The villa is now the property of Prince Piombini, a ticket from whom
procured us admission. A little within the gateway, to the right, is a
casino, containing two large rooms filled with sculpture, much of which
is very valuable. A colossal head of Juno, I believe, is considered the
greatest treasure of the collection, but I did not myself feel it to be
so, nor indeed did I receive any strong impression of its excellence. I
admired nothing so much, I think, as the face of Penelope (if it be her
face) in the group supposed also to represent Electra and Orestes. The
sitting statue of Mars is very fine; so is the Arria and Paetus; so are
many other busts and figures.
By and by we left the casino and wandered among the grounds, threading
interminable alleys of cypress, through the long vistas of which we could
see here and there a statue, an urn, a pillar, a temple, or garden-house,
or a bas-relief against the wall. It seems as if there must have been a
time, and not so very long ago,--when it was worth while to spend money
and thought upon the ornamentation of grounds in the neighborhood of
Rome.
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