X PREFACE. 



length. I must, however, observe, that 

 the subject is much more comprehensive 

 than the title announces : the discussion is 

 not confined to the banks of made-water, 

 nor even to those of natural rivers and 

 lakes, but is extended to all the natural 

 beauties and varieties of objects near the 

 eye ; which therefore are classed by pain- 

 ters under the title of fore-ground. All, 

 who are in any degree conversant with the 

 art of painting, know of what consequence 

 fore-grounds are in pictures ; how interest- 

 ing they are in themselves, and what influ- 

 ence they have on the effect of the whole. 

 If they be of such consequence to the 

 painter, they are of still greater importance 

 to the improver : the painter can command 

 the other parts of his picture, equally with 

 the fore-ground ; can alter, or new model 

 them as he likes ; but the fore-ground, in 

 its more extended sense, or at most the 



