224 
THE GARDENS OF ITALY. 
237. — THE CASINO OF CAPRAROLA : THE 
Sebastiani, a garrulous and admiring chronicler who lived in the little town, published a 
pamphlet on the subject in 1741, the lake in the middle of the lower garden was still filled with 
fish, and the fountains plaved without ceasing. In the middle, a huge lily, the crest of the 
Farnese, formed of lead, sent up a shower of water, which rose with such vehemence that it 
burst in fine clouds of spray, in which the sunbeams produced a rainbow. 
.Against a retaining wall at the back is a spacious grotto worked in stucco, somewhat shabby 
and decadent nowadays. Its walls are sustained by six sylvan figures of gigantic size ; within 
sit groups of nvmphs, playing on musical instruments. A huge vase spouts water in the centre. 
The pavement once showed a design of white lilies on a darker ground of marble. This grotto 
was the favourite private retreat of his Serenissimo, Cardinal Odoardo F'arnese, who succeeded 
Cardinal Alessandro, and lived here the greater part of the year. The garden is still kept up, 
but in a somewhat perfunctory manner ; roses, however, riot in masses over the walls -great 
splendid blooms of royal crimson, sheets of Fortune’s Yellow, huge creamy tea and shell-like 
pink blossoms effective against the background colour of dark cypress green. 
From the formal garden a wood of plane trees slopes gently up for some distance. On 
a May morning the ground underneath the tender greenery is carpeted with wild flowers — 
orchis, iris, saxifrage, cyclamen and Solomon’s seal. Through an avenue of Scotch firs we 
reach the upper pleasure-ground, laid out some seventy years later by Cardinal Odoardo Farnese 
(the only part of the grounds with which .Mr. Latham’s photographs deal). Flere he has given 
us the immense fountain basin, with broad stone edge, in which the water is of a deep blue 
colour, very striking against the rich dark green of the avenue of firs leading up to it. One 
slender jet of water springs from the Farnese lily in the centre of the basin. Above is the ascent, 
enclosed in arched and grottoed walls, betw'een which comes an aqueduct formed of the twisted 
bodies of dolphins down which the water rushes, rippling and swirling in a thousand shell-like 
waves (Figs. 232 and 233). -At the top recline the “ Giants ” ; two river gods pouring water from 
stone cornucopiie (Fig. 234). Ivvervwhere the silver grev, porous stone is softened wit'n the dainty 
maidenhair fern and enriched with golden mosses. Perhaps the most beautiful of all 
Mr. Latham’s illustrations are the two which show us the entrance to the heart of the garden, 
the low flight of four curving steps, flanked on either side by groups of figures (F'igs. 236 and 238.) 
