TREATMENT OF WATER. 
303 
height of the head and consequent depth of water deter- 
mined upon, is the proposed form or outline of the whole 
And, as we have already rejected all regular and geometric 
forms, in scenes where either natural or picturesque beauty 
is supposed to predominate, we must turn our attention to 
examples for imitation in another direction. 
If, then, the improver will recur to the most beautiful 
small natural lake within his reach, he will have a subject 
to study and an example to copy well worthy of imitation. 
If he examine minutely and carefully such a body of water, 
with all its accompaniments, he will find that it is not only 
delightfully wooded and overshadowed by a variety of 
vegetation of all heights, from the low sedge that grows 
on its margin, to the tall tree that bends its branches over 
its limpid wave ; but he will also perceive a striking pecu- 
liarity in its irregular outline. This, he will observe, is 
neither round, square, oblong, nor any modification of these 
regular figures, but full of bays and projections, sinuosities, 
and recesses of various forms and sizes, sometimes bold, 
and reaching a considerable way out into the body of the 
lake, at others, smaller and more varied in shape and con- 
nexion. In the heights of the banks, too, he will probably 
observe considerable variety. At some places, the shore 
will steal gently and gradually away from the level of the 
water, while at others it will rise suddenly and abruptly, in 
banks more or less steep, irregular, and rugged. Rocks and 
stones covered with mosses, will here and there jut out 
from the banks, or lie along the margin of the water, and 
the whole scene will be full of interest from the variety 
intricacy, and beauty of the various parts. If he will 
accurately note in his mind all these varied forms — their 
separate outlines, the way in which they blend into one 
