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the great characteristics of picturesque 

 scenery ; so monotony and baldness, are 

 the great defects of improved places. 



Nothing would place this in so distinct 

 a point of view, as a comparison between 

 some familiar scene in its natural and 

 picturesque state, and in that which would 

 be its improved state according to the 

 present mode of gardening. All painters 

 who have imitated the more confined 

 scenes of nature, have been fond of making 

 studies from old neglected bye roads and 

 hollow ways ; and perhaps there are few 

 spots that in so small a compass, have a 

 greater variety of that sort of beauty called 

 picturesque; but, I believe, the instances 

 are very rare of painters, who have turned 

 out volunteers into a gentleman's walk or 

 drive, either when made between artificial 

 banks, or when the natural sides or banks 

 have been improved. I shall endeavour 

 to examine whence it happens, that a 

 painter looks coldly on what is very gene- 

 rally admired, and discovers a thousand 

 c 4 



