(Barren 



many months, for several years, on the account 

 of his health, the air being esteemed one of the 

 best in Italy. All the offices and conveniences 

 are suitably magnificent, but that is nothing in 

 regard to the beauties without doors. It is 

 seated in that part of the lake which forms an 

 amphitheatre, at the foot of a mountain near 

 three miles high, covered with a wood of orange, 

 lemon, citron, and pomegranate trees, which is 

 all cut into walks, and divided into terraces, 

 that you may go into a several garden from 

 every floor in the house, diversified with foun- 

 tains, cascades, and statues, and joined by 

 easy marble staircases, which lead from one to 

 another. There are many covered walks, where 

 you are secure from the sun in the hottest part 

 of the day, by the shade of the orange trees, 

 which are so loaded with fruit you can hardly 

 have any notion of their beauty without seeing 

 them : they are as large as lime trees in Eng- 

 land. You will think I say a great deal : I will 

 assure you I say far short of what I see, and 

 you must turn to the fairy tales to give any idea 

 of the real charms of this enchanting palace, 

 for so it may justly be called. The variety of 

 the prospects, the natural beauties, and the im- 

 provements by art, where no cost has been 

 spared to perfect it, render it the most complete 

 habitation I know in Europe. While the poor 

 present master of it (to whose ancestor the 



