Gilpin, from Observations on the River Wye

         William Gilpin was a writer who helped to convey the philosophy of the views he saw in his travels in the world, in a verbose, or wordy but very descriptive, picturesque and descriptive way. This descriptions, or explanations of all that he saw in his travels were probably meant to make the reader feel motivated to go and see these sights for themselves or feel as if they had already seen the sights by the shear length and depth of Gilpin's observations.

          Interestingly, Gilpin was a clergyman and a teacher, so his descriptions could have showed and described a belief in the majesty and holiness, or spirituality of the universe as created by god. However, that is not really the case at all as William Gilpin instead is very concrete and sometimes quite harsh in his descriptions and depictions. Although he is credited with the creation of the concept of "picturesque" writing, he is almost like a painter in the way he describes nature and mankind’s architectural creations in the world.

          His type of writing was one which was meant to depict, almost a travelogue for the reader. He overviews the scene he sees and describes it like a painting with a dark foreground, a bright middle, and a concept of the less observable, less distinct distance. He takes great time to also describe the imperfect or somewhat ruined castle in the distance in this piece on "The River Why".....Gilpin likes the "imperfect" or aspects of the whole scene which are out of harmony, or flawed. He is analytical in his artist like "critique" of the scene. It is obvious he is also trained as a painter or schooled in art criticism. He talks about the "castle" as "bold and defiant" suggesting that castles were created that way because they were meant to be intimidating, to thwart wars and keep other military actions against the kingdoms squashed. Gilpin than goes on to discuss the more hidden abbey, and how it is hidden on a valley, for the purpose of meditation and therefore can be out of sight and more discrete. Maybe it's tranquility would cause monks to be drawn to the abbey , in contrast to the warlike imposing castle. Gilpin loves the lack of harmony of the ruins he finds, and likes the irregular lines. He, in fact complains about the parts of this scene of the tower where the "buttresses" still stand with complete "regularity"and he states he would like to "hit and break it with a mallet" which is very unusual for a tourist describing a scene on their travels as opposed to an artist who in a criticism of a painting might very well give ideas of how to make the painting of a landscape more appealing to a viewers "eye". This is the philosophy of "the Picturesque" writer who wants his writings to seem like a painting an observer may want to go view which might motivate someone to take in the sights William Gilpin just viewed.