248 Original Beauty of Lines and Forms. 



be brought to bear, by garden-artists, on that comparatively humble province 

 of design which is applied to the laying out of flower-gardens. ° 



Mr. Reinagle assumes it as an axiom, that every object eminently beauti- 

 ful or grand is distinguished by an outline of definite character ; that is, an 

 outline which may be referred to one or more geometrical figures ; or, more 

 abstractedly, something that is a well-ordered whole, in opposition to some- 

 thing that is in a state of chaos or confusion. All beautiful objects, he says, 

 are composed of undulating lines and elliptic curves ; and all grand objects, 

 of figures bounded by straight and angular lines. All objects in motion 

 are characterised by curved lines ; and all objects in a state of rest, by com- 

 paratively straight lines. 



1. Parallel Lines, at equal distances, and of equal length, and whether in a 

 horizontal or perpendicular position {fig. 65.) 

 possess not the slightest character or princi- ° 

 pie of beauty, either separately or collectively. 



Corollary as to Gardening. — Lines of in- . 

 visible fences {i. e. such as bound lawns, and . 

 are to be looked through) should be simple • 

 and parallel, without any other angles or — — — — — 

 curves than what strength or construction renders absolutely necessary. 



2. Straight lines radiating from a centre {fig. 66.), without creating any 

 geometrical figure, are yet pleasing. 06 



Coroll. — Avoid this form (sometimes adopted) 

 at the ends offences formed on the invisible prin- 

 ciple • but adopt it sometimes in ornamental 

 fences, and in spreading the branches of orna- 

 mental trees on walls or espaliers. 



3. Lines placed like a pile of planks are disagreeable, singly and as a 



— 57 whole, from their indefiniteness {fig. 67.) ; but, if the 



- — —— ■■ pile be carried to a point {fig. 69.), they become 



« i ■ I. tolerable as a whole, from their definiteness, or their 



™ - assumption of a regular figure. An equilateral or 



———————— - an acute-angled triangle of such 



lines {fig. 68.), is naturally more pleasing than a right- 68 _^_ 

 6y k angled triangle. {fig.[69.) , 



Coroll. — Bumps, or unconnected ob- - 



_ tuse heaps of earth or rock-work, are 



_______ disagreeable objects ; earth in ridges,* or ■ 



rock-work in pointed or definite shapes, . 



— ■ — is more tolerable. 



- 4. Leaves of trees possess different degrees of original 

 beauty, according to the prevalence of straight lines or curved lines. Leaves 

 may possess mere combination, or a very low degree of beauty {fig. 70. a); 



70 



■rf^X M^s, MM^ 



some beauty, by the addition of curved lines to straight lines {b) ; a better 

 approach (c) ; a progressive advance {d) ; a more perfect principle of beauty 

 (e); the greatest portion of beautiful lines (/). Deformity, or a retrogra- 

 dation from the principle of beauty, is produced by the abrupt union of 

 straight lines with curved lines (g). 



Coroll. — Some plants are absolutely more beautiful than' others, inde- 

 pendently altogether of colour, smell, rarity, or value ; e. g. myrtle, box. . 



