WATER SCENERY. 71 



and dotted all round its borders with full-blown water- 

 lilies, over whose broadspread leaves the little plover 

 glides, without impressing a ripple on the glossy brink, 

 gives me more pleasure than I could derive from any 

 view of the ocean, bounded only by the horizon. 



Water needs the accompaniment of field and wood to 

 form a picture that is agreeable to the eye. Without 

 such adjuncts, it is like the sky when it has no clouds, 

 and is void of all pleasing suggestions. The pleasure of 

 angling on the banks of a river or a lake is greatly mag- 

 nified by the agreeable combination of wood and water 

 scenery that surrounds us. The beauty of an island is 

 like that of a lake ; and it is hard to say which of the 

 two affects the spectator with the most delight, though 

 I am inclined to believe that the majority would decide 

 in favor of the island. The island, especially if there be 

 a little cottage upon it, is suggestive of a multitude of 

 pleasing fancies connected with rural life and retirement. 

 In this case, we think not so much of the difficulty of 

 gaining access to town, or even of coming on shore, as of 

 the peaceful seclusion it seems calculated to afford. The 

 lake suggests no such ideas ; it is chiefly attractive by its 

 own beautiful sheen of crystal water, by its association 

 with boat excursions on serene afternoons or moonlight 

 evenings, and with rural pleasures connected with the 

 scenes on its shore. 



