DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.53553#0177
153
count Of it be true (and there is no reason to doubt its cor-
rectness), it must be owned, that the taste of Squire Balbus
made the most of the small piece of ground, which extended
from his snug little box to the sea. In the middle a pond
was situated, nearly of the size and form of the basin in our
Green Park; the edges were faced with stone, and the two
narrow ends rounded off in a semicircular form. This piece
of water was surrounded with beds or parterres of various
shapes, and a covered walk, supported by columns, inclosed
the garden on all sides. The columns were sixty-four in
number, twice ten for the short, and twice twenty-two for
the longer sides of the quadrangle ; they were composed of
bricks, neatly stuccoed over, exactly similar to those in the
Pompejan barracks. Each pillar supported one end of a?
wooden beam, the other extremity of which rested on the
garden wall, thus forming the skeleton of an arbour of vines
probably round the whole garden; and under this covered
walk several semicircular recesses were built, which served
as bathing-places. The space between the pillars was deco-
rated with marble busts and bronze statues, alternately ar-
ranged. This garden was surrounded by a narrow ditch ;
and another covered walk, of considerable length, led to a
circular balcony, or platform, to which you ascended by four
steps, but which overhung the sea about ]5 feet. The floor
of this balcony consisted of the very beautiful tesselated
pavement, which now serves the same purpose in one of tho
rooms of the Portici museum. From this charming spot the
prospect over the whole bay of Naples, including the moun-
tains of Sorrento, the Island of Capri, and Mount Posilipo,
must have been delightful; and here, we may suppose, did
Squire Balbus, after the business of the day, enjoy the cool
evening breeze over a dish of tea, prepared by his amiable
consort, or occasionally indulge himself with a pipe and the
newspaper in Mrs. Balbus’s absence.
The
x.
count Of it be true (and there is no reason to doubt its cor-
rectness), it must be owned, that the taste of Squire Balbus
made the most of the small piece of ground, which extended
from his snug little box to the sea. In the middle a pond
was situated, nearly of the size and form of the basin in our
Green Park; the edges were faced with stone, and the two
narrow ends rounded off in a semicircular form. This piece
of water was surrounded with beds or parterres of various
shapes, and a covered walk, supported by columns, inclosed
the garden on all sides. The columns were sixty-four in
number, twice ten for the short, and twice twenty-two for
the longer sides of the quadrangle ; they were composed of
bricks, neatly stuccoed over, exactly similar to those in the
Pompejan barracks. Each pillar supported one end of a?
wooden beam, the other extremity of which rested on the
garden wall, thus forming the skeleton of an arbour of vines
probably round the whole garden; and under this covered
walk several semicircular recesses were built, which served
as bathing-places. The space between the pillars was deco-
rated with marble busts and bronze statues, alternately ar-
ranged. This garden was surrounded by a narrow ditch ;
and another covered walk, of considerable length, led to a
circular balcony, or platform, to which you ascended by four
steps, but which overhung the sea about ]5 feet. The floor
of this balcony consisted of the very beautiful tesselated
pavement, which now serves the same purpose in one of tho
rooms of the Portici museum. From this charming spot the
prospect over the whole bay of Naples, including the moun-
tains of Sorrento, the Island of Capri, and Mount Posilipo,
must have been delightful; and here, we may suppose, did
Squire Balbus, after the business of the day, enjoy the cool
evening breeze over a dish of tea, prepared by his amiable
consort, or occasionally indulge himself with a pipe and the
newspaper in Mrs. Balbus’s absence.
The
x.