DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.55699#0295
TIVOLI.
239
been minutely described by Mr. Eustace, and forms a
delightful excursion from Tivoli.
Not far from the villa of Maecenas stands the villa
D’Est6, built by the Cardinal Hippolito D’Estfi, the ne-
phew of Ariosto’s patron. Though most delightfully
situated, it is deformed by the bad taste in which the
gardens and grounds around it are disposed. “ The pa-
lace,” says Mr. Forsyth, “ is empty and forlorn. The
garden affects both regularity and confusion : rock work
and girandoles of water, grottos and rows of perspective
temples, mathematical mazes and a theatre of stairs.’’
Gray has given, in a letter to his friend West, a whim-
sical description of this villa. “ This day, being in the
palace of his highness the Duke of Modena, he laid his
most serene commands upon me to write to Mr. West;
and said, he thought it for his glory that I should draw
up an inventory of his most serene possessions, for
the said West’s perusal. Imprimis, a house, being in
circumference a quarter of a mile two feet and an inch;
the said house containing the following particulars, to
wit, a great room ; item, another great room; item, a
bigger room; item, another room ■, item, a vast room ;
item, a sixth of the same a seventh ditto ; an eighth
as before; a ninth as aforesaid; a tenth, see No. 1. ■
then ten more such, besides twenty, besides which, not
to be too particular, we shall pass over. The said
rooms contain nine chairs, two tables, five stools, and a
cricket.”
In proceeding from Rome to visit Tivoli, the traveller
usually diverges to the ruins of Hadrian’s villa, situated
near the bottom of the eminence upon which Tivoli
239
been minutely described by Mr. Eustace, and forms a
delightful excursion from Tivoli.
Not far from the villa of Maecenas stands the villa
D’Est6, built by the Cardinal Hippolito D’Estfi, the ne-
phew of Ariosto’s patron. Though most delightfully
situated, it is deformed by the bad taste in which the
gardens and grounds around it are disposed. “ The pa-
lace,” says Mr. Forsyth, “ is empty and forlorn. The
garden affects both regularity and confusion : rock work
and girandoles of water, grottos and rows of perspective
temples, mathematical mazes and a theatre of stairs.’’
Gray has given, in a letter to his friend West, a whim-
sical description of this villa. “ This day, being in the
palace of his highness the Duke of Modena, he laid his
most serene commands upon me to write to Mr. West;
and said, he thought it for his glory that I should draw
up an inventory of his most serene possessions, for
the said West’s perusal. Imprimis, a house, being in
circumference a quarter of a mile two feet and an inch;
the said house containing the following particulars, to
wit, a great room ; item, another great room; item, a
bigger room; item, another room ■, item, a vast room ;
item, a sixth of the same a seventh ditto ; an eighth
as before; a ninth as aforesaid; a tenth, see No. 1. ■
then ten more such, besides twenty, besides which, not
to be too particular, we shall pass over. The said
rooms contain nine chairs, two tables, five stools, and a
cricket.”
In proceeding from Rome to visit Tivoli, the traveller
usually diverges to the ruins of Hadrian’s villa, situated
near the bottom of the eminence upon which Tivoli