262 STUDIES IN THE FIELD AND FOREST. 



the most eligible retreats in which one might be 

 secluded, and at the same time accommodated with a 

 pleasant and extensive prospect. To be able to look 

 out upon the world from a little nook, while unobserved 

 and not liable to be interrupted by others, affords one 

 an experience of the same emotion with which we con 

 template the raging of a storm, from a place of comfort 

 and security. 



Water is in a high degree favorable to the attain 

 ment of these pleasant advantages. Let two parties be 

 placed in opposite points, with a small lake intervening, 

 and though full in sight of one another, they still feel 

 secluded. The pleasantness of their retreat, under 

 these circumstances, is enlivened by the sight of the 

 opposite party, who may be amused by observing one 

 another's motions, and at the same time feel secure 

 from intrusion. But if there were only a meadow of 

 equal width to separate them, the secluded character of 

 the situation would be lost ; as the parties are not only 

 in sight of one another, but are liable to be interrupted 

 by a visit from the opposite one. A lake may in this 

 way be the occasion of many of those delightful re 

 treats, attended with advantages of prospect, which no 

 other combination of scenes could so well afford. The 

 beauty of many of these situations depends greatly on 

 their apparent adaptedness to this kind of recreation 

 and seclusion. 



A river, especially of moderate width, is in many 

 respects more beautiful than a lake ; and more than any 

 other collection of water suggests the idea of infinity 

 and of continued progression. I never look upon a 

 clear stream of narrow dimensions, without thinking of 

 the thousand beautiful scenes it must visit, in its blue 

 course through the hills and plains. What a life of 



