Systema horti-culturæ, or, The art of gardening in three books ... / by J. Woolridge, gent.

SECT. III. Of Fountains.

FOuntains are principal Ornaments in a Gar∣den; scarce a famous Garden in Europe without its Fountains, which were primarily, intended for Bathing, and are in the more Southern Countries used for that purpose to this day. The Italians bestow very great cost in beautifying them for that use: The French are very prodigal in their Expences about Fountains, and several curious Gardens in Eng∣land have them; but here only for Ornament. They are generally made of Stone, some square, others round or oval, and of divers other forms, some flat in the bottom, others round like a Bason.

Into some the Water is cast by Pipes from the sides, out of the Mouths of several Fi∣gures representing Animals, or out of the Pipes of Eurs of Stone standing on the brim of the Fountain, or the Water is cast from some Figure or Statue erected in the middle of

the Fountain, or from a Pipe standing upright in the midst of it.

There must also be wast Pipes or Cavities to convey away the Water from such Foun∣tains, which must be so made, that at your pleasure you may drain your Fountains, and cleanse them, and must be of capacity to car∣ry off all the Water as it comes, left it annoy your Garden, for the greater quantity of Wa∣ter you have, the more pleasant will it ap∣pear.

Plenty in Fountains always graceful shows, And greatest Beauty from abundance flows.

But where neither Springs nor Rivers can be obtained to compleat your pleasures, yet for use and a little for delight, may Water be procured from the Heavens, by preserving the drips of the House, and conveying it to some Cistern made for that purpose in your Garden, which may resemble a Fountain, or make a fair Receptacle in your Garden, for the Water that may be gained from the declining Walks of your Garden, or from adjacent Hills, as Rapinus directs.

But if the place you live in, be so dry, That neither Springs nor Rivers they are nigh; Then at some distance from your Garden make, Within the gaping Earth a spacious Lake, That like a Magazine may comprehend The assembled Floods, which from the Hills descend.

[illustration] engraving of seven different kinds of ornamental fountain, in three compartments. In the upper compartment are shown: a fountain raising a single ball (or dome) of water; a fountain raising a double ball (or domes) of water; a dragon-shaped fountain; and a crown-shaped fountain. In the middle compartment are shown: a statue of a woman with water fountaining out of one of her nipples (into the face of a lady walking nearby with a gentleman); and a fountain shaped like an oak tree. In the lower compartment is shown a musical fountain which operates a water-organ. Engraved by Frederick Hendrick van Hoave (1628?-1698).

F. H. Van. Houe fec:

pg. 45

Here follows a DESCRIPTION Of several sorts of FOUNTAINS.

• I. THE Ball raised by a Spout of Water.
• II. The Water representing a double Glass, the one over the other.
• III. A Dragon or such like, casting Water out of its Mouth, as it runs round on the Spindle.
• IV. A Crown casting Water out of several Pipes as it runs round.
• V. A Statue of a Woman, that at the turning of a private Cock, shall cast Water out of her Nipples into the Spectators Faces.
• VI. The Royal Oak with Leaves, Acorns, and Crowns dropping, and several small Spouts round the top.
• VII. The Cistern into which the Water flows by the Pipe A. the Air issueth out at the Pipes b b b. the ends whereof make the Musical sounds in the Trough of Water at C. which is supplied with Wa∣ter, by the Pipe D. which in time dreins the Ci∣stern,

• which wast Water precipitates into E. and from E. into the common Drein.

These Waters are to be preferr'd for the ir∣rigation of your Plants to any other, and in case you make your Cisterns well, and Cement the Joynts of your Stone with Parisian Cement, or with our own Lime compounded with Lin-seed Oyl, they will retain the Water for a long time.