( 226 ) 



After all, perhaps the chief virtue of this 

 deception may confift in exhibiting the 

 beauties of nature in a new light. Thus when 

 we clofe one eye, and look through the lid 

 of the other half fhut, we fee only the general 

 effeft of objects j and the appearance is new, 

 and pleating : or when we ftoop to the ground, 

 and fee the landfcape around us with an 

 inverted eye, the effe6l is pleating for the 

 fame reafon. We are pleafed alfo, when we 

 look at objects through ftained glafs. It is 

 not, that any of thefe modes of vition is fupe- 

 rior, or even equal to the eye in it's natural 

 ftate j it is the novelty alone of the exhibition, 

 that pleafes If the mirror have any pecu- 

 liar advantage, it confifts perhaps in not re- 

 quiring the eye to alter it's focus ; which it 

 muft do, when it furveys the views- of na- 

 ture the diftance requiring one focus, and the 

 fore-ground another. This change of the focus, 

 in theory at leaft, I doubt whether in practice) 

 may occation fome confution. In the mirror 

 we furvey the whole under one focus. 



On the other hand, the mirror has at leaft 

 one difadvantage. Objects are not prefented 

 with that depth) that gradation, that rotundity 

 of dljlance^ if I may fo fpeak, which na- 



ture 



