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distinct lump, while it disgusts the eye, 

 has a fascinating power of fixing it on its 

 own deformity. This is precisely the effect 

 of clumps : the beauty or grandeur of the 

 surrounding parts only serve to make them 

 more horribly conspicuous; and the dark 

 tint of the Scotch fir, of which they are 

 generally composed, as it separates them 

 by colour, as well as by form, from, every 

 other object, adds the last finish. 



But even large plantations of firs,, when 

 they are not the natural and the prevailing 

 trees of the country, have a harsh and 

 heavy look, from their not harmonizing 

 with the rest of the landscape ; and this is 

 particularly the case, when, as it sometimes 

 happens, one side of a valley is planted 

 s,olely with firs, the other with deciduous 

 trees. The common expressions of a heavy 

 colour, or a heavy form, shew that the eye 

 feels an impression from objects analogous 

 to that of weight : thence arises the ne- 

 cessity of preserving what may be cailed a 

 proper balance, so that the quantity of 

 dark colour on one side, or in one part of 



vol. i. t 



