PUBLIC DIVERSIONS. 



211 



which pomp and recreation proceed in concert with the com- 

 forts of the people. The celebrated fountains of the Luxem- 

 bourg, the Thuilleries, and Versailles ; and those of la Gran- 

 ja, and the other royal palaces of Madrid ; the waters of 

 which, in flowing, form a thousand figures highly agreeable 

 to the sight, are irrefragable testimonies of this truth. The 

 famous aquedu6t constru6ted by order of queen Catharine of 

 Medicis, to condudl the waters to Paris, exceeds in some re- 

 spe6ls those by which the Romans immortalized their luxury and 

 magnificence. The admirable fountains fabricated by cardinal 

 De Richelieu in the plains of Ruel, lead the spe6lator to con- 

 template with surprize the progress and rare contrivances of 

 hydraulics. Thus the obstinacy and indefatigable application 

 of man, to overcome the difficulties that prevent the execution 

 of his enterprizes, are rewarded by those sublime inventions 

 which demonstrate the full extent of the vast penetration and 

 energy of his mind. 



Another subject of an Indian festival is introduced in Plate 

 VII. The male and female it represents are arrayed in bur- 

 lesque costumes, such as are generally adopted by the Peruvian 

 aborigines, with a very pidluresque effedt, on these occasions 

 of hilarity and rejoicing. 



PUBLIC DIVERSIONS. 



The theatre constitutes the principal amusement. Its 

 decorations are regular, and the performers not bad. There 

 have been, and there are, indeed, at present, some among 

 them who might figure conspicuously at Madrid and Naples. 



E e 2 The 



