ON WATER. 



159 



under the woody base of the high mound in 

 the neighbourhood, and been lost in a deep 

 recess of overhanging trees.* 



The decoration of water will depend much 

 upon the general description of the scenery 

 around it. If that be of the wild character 

 of nature, the accompaniments of the river or 

 lake should partake of the roughness of that- 

 character. Broken banks, as though indented 

 by the action of the water, and roots of trees 

 bared by the same operation, with their 

 stems occasionally slanting athwart the stream, 

 will unite the river, with corresponding 

 boldness, to the scenery around. But if the 

 water reposes in the smoother lap of nature, 

 its decorations should be adapted to the 

 tranquillity of the scene. Decoration, how- 

 ever, it must have, as an uniform bank or 

 shore will never assimilate the artificial river 

 or lake to their prototypes in nature's works. 

 The banks of the river, though not so boldly 



trasted as in the wilder scene, will still 

 admit of considerable variety in their decora- 

 tion. The smooth grassy bank, sliding almost 

 imperceptibly into the water, will be relieved 



* I speak of the water as it was when first made ; it may 

 have been improved. 



