( 198 ) 



But this view, like the other extenji've views 

 we have feen, is by no means piBurefque. 

 It might have been fuppofed, that the ifle 

 of Wight (on farveying it's appearance in a 

 map) would have made fuch an angle at 

 Covves-point, which is nearly oppofite to this 

 tower, as would have thrown the eailern 

 part of the ifland into better perfpedlive, than 

 the weftern ail'umes from any part of the 

 Hampfliire coaft. And fo indeed in fome 

 degree it does. But the eye is at too great 

 a diftance to g-et much advantage from this 

 circumftance. If the fpecSator were carried 

 nearer Cowes, the coaft towards St. Helen's 

 might then fall away in good perfped:ive. 

 But at this diftance all is fea ; the coaft is a 

 mere thread i and the whole view together is 

 without proportiofi. 



And yet it is not merely the dilproportion 

 between land and water, which difqualifies 

 a view of this kind in a pid;urefque light. 

 A pidlurefque view may confift intirely of 

 water. Nor is it diftance, which difqua- 

 lifies it. The moft remote diftances are 

 happily introduced on canvas. But what 

 chiefly difqualifies it, is the want of fore- 

 ground to balance this vaft expanfe of diftance. 



Unlefs 



