of gardening among the Ancients. 313 
circumflance, owing probably, to its proxi¬ 
mity to the Appennine mountains, fitted it 
for a fummer refidence. It was placed in the 
mid ft of a vaft natural amphitheatre, furrounded 
with hills crowned with lofty and venerable 
woods: Small rifing grounds of great fertility 
here and there occurred, which were planted on 
their fides with vines, and furrounded with 
fhrubs and under-wood. The lower grounds 
were full of flowers and plants, always green 
and flourifhing, and, probably, on account of 
the difference of temperature of the fituation, 
varying from thofe of the furrounding country. 
What added to the beauty of this fcene was, 
that it was plentifully watered by many rivulets 
from the adjacent hills, which the coolnefs of 
the fituation prevented being dried up by the 
fummer heats. No marfby places were, how¬ 
ever, to be found, but the whole of the fuper- 
abundant moifture was carried off into the 
Tyber, which ran through the middle of the 
profpeft, and completed the beauty of the fcene, 
noc only as a piece of water, but alfo, as a navi¬ 
gable river. The Villa of Pliny was fituated 
upon one of thofe rifing grounds before men¬ 
tioned, and enjoyed a diftant and varied profpecl j 
though the afcent to the place on which it flood 
was fo gradual, as fcarcely to be lenfible to thofe 
who went up to it. 
After 
