DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.18826#0174
122 ON PERSPECTIVE. [itCT. IV.
fays he, " feems to advance about a quarter of a
9 mile before us."
My auditory will readily perceive, that in order
to render this obfervation fenfible, and evident, I
have felected inftances more remarkable than our
temperate climate affords; but, fuffer me alfo to
add, that we are not without effects arifmg from
this caufe, which are more confiderable in fummer,
than in winter, and perhaps at the morning, than at
the evening, twilight.
To apply this to the fubject of our immediate
attention, I think I may venture to fay, not only
that we fee remoter objefts than, geometrically, we
ought to fee, but alfo, that objects fituated at fome
diftance from us, appear larger and more diflintt,
than their geometrical fituation would indicate.
Moreover, I cannot help thinking, that, in ftruc-
tures of very great extent, this principle has its
effect; and, that the remoter parts of fuch ftructures
are not always fo greatly diminifhed as geometry
would determine, or, as we fee them reprefented ;
for, if they were, fuch ranges of buildings as—the
palace of Perfepolis, or—as fome of the Italian
aqueducts, or—as even fome of our own ftreets,
would be nearly invifible at their further ends. Nei-
ther, in my opinion, are the diftances always fo
evanefcent; for, not only in dimenfions, but in
effect, the rules of geometry are occafionally evaded
by objects, as it does not always happen, that, their
force, decreafes according to their geometrical dif.
tances,
fays he, " feems to advance about a quarter of a
9 mile before us."
My auditory will readily perceive, that in order
to render this obfervation fenfible, and evident, I
have felected inftances more remarkable than our
temperate climate affords; but, fuffer me alfo to
add, that we are not without effects arifmg from
this caufe, which are more confiderable in fummer,
than in winter, and perhaps at the morning, than at
the evening, twilight.
To apply this to the fubject of our immediate
attention, I think I may venture to fay, not only
that we fee remoter objefts than, geometrically, we
ought to fee, but alfo, that objects fituated at fome
diftance from us, appear larger and more diflintt,
than their geometrical fituation would indicate.
Moreover, I cannot help thinking, that, in ftruc-
tures of very great extent, this principle has its
effect; and, that the remoter parts of fuch ftructures
are not always fo greatly diminifhed as geometry
would determine, or, as we fee them reprefented ;
for, if they were, fuch ranges of buildings as—the
palace of Perfepolis, or—as fome of the Italian
aqueducts, or—as even fome of our own ftreets,
would be nearly invifible at their further ends. Nei-
ther, in my opinion, are the diftances always fo
evanefcent; for, not only in dimenfions, but in
effect, the rules of geometry are occafionally evaded
by objects, as it does not always happen, that, their
force, decreafes according to their geometrical dif.
tances,