Sckell's Landscape-Garde)iivg. 549 



an imitation that we can approach nature, and produce that 

 romantic effect of light and shade which she displays. If the 

 outline of a natural forest is examined, no peculiar and studied 

 form will be found, because such is not the case in nature. 

 Therefore, when trees or shrubs are planted on a line made by the 

 tracing-staff, however natural they may appear to be, they cannot 

 be said to belong to the natural outline of the forest, but entirely 

 to that of art. 



9. When, however, all seems to have been done that art 

 could effect, many places may be discovered on the outline of 

 an extensive forest which are not sufficiently characteristic, and 

 are void of romantic effect. In such cases, the uniformity should 

 be interrupted, by planting single trees or groups along part of 

 the outskirts, or at a distance from it of 50, 100, or 200 feet. 

 Sometimes trees that have a light green colour are selected for 

 this purpose, as they stand out more distinctly from the forest 

 behind. 



But, as all objects are clearer and more distinct the nearer 

 they are to the eye, the same kind of trees as those of the wood 

 behind might be used in the manner above described; and the 

 more so, as they are much more natural than the other kind of 

 trees, and unite in producing a more romantic unison. There 

 are cases, however, in which trees of lighter tints than those in 

 the wood behind are very much to be preferred ; such as when 

 the background of a wood consists of dark alders, which are not 

 only monotonous in their colour, but have a gloomy and melan- 

 choly expression. 



However unimportant the outline of the forest may appear to 

 those who are deficient in knowledge, or who have not a true 

 feeling for the beauties of nature, it will appear important to those 

 who are more intimately acquainted with living nature, and with 

 the different shades of character she assumes. 



10. I must here make the following observations on the wavy 

 line, or line of beauty, which is so often seen in nature: — 



This line is but too little known by a great many young 

 gardeners, and is therefore considered as not being very difficult 

 to imitate. It is true, that if such lines wei'e formed of pure 

 geometric circles, and put together like the Latin S, there 

 would not be much art in such an imitation : but nature has 

 nothing to do with such an arrangement, she makes use of no 

 geometric circles; none of her wavy lines, which are repeated 

 ad hifinitum, are the same ; they have always a different ex- 

 pression in every scene, every form and feature appears new, 

 so that no leaf or grain of sand resembles another. Every 

 single object in the whole creation is defined by a wavy line, a 

 line in acute angles, one that is almost straight, one that 

 terminates in a point, or even one that is crooked ; therefore, 



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