20 



without interruption, the continued sweep 

 of these serpentine lines; — a little cleaning 

 and polishing of the fore-ground, would 

 give the last touches of improvement, and 

 complete the picture. 



There is not a person in the smallest de- 

 gree conversant with painting, who would 

 not at the same time be shocked and di- 

 verted at the black spots and the white 

 spots, — the naked water,— the naked build- 

 ings, — the scattered unconnected groups of 

 trees, and all the gross and glaring viola- 

 tions of every principle of the art; and yet 

 this, without any exaggeration, is the me- 

 thod in which many scenes worthy of 

 Claude's pencil, have been improved. Is 

 it then possible to imagine, that the beau- 

 ties of imitation should be so distinct from 

 those of reality, nay, so completely at 

 variance, that what disgraces and makes a 

 picture ridiculous, should become orna- 

 mental when applied to nature ? 



