2? 4 



the scene, should not in any striking de* 

 gree outweigh the other ; and this is a very 

 material point in the art of painting. If in 

 a picture, the one half were to be light and 

 airy both in the forms and in the tints, and 

 the other half one black heavy lamp, the 

 most ignorant person would probably be 

 displeased, though he might not know 

 upon what principle, with the want of ba- 

 lance, and of harmony; for those harsh dis- 

 cordant forms and colours, not only act 

 more forcibly from being brought together 

 within a small compass, but also, because 

 in painting they are not authorized by 

 fashion, or rendered familiar by custom. 



One principal cause of the extreme heavi- 

 ness of fir plantations is their closeness. 

 A planter very naturally wishes to produce 

 some appearance of wood as soon as pos- 

 sible ; he therefore sets his trees very near 

 together, and so they generally remain, 

 for he has seldom the resolution to thin 

 them sufficiently : they are consequently 

 all drawn up together nearly to the same 

 height; and as their heads touch each 



