 lakes, as usually formed, are commonly defective, be- 

 ing often too narrow; or when broad, of too little ele- 

 vation, and are frequently, indeed, simple weirs for 

 confining the water. When the lake occupies part of 

 a small valley, the head may be formed into a knoll 

 or two, thrown out from, but connected with, one of 

 the banks ; and the issuing stream may be led round 

 the knoll, and between it and the opposite bank. 

 When the locality requires a lengthened embankment, 

 another method may be pursued. A broad mound 

 may be constructed, either level or convex, with the 

 water flowing through it, or following the course of 

 a small, winding valley, scooped out at either end. In 

 this case, the face of the raised platform toward the 

 lake may be formed into a series of terraces of par- 

 allel levels; and if these terraces are carried down the 

 small valley and repeated in some of the adjacent 

 bays, an impression will be suggested that the lake 

 is not an artificial creation, but that the rivulet has 

 worked its way through the opposing bank, and left 

 the water to form a new shore at a lower level. If 

 the materials do not suffice to form a broad platform, 

 either level or raised, a combination of the two forms 

 may be employed, on a narrower base, by having a 

 level next the water, and a raised bank for planting 

 on the outside. In speaking of the heads of artificial 

 lakes, we have described only the projecting knoll and 

 the broad platform. Natural examples of these may 

 be seen in the lakes of hilly and undulating districts ; 

 they are easily imitated, and their imitations, if at all 

 successful, have much less the appearance of artifice 



