VILLAS NEAR ROME 
fresh inspiration in its study. If Caprarola is “a garden 
to look out from,” Lante is one “to look into,” not in 
the sense that it is enclosed, for its terraces command a 
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wide horizon ; but the pleasant landscape surrounding 
it is merely accessory to the gardens, a last touch of 
loveliness where all is lovely. 
The designer of Lante understood this, and perceived 
that, the surroundings being unobtrusive, he might 
elaborate the foreground. The flower-garden occupies 
a level space in front of the twin pavilions ; for instead 
of one villa there are two at Lante, absolutely identical, 
and connected by a rampe douce which ascends between 
them to an upper terrace. This peculiar arrangement 
is probably due to the fact that Cardinal Montalto, who 
built the second pavilion, found there was no other way 
of providing more house-room without disturbing the 
plan of the grounds. The design of the flower-garden 
is intricate and beautiful, and its box-bordered parterres 
surround one of the most famous and beautiful fountains 
in Italy. The abundance of water at Lante enabled the 
designer to produce a great variety of effects in what 
Germans call the “water-art,” and nowhere was his 
invention happier than in planning this central fountain. 
It stands in a square tank or basin, surrounded by a 
balustrade, and crossed by four little bridges which lead 
to a circular balustraded walk, enclosing an inner basin 
from the centre of which rises the fountain. Bridges 
also cross from the circular walk to the platform on 
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