166 



Ail this to the advocates of extreme sim^ 

 plicitj may seem refinement; and yet it 

 must be considered, that in the higher 

 styles of all the arts — in painting, in poetry, 

 in all dramatic representations, the most 

 striking effects are produced by heightenr 

 ing, and so far by deviating from commou 

 obvious nature ; and by adding wliat is ar^ 

 tificial, to what is strictly simple and natu* 

 ral. The good or bad effects of such 

 heightenings, deviations, and additions, dcr 

 pend upon the taste, judgment, and genius 



ideas, he would have searched after bold picturesque effects; 

 but smoothness, verdure, and a hanging level, were sure to 

 be popular. I do not mean to discuss the merit of this 

 alteration, though somewhat inclined to doubt of it ; but 

 merely to question Mr. Brown's title to boldness of con- 

 peption. His successor, who proposed blowing up the 

 terrace at Powis Castle,'* had certainly more merit in point 

 of boldness : I think, ho^vever, that upon such occasions 

 gome qualifvii^g epithet should be applied, such as splendid^ 

 mendax ; and when we consider the flat operation that wai| 

 %o have ensued after the burst of gunpowder, we might say 

 that the successor was mofe boldly tamef than his ineue 

 illustrious predecessor. 



* Lpit^i to Mi. ReptOD, f agp "iS. 



