316 



ance ; yet in such a situation, and towards 

 the close of day, a cheering one. There is 

 however one kind of scenery by which the 

 expression may be still more naturally 

 suggested ; and I can easily Conceive that 

 on seeing a piece of made water in its 

 usual naked state, any person might be 

 struck with the uniform whiteness of the 

 water itself, and the uniform greenness, 

 and exact level of its banks, or rather its 

 border; the idea of linen spread upon 

 grass might thence very naturally occur to 

 him, which in civil lammaoe he would ex- 

 press by a fine sheet of water. This has 

 always been meant and taken as a flatter- 

 ing expression, though nothing can more 

 pointedly describe the defects of such a 

 scene ; for had there been any variety in 

 the banks, with deep shades, brilliant lights, 

 and reflections, the idea of a sheet would 

 hardly have suggested itself, or if it had, 

 he who made such a comparison would 

 have made a very bad one, 



" And liken'd things that are not like at all." 



