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that they are fubject to a thoufand varieties 

 from the different modifications of the atmof- 

 phere j and yet beautiful in all. 



A vaft fcene however, like this, is un- 

 manageable as we have often obferved, tho 



it may be highly picturefque. But our 



obfervations on this fubject may be car- 

 ried farther, than we have yet carried 

 them. 



It is a common afTertion among landfcape- 

 painters, that if the picture be juflly painted, 

 an extenfive diftance in miniature will have 

 the fame effect on the mind of the fpectator, 

 as if it were painted on the larger! fcale. Stand 

 near a window, they tell you, and the whole 

 may be brought within the circumference 

 of a pane of glafs. If then the fame land- 

 fcape were exaftly painted on the pane of glafs, 

 it would have the fame effect in a picture, 

 which it has in nature. 



This reafoning, I fear, is falfe. It depends 

 intirely on the fuppofition, that we collect: all 

 our notices of external objects from the eye j 

 agreeably to that conftruction of it, which 

 the anatomift gives us. Whereas, in fact, 



the 



