196 THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



which is a gallery of curiosities, and underneath a spacious 

 dining-room, where the roaring of the sea, even in a storm, is 

 heard but faintly; it looks upon the garden and the gestatio 

 which surrounds the garden. The gestatio is encompassed with a 

 box-tree hedge, and, where that is decayed, with rosemary; for 

 the box, in those parts which are sheltered by the buildings,_ pre- 

 serves its verdure perfectly well ; but where, by an open situation, 

 it lies exposed to the spray of the sea, though at a great distance, 

 it entirely withers. 



" Between the garden and this gestatio runs a shady plantation 

 of vines, the alley of which is so soft that you may walk bare- 

 foot upon it without any injury. The garden is chiefly planted 

 with fig and mulberry trees, to which this soil is as favorable as 

 it is averse to all others. In this place is a banqueting-room, 

 which, though it stands remote from the sea, enjoys a prospect 

 nothing inferior to that view : two apartments run around the 

 back part of it, the windows whereof look upon the entrance of 

 the villa, and into a very pleasant kitchen garden. Hence an in- 

 closed portico extends, which by its great length you might sup- 

 pose erected for the use of the public. It has a range of windows 

 on each side, but on that which looks toward the sea they are 

 double the number of those next the garden. When the weather 

 is fair and serene, these are all thrown open ; but if it blows, those 

 on the side the wind sets are shut, while the others remain un- 

 closed without any inconvenience. 



" Before this portico lies a terrace, perfumed with violets, and 

 warmed by the reflection of the sun from the portico, which, as it 

 retains the rays, so it keeps off the northeast wind ; and it is as 

 warm on this side as it is cool on the opposite ; in the same manner 

 it proves a defense against the southwest ; and thus, in short, by 

 means of its several sides, breaks the force of the winds from 

 whatsoever point they blow. These are some of its winter advan- 

 tages : they are still more considerable in summer ; for at that 

 season it throws a shade upon the terrace during all the forenoon, 

 as it defends the gestatio, and that part of the garden which lies 

 contiguous to it, from the afternoon sun, and casts a greater or 

 less shade, as the day either increases or decreases ; but the por- 

 tico itself is then coolest when the sun is most scorching that is, 

 when its rays fall directly upon the roof. To these, its benefits, I 

 must not forget to add that, by setting open the windows, the 

 western breezes have a free draught, and by that means the in- 

 closed air is prevented from stagnating. On the upper end of 

 the terrace and portico stands a detached building in the garden, 

 which I call my favorite ; and indeed it is particularly so, having 

 erected it myself. It contains a very warm winter room, one side 

 of which looks upon the terrace, the other has a view of the sea, 



