Few persons have seen the formal cascade at THORESBY in front of the house, and heard its solemn roar, without wishing to retain a feature which would be one of the most interesting scenes in nature, if it could be divested of its disgusting and artificial formality; but this can only be effected by an equally violent, though less apparent, interference of art; because, without absolutely copying any particular scene in Nature, we must endeavour to imitate the causes by which she produces her effects, and the effects will be natural. The general cause of a natural lake, or expanse of water, is an obstruction to the current of a stream by some ledge or stratum of rock which it cannot penetrate; but as soon as the water has risen to the surface of this rock, it tumbles over with great fury, wearing itself a channel among the craggy fragments, and generally forming an ample basin at its foot. Such is the scenery we must attempt to imitate at THORESBY *.
*[No drawing is inserted of this cascade, because the whole has been so well executed, that the best reference is to the spot itself, which will, I trust, long continue to prove my art "above the pencil's power to imitate." In forming this cascade, huge masses of rock were brought from the crags of Creswell, one, in particular, of many tons weight, with a large tree growing in its fissures; the water has been so conducted by concealed leaden pipes, that in some places it appears to have forced its way through the ledges of the rocks.]
[Thoresby Park, Nottinghamshire, belonged to Lord Viscount Newark]
