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very handsbfrie, or very ugly ; in gauze and 

 feathers, or in rags. Again, if we speak 

 of a picturesque scene or building, it is 

 equally uncertain whether it be of a hollow 

 lane, a heathy common, an old mill or 

 hovel, or, on the other hand, a scene of 

 rocks and mountains, or the ruin of some 

 ancient castle or temple. We can, indeed, 

 explain what we mean by a few more 

 words ; but whatever enables us to convey 

 6ur ideas with greater precision and facility, 

 must be a real improvement to language. 

 The Italians do mark the union of beauty 

 with greatness of size or character, whether 

 in a picture or any other object, by calling 

 it, una graw-bella cosa; I do not mean to 

 say that the term is always very accurately 

 applied, but it shews a strong tendency to 

 such a distinction. But in English, were 

 we to add any part of the word picturesque 

 to handsome, or ugly, or grand, though 

 such composed words would hardly be more 

 uncouth than many which are received 

 into the language, they would be suffici- 

 ently so, to place a very formidable barrier 



