la
added by Bramante, is considered one of the best architectural specimens
of its class to be found anywhere.

Passing through the glass-domed arcade by the Cathedral, we find
ourselves in the _Piazza della Scala_, where there is a fine statue of
Leonardo da Vinci by Naqui, in Carrara marble. The figure of the great
painter, which is larger than life, stands alone on a lofty pedestal,
his fine features full of concentrated thought, while below stand four
of his pupils, as though in the act of catching a glow of inspiration
from their master: the expression on all their faces is excellent, and
wonderfully executed. The base of the pedestal is adorned with copies of
the great painter's principal works in _relief_.

Here, too, is the famous Teatro la Scala, next to San Carlo at Naples,
the largest in Italy, and capable of holding 3000 spectators. The
highest ambition of an Italian _artiste_ is attained when he or she has
sung at this theatre, for it is a guarantee of success, and, having
gained the suffrages of an audience on the boards of La Scala, they are
certain of laurels on any other stage in Europe. This is the principal
evening _rendezvous_ of the Milanese, both high and low classes
assembling for several hours, paying, however, less attention to the
opera than to conversation, flirtation, gambling, and eating ices. The
theatre has quite recently been lighted by electricity.

The Arnea, in the _Piazza di Arni_, built by the French, is dedicated to
the populace for their open-air amusements, such as balloon ascents,
rope-dancing, fire-works, races, shows, etc.: it contains seats for some
30,000 spectators. The _Arc de Triomphe_ is considered the best of the
kind in Europe.

The great picture-gallery at Milan, the Pinacoteca, in the _Via di
Brene_, at the _Palazzo delle Scienze e delle Arte_, contains some six
hundred paintings by celebrated artists, among them Raphael's
_Sposalizio_, said to be the gem of the collection; Guercino's _Abraham
and Hagar_; and a copy of Leonardo da Vinci's _Last Supper_, which,
however, is in a very bad condition. The Archilogio and other museums
also contain paintings and other objects of interest; but having already
traversed so many galleries in Rome, Florence, Naples, etc., we were
disinclined to visit many of those at Milan. The Palazzo Reale is
principally worth seeing for its fine ball-room, decorated with silk
tapestries of the sixteenth century.

We visited the church of