160 LANDSCAPE GARDENING. 



by a jutting point fringed with the varieties 

 of water plants, enriched, if circumstances 

 allow, with fragments of stone of different 

 size and colour : groups of alder or willow 

 will occasionally break the margin, or the 

 pendent and massive foliage of the wych elm 

 will throw its broad shadow across the re- 

 tiring reach. These and such like circum- 

 stances are essential to the completion even 

 of the happiest form that the artificial river 

 can assume. 



Mr. Repton appears to abandon all attempt 

 at the imitation of nature's lakes or rivers, 

 when he says, " Mr. Price has written an 

 " Essay to describe the practical manner of 

 " finishintr the banks of artificial water : but 

 " I confess, after reading it with much atten- 

 " tion, I despair of making any practitioner 

 " comprehend his meaning ; indeed, he con- 

 " fesses that no workman can be trusted to 

 " execute his plans. It is very true, that large 

 " pieces of water may be made too trim and 

 " neat about the edges ; and that often, in 

 " Mr. Brown's works, the plantations are not 

 " brought near enouo;h to the water : but if 

 " the banks are finished smoothly at first, the 

 " treading of cattle will soon give them all the 



