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are changed for what may be called the em- 

 bellishments of ruins, for incrustations and 

 weather stains, and for the various plants 

 that spring from, or climb over the walls — 

 the character of the picturesque prevails 

 over that of the beautiful ; and at length, 

 perhaps, all smoothness, all symmetry, all 

 trace of design are totally gone. But there 

 may still remain an object which attracts 

 notice. Has it then no character when that 

 of beauty is departed ? is it ugly ? is it in- 

 sipid ? is it merely curious ? Ask the pain- 

 ter, or the picturesque traveller; they never 

 abandon a ruin to the mere antiquary, till 

 none but an antiquary would observe it. 

 Whatever then has strong attractions as a 

 visible object, must have a character ; and 

 that wjiich has strong attractions for the 

 painter, and yet is neither grand nor beau- 

 tiful, is justly called picturesque. 



Take again a building, the sole character 

 of which is grandeur. On that, the changes 

 are less sensible than on the delicate quali- 

 ties of beauty ; but when the walls begin to 

 lose their firmness, and in parts to totter ; 



