BOOK IV. 



OPERATING WITH WATER. 



1011 



may continue a chain of connected masses of water, or lakes of different magnitudes and 



shapes, in part suggested by the character of the ground, in part by the facilities of 



planting near them, and in part by his own views of propriety and beauty. The outline 



of the plan of the lake is to be varied by the contrastedposition of bays, inlets, and 



smaller indentations, on the same principles which " 



we suggested for varying a mass of wood. To 



the irregularity of outlines so produced, islands 



and aits (Jig. 697.) may be added on the same 



principle, and for the same objects as thickets 



and groups. This will complete the character 



and beauty of the plan of the water. 



7221. But the grand effect of water in land- 

 scape, depends on wood as its accompaniment. The \ 

 variety and intricacy of outline, the reflection of 

 forms and colors, the shady recesses and flicker- 

 ing lines of light, all depend on trees. These are not to be sparingly or indiscriminately 

 scattered around the margin, but liberally in some places, for the sake of a contrasted 

 mass of grateful color or shade, to relieve the brilliancy of the water ; and with discrimi- 

 nation everywhere to mark the beauties, and heighten the variety of the outline, without 

 destroying breadth of effect, or a whole, either as respects the water alone, or the entire 

 residence. 



7222. The marginal banks of water in nature, are tame or bold, gravelly or sedgy, 

 stony or rocky, according to the character of the surrounding ground. Art, therefore, 

 must imitate each in its proper place, not always by a studious picturesque arrangement 

 of the marginal accompaniments in each case, but by excavating the ground-work, 

 planting the trees and shrubs, and leaving the rest to the motion of the waves of the 

 water. After the effects of one winter, stones or gravel may be deposited in spots suit- 

 able for stony or gravelly shores. But to enter into this, and many other circumstances 

 in the imitation of lakes, would exceed the proper limits. We add two cautions : the 

 first is, in all cases of the beautiful picturesque, so to arrange by puddling and under- 

 draining, that a marshy appearance may not surround the lake ; and that rushes, and such 

 aquatic plants, may not extend farther than a few feet or yards from the margin of the 

 water. The other respects islands, which are the greatest ornaments to lakes. But that 

 island which is placed in the centre, or in any situation where it does not connect with 

 other islands, or with the shore, so as to form part of a prominence or recess, is injurious 

 to the effect of the whole inversely as its beauty, when properly placed. 



7223. Rivers and rills, we have said, are rather to be improved than created ; for we 

 cannot sympathise with that taste which directs the mimicry of so noble a character as a 

 river, or is satisfied with a nearly stagnated rill. We do not consider the river at Blenheim 

 as an exception, because that piece of water was formed by widening a considerable 

 brook. We allude to those wavy serpentine canals, which are never mistaken for natural 

 scenes, and, in almost every case, might be advantageously exchanged for a lake. A 

 rill, however, may have its course rendered more varied, may be expanded at proper 

 places into regular shapes, and all the alterations accounted for and harmonised by plant- 

 ing- (Jig- 698.) 



7224. Progress and impetuosity are the two leading ideas which belong to running 

 waters. The first expression may be heightened by counteracting any tendeircy to ex- 

 pansion ; by removing some of the circuitous and oblong projections of earth or stone in 

 the banks ; and sometimes by deepening its bed, or by substituting a more direct line for 

 a circuitous course. The idea of impetuosity is indicated by its effects, in reverberating 

 against high banks, or common banks, on which trees are situated, and may be increased 

 by augmenting the cause or the effect, and thus either digging and undermining the trees, 

 cutting down the high banks on which the water acts, or placing very slight piers as jetties 

 on the opposite shore. Picturesque additions to the marginal accompaniments both of 



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