SckeU's Landscape-Gardening. 605 



the eye to a certain extent, such as to the point where the stream 

 seems to be checked by an impenetrable thicket, and appears 

 beyond, as a small brook which had produced the supply. When 

 the eye can no longer follow the course of the stream on account 

 of the deep rocky abysses overgrown with thorns, the imagin- 

 ation has the fullest liberty to indulge in its own creation. When 

 there is but a scanty supply of water for such an undertaking, 

 and the extent it is to cover is great, none, if possible, should be 

 allowed to escape, through the soil of the bed or banks of the 

 stream, a circumstance which might be prevented by its having 

 a loamy bottom. In the garden at Blenheim, in England, a 

 majestic stream is produced by means of this successful decep- 

 tion, and it is greatly increased by the sight of a large vessel 

 lying at anchor. But such an illusion is not easily effected ; the 

 slowly gliding stream soon awakens suspicion, and I can, there- 

 fore, only advise my readers to venture on such an undertaking 

 in the most extreme cases, because it but very seldom succeeds. 



7. The character of smaller streams, as it has been already 

 stated, is, that they are more tortuous in their forms according to 

 their breadth ; that is, that their serpentine lines are more fre- 

 quently repeated than those of larger rivers. The windings of 

 these small streams always seem more natural when the real or 

 apparent causes of them frequently present themselves. When 

 the windings are extensive, therefore, some large trees, groups of 

 low shrubs, or portions of rock, should be introduced, to give this 

 appearance. 



When these streams are only 4 or 6 feet broad, they fre- 

 quently become divided, and leave a long tongue of land in the 

 centre, which nature usually decorates with flowers. It must be 

 observed, that large streams never have an equal breadth : the 

 right bank of the river, also, is as unlike the left bank, as the 

 windings of the serpentine lines which describe the form of these 

 brooks are similar to each other. 



The best method of tracing and staking out such streams is, 

 first, to form the principal line, with its grand windings, by 

 stakes, or by a slight furrow in the ground, and then to make all 

 the smaller tortuous windings on the line itself, on the right and 

 left bank ; after which the first mark should be effaced. 



Nature also lends a helping hand, and assists imitative art in 

 making the banks resemble her. In staking out these small 

 streams, they should frequently be made to approach the road 

 where they can be seen ; they should then seem to penetrate into 

 thick overgrown bushes, and in other places re-appear with a 

 gentle murmur. This frequent repetition has a delightful effect 

 in nature; it awakens the most enthusiastic feelings, and we can 

 only quit such scenes with an earnest desire of revisiting them. 

 {To be continued.) 



