Aqua regia

“ Between the columns the spaces are open, and from these arcades the currents of water flow with a loud noise, and in great abundance. The apertures on the sides are smaller than the others, and in each of those is placed a dragon spouting water into the spacious magnificent marble basin below. This fountain is furnished with water by the Aqueduct called Aqua Paolo; and it runs from the basin, in a very large stream into several canals, whence it is employed to work various corn, paper, and other mills, as well as to supply fountains and fish-ponds in the gardens and palaces of the opulent. ”

“ It was restored by Paul V. in 1611, who made use of and largely transformed the remains of the ancient aqueduct; he allowed some of the inferior water of the lake to flow into the channel, and it is thus no longer used for drinking. (11) Aqua Alexandrina, rising about 14 English miles from Rome, between the Via Praenestina and the Via Labicana, the work of Alexander Severus (A.D. 226) . The springs now supply the modern Acqua Felice, constructed by Sixtus V. in 1585, but the course of the latter is mainly subterranean and not identical with that of the former. ”

“ It seems probable that the Aqua Algentiana was brought in a subterranean channel or specus from the great reservoir at Tusculum, which is on very high ground, and that the water was permitted to run into these reservoirs at frequent intervals, instead of being carried on an arcade across the country, as had been done in the case of the earlier aqueducts. ”

“ This aqueduct was made in the year B.C. 145, and has its source a few miles below Subiaco; the springs are collected in a small lake called Aqua Serena (1537) , the water from which flows into the river Anio; but a portion of it was intercepted for this aqueduct, and is now again taken from the same spot and brought into Rome. It has always been celebrated for its extreme coldness and great purity. The old specus or viaduct was found in 1870 in this lake, having long been concealed by being under water ”

“ In the neighbourhood of the city these two aqueducts were united, forming two channels on the same arches, the Claudia below and the Anio Novus above. These nine aqueducts were all that existed in the time of Frontinus, who was the curator of the aqueducts in the reigns of Nerva and Trajan. There was also another aqueduct, not reckoned with the nine, because its waters were no longer brought all the way to Rome, viz.: 10. The Aqua Crabra.—The following were of later construction. 11. The Aqua Trajana, brought by Trajan from the Lacus Sabatinus (now Bracciano) .—12. ”

“ A medieval tower built upon the celebrated crossing of the aqueducts, where seven aqueducts crossed each other at different levels. The Anio Vetus passes under it just underground, and the Aqua Felice by the side of it. The specus of the Aqua Marcia, built as usual of squared stone, is seen upon the arch that carried it; the others are concealed by a modern wall, but can be traced passing under the stone arch of the Claudian. The other view in the upper part of the plate shews another crossing, at one of the angles made to break the force of the water. ”

“ Embosomed in olive and in ilex trees, it is rich in hoar cypresses, in urns, and in those pathetic fragments of old workmanship which an undergrowth of violets and acanthus half hides, and half reveals."—Vera.
About a mile beyond the Porta S. Giovanni, a road branches off on the left to the Porta Furba, an arch of the Aqua Felice, founded on the line of the Claudian and Marcian aqueducts. Artists may find a picturesque subject here in a pretty fountain, with a portion of the decaying aqueduct. ”

“ But now Queen Aquareine advanced to a position in front of their captor and said:
"Tell me, Zog; why have you trapped us and brought us here?"
"To destroy you," was the quick answer, and the magician turned for an instant to flash his eyes upon the beautiful mermaid. "For two hundred years I have been awaiting a chance to get within my power some friend of Anko the Sea Serpent—of Anko, whom I hate!" he added, smiling sweetly. "When you left your palace to-day my swift spies warned me, and so I sent the sea devils to capture you. Often have they tried to do this before, but always failed. ”

“ These two great reservoirs, so close together in the line of the Aqua Appia, seem to have been the Gemelli mentioned by Frontinus."—Parker. ↑ See map facing p. 341. ↑ 273 B.C. ↑ Cf. 13. ↑ The modern Tivoli, about eighteen miles to the east of Rome. See map at end of book. ↑ All ancient aqueducts are constructed on the principle of flow, not of pressure. The fall was necessarily very gradual. Consequently, when the intake was at a considerable elevation, long detours became necessary in bringing the water to the City. ”

