The Villa Campi 
curves round 
the hill, and on 
its way passes 
a spot which he 
who planned 
the garden was 
wise to make 
prominent in 
his design. We 
stand here on 
the edge of the 
steepest side of 
the hill, with 
n o th i n g b e - 
tween us and a 
glorious pano¬ 
rama of the 
valley. Pan, 
Bacchus and Ceres, three groups on heavv 
stone pedestals, watch the view with us. Two 
sides of the little terrace, between the statues, 
are closed in by a balustrade and parapet. 
From here we can see to our right Florence, 
backed by the blue hills of Vallombrosa,— 
Prato to the north—and, if the ilexes were 
trimmed, Pistoja itself might be seen farther 
on toward the west. The valley, as you 
look down 
upon it, ap¬ 
pears absolute¬ 
ly level, sur¬ 
rounded by 
hills that rise 
abruptly from 
it. 
White vil¬ 
lages, stately 
villas, green 
vineyards, gray 
olive groves, 
the silver rib- 
bon of the 
Arno winding 
amongst them 
and the hot 
sunlight everywhere, that is what you look 
upon. The most joyous landscape that will 
ever gladden your eyes. There is life and 
movement and change down there. Up 
here we are in the domain of the sleep¬ 
ing beauty. Life has been arrested. Some 
three hundred years ago someone planted 
those woods, planned those walks, said stat¬ 
ues shoidd be placed there,fountains dug here. 
THE ENTRANCE TO THE VILLA GROUNDS 
Avenue “ A '' (See Plan ) 
176 
AN AVENUE LEADING TO THE VIEW-POINT 
