‘Bounding to light, as if from ocean’s cave, The struggling sea-horse paws the lucid wave, While health and plenty smile, and Neptune’s form Majestic sways the trident of the storm.’ “A statue, designating Abundance, is placed at the right of Oceanus, and on the left another emblematical of Health. The basso relievo, which adorns the right side, portrays the Emperor Trajan, contemplating a plan of the fountain; and that on the left exhibits a girl showing to some soldiers, the spring that supplies it with water. Various other sculptures decorate this superb edifice; and at the top of the principal front are two figures of Fame, supporting the arms of the Pope. Its supply of water is furnished by the Aqua Virgini, and it flows in very large streams from three arcades. The cost of constructing this splendid and useful fountain was great; but it ranks among the most interesting objects conspicuously embellishing the city of Rome.” “The _Piazza Novana_ has a very noble fountain standing in its centre. It is composed of a large circular marble basin 79 feet in diameter, in the middle of which is placed a rock of square form with apertures at the sides. The figure of a lion adorns one side, and that of a sea-horse another. From the base to the top of the rock, the height is about 14 feet; and on its summit stands an Egyptian obelisk formed of red granite, 55 feet in height, and covered with hieroglyphics. At the four sides of the rock are colossal marble statues, which designate the four great rivers in different quarters of the world: viz. the Danube, the Nile, the Ganges, and the Plata: and from these statues the water flows in copious streams to the spacious basin below. ‘The Nile and Ganges from the silver tide: La Plata too, and Danube’s streams unite Their liquid treasures, copious, clear and bright.’ “During the summer, it is the custom occasionally to permit the water to overflow the whole square, for the entertainment of the people; and on midsummer’s eve persons amuse themselves by wading and driving through the flood. This practice has sometimes been attended with fatal accidents, and not only men but horses have actually been drowned in the attempts to pass it in carriages. “In the month of August the area of the square is likewise filled with water for the purpose of amusement. “The same square likewise contains two other fountains, one of which consists of a capacious marble basin, having at its centre a Triton holding a dolphin by the tail; and on the margin of the basin are four heads with the same number of Tritons that spout the water from their mouths. The other fountain has not any remarkable characteristics to entitle it to peculiar attention.”