Page:The Annual Register 1758.djvu/336

 322 ANNUAL REGISTER, 1758.

among thofe that border their are more removed from the eye of

lakes and rivers, being fo planted the fpeftator. Thefe difcoveries

2S to have its branches hanging have given rife to an artifice, which

over the water. They likewife theyfometimes put in praftice. It

introduce trunks of decayed trees, is the forming profpefts in per-

fomctimes ered, and at other times fpeftive, by introducing buildings,

lying on the ground, being very veflels, and other objefts, lefTened

nice about their forms, and the according as they are more diftant

colour of the bark and mofs on from the point of view; and that

them. tlie deception may be flill more

Various are the artifices they ftriking, they give a greyifh tinge

employ to furprize. Sometimes to the diftant parts of the compofi-

they lead you through dark caverns tion, and plant in the remoter parts

and gloomy pafiages, at the iffue of of thefe fcenes trees of a fainter co-

which you are, on a fudden, ftruck lour, and fmallcr growth, than

with the view of a delicious land- thofe that appear in the front, or

fcape, enriched with every thing fore-ground, by thefe means ren-

that luxuriant nature affords moft dering what in reality is trifling

beautiful. At other times you are and limited, great and confidera-

coodudled through avenues and ble in appearance, walks, that gradually diminifh and The Chinefe generally avoii

grow rugged, till the pafTage is ftraight lines ; yet they do not ab-

at length intirely intercepted and folutely rejeft them. They fome

rendered iraprafticable, by bu(hes, briars, and Hones ; when unex- pedledly a rich and extenfive pro- fpeft opens to view, fo much the more pleafine, as it was lefs looked for.

Another of their artifices is to

times make avenues, when they haveany interefting objeft tocxpofe to view. Roads they always make ftraight, unlefs the unevennefs of the ground, or other impediments, afford at leaft a pretext for doing otherwife. Where the ground is

hide fome part of acompofition by entirely level, they look upon ic

trees or other intermediate objedls, as an abfurdity to make a Terpentine

This naturally excites the curiofity road: for they fay, that it mufl

of the fpeftator to take a nearer either be made by art, or worn by

view; when he is furprifed by the confiant paffags of travellers;

fome unexpefted fcene, or fome in either of which cafes it is rot na-

reprefentation totally oppofite to tural to fuppofe men would chufe a

the thing he looked for. The crooked line, when they might go

termination- of their lakes they by a ftraight one. always hide, leaving room for the \Vhatwecallclump5,theChinefc

imagination to work ; and the fame gardeners are not unacquainted

rule they obferve in other compo- with; but they ufe them fomewhat

iitions wherever it can be put in pradice.

Though tH^ Chinefe are not well verfed in optics, yet experi- ence has taught them that objefts

more fparingly than we do. They never fill a whole piece of ground with clumps ; they confider a plan- tation as painters do a picture, and groupe their trees in the iame

appear lefs in fize, and grow dim manner as thefe do their figures, in colour, in proportion as they having