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and of their natural fize. How nature manages 

 this matter, is beyond the painter's power to 

 explain. The faft is certain : let the philo- 

 fopher, if he can, account for it. 



To bring the argument to the point before 

 us : there muft be real fpace to intereft the 

 imagination ; and excite ideas of grandeur. In 

 a fiffure, the imagination cannot be impofed 

 upon. Two or three inches may give us 

 the form of the landfcape j the proportion 

 between the fore-ground, and the offikip; 

 the hue of diftance, and it's general appear- 

 ance : and we may be pleafed with thefe things 

 even in miniature. But it is impofTible within 

 fuch fcanty limits to raife any of thofe feelings, 

 which landfcape in it's full dimenfions will 

 excite. Try the matter experimentally : ex- 

 amine fuch a landfcape as this vaft, extended 

 foreft-view before us, alternately ; firft with 

 the naked eye, and then with a diminifoing 

 glafs^ (which at leaft gives as juft a repre- 

 fentation of the perfpeftive, and keeping of 

 nature, as any artificial landfcape can do) and 

 you will be convinced how much the idea 

 lofes under the latter experiment. At the 

 fame time, if fuch a diftance as this, exten- 

 five as it is, were painted on a larger fcale 



than 



