361 



her in the midst of an immense smooth, 

 green lawn, where she forces her by her 

 enchantments, to be constantly walking a 

 slow, regular pace : now, I think an eternal 

 w r alk, round and round the banks of one 

 of these serpentine rivers, would be no bad 

 punishment in another world for pictu- 

 resque sinners/' 



44 It would be a most terrifying one/' 

 said Mr. Howard ; " but I believe our pre- 

 sent purgatory is nearly over ; for if I am 

 not mistaken, that line of Scotch firs, an- 

 nounces the heiad which it was meant to 

 conceal. I guiessed right," continued he, 

 when they got U p to it ; "I am glad to 

 see, however, that the improvements have 

 proceeded no furtheir, for below, the banks 

 have not been touched. I now beg you 

 will look at the contrast between nature, 

 and such art as has been displayed here ; 

 and observe, at the same time, how very 

 little the quality pf smoothness and even- 

 ness of surface has to do with beauty. 

 Look at the reflection of that glaring white 

 building, and of the shaven banks in the 



