“Where formerly stood the circus of Flora is now the site of the Piazza Barberinni, which has two fountains to embellish it:--one of them being composed of four dolphins supporting a large open shell, with a Triton in the middle ejecting water to a great height. The other is fanciful, being also formed of an open shell, from which three bees throw out the water.” “In the vicinity of the Temple of Vesta stands a handsome fountain, having a capacious basin, in which some Tritons support a large marble shell. From the centre of the latter, the water spouts to a considerable height, and then descending flows over its margin into the basin beneath. Some fine fountains adorn the magnificent colonnade in front of the Cathedral of St. Peter. The _Piazza di Spagna_ has likewise for its embellishment, a fountain in the form of an antique boat. Besides the structures described above, there is a great number of other fountains which evince much diversity of taste and ingenuity in their contrivance. But at the different villas of the opulent, the abundance of water is rendered subservient to amusing as well as useful purposes, and several of them are rather singular. The description of one will convey some notion of what is common to many of them. “The delightful promenades, groves, and gardens belonging to the Doria family, are interspersed with fountains of various forms; besides having a beautiful lake with waterfalls. Statues, antique basso relievos, and small fountains, adorn a kind of amphitheatre, where a circular edifice contains the marble figure of a fawn holding a flute, on which it seems to play different airs: the music, however, is produced by a machine resembling an organ in its construction, and motion being given to it by the flowing of the water from a cascade.” “Perhaps the few instances recited above will suffice to demonstrate the different modes employed at Rome, for calling into exercise genius, fancy, and taste, to diversify the public edifices concerned with its abundant supply of water; thus rendering them subservient to magnificence, entertainment, and utility. Whilst John Dyer resided there, he viewed these celebrated fountains with the mingled feelings of the painter and the poet; hence, associating them with other interesting circumstances, they furnished the materials for one of his most striking and pathetic delineations. ‘The pilgrim oft, At dead of night, ’mid his oraison hears Aghast the voice of Time, disparting towers, Tumbling all precipitate, down-dashed, Rattling around, loud thundering to the moon; While murmurs sooth each awful interval Of ever-falling waters; shrouded Nile, Eridanus, and Tiber with his twins, And palmy Euphrates; they with dropping locks Hang o’er their urns, and mournfully among The plantive echoing ruins, pour their streams.’” _Ruins of Rome._ HISTORY