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〃Do you happen to know how the acanthus design was made？ Well； Vitruvius tells the story。 Anyone that wants to get a line on this Exposition ought to read that book； or； at any rate； to glance through it and to read parts of it pretty thoroughly。 It is called 'The Architecture of Marcus Vitruvius Pollio。' There's a good translation from the Latin by Joseph Gwilt。 It has become the architect's bible。 According to Vitruvius； the nurse of Corinthian girl who had died carried to the girl's tomb basket filled with the things that the girl had particularly liked。 She left the basket on the ground near the tomb and covered it with a tile。 It happened that it stood over the root of an acanthus plant。 As the plant grew its foliage pressed up around the basket and when it reached the tile the leaves were forced to bang back in graceful curves。 Callimachus； a Corinthian architect； noticed the effect and put it into use。〃
IV
Under the Tower of Jewels
When we entered the arch we looked up at the magnificent ceiling used by McKim； Mead & White； in panels； with a pictorial design beautifully colored by Guerin。 〃The blue up there blends into the deeper blue of the Dodge murals just beneath。 Those murals are in exactly the right tone。 They give strength to the arch。 But they are weakened by being in the midst of so much heavy architecture。 Their subjects； however； are in harmony with the meaning of the tower。 Guerin was right when he told the mural decorators that a good subject was an asset。 By studying these murals you can get a glimpse of all the history associated with California and with the Panama Canal。 Dodge has made drama out of Balboa's discovery of Panama and out of the union of the two oceans； a theme worthy of a great poet。 And Dodge is one of the few men represented in the art on the grounds who have made pictorial use of machinery。 There's the discovery by Balboa； the purchase by the United States； the presentation of the problem of uniting the two oceans； very imaginative and pictorial； the completion of the Canal； and the crowning of labor； with the symbolic representation of the resulting feats of commerce suggested by the want of the winged Mercury。 Dodge is dramatic without being too individual。 His murals don't call the attention away from their surroundings to themselves。 They are a part of the architecture； as murals always should be。〃
On either side we found the columned niches designed by McKim； Mead and White； each ornamented with a fountain。 The back wall made a splendid effect as it reached up toward the tower。
To the right we turned to view Mrs。 Edith Woodman Burroughs' 〃Fountain of Youth；〃 lovely in the girlish beauty of the central figure； and in the simplicity and the sincerity of the design as a whole。 In some ways the figure reminded us of the celebrated painting by Ingres in the Louvre； 〃The Source；〃 the nude girl bearing a jug on her shoulder； sending out a stream of water。 There was no suggestion of imitation； however。
〃The symbolism in the design；〃 said the architect； 〃does not thrust itself on you； and yet it is plain enough。 That woman and man pushing up flowers at the feet of the girl make a beautiful conception。 The whole fountain has an ingenuousness that is in key with the subject。 Across the way；〃 he went on； turning to view the Fountain of El Dorado； by Mrs。 Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney； 〃there's a piece of work much more sophisticated and dramatic； fine in its conception and strong in handling。 No one would say offhand that it was the work of a woman； and yet it shows none of the overstrain that sometimes characterizes a woman artist when she wishes her work to seem masculine。〃
In approaching the 〃El Dorado〃 we noted the skill shown in the details of the conception。 〃This fountain might have been called 'The Land of Gold；' in plain English； or 'The Struggle for Happiness；' or by any other name that suggested competition for what people valued as the prizes of life。 When Mrs。 Whitney was asked to explain whether those trees in the background represented the tree of life； she said she didn't have any such idea in her mind。 What she probably wanted to do was to present an imaginative scene that each observer could interpret for himself。 These two Egyptian…looking guardians at the doors； with the figures kneeling by them； suggest plainly enough the futility that goes with so much of our struggling in the world。 So often people reach the edge of their goal without really getting what they want。〃
V
The Court of the Universe
Through the arch we passed into the neck of the Court of the Universe； which charmed us by the warmth of its coloring； by McLaren's treatment of the sunken garden； by its shape； by the use of the dark pointed cypress trees against the walls； and by the sweep of view across the great court to the Marina； broken； however； by the picturesque and inharmonious Arabic bandstand。 We glanced at the inscriptions at the base of the tower carrying on the history of the Canal to its completion。 Then we stopped before those graceful little elephants bearing Guerin's tall poles with their streamers。 〃That little fellow is a gem in his way。 He comes from Rome。 But the heavy pole on his back is almost too much for him。 He's used pretty often on the grounds； but not too often。 After the Exposition is over we ought to keep these figures for the Civic Center。 They would be very ornamental in the heart of the city。〃
As we walked toward the main court； the architect called my attention to the view between the columns on the other side of the Tower of Jewels； with the houses of the city running down the hills。 〃San Francisco architecture may not be beautiful when you study individual houses。 But in mass it is fine。 And； of a late afternoon； it is particularly good in coloring。 It seems to be enveloped in a rich purple haze。 That color might have given the mural decorators a hint。 It would have been effective in the midst of all this high…keyed architecture。 It's easy here to imagine that you're in one of those ancient Hindu towns where the gates are closed at night。 You almost expect to see camels and elephants。〃
What was most striking in the Court was its immensity。 〃Though it comes from Bernini's entrance court to St。 Peter's in Rome； it is much bigger。 There are those who think it's too big。 But it justifies itself by its splendor。 The use of the double row of columns is particularly happy。 The double columns were greatly favored by the Romans。 In St。 Peter's Bernini used four in a row。 And what could be finer than those two triumphal arches on either side； the Arch of the Rising Sun and the Arch of the Setting Sun； with their double use of symbolism； in suggesting the close relation between California and the Orient； as well as their geographical meaning？ They are； of course； importations from Rome； the Arch of Constantine and the Arch of Titus all over again； with a rather daring use of windows with colored lattices to give them lightness and with colossal groups of almost startling proportions used in place of the Roman chariot or quadriga。〃
Originally； the intention had been to use here the name of the Court of Sun and Stars。 Then it was changed to