54 



distances, the most pleasing boundaries of 

 hills or mountains, in that direction the 

 water, if possible, should be placed, so as 

 to blend with them into one composition. 

 It will then serve, not merely as a brilliant 

 light in the landscape, but likewise as a 

 bond which unites all those parts together; 

 whereas, if it be placed at a distance from 

 them, the eye is distracted between objects 

 which it would like to fix upon, and a fas- 

 cinating splendour, the influence of which 

 it cannot resist. 



I now return from this more general con- 

 sideration, to that of the banks of water in 

 a flat ; and where also the ground through 

 which it is to be made, not only is without 

 any variety of heights and breaks, but even 

 without any thickets or bushes of which 

 advantage might be taken, for the pur- 

 poses of concealment and of naturalness. 

 By what means then v could a piece of 

 water be formed in such a situation, so as 

 to be interesting in itself, and to give an 

 interest to all that surrounds it ? I shall in 

 this inquiry pursue something of the same 

 method I have already taken, and consider 



