FRANCIS BACON 71 



Flies and Frogs. Fountains I intend to be of two Natures : the 

 one that sprinkleth or spouteth Water, the other a fair Receipt of 

 Water, of some thirty or forty foot square, but without Fish, or 

 Slime, or Mud. For the first, the Ornaments of Images Gilt, or 

 of Marble, which are in use, do well ; but the main matter is, so 

 to convey the Water, as it never stay, either in the Bowls, or in 

 the Cistern, that the Water be never by rest discoloured, Green, 

 or Red, or the like; or gather any Mossiness or Putrefaction. 

 Besides that, it is to be cleansed every day by the hand; also 

 some steps up to it, and some Fine Pavement about it, doth well. 

 As for the other kind of Fountain, which we may call a Bathing 

 Pool, it may admit much Curiosity and Beauty, wherewith we will 

 not trouble ourselves, as, that the Bottom be finely paved, and 

 with Images, the Sides likewise; and withal Embellished with 

 coloured Glass, and such things of Lustre; Encompassed also 

 with fine Rails of low Statua's. But the main point is the same, 

 which we mentioned in the former kind of Fountain, which is, 

 that the Water be in perpetual Motion, fed by a Water higher 

 than the Pool, and delivered into it by fair Spouts, and then 

 discharged away under Ground by some Equality of Bores, that 

 it stay little. And for fine Devices, of Arching Water with- 

 out spilling, and making it rise in Several forms (of Feathers, 

 Drinking Glasses, Canopies, and the like) they be pretty things 

 to look on, but nothing to Health and Sweetness. 



For the Heath, which was the third part of our Plot, I wish it 

 to be framed, as much as may be, to a Natural Wildness. Trees 

 I would have none in it, but some Thickets, made only of Sweet- 

 Briar and Honey-suckle, and some Wild-Vine amongst ; and the 

 Ground set with Violets, Strawberries and Primroses : for these 

 are Sweet, and prosper in the Shade. And these to be in the 

 Heath, here and there, not in any Order. I like also little 

 Heaps, in the Nature of Mole-Hills (such as are in Wild-Heaths) 

 to be set, some with Wild-Thyme, some with Pinks, some with 

 Germander, that gives a good Flower to the Eye ; some with 

 Periwinkle, some with Violets, some with Strawberries, some with 

 Cowslips, some with Daisies, some with Red-Roses, some with 



