THE GARDENS OF PAPAL ROME 
the valley. The walks along the hillside are over¬ 
grown with weeds; the very path leading up to the 
door is choked with nettles. And yet, in spite of 
all this neglect and decay, there is a strange fascination 
about the place. As we pace the wide terrace under 
the carved peristyle, and look up at the simple, majestic 
forms of the house, we feel the grandeur of Raphael’s 
conception. There is a wealth of verdure and maiden¬ 
hair in the grottoes under the massive arches. The 
streams still gush from the marble head of the elephant 
fountain, and below, the clear green waters sleep in 
their oval basin. Rome and the dome of St. Peter’s 
lie at our feet, and beyond are the vast plains and 
far hills of the Campagna. Within, there is the great 
Loggia with the miracles of Giovanni da Udine’s 
decoration and Giulio’s lovely frieze of cherub-heads 
on their pale blue ground. Here, art and nature still 
go hand in hand. The magic of Raphael’s genius 
clings to these forlorn places and lends them an 
immortal charm. 
