THE VILLA D’ ESTE, TIVOLI 
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ilexes of the lower gardens, and across the silvery waves of olive wood to the vast stretches of the 
Campagna, and the Sabine Mountains, faint on the distant horizon. The terrace runs the entire length 
of the site, and in the centre, opposite the casino, one descends to the next terrace below, and, by 
means of ramps and stairways, to the level of the great fountain terrace, or gallery of a hundred 
fountains, upon the upper side of which is the wall of fountains, with the armorial bearings of the 
D’ Este family, illustrated upon Plate 115. 
The balustrades to the stairways are ingeniously formed of a series of basins and jets of 
water, leaping from step to step, and everywhere are secret fountains to keep the stonework moist. 
At the end of the great fountain terrace is a large theatre d’eau, known as the fountain of Arethusa, 
and an adjoining grotto, with bathing-rooms; and at the other end, by a toy model of an ancient 
city supposed to represent old Rome, with miniature temples and theatres. Still continuing the 
descent, we reach the four pools, illustrated upon Plate 116. These formerly contained many 
hydraulic curiosities that have long since disappeared. The famous hydraulic organ still remains. 
Montaigne, describing this organ, complained that it always played the same tune. ‘ This,’ he 
says, ‘was effected by means of water, which, falling in a large body and with a sudden descent 
into a round arched cave, strikes upon the air in it, and compels it to make its exit through the 
pipes of the organ, which are thus supplied with wind. Another fall of water turns a broad 
