only architectural feature is the wall of weather-stained masonry that 

 supports one end. This is quite simply decorated with pilasters which 

 carry ball-ornaments. A niche containing some fragment of antiquity 

 marks the foot of the gently sloping stairways that descend on each 

 side. 



Richard Voss, the German novelist, has made this villa and especially 

 the lago a favourite rendezvous with the more sentimental of his country- 

 men, who arrive, usually in batches, hot and dusty, conducted by some 

 ragged urchin who has been picked up by the way-side. They are not 

 always quite satisfied with the reality, after reading the novelist's some- 

 what inflated description of the place, and will indignantly demand to 

 be taken to the great lago^ thinking there is some conspiracy to defraud 

 them when they are assured there is no other. Yet the little pool is 

 charming enough if only they would take it as it is. 



Perched on the hill high above, on the way to Tusculum, is the 

 Villa Rufinella, also built by Monsignor Rufini. It has passed through 

 many vicissitudes, at one time being the property of Prince Lucien 

 Buonaparte, the only one of Napoleon's brothers who had no ambition 

 to wear a crown. He enlarged the villa and amused himself by making 

 a Parnassus on the slope of the hill, over which presided the Apollo now 

 at the Villa Lancellotti. He had the names of all the great poets cut in 

 myrtle, a quaint device, more curious probably than beautiful. 



52 



