[Letter XIII]

The grotto of Cupid, the fountain of Esculapius, the urns, the tombs, and the statues, which people these woods with recollections, attest the respect of the Medici for the precious monuments of art and antiquity—here rises Mount Parnassus, with the statues of Apollo and the Muses; Pegasus is bounding from the summit of the mountain, whence also a limpid stream starts, the sound of which is mingled with the notes of a musical instrument, which is played by water— there rise fountains, ornamented with groups of statues, representing fabulous personages, or scenes from common life.