Chapter III 



Water — Its General Treatment — Art must deceive 

 to imitate Nature — Water at Wentworth described 

 — A River easier to imitate than a Lake 



THE observations in the preceding chapter concern- 

 ing the reflection of sky on the surface of water will 

 account for that brilliant and cheerful effect produced 

 by a small pool, frequently placed near a house, although 

 in direct violation of nature : for since the ground ought 

 to slope and generally does slope from a house, the 

 water very near it must be on the side of a hill, and 

 of course artificial. Although I have never proposed 

 a piece of water to be made in such a situation, I have 

 frequently advised that small pools so unnaturally placed 

 should be retained, in compliance with that general 

 satisfaction which the eye derives from the glitter of 

 water, however absurd its situation. 



It requires a degree of refinement in taste bordering 

 on fastidiousness to remove what is cheerfiil and pleas- 

 ing to the eye, merely because it cannot be accounted 

 for by the common laws of nature ; I was, however, not 

 sorry to discover some plea for my compliance, by con- 

 sidering that although water on a hill is generally 

 deemed unnatural, yet all rivers derive their sources 

 from hills, and the highest mountains are known to have 

 lakes or pools of water near their summits. 



We object, therefore, not so much to the actual situa- 

 tion as to the artificial management of such water. We 



