with its balustraded island and four little boat fountains, but with a centre- 

 piece having two tiers of basins capped by the Montalto arms. 



At either end of the house terrace facing the casini double porticoes 

 stand. The lower colonnade of these is open ; the upper forms an aviary 

 which is approached from the higher level. 



Flanking the two pavilions on the topmost terrace, Frigie shows two 

 other aviaries, on a grand scale, enclosing groves. All that now remains 

 of these is the row of tall columns which formed one side of the great 

 cage. The centre of this same terrace appears to have been occupied by 

 a building of the grotto class, which he calls " Fons coralli," and from 

 which the catena took its rise. 



The park, or barco, which is often supposed to be a later development, 

 was laid out with walks and avenues leading to various fountains and 

 objects of interest, which were half hidden among the thickets. On 

 the higher ground lay the supply reservoir, apparently surrounded 

 by a colonnade, but Frigie's print is not quite clear about this. Facing 

 the entrance to the park is a large circular basin partly excavated from 

 the hill-side, and having a retaining wall decorated with nine tall consoles 

 which carry busts, presumably of the Muses. The terrace above is 

 guarded by a balustrade, which is repeated on the lower level and so 

 completes the circle. Frigie names this " Fons Parnasi," and also 

 shows Pegasus prancing in the midst of it. Pegasus has since taken to 

 himself wings, but the fountain remains. There was also a fountain 

 dedicated to Bacchus and another of the Unicorn ; the latter being shel- 

 tered by a pleached arbour which stretched some little way on either side 

 of it. Besides various other fountains scattered about the park there was 

 a labyrinth, not so intricate that you could not hope to find your way 

 through it unaided. 



Only some dozen miles away, over rough country lanes, by well-tilled 

 farms and olive-yards gay with many a flower, lies Caprarola and the 

 Villa Farnese. At the rear of the huge pentagonal palace, the chef d'ceuvre 

 of Vignola, may be found the remains of a most fantastic garden. 

 Fountains and stairways, terrace walls and grottoes, are embellished with 

 all those strange and whimsical creatures that emanated from the fertile 

 brain of the baroque sculptor. Great river-gods, tritons, and sea monsters 



76 



