'/'///<; (;.iKi)i<:\s or ITALY. 



187 



CHAPTER XVII. 

 THE TIVOLI FALLS, THE VILLA D'ESTE AND HADRIAN'S VILLA. 



NO illustration can convey the effect of the clouds of vapour floating away from the 

 falling streams of water, as they descend to immense depths down rocks sheer as a 

 wall and clothed in sombre vegetation. The sun's rays transform the white wreaths 

 with marvellous rainbow colour effects green, purple, blue and orange, vivid in 

 contrast with the darker hues of the foliage around. The old Roman temple, that dates from the 

 last days of the Republic, is built in golden brown tufa on a high, rocky base that gives proportion 

 and grace to its sturdy structure. Gracefully ringed with solid-looking columns, it is a veritable 

 triumph of architecture. The bare surrounding hills dotted with trees reach up to a sky of 

 clearest blue. The vivid wallflower lodging in the cranny is Nature's point of extreme colour 

 in a picture that contains every element of charm. Suffused with impalpable moisture, the 

 clear freshness of the mountain air produces a curious sensation of cold that mitigates the growing 

 \\urmth and brilliance of the sunshine. In this landscape the creamy grey walls and brown 

 roofs, spotted with golden lichen, of the Italian villa architecture are as right as the stronger 

 hues of English cottages on the Surrey hills. Slender campanilli and the more solid, raised 



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1 93. THE FALLS OF THE TIVOLI AND VESTA 'S TEMPLE. 



