The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-07-14

Citations. it's shady and delightful walks.
Its veteran Expresses and old gates. il
practically lost TO Italy.
lie Ia said that Emperor William intends
TO turn it into a German school or academy.
but, whatever happens to the place, the
fact remains that Villa Falconieri has
changed its nationality with its owner.
Voss. the German writer, lived and wrote in
IL and his bust has adorned the place since
1902. Cardinal Rufini. who built II. will
probably he forgotten. Its old walls will be
whitewasbed. its old garden improved by
German artists. and Italians and lovers 81
Italy will cherish nothing but a recollection
Of a place once essentially Italian.
Whenever an old painting or an object Of
art is sold aud carried abroad Italians
become indignant at what they call the
dispersal Of the artistic patrimony OF the
country. The law is invoked. and although
the object sold is hardly ever recovered.
still the seller. if an Italian nObleman and
not a professional art dealer. is fined and
punished. When a foreigner buys a villa or
a palace the case Is different.
Italyts frequentedlby foreigners, and II in
stead Of visiting the country they reside in
it. 90 much the better; hence they are en-
couraged TO purchase landed property.
II does not in the least matter whether the
property purchased is what is called here a
national monument. Of such historical
importance that it should by right belong
20 the nation; very probably such an at
tribute may have an influence on the price.
but none whatever on the right Of the owner
20 sell il.
There is. it is true. a law OF appropriation.
but like many others in practice it seems to
have been entirely abolished. II is not a
matter Of surprise therefore that 30 many
historic villas in and near Rome have
either been pulled down to make place for
tenement houses and hotels or streets. or
have been allowed to go in ruins, such for
example as the Villa Ludovisi. the Villa
Negroni. the Villa Sachetti.
As soon as the news that the Emperor
Of Germany had bought the Villa Falconieri
wasIknown at Frascati. the Mayor Of the
town fastened to despatch a telegram OF
gratitude in the name OF the inhabitants to
the august parsonage" who Immediately
deigned TO wire back his thanks and ex-
pressed his 10y to learn that the purchase
Of the celebrated villa marked the COM
mencement Of friendly relations between
his Imperial Majesty and the town OF Fras-
cati."
II may prove interesting to describe the
Villa Falconieri as il is to-day before II
is converted to a German school and closed
10 the public. The grounds OF this villa
werel laid outI by Cardinal Rufini in the
first half OF the sixteenth century, but the
villa itself was built in 1898.
francesca Borromini, a Lombard by
birth but a Roman by adoption, a pupil OF
the celebrated Maderna, was the architect.
He was the most original and brilliant ex-
ponent Of baroque architecture in Italy. He
built the churches of st. Agnes and st. Carlo.
the College Of Propa ganda Fide and the Pa
Iazzo Barberini in Rome, but his best work
ia seen at the Villa Falconieri at Frascati.
The villa Ii situated on. the hillside below
Mondragone and has extensive grounds
and ga rdens which are remarkable for their
beautiful architecture. Two stone gate
lead TO the villa, md a grass avenue Is
laid between the outer gate and a pictur-
esaue arch Of triumph with inches and
sIrmountcd by the inscription "Ho-
ratius ~Falconieris,- and with a falcon, the
emblem NJ the family, upon II.
This arch furnishes an example OF the
feeling Of respect for single trees which
has survived In Italy from pagan times
through the Middle Ages and 10 still alive at