and of Rural Impr'ovement generally^ during 1840. 621 



examination, for the purpose of supplying it where it is wanting, 

 either by abstracting what interferes with it, or by the addition 

 of what is necessary to render it effective or obvious. But, 

 though every artist will allow tliis to be theoretically true, yet 

 he will also allow that it requires great practical experience to 

 be able to carry the idea into effect, especially in general 

 scenery. In the case of a house, or a group of buildings, the 

 difficuUy is not great, because all the forms in buildings are 

 definite and permanent ; but in landscape, all the forms are in- 

 definite, and continually changing by growth, by decay, and 

 even by the seasons of the year. Those who have thought much 

 on this subject will discover that the idea of rendering every 

 object or scene symmetrical is but a more accurate and detailed 

 analysis of the expression, " rendering any object or scene a 

 whole." The advantage of treating the subject in this manner 

 is like that of presenting the same object under different points 

 of view : we become better acquainted with it. 



Breadth of effect has also been touched on in several places, 

 because without it, that is, in common language, without broad 

 naked surfaces or glades of turf amonfj trees and shrubs, there 

 must either be monotony or confusion in either a park or a 

 pleasure-ground ; monotony if the ground is uniformly covered 

 with trees or shrubs, and confusion if it is covered a little more 

 ■in some places than in others, but not sufficiently uncovered in 

 any place to produce repose or breadth of effect, that is 

 masses of light or masses of shade. The use of these naked 

 places in parks and pleasure-grounds is, to contrast with the 

 covered places ; because it is by this contrast that what is called 

 the effect is produced. In other words, a thing is what it is 

 only by comparison with some. other thing. If there were only 

 one colour, there could be no such distinction of colours as 

 red, blue, &c. ; and if there were no light, there could have been 

 no such thing as darkness. Every large object looks still larger 

 when a small object of the same kind is placed near it ; every 

 particular form, such as a cube, appears still more definite or 

 particular when it is opposed to a form of an opposite kind, such 

 as a globe; and every colour appears more intense when it is 

 placed adjoining its contrasting or complementary colour. In 

 short, there is not a principle in the whole art of composition, 

 whether of architecture or landscape-gardening, or, indeed, of 

 any of the fine or mixed arts, so constantly brought into requi- 

 sition as that of contrast, unless, indeed, it be that of connexion. 

 The whole art of landscape-gardening, landscape-painting, and 

 architecture, with reference to effect, may, indeed, be resolved 

 into the exercise of these two principles. 



There is one prevailing error which belongs to the depart- 

 ment of landscape-gardening which we have noticed in different 



s s 3 



