330 LANDSCAPE GARDENING, 



Dlaces it appears scarcely struggling out of a level. The 

 course is then obvious ; the superfluous earth which chokes 

 up the valleys, must be removed again to the neighboring 

 hills, where it belongs, when the natural beauty of the 

 ground will be restored. This is effected with compara 

 tive facility, as every foot of surface taken from, the 

 depression, adds by removal two feet to the height of the 

 adjoining elevation. 



The improvement of picturesque surfaces must proceed 

 in a similar manner. When a surface is naturally and 

 truly picturesque, art will add little or nothing to its effect. 

 It will rather therefore endeavor to produce a perfect 

 whole, and a connexion between the various parts, than 

 to disturb the existing features. In the vicinity of the 

 house, the artist will soften down that boldness and 

 inequality which, if too great, might interfere both with 

 convenience and the heauty of utility, which must there be 

 constantly kept in view. Otherwise, the beauty of 

 picturesque surfaces may be often heightened by various 

 means within our reach ; such as increasing the abruptness 

 of surface by taking avv^ay a few feet of earth, or by adding 

 other picturesque irregularities, which by connexion may 

 strengthen the expression of the whole. 



Mr. Price has remarked, that "the ugliest ground is 

 that which has neither the beauty of smoothness, verdure, 

 and gentle undulation, nor the picturesqueness of bold and 

 sudden breaks, and varied tints of soil : of such kind, is 

 ground that has been disturbed and left in that unfinished 

 state : as in a rough ploughed field run to sward."* Such 

 around it is often difficult to restore to a picturesque state, 

 even when that was its previous expression. But it is not 



* Essay on the Picturesque, i. IS*?. 



