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paint put on at random ; just as the ground 

 in a similar state would appear like a heap 

 of dirt, thrown about without any mean- 

 ing: and this is the state in which both 

 painters and improvers would dislike to 

 have their works seen. But in both it is a 

 necessary preparation, a rude process, 

 through which those works must pass, be- 

 fore they can receive the more distinct and 

 finishing touches. 



The general form of the bank, that is, of 

 the mere ground, being made out in this 

 rude manner, the improver would next ob- 

 serve what were the other circumstances, 

 independently of trees and vegetation, 

 which gave picturesque effect to the bank 

 of the natural river which he was endea- 

 vouring to imitate, and produced varied 

 reflections in the water. These, he might 

 probably find, were old stumps and trunks 

 of trees, with their roots bare and project- 

 ing ; small ledges of rocks, and stones of 

 various sizes, either accompanied by the 

 broken soil only, or fixed among the 

 matted roots ; some of them in the sides of 



