CATARACTS, AND INUNDATIONS 239 



latter to the Emperor. These two islands have been compared to 

 two pyramids of sweetmeats, adorned with green festoons and 

 flowers. At one end of the garden of the Isola Bella are ten ter- 

 races, the perpendicular height of which, taken together, says 

 Kevsler, is sixty elis above the height of the water, each ell con- 

 sisting of three spans. These terraces decrease proportionally in 

 their circuit as they rise toward the top of the hill, where an oblong 

 area, paved with fine stone, and surrounded with a ballustrade, 

 affords a most delightful prospect. It is in length from forty-five to 

 fifty common paces, and on every side stands a range of marble 

 statues of a gigantic size. The rain-water runs into cisterns under- 

 neath, to which also other water is conveyed in order to supply the 

 water-works. Round every terrace is a pleasant walk, and at the 

 four angles are large statues and pyramids placed alternately. The 

 walls from the bottom to the top are covered wilh laurel hedges., 

 and espaliers of orange, lemon, peach-trees, &c. The laurels 

 stand in the open air during the whole winter; but the lemon and 

 orange-trees are sheltered over with a covering of boards, and 

 in sharp weather cherished with heat, from fires provided for that 

 purpose, at a great expense. -The annual charges of this Borromean 

 paradise amount to forty thousand Piedmontese livres. But to raise 

 so noble a superstructure upon such a foundation, and to bring these 

 islands to their present incomparable beauty and magnificence, 

 seems an undertaking beyond even the revenv? of a prince to ac- 

 complish. The Isola Bella was, somewhat more than a century 

 ago, only a barren rock, to which every basket of earth, and what- 

 ever is found there, must have been brought by boats at a prodi- 

 gious expense. 



The garden of Isola Bella has a south aspect, and at the two 

 angles of its front are two round towers, in which are very lofty 

 apartments, adorned with red and black marble. Here is also a 

 covered gallery, supported by stone columns, and shaded with 

 lemon trees. On the other side, that is, toward the east, is a de- 

 lightful walk of large orange-trees, disposed in four or five rows. 

 At a small distance is a fine grove of olives, with narrow walks, 

 and a cascade that falls down above twenty steps. Heie is also a 

 plantation of large pomegranate-trees. T-se lake comes up so 

 close both to the palace and gardens, as scarcely i > leave so much 

 dry ground as to set one's foot upon, eKcept a suall space before 

 the north front of the palace, which w<u a fine prospect towards 



