Treatment of Water 115 



natural lakes or ponds, and brooks, rivulets, and streams. 

 Such are the only forms in which this unrivalled element 

 can be displayed so as to harmonize agreeably with .natural 

 and picturesque scenery. In the latter, there can be no 

 apology made for the introduction of straight canals, 

 round or oblong pieces of water, and all the regular forms 

 of the geometric mode; because they would evidently be 

 in violent opposition to the whole character and expression 

 of natural landscape. In architectural, or flower gardens 

 (on which we shall hereafter have occasion to offer some 

 remarks), where a different and highly artificial arrange- 

 ment prevails, all these regular forms, with various jets, 

 fountains, etc., may be employed with good taste, and will 

 combine well with the other accessories of such places. But 

 in the grounds of a residence in the modern style, nature, 

 if possible, still more purified, as in the great masterpieces 

 of art, by an ideal standard, should be the great aim of 

 the Landscape Gardener. And with water especially, only 

 beautiful when allowed to take its own flowing forms and 

 graceful motions, more than with any other of our materials, 

 all appearance of constraint and formality should be avoided. 

 If art be at all manifest, it should discover itself only, as in 

 the admirably painted landscape, in the reproduction of 

 nature in her choicest developments. Indeed, many of the 

 most celebrated authors who have treated of this subject, 

 appear to agree that the productions of the artist in this 

 branch are most perfect as they approach most nearly to 

 fac-similes of nature herself: and though art should have 

 formed the whole, its employment must be nowhere dis- 

 covered by the spectator; or as Tasso has more elegantly 

 expressed the idea: 



"L'Arte che tutto fa, nulla si scopre." 