“ But you are friends of my great enemy, King Anko, and it will annoy him very much when he finds that you have been destroyed by me. I cannot hurt the rascally old sea serpent himself, but through you I can make him feel my vengeance."
"The mermaids have existed thousands of years," said the Queen in a tone of pride. "Do you imagine the despised and conquered Zog has power to destroy them?"
"I do not know," was the quiet answer. "It will be interesting to discover which is the more powerful."
"I challenge you to begin the test at once, vile magician!" exclaimed Aquareine. ”

“ This admission on the part of their powerful protector, the fairy mermaid, sent a chill to the hearts of the earth people. Neither spoke for a time, but finally Cap'n Bill asked in a timid voice, "Hadn't we better go back, ma'am?"
"Yes," decided Aquareine after a moment's thought. "I think it will be wise to retreat. The sea devils are evidently aware of our movements and wish to annoy us. For my part, I have no fear of them, but I do not care to have you meet such creatures." ”

“ It is far above the level of the Aqua Aurelia, which runs below along the side of the valley of the Caffarella. The Aqua Antoniniana clearly came from the higher aqueducts in the main line; and, according to the Einsiedlen Itinerary, it was a branch of the Marcian which went to supply the Thermæ of the Antonines called that of Caracalla. Part of the brick arcade, with the specus upon it, is here visible in another garden against a cliff ”

“ But the mermaids must be considered. Aquareine and Clia had been true and faithful friends to their earth guests while dangers were threatening, and it would not be very gracious to leave them at once. Moreover, King Anko was now with them, his big head keeping pace with the mermaids as they swam, and this mighty preserver had a distinct claim upon Trot and Cap'n Bill. The sailor felt that it would not be polite to ask to go home so soon.
"If you people had come to visit me as I invited you to do," said the Sea Serpent, "all this bother and trouble would have been saved. ”

“ We shall yet have tropical Aquaria, in which the temperature and qualities of the sea between the tropics will be so successfully imitated, that the glorious shells of those regions will be exhibited in living motion to our greedily-curious gaze; and fish 110gleaming with unusual dyes—metallic azure, and silvery crimson—will dart and glide in our tropic-tempered tanks, as in their own tropic ocean, for our delight and gratification. ”

“ No monster of the sea, however powerful, will be able to reach your body while you are protected by the Magic Circle," declared the Queen.
"Oh, then I'll not be a bit afraid," returned the child with perfect confidence.
"Am I to have the Magic Circle drawn around me, too?" asked Cap'n Bill.
"Of course," answered Aquareine. "You will need no other protection than that, yet both Princess Clia and I will both be with you. For today I shall leave Merla to rule our palaces in my place until we return."
No sooner was breakfast finished than Trot was anxious to start. ”

“ Even that would be easier to bear than the thought that she had gone to rest in the grasp of the hirsute gorilla, with its hideous offspring grinning and gibbering around her.
The lagoon could not be waded on foot; but a good swimmer might cross it. The captain was an experienced and accomplished swimmer. The voices came from no great distance—certainly not above half a mile. On one occasion he had accomplished a league in a rough sea! There could be no difficulty in doing as much on the smooth, tranquil water of that tree-shaded lake. ”

“ The fairy mermaid was even now at work trying to save them, and in a few minutes Trot was astonished and delighted to see the queen rise from her couch. She could not go far from it at first, but the ice was melting rapidly all around her so that gradually Aquareine approached the place where the child lay. Trot could hear the mermaid's voice sounding through the ice as if from afar off, but it grew more distinct until she could make out that the queen was saying, "Courage, friends! Do not despair, for soon you will be free." ”

