THE BEAUTIFUL IN GROUND. 107 



lines which denote violence, the more beautiful are they. The prin- 

 ciple applies as well to the surface of the earth as to other objects. 

 The most beautiful shape in ground is that where one undulation 

 melts gradually and insensibly into another. Every one who has 

 observed scenery where the foregrounds were remarkable for beauty, 

 must have been struck by this prevalence of curved lines ; and every 

 landscape gardener well knows that no grassy surface is so captiva- 

 ting to the eye, as one where these gentle swells and undulations 

 rise and melt away gradually into one another. Some poet, happy 

 in his fancy, has called such bits of grassy slopes and swells, " earth's 

 smiles ;" and when the effect of the beauty and form of outline is 

 heightened by the pleasing gradation of light and shade, caused by 

 the sun's light, variously reflected by such undulations of lawn, the 

 simile seems strikingly appropriate. With eveiy change of position 

 the outlines vary, and the lights and shades vary with them, so that 

 the eye is doubly pleased by the beauty of form and chiaro-oscuro, 

 in a lawn with gracefully undulating surface. 



A flat or level surface is considered beautiful by many persons, 

 though it has no beauty in itself. It is, in fact, chiefly valued because 

 it evinces art. Though there is no positive beauty in a straight or 

 level line, it is often interesting as expressive of power, and we feel as 

 much awed by the boundless prairie or desert, as by the lofty snow-cap- 

 ped hill. On a smaller scale, a level surface is sometimes agreeable 

 in the midst of a rude and wild country by way of contrast, as a 

 small, level garden in the Alps will sometimes attract one astonish- 

 ingly, that would be passed by, unnoticed, in the midst of a flat and 

 cultivated country. 



Hence, as there are a thousand men who value power, where 

 there is one who can feel beauty, we see all ignorant persons who 

 set about embellishing their pleasure-grounds, or even the site for 

 a home, immediately commence levelling the surface. Once brought 

 to this level, improvement can go no further, according to their 

 views, since to subjugate or level, is the whole aim of man's am- 

 bition. Once levelled, you may give to grounds, or even to a whole 

 landscape, according to their theory, as much beauty as you like. It 

 is only a question of expense. 



This is a fearful fallacy, however ; fearful, oftentimes, to both the 



