more happily that great principle, the gra- 

 dation of light. The tuftings of trees are 

 particularly adapted to catch thefe effects with 

 advantage. There is a richnefs in them from 

 the ftrong oppofition of light, and ihade, 

 which is wonderfully fine, and a foftnefs, 

 which is very favourable to the principle of 

 gradation. A diftant foreft, thus illumined, 

 wants only a foreground to make it highly 

 pifturefque. 



As the fun defcends, the effect of it's illumi- 

 nation becomes fhronger. Jt it a doubt, 

 whether the rifing, or the fetting fun is more 

 pi&urefque. The great beauty of both depends 

 on the contraft between fplendor, and obfcu- 

 rity. But this contraft is produced by thefe 

 different incidents in different ways. The 

 grandeft effects of the rifing fun, are produced 

 by the vapours which invelop it. The fetting 

 fun refts it's glory on the gloom, which often 

 accompanies it's parting rays. A depth of 

 fhadow, hanging over the eaitern hemifphere, 

 gives the beams of the fetting-fun fuch power- 

 ful effect, that altho in facl: they are by no 

 means equal to the fplendor of a meridian fun, 

 yet through force of contraft they appear fu- 



perior. 



A diftant 



