common fields, amidst hedges without 

 trees; or, what is worse, with stripped elms, 

 or pollard willows : that they are backed 

 by hills of bad shapes, and divided, by 

 square map-like enclosures : a piece of 

 water in that situation* would infallibly 

 draw the attention towards those objects, 

 which otherwise might have escaped no- 

 tice ; and the eye, though it might be hurt 

 by them, will still be forced towards that 

 part : for our eyes, like moths, will always 

 be attracted by light, and no experience 

 can prevent them from returning to it. On 

 that account, the position of water can 

 never be a matter of indifference. Jf the 

 size of it be considerable, and the objects 

 in that direction ugly or uninteresting, it 

 will make their defects more conspicuous, 

 but by no means compensate those defects. 

 On the other hand, the smallest appearance 

 of water, a mere light in the landscape, 

 may answer a very essential purpose — that 

 of leading the attention to those parts 

 which are most worthy of notice: and, 

 therefore, wherever there are the happiest 

 groups of trees or buildings, the richest 



