treatment of water. 
329 
merit. A piece of water which is long and comparatively 
narrow, appears extremely different in opposite points of 
view ; if seen lengthwise, from either extremity, its apparent 
breadth and extent is much increased ; while, if the spectator 
be placed on one side and look across, it will seem narrow 
and insignificant. Now, although the form of an artificial 
lake of moderate size should never be much less in breadth 
than in length, yet the contrary is sometimes unavoidably 
the case ; and being so, we should by all means avail our- 
selves of those well known laws in perspective, which will 
place them in the best possible position, relative to the 
spectator. 
If the improver desire to render his banks still more pictu- 
resque, resembling the choicest morceaux of natural banks, 
he should go a step farther in arranging his materials before 
he introduces the water, or clothes the margin with vegetation. 
In analyzing the finest portions of natural banks, it will 
be observed that their peculiar characteristics often depend 
on other objects, besides the mere ground of the surrounding 
banks, and the trees and verdure with which they are clothed. 
These are, rocks of various size, forms, and colours, often pro- 
jecting out of, or holding up the bank in various places ; stones 
sometimes imbedded in the soil, sometimes lying loosely 
along the shore ; and lastly, old stumps of trees with gnarled 
roots whose decaying hues are often extremely mellow and 
agreeable to the eye. All these have much to do with the 
expression of a truly picturesque bank, and cannot be exclu- 
ded or taken away from it without detracting largely from 
its character. There is no reason, therefore, in an imitation 
of nature, why we should not make use of all her materials 
to produce a similar effect ; and although in the raw and 
rude state of the banks at first, they may have a singular and 
42 
