es; it is even possible that part of the
building may have been consecrated to religious purposes, as the
chapels of other countries, since we find a priest engaged in
presenting offerings at the door of the inner chambers; and, indeed,
were it not for the presence of the women, the form of the garden, and
the style of the porch, we should feel disposed to consider it a
temple rather than a place of abode. The entrances of large villas
were generally through folding gates, standing between lofty towers,
as at the courts of temples, with a small door at each side; and
others had merely folding-gates, with the jambs surmounted by a
cornice. One general wall of circuit extended round the premises, but
the courts of the house, the garden, the offices, and all the other
parts of the villa had each their separate enclosure. The walls were
usually built of crude brick, and, in damp places, or when within
reach of the inundation, the lower part was strengthened by a basement
of stone. They were sometimes ornamented with panels and grooved
lines, generally stuccoed, and the summit was crowned either with
Egyptian battlements, the usual cornice, a row of spikes in imitation
of spear-heads, or with some fancy ornament.

The plans of the villas varied according to circumstances, but their
general arrangement is sufficiently explained by the paintings. They
were surrounded by a high wall, about the middle of which was the main
or front entrance, with one central and two side gates, leading to an
open walk shaded by rows of trees. Here were spacious tanks of water,
facing the doors of the right and left wings of the house, between
which an avenue led from the main entrance to what may be called the
centre of the mansion. After passing the outer door of the right wing,
you entered an open court with trees, extending quite round a nucleus
of inner apartments, and having a back entrance communicating with the
garden. On the right and left of this court were six or more
store-rooms, a small receiving or waiting room at two of the corners,
and at the other end the staircases which led to the upper stories.
Both of the inner facades were furnished with a corridor, supported on
columns, with similar towers and gateways. The interior of this wing
consisted of twelve rooms, two outer and one center court,
communicating by folding gates; and on either side of this last was
the main entrance to the rooms on the ground-floor, and to the
stairca