The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1879-06-19
Correspondence of the 1NDEPENDENT.
The Houses Of Italy.
MILAN, ITALY, May, 1879.

and on many OF the more narrow and
obscure thoroughfares, large and splen-
did palaces mingle with the more hum
BILE structures in grotesque irregularity.
Many of these palaces front extensive
gardens, making great holes, so to
speak, in the body of the city. These
gardens are only visible through the
arched portal, a drive way, or from
the elevated bastion, and embrace areas
of to 10 acres. They are not exclu
sively devoted to ornaments, but most
of the ground is made to produce some
thing-vegetables or fruit. The vine
skirted walks and shaded arbors are so
arranged as to combine beauty with
utility and economy OF space. Mounds,
ridges and depressions are made to
contribute variety to the aspect and re-
ceive the degreee of moisture needful
for the various products, from the ca
mails that give the supply. In and
about the courts, walls and roofs are
distributed fine pieces of statuary rep
resenting ancestry, saints, notable per
sons, &c. The walls of these build
ings are almost invariably of brick
plastered smooth, or made to represent
blocks of stone. Inside they are rich
in fresco paintings, pictures and fur
nishings. l speak of upper rooms, for
the ground floor is meyer used except
for stables, carriage ouse, lumber
rooms, servants rooms, 0c. The gate
keeper has the room next to the en-
trance, to answer the bell and attend
to the iron gate, which is kept locked.
He is fellow who must know who
you are and what you want before he
opens the way, and then only by order
after due report. This rule applies to
the ordinary dwelling house as well as
the palace; to hotels, boarding houses
and manufacturing es stabli sh m en- Is.
Perhaps it is a necessity of the society
existing here, to prevent impertinent
intrusion. 1t certainly is a precaution
against burglary, and thousand other
evils that in America result from un-
closed and unattended entrance ways.
1t is true that in American cities doors
fronting on streets are kept locked,
but other places of entrance to the
house are generally open or accessible.
There is but one entrance to the
Italian house or palace although it
may be divided into apartments for
many families. All enter by one arch
way leading into the court, and from
thence ascend the general stairway
that leads up to the porticoes of the
several floors, from which the apart
ments are entered. Here are double
sets of doors, opened only in answer
to the bell. So an intruder encoun-
ters three locked doors and two at
tendants. Under such circumstances
it is not matter of wonder that burg
larry and theft are rare in Italy. Peo-
pie do not rely on the law to protect
person or property, but by walls, bars
and bolts make depredations impossi-
bic under ordinary vigilance. But
these massive walls and the iron grated
windows are rather unattractive, and
have an ugly look. In fact, it is nota-
bic that but little attention is paid to
the outside beauty or finish of Euro
pean buildings. To American eyes
they seem uncouth, rude and massive;
grim, gloomy and weather beaten. All
the ornamentation and finish is ex
pended on the inside walls, and yet
even there it is inferior to the Ameri-
can houses Of the same class, except in
fresco work. As to the floors, they