“ Trot had thought him sound asleep, but now he opened his eyes to blink lazily at the group in the water.
"Good morning," said the Queen. "Aren't you Chief Muffruff?"
"I am," answered the old seal. "And you are Aquareine, the mermaid queen. You see, I remember you, although you haven't been here for years. And isn't that Princess Clia? To be sure! But the other mermaids are strangers to me, especially the bald-headed one."
"I'm not a mermaid," asserted Cap'n Bill. "I'm a sailor jes' a-visitin' the mermaids."
"Our friends are earth dwellers," explained the Queen. ”

“ In the course of his essay Ingenhauss states, still more directly, that plants “immersed in water,” when exposed to the action of light, emit an air which he announces as oxygen gas; and this idea is the key-stone of the Aquarium.
But, although the discovery of Ingenhauss at once rendered the thing practicable, Aquaria did not then come into fashion. The science of natural history was not at that time sufficiently advanced; for the specimens, even in public museums, were merely heterogeneous collections, assembled without the slightest regard to classification, or any other useful purpose. ”

“ The entire structures have been so transformed in color by three hundred years' deposit of the Acqua Paola that they have the appearance of bronze. The water in each fountain rises in a crowded mass of separate jets from the summit of the central and single shaft, and falls at first on an inverted basin covered by deep carving, the richness of which gains in beauty from the green web woven about its curves and angles by the fall of the water. ”

“ The most magnificent and costly section of the aqueduct—and one which the now well-known principle in hydraulics, that water will rise to the level of its head, shows to have been useless both in labor and expense—is a lofty arcade, a conspicuous ornament of the city, by which the aqueduct is carried across a deep valley from the hill of Santa Theresa to that of San Antonio opposite. ”

“ At each side of the entrance lay a fish such as they had never seen before. It was flat as a doormat, and seemed to cling fast to the coral floor. Upon its back were quills, like those of a porcupine, all pointed and sharp. From the center of the fish arose a head shaped like a round ball, with a circle of piercing, bead-like eyes set in it. These strange guardians of the entrance might be able to talk and to tell what their numerous eyes saw, yet they remained silent and watchful. Even Aquareine gazed upon them curiously, and she gave a little shudder as she did so. ”

“ Let us hope that it may stir up some sight-seers to be naturalists, and some naturalists to devote their powers to furthering our too limited friendship with the sea-gentry. How much remains to be done may be gathered from the fact that we can as yet keep no deep-sea Merrows in aquaria, only shore-dwellers will live with us, and not all of these. And so insuperable, as yet, are the difficulties of transport, that "distinguished foreigners" are rare indeed.
Still, as it stands, this Great Aquarium is wonderful—wonderful exceedingly. ”

“ Among the fish mentioned by the most experienced in the keeping of Sea Aquaria as best suited to that purpose, the first is the pretty little Tansy, Blennius pholis, with its bright scarlet eyes, and the many changing hues of its body. This little fellow will live and flourish in a tank with a poorer supply of oxygen than any other fish yet tried. ”

“ It is abundant in the hollows of the rocks between tide-marks, extending and thriving even almost to the level of high water, and bearing with impunity the burning rays of the summer's sun, provided it be actually covered with a stratum of water, even though this be quite tepid. It therefore is more tolerant than usual of the limited space and profuse light of an Aquarium, where it will grow prosperously for years, giving out abundantly its bubbles of oxygen gas all day long. ”

“ The beautiful Actiniæ, indeed, will exist in apparent health for a considerable time in water in which no vegetable growth has been introduced. Mr. Gosse describes 96instances in which the water in glass Aquaria, containing Sea-Anemonies, has remained perfectly pure for more than a year.
The addition of fish, however, undoubtedly enlivens the general aspect of an Aquarium very considerably; and many may not grudge the task of daily aerating the water, in order to enjoy the cheerful spectacle of their agreeable and ever-active movements. ”

“ The bottom of the aquarium should be covered with a layer of sand from one to two inches thick, upon the top of which should be placed a few pebbles, in patches. For marine aquaria, the sand must be procured from the sea-beach, or a river-side, below the tide-mark, and, for those of fresh water, from the bed of a brook or running stream, and, in either case, it must be thoroughly washed, to free it from impurities. Rock-work may be built upon the sand, to form caves and grottoes, but there should not be any hiding-places for impurities to collect in. ”