WATER, 



are morei natural to iflands than to (hores, becaufe it muft 

 always be fuppofed that it has been fon:ie of thefe ma- 

 terials which have either occafioned the accumulation of 

 the idand, or prevented it from being waftied away after- 

 wards. 



Waterfalls and cafcades are alfo occafionally introduced in 

 extenfive pleafure-grounds, where there is the advantage of 

 a rivulet, by which they may be formed either in one large 

 fall, or in two or three fmaller ones in fucceflion, having 

 large rough ftones placed below to break the water, and in- 

 creafe the found of the torrent in its fall and paffage over 

 them, in fome degree fimilar to that peculiar to natural caf- 

 cades. And fountains, fpouting water from images, &c. 

 are fomctimes introduced in the centre of fmall or moderate 

 bafons, or other refervoirs of water in gardens or grounds, 

 where a fupplying head of water is conveniently fituated 

 fufEciently high to raife and throw the water from the jet 

 or fpout, in a continued full ftream, to a coniiderable height, 

 which falling in the bafon, keeps the water of it in motion, 

 prevents ftagnation, and is thereby rendered more proper for 

 keeping and breeding fifh of the gold and filver kinds, &c. 

 and the fpouting and falling of the water have a refrefhing 

 effeft in the heat of fummer. In parterres, fhrubbery 

 grounds, and particular kinds of gardens, water is intro- 

 duced either in the forms of ftill ponds, drooping fountains, 

 or jets d'eau ; but as thefe are all artificial, no perfeft 

 mode can be afforded for imitation. They, however, molt 

 of them proceed in fome meafure on the principle of cod- 

 traft, which, in every modification of matter, is capable of 

 producing either incongruity, variety, or harmony ; confe- 

 quently, of efFefting fcenes which Ihall difguft, pleafe, or 

 highly intereft the beholder. Jets d'eau are not at prefent in 

 fuch difrepute as they were formerly in this country ; but 

 they are, for the moll part, lefs underftood, and their pro- 

 per ufe lefs comprehended. 



Mr. London, in the above work, remarks, that the epi- 

 thets waterfalls and cafcades denote different charafters in or- 

 namental improvements. Where the water falls over a ridge 

 of rock in one or more JJjeets, they are properly denominated 

 waterfalls ; and where its fall is broken and interrupted by 

 the irregularity of the ridge, and by other fragments of 

 rocks and ftones, they are properly cafcades. Both kinds, 

 it is fuggelled, may be imitated in improved fcenery, though 

 hitherto this has feldom been well accomplifhed, on account 

 either of the reftrifted pradlical knowledge of perfons of 

 tafte, or the limited or vitiated tafte, or deficiency of judg- 

 ment^ in thofe who have had the neceffary pradlical expe- 

 rience in matters of this kind. 



However, waterfalls may either, it is fuppofed, be imi- 

 tated direftly, by being copied from nature, or indireftly, 

 by the introduftion of weirs for the ufe of water-mills, as 

 already hinted. In imitating nature, thej!rength or durabi- 

 lity of the whole mufl: be equally taken into confideration 

 with that of the beauty. Thefirft depends upon the gene- 

 ral form of the whole materials, and the fecond principally 

 on the foundation ; but in a partial way alfo, on the quahty 

 of the materials, and the execution. In every cafe which is 

 upon a large fcale, the foundation ought to be the natural 

 rock, if poffible ; but on a more moderate or fmall fcale, 

 it may be a fecure caufeway, fixed by oak piles and crofs- 

 planks, the work being performed vrith great care, and in an 

 exaft manner ; ufing fuch mortar, where neceffary, as is ca- 

 pable of reCiling water. 



It is noticed, that there is one variety of waterfall which 

 may be occafionally feen in nature, and which is highly 

 worthy of imitation, though it is not known to have ever 

 yet been attempted to be introduced. It is that where a 



fmall rivulet or rill, at its junAion with a river or brook, 

 falls over a rock in one fmall fheet. It is ftated that, " at 

 Matlock Bath, the noife of a fmall waterfall of this kind 

 forms one of the finell circumftances of the fcenery about 

 that place ; — borne upon the breeze, its grateful harmony 

 meets the ear in almoll every part of the adjacent fcenery, 

 in murmurs as varied as their pafTages through woods and 

 open glades, along the turface of the Dove, under the 

 echoing cliffs of the Tor, or afcending the heights of 

 Abram. This remarkable effeft, it is contended, produced 

 by fuch a fmall quantity of water, ought to be the greateft 

 encouragement to fuch as poffefs brooks or rivulets, as few 

 cafes can occur where it may not be imitated ; not indeed 

 with fuch remarkable fuccefs, becaufe the furrounding 

 fcenery may not be fo varied, but ftill with fuch an effeft as 

 would amply compenfate for the expence, which in every 

 cafe could be but trifling." Others are fuggelled, and the 

 beft manner of forming them clearly explained by drawn 

 figures. 



The nature of waterfalls for the purpofe of driving ma- 

 chinery are, it is obferved, generally pretty well under- 

 ftood ; and that as no difguife in the mafonry is requifite, 

 but art is commonly to appear, the principles of ftrength 

 and durability noticed above are what chiefly demand atten- 

 tion. But it is remarked that it is to be i-egretted that fo 

 few who have rivers take advantage of it, and that fo many 

 make cafcades equally formal and unnatural, without any 

 real ufe, and witli little beauty, either of charafter in them- 

 felves, or fitnefs and connexion with the fcenery about 

 them. 



As to cafcades, what has been faid in refpeft to water- 

 falls will in general apply. In thofe which are upon a fmall 

 fcale, and where there is a plentiful fupply of water at all 

 feafons of the year, the fame forms may be built with fimi- 

 lar care in refpeft to foundation, folidity, and mortar, they 

 being then difguifcd by rocks of different fizes in a natural 

 manner, in different ways, according to the different circum- 

 ftances of the places. The fame general principles-in relation 

 to form will be applicable to all kinds of hearts, fifh-ponds, 

 &c.; only in thefe cafes the materials are commonly clay or 

 gravel ; which laft fhould always be well puddled with clay 

 or ftiff loam on the fide next the water. In defigning 

 waterfalls and cafcades, one principal confideration is, it is 

 faid, to adapt them properly to the fcenery. In fome cafes, 

 they are quite inadmiffible, as in all rivers or brooks without 

 ftones or rocks in their beds or margins ; and in others 

 where they are few, or where the ground on each fide is 

 level, they can never be made of any great magnitude. An 

 attention to nature is, however, fufficient to guide us in 

 this, as well as in every thing elfe which relates to the fub- 

 jeft ; a fubjeft which, it is faid, is fo highly interefting and 

 comprehenfive, that it would require a very great fpace to 

 give a complete elucidation of it in every refpeft. See 



WATER-i^aZ/j. 



It may be noticed, that in the bufinefs of farming ground 

 for water, the earth muft be excavated to a proper depth, gra- 

 dually Hoping from the verge to the middle, from three to four 

 or five feet deep ; fometimes, however, in low fituations, the 

 place is naturally hollowed in fome degree, fo as not to re- 

 quire a general excavation, or only in particular parts, and 

 fome general regulations to the whole, which in extenfive 

 defigns is a confiderable advantage. Where the fides and 

 bottom are of a fandy, gravelly, or ftony nature, or abound 

 in loofe foil, and there is not a conftant fupplying ftream, 

 they muft be well fecured by the apphcation of a thick coat 

 of well-wrought clay. And where this claying is neceffary 

 in the preparatory excavation, a proper allowance fhould be 



made 



I 



