walls, built with a double curve like a huge console, behind which a 

 flight of stairs descends horse-shoe fashion. Within the hollow thus 

 formed lies a broad basin, the triple curve of its rim corresponding with 

 the three streams. All the architectural features are encrusted with 

 rude mosaic and sgraffito, scroll-work and coats of arms. At the foot of 

 the stairs are two fluted tazze, above the centre of which is suspended 

 the Aldobrandini star, from which jets of water spurt. Here, too, 

 the giuochi d'acque are much in evidence, zampille rising from the 

 mosaic pavement and from the steps. Youths who have ventured to 

 climb^ the treacherous stair fly precipitately, losing their hats and 

 sometimes falling headlong in their efforts to escape. 



Evelyn, who is often singularly reticent about the Italian villas, 

 describes much more fully than usual this one, which seems to have been 

 looked on as a kind of show place in his day. He writes : " 5 May. 

 We tooke coach, and went 15 miles out of the Cittie to Frascati, 

 formerly Tusculanum, a villa of Card . Aldobrandini, built for a country- 

 house, but surpassing, in my opinion, the most delicious places I ever 

 beheld for its situation, elegance, plentifull water, groves, ascents, and 

 prospects. Just behind the palace (w'^'' is of excellent architecture) in the 

 center of y^ inclosure rises an high hill or mountaine all over clad with 

 tall wood, and so form'd by nature as if it had been cut out by art, from 

 the sum'it whereof falls a cascade, seeming rather a greate river than a 

 streame precipitating into a large theater of water, representing an exact 

 and perfect rainebow when the sun shines out. Under this is made an 

 artificiall grott, wherein are curious rocks, hydraulic organs, and all 

 sorts of singing birds moving and chirping by force of the water, with 

 severall other pageants and surprising inventions. In the center of one of 

 these roomes rises a coper ball that continually daunces about 3 foote above 

 the pavement by virtue of a wind conveyed secretely to a hole beneath 

 it ; with many other devices to wett the unwary spectators, so that one 

 can hardly step without wetting to the skin. In one of these theaters of 

 water is an Atlas spouting up the streame to a very great height ; and 

 another monster makes a terrible roaring with an horn ; but above all, the 

 representation of a storm is most naturall, with such fury of raine, wind, 

 and thunder, as one would' imagine ones self in some extreame tempest. 



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