BEAUTIES OF THE ART. 41 



the groups and connected masses may in themselves be ele- 

 gant, yet the two portions will not form a whole when seen 

 together, because they cannot form a composite idea. For 

 the same reason there is something unpleasing in the intro- 

 duction of fruit trees among elegant ornamental trees on a 

 lawn, or even in assembling together in the same beds flower- 

 ing plants and culinary vegetables. One class of vegetation 

 suggesting the useful alone to the mind, and the other only the 

 elegant and ornamental — the two sensations not readily 

 uniting together. 



In the arrangement of a large extent of surface, where a 

 great many objects are necessarily presented to the eye at 

 once, the principle of unity will suggest that there should be 

 some grand or leading features to which the others should be 

 merely subordinate. Thus in grouping trees there should 

 be some large and striking masses to which the others appear 

 to belong, however distant, instead of scattered groups all 

 of the same size. Even in arranging walks, a whole will 

 more readily be recognised, if there are one or two of large 

 size with which the others appear connected as branches, 

 than if they were all equal in breadth and presented the same 

 appearance to the eye in passing. 



In all works of art which command universal admiration, 

 we discover a unity of conception and composition, a unity 

 of taste and execution. To assemble in a single composition, 

 forms which are discordant, and portions dissimilar in plan, 

 can only afford pleasure for a short time, to tasteless minds or 

 those fond of trifling and puerile conceits. The production 

 of an accordant whole, is, on the contrary, capable of aflbrding 

 the most permanent enjoyment to educated minds, every- 

 where and at all periods of time. 



After unity, the principle of Variety is worthy of con- 



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