The Villa d'Este , at Tivoli 
From the “allee of the hundred fountains” 
an elaborate system of stairways and inclines 
leads to the court level. There is the Stair¬ 
way of the Cordonata , with its square Foun¬ 
tain Basins —cordon like—extending to the 
very lowest level. 1'here is the enclosed 
stairway that leads to the minor court, which 
accentuates the end of the broad walk sepa¬ 
rating the last two inclines. And there is 
the most interesting stairway of all, the one 
on the central axis of the villa. Circling 
about both sides of a fountain, it looks down 
the central slope, till, midway it opens on a 
Laurel Path , flanked by seats. Then it 
circles on to the top of the last incline, where 
a straight stairway, broad and easily descend¬ 
ed, leads to the last great division. 'This 
third division is simple in its parts. Against 
the slope a broad rectangular basin makes 
the change from the wooded hill to the 
parterre. Bridges uniting the main paths of 
the garden to the various stairways are 
bordered by low walls, topped with Urns. 
A belt of evergreen oaks to one side makes 
a dense grove which is not only beautiful in 
itself, but it centres the interest in the garden, 
while affording a delightful place from which 
to overlook the surrounding country. 
'These are the principal parts and features 
of Villa d’Este, but a word must be said 
about the water and the trees. Not so much 
about their individual charms, as about the 
admirable manner in which they have been 
made to act their part. The water, brought 
into the villa at a high level, runs rippling 
in many a little channel down to the great 
placid basin on the lowest level. That is the 
scheme of the water. But every inch of the 
way it is governed as man desires. Appearing 
in a Grand Cascade or gently flowing in little 
streams along the top of a ramp; falling in 
myriad sprays to urns and basins or from niche 
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