All water is either running or stagnant. Lakes, ponds, and pools, are of the former class ; rivers, rivulets, and rills, of the ratter description. In certain situations, lakes may be created where their supply is moderate ; rivers and rills only when. it is abundant. Both characters, when they ex ist in nature, may be improved by studying the natural cha racteristics of each species.
The first consideration respecting water, in whatever form it may appear, is its situation relatively to the charac ter of the ground's surface. No situation in which this material may be supposed to exist and expand itself into a body, can he truly natural, that is not to be considered as a vale, flat, or hollow. Mountain streams are out of the question ; and small lakes or pools, in hollows or elevated grounds, are more to be considered as accidental than as general nature. Even artificial lakes or rivers, on a con siderable scale, to be. natural, must either be, or seem to be, situated in the lowest part of the landscape then under • the eyp. If otherwise, if placed on the side of a declivity over which the eye can range at the same time, it may be attractive to a stranger at first view ; but the want of truth or fidelity to the thing to be imitated, will soon bring on an increasing aversion in the mind of genuine taste.
Ponds, in different levels seen in the same view, are very objectionable on this principle. The little beauty they dis play as spots ill compensates for the want of propriety ; and the leading idea which they suggest, is a question be tween their present situation and their non-existence. The choice, therefore, as to the situation of water, must ever depend more on natural circumstances than proximity to the mansion. Is then all water to be excluded, that is not in the lower grounds ? We have no hesitation in answering. this question in the affirmative, so far as respects the prin cipal views, and when a lower level than that in which the water is proposed to be placed is seen in the same view. But in respect to recluse scenes, which Addison compares to episodes to the general design, we would admit, and even copy these ponds on the sides or even tops of hills, which we have designated as accidental beauties of na ture.
? beautiful lake, or part of a circuitous body of water, considered as a whole, will be found to exhibit a form, cha racterized by breadth rather than length ; by that degree of regularity in its outline as a whole, which confers that, which, in common language, is called shape ; and by that irregularity in the parts of this outline, which produces va riety and intricacy. Supposing the situation to be fixed on for the imitation of a lake, the artist is to consider the broadest and most circuitous hollow as his principal mass or breadth of water, and which he will extend or diminish.
according to the extent of aquatic views the place may re quire. From this he may continue a chain of connected masses of water, or lakes of diffarent magnitudes and shapes. in part suggested by the character of the ground, in part by the facilities of planting near them, and in part by his own views of propriety ard beauty. The outline of the plan of the lake is to be varied by the contrasted posi tion of bays, inlets, and smaller indentations, on the same principles which we suggested for varying a mass of wood. To the irregularity of outlines so produced, islands and airs may be added, on the same principle and for ob jects as thickets and groups. This will complete the cha racter and beauty of the plan of the water ; but the grand effect of this element in landscape depends on wood as its accompaniment. The variety and intricacy of outline, the rc flection of forms and colours, the shady recesses and flick ering lines of light, all depend on trees. These are not to be sparingly or indiscriminately scattered around the mar gin, bitt liberally in some places, for the sake of a contrast ed mass of grateful colour or shade, to relieve the brillian cy of the water ; and with discrimination every where to mark the beauties, and heighten the variety of the outline, without destroying breadth of effect, or a whole, either as respects the water alone, or the entire residence.
The marginal banks of water are next to be considered.
In nature, they are tame or bold, gravelly or sedgy, stony or rocky, according to the character of the surrounding ground. Art, therefore, must imitate each in its proper place, not always by a studious picturesque arrangement of the marginal accompaniments in each case, but by exca vating the ground-work, planting the trees and shrubs, and leaving the rest to the motion of the waves of the water. After the effects of one winter, stones or gravel may be de posited in spots suitable for stony or gravelly shores. But to enter into this, and many other circumstances in the imi tation of lakes, would exceed the proper limits. \Ve add two cautions. The first is, in all cases of the beautiful pic turesque, so to arrange by puddling and under-draining, that a marshy appearance may not surround the lake ; and that rushes, and such aquatic plants, may not extend far ther than a few feet or yards from the margin of the water. The other respects islands, which are the greatest orna ments to lakes. But that island which is placed in the centre, or in any situation where it does not connect with other islands, or with the shore, so as to form part of a prominence or recess, is injurious to the effect of the whole inversely as its beauty, when properly placed.