2 Imagine, instead of the smooth turf, uncouth rough ground, covered in sonic places with furze, briars, brain hles, and tangled thickets ; the water fringed with rushes, and partially concealed by aquatic shrubs ; and wild horses and deer forming the ahimated part of the scene. The ex pression would be eminently picturesque ; but there would also be an expression of wildness, not resulting from the picturesque qualities as such, but from mental reflection on the difference between this scene and one of cultivation.
3. Imagine the view deprived of the lake and the build ing, and consisting only of the wood and ground, with the heads of a straggling row of willow trees appearing in the middle distance, and the sound of a distant waterfall heard through the trees. Here 'to picturesque beauty we have an idea of water—of an immense body or it in the lake or river which supplies the waterfalL—and of the rocks, which oppose their powerful obstruction to a body of water. The reader will here remark, how much of the sublime beauty of this scene depends on sound, which can never be includ ed tinder picturesque beauty. The leading expression is that of sublimity, accompanied by various associations of dignity produced by the rocks, and of grandeur suggested by the stream, after the waters have renewed their tranquil course, and rolling, as we may imagine, majestically along under the shade of the line of willow trees.
Other examples of a more striking nature might be ad duced ; but these instances we consider sufficient to shew the difference between a composition merely picturesque, and one expressive of general or natural beauty, and to prove our position, that both poetry and painting enter into the principles of landscape gardening.
They will also shew, how very little the production of natural beauty is within the power of the landscape gar dener. He may display it to more advantage. In the first example of expression, for instance, the building, or such parts of it as more obviously show its real character, Might be displayed by the removal of some over obtruding branch es ; and in the second, a garden seat, and some garden trees, as the lime, elder, &c. might add to the idea of con secration to man. In the third, a corn field or a barn in the distance, would aid the effect by contrast ; and in the last, a bridge would determine the situation and reality of the river. But to attempt effecting these expressions by build ing a ruin, placing a garden seat in a paddock, or erecting a bridge where there was no water, would, hOwever common in the infancy of the art, be now justly considered ridicu lous.
But much more might be done in improving the pic turesque beauty of each of these scenes, provided the trees were already grown to maturity, and too numerous rather than too few ; but if these trees are yet to plant, it is evi dent that only the ground plans of the masses and groups of trees, and of the breadth of the lawn, could be formed by the artist. But in doing this, he will still be guided by the principles laid down. To illustrate the application of which, both in forming infant and improving mature scenes, is the business of our succeeding chapters.