PATERE. ET. CIRCA. RIVOS. Q.VI. SVB. TERRA. ESSENT. ET. SPECVS. VLTRA. VRBEM. CONTINENTIA. .SIDIFICIA. VTRAQVE. EX. PARTE. Q.VINOS. PEDES. VACVOS. RELINQ.VI. ITA. VT. NEQ.VE. MONVMENTVM. IN. IIS. LOCIS. NEQVE. .EDIFICIVM. POST. HOC. TEMPYVS. PONERF. NEQ.VE. CONSERERE. ARBORES. LICERET. Sf. QVJE. NVNC. ESSENT. ARBORES. INTRA. ID. SPAT1VM. EXTIRPARENTVR. PR^ETERaVAM. SI. Q.VE. VII.L.*:. CONTINENTES. ET. INCLVSJE. .KDEFICIIS. ESSENT. SI. Q.VIS. ADVERSVS. EA. COMMI3ERIT. IN. SINGVLAS. RES. IN. DENA. MILLIA. DAMNAS. ESSET. EX. Q.VIBVS. PARS- DIMIDIA. PRJEMIVM. ACCVSATORI. DARETVR. CVJVS. OPERA. MAXIME. CONVICTVS. ESSET. QVI. ADVERSVS. HOC. S. C. COMMISISSET. PARS. ALTERA. MESIA. IN. JERAR1VM. REDIGERETVR. DEQ.VE. EA. RE. JVDICARENT. COGNOSCERENTO.VE. CVRATORES. AQ.VARVM. 28 PRELIMINARY ESSAY. correct these and other evils, and to establish the space that should be left vacant on each side of the subterranean course of an aqueduct, and about its sources, superstructure, &c. Around the latter, a space was to be left on each side of 115 feet ; and on each side of the former, within the city, fifteen feet ; " within which," says the decree, " it shall not be lawful, henceforth, to erect any edifice, or plant any trees — and any trees actually growing upon the reserved space shall be cut down "* A heavy pecuniary fine is annexed to the violation of the decree, of which one half on conviction of the offender, to go to the informer j the other to go into the public treasury. Another decree also forbids the sow- ing any grain, or cutting any hay, or feeding cattle, within the specified limits. The magnificence of the Romans, in these peculiar and most beneficial structures, was not confined to Rome, for few cities of any note in their extended dominions, appear to have been without one or more aqueducts. Among the most important, from their magni- tude and actual state of comparative preservation, may be reckoned those erected in Gaul.t Before noticing these, however, a few words must be given to Carthage, the great rival of Rome, which also had a vast aqueduct — but its date and origin are uncertain. By some it is viewed as a monument of the enterprise and skill of the Carthaginians- others, among whom is Fischer D'Erlach, in his Architecture Historique, and Malte Brun, consider it a Roman work, after these haughty conquerors had annihilated Car- thaginian power, and founded a second Carthage under Roman auspices. However the fact be, and whoever the constructors, it was a most magnificent work, carried through mountains, and over valleys, for a space of 70 miles ! Near Udena, there is an arcade of more than a thousand arches, some of them exceeding 100 feet in height. The cement used in building the work is as hard as the stones themselves, and, such is the tenacity of that which coated the water channel, that where flakes of it of 100 feet in length have fallen from the wall, they lie unbroken. The conduit is 6 feet high within, and 4 feet wide, "arched to a point" — says Stuart. At Ariana, about four miles from Tunis, other remains of this aqueduct are visible. When mountains were tunnelled in its course, at every 60 yards, vertical openings were driven through from the surface of the channel way to the upper air. These openings or ventilators are 4 feet in diameter, walled with hewn stone, and carried up about 4 feet above the surface. The Emperor Charles V., caused a drawing to be made of various portions of this noble work — the celebrated Titian arranging the designs, to serve as a model for some tapestry to be executed for the Austrian Court. * Frontinus, p. 206. t Stuart, Die. Archi., art. Aqued. PRELIMINARY ESSAY. 29 Of the Roman works in Gaul, we borrow our account from Stuart : " The aqueduct at Nismes, is probably one of the earliest that was constructed by the Romans out of Italy. Its origin is attributed to Agrippa, who was invested by Augus- tus with the government of this city, which had become a Roman colony. Flattered by the attentions of the citizens, Agrippa made their city his place of residence, and he adorned it with new city walls and magnificent baths. Those who suppose that the object of the aqueduct was to conduct water to the amphitheatre only, instead of being appropriated to the domestic uses of the inhabitants, have not regarded with attention the peculiarities of its construction. The simplicity and unornamented style of its archi- tecture, perfect, however, in its proportions, and just in every point of its design, marks the very character of these works of Agrippa. The waters about the colony of Neman- sis, from the disturbed state of the springs in winter and spring, from the muddied flow of the torrents in times of flood, and