f lakes, instead of
being filled with one. The vales in North Wales, as hath been observed,
are not formed for the reception of lakes; those of Switzerland,
Scotland, and this part of the North of England, _are_ so formed; but,
in Switzerland and Scotland, the proportion of diffused water is often
too great, as at the lake of Geneva for instance, and in most of the
Scotch lakes. No doubt it sounds magnificent and flatters the
imagination, to hear at a distance of expanses of water so many leagues
in length and miles in width; and such ample room may be delightful to
the fresh-water sailor, scudding with a lively breeze amid the
rapidly-shifting scenery. But, who ever travelled along the banks of
Loch-Lomond, variegated as the lower part is by islands, without feeling
that a speedier termination of the long vista of blank water would be
acceptable; and without wishing for an interposition of green meadows,
trees, and cottages, and a sparkling stream to run by his side? In fact,
a notion, of grandeur, as connected with magnitude, has seduced persons
of taste into a general mistake upon this subject. It is much more
desirable, for the purposes of pleasure, that lakes should be numerous,
and small or middle-sized, than large, not only for communication by
walks and rides, but for variety, and for recurrence of similar
appearances. To illustrate this by one instance:--how pleasing is it
to have a ready and frequent opportunity of watching, at the outlet of a
lake, the stream pushing its way among the rocks in lively contrast with
the stillness from which it has escaped; and how amusing to compare its
noisy and turbulent motions with the gentle playfulness of the breezes,
that may be starting up or wandering here and there over the
faintly-rippled surface of the broad water! I may add, as a general
remark, that, in lakes of great width, the shores cannot be distinctly
seen at the same time, and therefore contribute little to mutual
illustration and ornament; and, if the opposite shores are out of sight
of each other, like those of the American and Asiatic lakes, then
unfortunately the traveller is reminded of a nobler object; he has the
blankness of a sea-prospect without the grandeur and accompanying sense
of power.

As the comparatively small size of the lakes in the North of England is
favourable to the production of variegated landscape, their
_boundary-line_ also is for the most part gracefully or boldly indented.
That