WATER. 



manner of conducing it. There are ftill not a few who 

 are infefted with 



that ftrange difeafe " 



Which gives deformity the power to pleafe : 



CoUeftions of ornamental water may, it is faid, properly 

 be confidered as of two kinds ; as thofe defigned to be feen 

 in a general view, and in connettion with the adjoining 

 fcenery ; and thofe to be feen only when near. The former 

 forts chiefly confifl of lakes, rivers, ponds, bafons, and 

 others of firoilar kinds ; the latter of fprings, rills, rivu- 

 lets, cafcades, and others of the fame nature. There are 

 fcarcely any iituations in which waters of the fpring, rivu- 

 let, and others of the fame nature, may not be placed. In 

 nature, rills are ufually found deep funk in dells, as in in- 

 ftances where they run down the fides of hills, or pafs 

 through foils of the fandy kind. Where they pafs through 

 a fertile valley, or level meadow, they have commonly a very 

 regular courfe ; and when they are met with in hollow 

 places, their courfe is for the mod; part ftraight, or ap- 

 proaching to it. The fituations of rivers, lakes, and ponds, 

 are almoft invariably in the lowed parts of the furface of the 

 land. It is, indeed, impoflible that they could be other- 

 wife. Water, whenever it occurs, is conftantly a linking 

 feature in grounds, and in this way has always its peculiar 

 frtuation : when that fituation is changed, every feature is per- 

 verted ; truth, nature, and harmony, are fet at defiance, and 

 the moft glaring difcord fubftituted in their place, ftriking 

 inftances of which prefent themfelves in many different or- 

 namented fituations. 



The general fhape of pieces of water mud depend upon 

 the nature of the charafter which is to be created or given 

 them. Whatever rnay be the magnitude or dimenfions of 

 lakes or ponds, they Ihould be of irregular diapes, more or 

 lefs wooded, and never entirely naked, being conftantly dif- 

 tinguidicd by prominences and maffes ; and as often as oc- 

 cahon may ferve, further varied by iflands managed in a 

 fimilarity of manner. And the forms and directions of 

 rivers (hould be given by their fizes, and the nature and kind 

 of country through which they are to pafs. Large rivers, 

 in fertile plains, are, for the moft part, much lefs varied in 

 their cburfes than thofe of the fmallcr kind ; and both are a 

 great deal lefs fo than thofe which have their direftions 

 through hilly uneven furfaces, or through land of a rocky- 

 nature. Large rivers can never be imitated where there does 

 not exift a very confiderable itream ; as without this, the 

 neceftary degree of motion can never be given ; but the di- 

 reftions or courfes of natural rivers may, it is fuppofed, be 

 frequently altered, varied, improved, or divided, with the 

 moft advantageous effefts in the way of ornament ; in all 

 which cafes the remarks here given will be applicable. 

 Much might be effected in this way at many of the fine an- 

 cient feats of this country, and a high degree of grandeur 

 and magnificence of effeft be produced. 



