311 



c%cting the efforts of nature, can create 

 and preserve perfect monotony in the 

 banks of water. 



An imitation of the most striking va- 

 rieties of nature, so skilfully arranged as 

 to pass for nature herself, would certainly 

 be acknowledged as the highest attainment 

 of art; for however fond of art, and even of 

 the appearance of it some improvers seem 

 to be, if a stranger were to mistake one of 

 their pieces of made water for the Thames, 

 such an error I imagine would not only be 

 forgiven, but, notwithstanding Mr. Brown's 

 modest apostrophe to that river,* consider- 

 ed as the highest compliment. Yet, strange 

 as it must appear, no one seems to have 

 thought of copying those circumstances 

 which might occasion so flattering a decep- 

 tion : if it were proposed to any of these pro- 

 fessors to makean artificial river without re- 



* "Thames! Thames! Thou wilt never forgive me." 

 — A well known exclamation of Mr. Brown, when he 

 was looking with rapture and exultation at one of his own 

 canals. 



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