2o8 THE FORMAL GARDEN IN ENGLAND ix 



In many of Kip's views fountains of statuary 

 are shown. One of the largest was at Longleat. 

 Another famous fountain, that at Bolsover, is 

 still left, though in a mutilated state. It was 

 described by Pegge as consisting of an octagon 

 reservoir, 6 feet deep, in which stood the 

 fountain with engaged semicircular pedestals 

 carrying griffins. In the angle were satyrs, 

 sitting astride of eagles ; in the sides (of the 

 reservoir) were arched niches with busts 

 of eight of the Roman emperors, made of 

 alabaster. The centre-piece consisted of a 

 square rusticated pedestal carrying a circular 

 basin ; above this was a figure of Venus in 

 alabaster, standing on a pedestal with one foot 

 raised. This fountain was fed from a lead 

 cistern 20 feet square. The objection to 

 fountains on such an elaborate scale as this is 

 that they are very expensive to maintain, and 

 without a constant supply of water they soon 

 become squalid. The neglected fountains in 

 the groves at Versailles are most melancholy 

 to look upon. The fine marble curbs are 

 falling to pieces, and, where bright water should 

 be playing, weeds and grass are forcing their 

 way through the cracks of the broken pavement. 

 It is wiser to keep the fountain simple, and to 

 be content with a plain well-built basin of brick 

 or stone and some little figure in lead, as at 

 Melbourne. 



Sun-dials have always held an honoured place 