In regard to the margins or borders of waters, and the 

 accompaniments of them, it is fuggefted that there are two 

 arguments or reafons, which clearly (liew that the former, in 

 every piece of water, whatever may be its charafter, ihould 

 be broken and diverfified. The firft of which is, that there- 

 by intricacy, variety, and harmony in form, colour, and 

 difpofition, are produced, in the place of monotony or dif- 

 cord ; the fecond is, that this mode prevails in nature. In- 

 tricacy, variety, and harmony, are produced in the outline, 

 by making the fmall parts irregular, confiderably fo in 

 feme places, and lefs fo in others, according to the kind of 

 water ; in the ground by producing breaks clofe to and 

 alfo at fome diftance from the water ; by (hewing the naked 

 or various-coloured earth and gravel interfperfed among 



9 



abruptnelTes, fmooth flopes, levels, and by every form and 

 difpofition of furface : it is further heightened by the iii- 

 troduftion of ftones of different (hapes, and placed in va- 

 ried or intricate dlfpofilinn ; and alfo by roots, decaying 

 trunks, or branches of trees. It is further luggefted, 

 that another fruitful fource of thefe beauties is plants, 

 graffes, low growths, fhrubs, and trees. Plants and graffes 

 may, it is fuppofed, be employed both for cloathing fuch 

 parts of the furface as are fmooth, for varying others, ai)d 

 aftifting difpofition. Shrubs and trees may be ufed for the 

 laft purpofe upon a more enlarged fcale. Plants, graffes, 

 and low growths, give intricacy and (hade to fmall breaks, 

 and the interftices among ftones, rocks, &c. Shrubs and 

 trees give intricacy to large receffes, either of fimple mar- 

 gin, or containing thefe leffer enrichments, which, fhaded 

 by trees, will be heightened in eflFeft. All this, it is fup- 

 pofed, we fee accomplifhed in nature in fuch a beautiful 

 manner, as far furpaffes every fort of defcription ; it may, 

 it is believed, be admired by perfons of feeling alone, with- 

 out much judgment or knowledge of the principles by 

 which it pleafes or produces the effeft noticed ; but this 

 kind of knowledge and judgment is highly ufeful in direct- 

 ing what to copy from nature, and how to apply it to arti- 

 ficial pieces of water. Without it, perfons, it is contended, 

 may argue either for copying the deformities or Angularities 

 of nature, or for mifapplying them when copied, as has 

 been done by feveral. There is a difference of charafter m i 

 the margin and accompaniments of a lake, river, and brook, | 

 though each is varied or harmonious. Each differs alfo ac- 

 cording to the nature or ftyle of the country, or foil of the 

 land through which they may have to pafs, as is evident from 

 a great numberof different inftances fcattered over the coun- 

 try, in which there are particular differences in the banks, 

 adjacent grounds, and accompaniments, that give an inte- 

 refting variation of charafter to each individually. 



There are fome other ornamental appendages which are 

 occafionally placed near to or upon water, fuch as ereftions o£ 

 the bridge, and other kinds. There is no greater ornamenfe 

 to a piece of water of the nature of a river than a bridge, and' ' 

 few objefls fo generally pleafing, becaufe fo univerfally ufe- 

 ful. This notion has been taken advantage of, it is fug- 

 gefted, by improvers, but for the moft part in a very inju- 

 dicious manner. Their bridges are too commonly formal, 

 and unconnefted with the fcenery, either by their unfuitable 

 magnitude, or by the loftinefs of their arches, ftraddhng 

 acrofs a fhallow ftagnated river, as is the cafe in many well- 

 known fituations. They want, it is contended, that beau- 

 tiful fimplicity, connexion, and pifturefque effeft, which 

 may be feen in many highway bridges acrofs dreams or 

 rivers, and which is produced there by necejftiy and time. 

 Thus the arches, it is faid, are made low when tiie banks 

 on each fide are tame and level, becaufe otherwife carts and 

 carriages would have greater difficulty in afcending them. 

 The architecture is fimple, becaufe, in general, the builders, 

 were not allowed to incur the expence of ornaments. The 

 plants, ivy-bu/hes, and trees which group with them, have 

 fprung up in the courfe of time, but they may be fpeedily 

 imitated by art. The broken parapets, piers, or arches, 

 fupplied by open railing, or a few pales, are the effefts of 

 time, or accident, and in fome cafes are worth imitating in 

 the fcenery of a refidence. Thefe circumftances might 

 eafily be copied in ornamental fcenery, and if judicioufly 

 fupplied, it is faid, will invariably fucceed in producing a 

 good cffeCt. Foot-bridges of planks, or rude boles and 

 trunks of trees, fnit well, it is fuppofed, with many fcenes 

 of the rural kind. They have frequently been attempted, 

 it is afferted, but feldom with complete fuccefs, owing to 

 the tafteleflhefs of thofe who contrived them. 



The 



