66 SPRINGS, RIVERS, CANALS, LAKES, 



was ended, the operations for opening the emissary commenced 

 and the emperor \vas very near being swept away and drowned by 

 the sudden rushing of the waters towards this vent. Howeve r 

 either through the ignorance or negligence of the engineers, the 

 work did not 'answer as was expected, and Claudius did not live long 

 enough to have the faults amended : Nero abandoned the scheme 

 through envy. Hadrian is said to have let off the waters of the 

 Fucinus, but none now escape except through hidden channels 

 formed by nature, which are probaWy subject to be obstructed, 

 and thus occasion a superabundance of water in the lake, till some 

 unknown cause removes the obstructions, and again gives free 

 passage. As three considerable streams fall into the lake, the least 

 obstacle to a discharge must raise the level. 



7. Rivers Anio and Liganthin ; tke celebrated Cascade of the 

 former, and the surrounding Scenery. 



THE general features of this interesting and classical tract of 

 country, are so elegantly delineated in the following letter, written 

 on the spot, that we shall make no apology for inserting it, though 

 in a few places it may be thought, perhaps, slightly to digress from 

 the immediate subject before us. 



Rome, May 15, 1705. 



I have been detained (as you will perceive by the date of this 

 letter) much longer than I expected on my excursion to the Villa of 

 Horace. This was chiefly owing to the weather, which was by no 

 means Italian But the number of pleasing scenes, and interesting 

 objects, that occur at every step of this little tour, to one who is 

 fond of either classical antiquities, natural history, or landscape, 

 infinitely overpaid me for this trifling mortification. 



The road lies through Tivoli, which is at the distance of about 

 eighteen miles from Rome : a place of which Horace speaks so 

 often and so affectionately under the name of Tibur. 



May Tybur. founded by the Argive Chief, 



Be my rstreat in age ; there may I rest 



At last, o'erspent with travland with war. 



Ode 4. Book 2. 



