TREATMENT OF WATER. 
325 
correct ideas of the way in which an artificial lake ought to 
be formed. 
Let him go still farther now, in imagination, and suppose 
the banks of this natural lake, without being otherwise 
altered, entirely denuded of grass, shrubs, trees, and verdure 
of every description, remaining characterized only by their 
original form and outline ; this will give him a more com- 
plete view of the method in which his labours must com- 
mence; fox uncouth and apparently mis-shapen as those 
banks are and must be, when raw and unclothed, to exhibit 
all their variety and play of light and shadow when ver- 
dant and complete, so also must the original form of the 
banks and margin of the piece of artificial water, in order 
finally to assume the beautiful or picturesque, be made to 
assume outlines equally rough and harsh in their raw and 
incomplete state. 
It occasionally happens, though rarely, that around the 
hollow or valley where it is proposed to form the piece of 
water, the ground rises in such irregular form, and is so un- 
dulating, receding, and projecting in various parts, that 
when the water is dammed up by the head below, the natu- 
ral outline formed by the banks already existing, is suffi- 
ciently varied, to produce a pleasing effect without much 
further preparatory labour. This, when it occurs, is ex- 
ceedingly fortunate ; but the examples are so unfrequent, 
that we must here make our suggestions upon a different 
supposition* 
When, therefore, it is found that the form of the intended 
lake would not be such as is desirable, it must be made so 
by digging. In order to do this with any exactness, the 
improver should take his stand at that part of the ground 
where the dam or head is to be formed, and raising his 
