The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1879-01-09

I Rt@AAAo ~ AaAANNiN eAA NtNAAAN AANe%- e-N'N'N
ing the entire republic of Genoa.
From Genoa, ride Of less than
/ hundred miles northward brings US to
Milan, the capital Of Lombardy, the
second city in Italy in population, and
/ the most prosperous. IL and Turin show
/ evidences Of being largely modern cities,
most Of the streets being wide and well
paved, aud many Of the buildings very
/ fine. Since the revolution Of 1853, no
cities in Italy have made such rapid
! Improvement as these two. The rich
plain in which the city is situated has
been fought for by French, Austrians
and Italians from time immemorial.
The battle fields Of Lodi and Marengo,
where the great Napoleon won such
signal victories, and OF Magenta, the
military glory Of Napoleon III, are all
near the city. While Milan has cared
for her material prosperity, she has not
neglected her opportunities for art, and
to-day is a vigorous rival Of any city in
Italy in these matters. Milan, the
grand, is noted the world over for her
wonderful cathedral, which is the larg-
est and finest gothic church in the
world. II covers an area Of about two
and a half acres, and is distinguished
more for its exterior decorations than
for the beauty Of its interior.
There are positions from which the
view across the cathedral disclOses a
wonderful number Of great pillars and
gives an impression Of msssiveness
which I do not remember to have
received in any other cathedral.
The chapel Of St. Borromeo, un-
derneath the church, is rich IN work
in silver and in precious stones. But it
is a visit TO the roof and spires of this
great cathedral which calls forth our
wonder and admiration. The roof,
which is Of blocks Of solid marble, is
such labyrinth OF turreis, butments,
and elaborate ornament of every kind
that guides are generally sent up with
the parties to prevent them from wan
dering around aud losing the way
From the platform Of the spire the view
is probably the finest to be had from
any church-tower in the world Tn,
broad plain of Lombardy, which lies be
low Us, is seen to be bounded on tn,
uorth by the best known Of the Alps
aud on the south by the Apprentices. T,
the extreme east, beyond Turin, tn,
, lofty Mount Gents can be distinguished
b Not the least interesting of all is tn
b wonderful roof which we look dowl
: upon, with its thousand Of pieces OF stat
, uary, for it is said that when the deco
> rations are completed there will be Tel
, thousand marble figures, mostly on th
? outside OF the building, and more thai
} half of these are already in place. Their
is a small engine on the roof for hoist
3 ing material, and houses in which ia
: workman cut the marble. The roof
. almost a city in itself
= In one Of the inferior churches is In
. celebrated "Last Supper" by Nernand
b de Ninci, one Of the best known an,
most admired Of the great paintings q
e the world. IL has unfortunately receive
e very bad treatment, and is now YER
: much injured. Probably no finer fac
of the Savior has ever been painted, an
e yet the great artist himself said that h
a was not able to realize on the fresco hi
l conception Of the heavenly beauty an,
e grace of the countenauce. There was
t very beautiful copy Of this picture il
p tapestry at the Paris Exposition.
/ The gallery Of Victor Emmanuel,
t covered arcade, with shops on each side
If costing more than 81 100000, is the fin
e est building OF its kind in Europe
n When its two thousand gas jets ar
e lighted in the evening, it is as brilliau
i a place as one can well imagine.
d We were pleased with Northern Italy
r with the enterprise and ambition Of tn
e people, and most Of all with the conf
IS dence which they seemed to have j
T, themselves 10 again become a unite
e and powerful nation. Young Italy ha
'e shaken of the dust Of her former dea
'r ages, and arising in all the hope an
lie vigor Of her newly found life, is maxim
'i rapid strides toward regaining what 81
ID lost while she slept, and many who rea
l. these lines will live to see her again, &
ie Of early times, a power among nation
ie / do not feel that can conclude tn
e. series Of letters without thanking m
NJ g.. -
D. which they have perused them ar
J. borne with my imperfect attempts
j. place before their minds what many
= them have not as yet had the pleasu
'e Of seeing with their eyes. From Il
'p first ! have Eiost painfully realized ho
I'd impossible it was for me in the narro
~ limits to which it was necessary to r
W. strict myself to begin 70 do justice
II the many things Ofinterest in the plac
II mentioned, aud il has been with gre
ne regret that / have been Obliged to lea
oi uunoticed things in which was great
in interested, aud which / am sure won
II been enjoyed by my readers. As ! 10,
ne back on the work / have tried to a
IL complish, my highest hope is that viii
- I may have interested and benefits
o' somewhat those who have followed n
'i' in my wanderings over a portion of u
IT. old world, have excited in them a d
ne sire to know by study or travel, more
ne the nations Of the past, and of tho
oi achievements in art aud civilizati,
lis which are the pride and common her