suburban villages
of Arcetri and Pian Guillari. This space was, and had been for time out
of mind, occupied by fields and market-gardens. But when the new
fortunes of the City of Flowers fallaciously seemed to be in the
ascendant, it was at once seen that of all the spaces immediately around
Florence which were available for that increase of the city which was
expected to be urgently required, none was more desirable or more
favorably circumstanced than this hillside. A really magnificent
carriage-road, ornamented with gardens on either side of it, was led in
well-arranged curves up to San Miniato, and down on the other side of
the hill till it reaches the Arno at the village of Ricorboli. The
entire course of this road commands a series of varied views of the city
and the Vale of Arno than which nothing can be conceived more charming.
It is in truth the finest city promenade and drive that I know in
Europe. Rome has nothing comparable to it. The Bois de Boulogne and Hyde
Park are, as far as natural beauty goes, tame and flat in comparison to
it. The planning and the execution of it have been alike excellent. The
whole of the space up which the road serpentines has been turned into
ornamental gardens, and on either side of it, and among its lawns and
shrubberies, a large number of villa-sites were reserved to be disposed
of to purchasers. Of this singular opportunity Powers was one of the
first to avail himself. He selected with admirable judgment three sites
in the immediate neighborhood of each other--one for a residence for
himself, one for that of his eldest son, a married man, established and
doing well as a photographer, and one for that of his eldest daughter
and her husband, Mr. and Mrs. Ibbetson. The friends of the sculptor thus
patriarchally establishing himself said laughingly that the region ought
to be called Powerstown. The three houses, each in its own grounds, were
built, and excellently good and comfortable residences they are. Powers
was almost as much in his own element in superintending them as in his
studio with mallet and chisel in hand, as might be surmised. The new
studio formed no part of the dwelling-house, but occupied a separate
erection in the grounds. Nor did the artist's love for his art fail to
show itself in the amplitude and excellent adaptation of the building to
all the needs of a studio, properly so called--of work-rooms and
exhibition-rooms for the reception of visitors. A more comple