Capitano Lercari and the peschiere of Signer Adamo Centurione ; both 

 distinguished, the one by its excellent decorations in mosaic ; the other 

 for the isoletta covered with capricious grottesche, upon which the 

 imprudent, after a short turn in a boat, allow themselves to be landed ; 

 and there they are abandoned to the power of the waters by those who 

 wish to make a pretty jest ; while the water, when the taps are opened, 

 coming through subterranean channels, springs up by many jets, and 

 sprinkles those who are left in the isoletta, who endeavour in vain to find 

 shelter." Soprani further states that Alessi built the " Palace of the 

 Signori Imperiali " with " the adjacent peschiere and the surrounding 

 gardens which form a combination of rare delizie." 



The Villa Imperiali is one of that large class of Genoese Villas in 

 which the casino lies near the foot of a steep hill, witli the gardens 

 stretching upwards in a succession of terraces and terminating in a wild 

 wood. The palace is only separated from the public road by a forecourt, 

 with stables on the one hand and a private garden on the other. The 

 dividing walls were ornamented with niches for statues, enclosed in a 

 rococo framework of pilasters and' pediments, pierced gables and finials, 

 indescribably quaint and picturesque. Unhappily the Municipality, to 

 whom this property now belongs, and who make use of the palace for 

 schools, recently made a clean sweep of this really charming and unique 

 piece of work ; their only excuse being that it was not in character 

 with a smug new school which they were building in the stucco 

 Lombard style. 



At the rear of the palace, the first section of the garden, doubtless 

 the old parterre, follows the natural lie of the ground and slopes gently 

 up to the lofty retaining wall of the first terrace. This parterre, laid 

 out with rough grass and palm trees, is not of special interest ; tall 

 hedges of oleander and good masses of white or purple iris form its most 

 attractive features. 



In the middle of the terrace-wall is the fine fountain shown in the 

 accompanying picture. This consists of three niches placed between 

 telamones. The central niche has the greatest depth, and its type is 

 that of the grotto fountain ; the other two carry statues. Among the 

 lemon-trees that line the wall hang festoons of roses, pale yellows and 



136 



