L 106 ] 



FAIR HAVEN BAY THROUGH THE 

 WOODS 



November 6, 1853. Climbed the wooded hill by 

 Holden's spruce swamp and got a novel view of the 

 river and Fair Haven Bay through the almost leaf- 

 less woods. How much handsomer a river or lake 

 such as ours, seen thus through a foreground of scat- 

 tered or else partially leafless trees, though at a con- 

 siderable distance this side of it, especially if the 

 water is open, without wooded shores or isles! It 

 is the most perfect and beautiful of all frames, which 

 yet the sketcher is commonly careful to brush aside. 

 I mean a pretty thick foreground, a view of the dis- 

 tant water through the near forest, through a thou- 

 sand little vistas, as we are rushing toward the for- 

 mer, — that intimate mingling of wood and water 

 which excites an expectation which the near and open 

 view rarely realizes. We prefer that some part be 

 concealed, which our imagination may navigate. 



Journal, v, 480. 



