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Book, Observations, Relative Chiefly to Picturesque Beauty, Made
in the Year 1772, on Several Parts of England, Particularly the
Mountains, and Lakes of Cumberland Westmoreland, by Rev William
Gilpin, 1772-74; published 1786-1808.
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vol.1 p.109 "..."
"The cascade, which is the next object of our observation, may be divided into the broken, and the regular fall."
"The first belongs most properly to the rock; whose projecting fragments, impeding the water, break it into pieces - dash it into foam - and give it all the spirit, and agitation, which this active element is capable of receiving.- Happy is the pencil, which can seize the varieties, and brilliancy of water under this circumstance."
"The regular fall of water meets no obstruction; but pours down, from the higher grounds to the lower, in one splendid sheet."
"Each kind hath it's beauties; but, in general, the broken fall is more adapted to a small"
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vol.1 p.110 "body of water; and the regular to a large one. The small body of water has nothing to recommend it, but it's variety and bustle: whereas the large body has a dignity of character to maintain. To fritter it in pieces would be to destroy in a degree the grandeur of it's effect. Were the Niagara thus broken, at least if some considerable parts of it were not left broad and sheety, it might be a grand scene of confusion; but it could be that vast, that uniform, and simple object, which is most capable of expressing the idea of greatness."
"As there are few considerable rivers in the romantic country, we are now examining, the most beautiful cascades, (which are innumerable) are generally of the broken kind. The regular falls (of which also there are many) are objects of little value. Those they are sometimes four or five hundred feet in height; yet they appear only like threads of silver at a distance; and like mere spouts at hand; void both of grandeur, and variety.- And yet, in heavy rains, some of them must be very noble, if we may judge from their channels, which often shew great marks of violence.- But I was never fortunate enough to see any of them in these moments of wildness."
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vol.1 p.111 "These two kinds of cascades, the broken, and the regular, may be combined. If the weight of water be small, it is true, it will admit only of the broken fall; but if it be large, it may with propriety admit a combination of both: and these combinations may be multiplied into each other with endless variety."
"The regular fall admits also another mode of variety by forming itself into what may be called the successive fall; in which the water, instead of making one continued shoot, falls through a succession of different stories. Of this kind are many of the mountain-cascades in this country, which are often very beautiful; especially where the stages are deranged; and the water seeks it's way from one stage to another."
"This is the species of cascade, which was the great object of imitation in all the antiquated water-works of the last age. Our forefathers admired the successive fall; and, agreeably to their awkward mode of imitation, made the water descend a regular flight of stone-stairs."
"Before we conclude the subject of cascades, it may be observed, that, as in other
objects of beauty, so in this, proportion must be a"
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vol.1 p.112 "regulating principle. I shall not be so precise as to say, what is the exact proportion of any elegant cascade. Nor is it necessary. The eye will easily see the enormity of disproportion, where it exists in any great degree: and that is enough. Thus when a mountain-cascade falls four or five hundred feet, and is perhaps scarce two yards broad; every eye must see the disproportion: as it will also, when the whole of some large river falls only two or three feet. Both would be more beautiful, if their falls held a nearer proportion to their quantities of water."
"..."
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references:-
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Blair, Don: 2002: Exploring Lakeland Waterfalls: Lakeland Manor Press (Keswick, Cumbria)::
ISBN 0 9543904 0 7
Fellows, Griff J: 2003: Waterfalls of England: Sigma Leaisure (Wilmsloe, Cheshire)::
ISBN 1 85058 767 1; upland England, useful gazetteer for The Lakes
Welsh, Mary &Hindmarsh, Joy (illus): 1985: Naturalist's Guide to Lakeland Waterfalls
throughout the Year: Westmorland Gazette (Kendal, Cumbria):: ISBN 0 902272 61 6
Welsh, Mary &Macaulay, David (illus): 1987: Second Naturalist's Guide to Lakeland
Waterfalls throughout the Year: Westmorland Gazette (Kendal, Cumbria):: ISBN 0 90227265
9
Welsh, Mary &Macaulay, David (illus): 1987: Third Naturalist's Guide to Lakeland Waterfalls
throughout the Year: Westmorland Gazette (Kendal, Cumbria):: ISBN 0 902272 73 X
Welsh, Mary &Macaulay, David (illus): 1989: Fourth Naturalist's Guide to Lakeland
Waterfalls throughout the Year: Westmorland Gazette (Kendal, Cumbria):: ISBN 0 902272
80 2
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