DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.61894#0235
Ch. VI.
THROUGH ITALY.
205
a species of grandeur that exists only in Rome
and its vicinity. But the Alban villa has been
stript of all its ornaments. The cardinal Albani,
its proprietor, had the misfortune to incur the
displeasure of the French, by the zeal and acti
vity with which he opposed the intrig ues of their
agents previous to the invasion of the ecclesiastical
state, and was punished on their entrance into the
city by the pillage and devastation of his palaces
and gardens.
We shall now proceed to the Villa Borghese,
or Villa Pinciana (so called from the proximity
of the Porta Pinciana now shut up) which, from
the space it occupies (supposed to be about four
miles in circumference) its noble vistas, frequent
fountains, ornamental buildings, superb palace,
and almost innumerable antiquities, is justly con-
sidered as the first of the Roman villas, and worthy
of being put into competition with the splendid
retreats of Sallust or of Lucullus. It stands upon
a continuation of the Pincian Hill, at a little dis-
tance from the walls of the city, about half a
mile from the Porta Flaminia or del Popolo. It
covers the brow of the hill, and from the terrace
has a noble view of the city, and of the Vatican.
The gardens are laid out with some regard both
for the new and for the old system; for though
symmetry prevails in general, and long alleys
THROUGH ITALY.
205
a species of grandeur that exists only in Rome
and its vicinity. But the Alban villa has been
stript of all its ornaments. The cardinal Albani,
its proprietor, had the misfortune to incur the
displeasure of the French, by the zeal and acti
vity with which he opposed the intrig ues of their
agents previous to the invasion of the ecclesiastical
state, and was punished on their entrance into the
city by the pillage and devastation of his palaces
and gardens.
We shall now proceed to the Villa Borghese,
or Villa Pinciana (so called from the proximity
of the Porta Pinciana now shut up) which, from
the space it occupies (supposed to be about four
miles in circumference) its noble vistas, frequent
fountains, ornamental buildings, superb palace,
and almost innumerable antiquities, is justly con-
sidered as the first of the Roman villas, and worthy
of being put into competition with the splendid
retreats of Sallust or of Lucullus. It stands upon
a continuation of the Pincian Hill, at a little dis-
tance from the walls of the city, about half a
mile from the Porta Flaminia or del Popolo. It
covers the brow of the hill, and from the terrace
has a noble view of the city, and of the Vatican.
The gardens are laid out with some regard both
for the new and for the old system; for though
symmetry prevails in general, and long alleys