62 Old Gardens of Italy 



Giardino del Cavaliere. This is a sort of giardino 

 segreto, laid out on the very summit of Michael 

 Angelo's ramparts, with symmetrical flower-beds 

 and a central fountain surmounted by a charming 

 figure of a child in marble. Bronze monkeys are 

 grouped round the lower ledge of the pedestal and 

 dip their toes in the basin. 



In the *Uccellaia, a wild part of the grounds not 

 far from the Belvedere, is a very beautiful fountain 

 of simple design surmounted by a figure of 

 Ganymede in white marble and with a carved 

 marble seat on either side. Vines are now grown 

 here, and the enclosure is kept locked. 



As few people now admire the exterior of Buon- 

 talenti's grotto, built to receive four unfinished 

 statues by Michael Angelo, many fail to penetrate 

 to the innermost recesses of it. Yet here stands a 

 lovely white marble fountain by Gian Bologna, with 

 a figure of Venus above, four satyrs crouching 

 under the basin, and a representation of rippling 

 water on the base. This was one of the famous 

 sculptor's early works, but did not satisfy him in 

 his later years. 



The obelisk in the centre of the amphitheatre 

 came from the Villa Medici at Rome, and the great 



* These bird traps may still be seen in various pai:ts of Italy. 

 Montaigne describes one near Lucca, at the villa of M. Benoit Buonvisi, 

 as follows : ** Dans une espace d' environ cinquante pas, ils plantent divers 

 arbres de I'espece de ceux qui restent verts toute I'annee. Ils entourent 

 ce lieu de petits fosses, et pratiquent au dedans de petites allees convertes. 

 Au milieu du bosquet, est un endroit pour le chasseur qui, dans certains 

 terns de I'annee, muni d'un sifRet d' argent et de quelques grives prises exprts 

 pour cet usage et bien attach6es, apres avoir dispose de tons c6tes plusieurs 

 appeaux avec dc la glu, prendra dans une matinee deux cents grives." 



