JUNE. 



257 



The characteristic property of running water is progress; that 

 of stagnated, is circuity : the one stretches into length — the 

 other spreads over space. A river is never more beautiful than 

 when it is lost in a wood, or retires behind a hill from the 

 view. Space is essential to a lake ; it may spread to any 

 extent, — and the mind, always pleased to expand itself, de- 

 lights even in its vastness. A lake cannot be too large as a 

 subject of description, or of contemplation ; but the eye re- 

 ceives but little satisfaction when it has not a form on which 

 to rest: the ocean itself hardly atones, by all its grandeur, for 

 its infinity; and a prospect of it, therefore, is always most 

 agreeable when in some part, at no great distance, a reach of 

 shore, a promontory, or an island, reduces the immensity into 

 shape. 



After a variety of observations on the ditFerent appearances 

 of water, as seen in nature, the author concludes by giving 

 directions for the management of artificial water in parks and 

 pleasure grounds. As they are very nearly the same as may 

 be found repeated after him in almost every treatise on gar- 

 dening, it is needless to give any extracts from them. It 

 may be simply remarked that, by no other author, is the sub- 

 ject of water, as an ingredient in landscape improvements, 

 more fully or agreeably treated. 



Of Rocks. — Rills, rivulets, and cascades abound among 

 rocks ; they are natural to the scene ; and such scenes com- 

 monly require every accompaniment which can be procured 

 for them. Mere rocks, unless they are peculiarly adapted to 

 certain impressions, may surprise, but can hardly please ; they 

 are too far removed from common life, too barren and inhos- 

 pitable, rather desolate than solitary, and more horrid than 

 terrible. Rocks, therefore, must be accompanied by water 

 or by vegetation to render them interesting. Their most 

 distinguishing characters are dignity, terror, and fancy : the 

 expressions of all are constantly wild ; and sometimes a rocky 

 scene is only wild, without pretensions to any particular char- 

 acter. 



The author proceeds to describe certain places in which 

 the rocks are characterized by dignity, as in Matlock, Bath ; 



VOL. XXII. NO. VI. 33 



