and seeing them write, listening to the lessons given in grammar and geography, and myself examining them vivâ voce in different branches of popular instruction. I was very satisfied with the general condition of the schools, with the progress, order, and good conduct of the scholars. Thanks to the obliging kindness of a lady inspector, I was enabled to visit twice, with her, one of the festival schools, and there, also, I could not but admire the sustained attention with which the pupils profited by the opportunity afforded them of gaining instruction.

It is not the municipality only, but some of the élite of the Milanese society which lends its aid to the development of popular instruction. Such participation on the part of the rich is excellent in itself, it is also a very favourable testimony to the actual state of the community, and a pledge full of hope for the future; for it is evident that if the rich thus interest themselves as regards the poor, they will understand better the desires and wants of the working 'classes, while the poor, on the other hand, will naturally be led to regard their wealthy fellowcitizens with kindly feelings, and will get rid of everything like distrust. The different classes of society will thus become united by the durable tie of common affection. The poor and the rich will feel themselves to be members of the same body, children of the same country, and the nation will thereby find itself stronger, more capable of internal

development, and therefore more able to resist foreign aggression.*

But however great the interest which attaches to the moral progress made by Milan under the auspices of freedom, its material progress also merits attention and inquiry. The first thing which strikes all observers are the changes which have been effected in the city, and its enlargement. In one of the most populous quarters of the Lombard capital, that between the Porta Nuova and the Porta Garibaldi, large streets have been opened up which bear the names of Solferino, Ancona, Castelfidardo, and Marsala. Two new bridges, named Pioppette (Little Poplars) and Castelfidardo, have been built over the canal which surrounds the city. Not to take up time with details, I will content myself with mentioning the construction of the fine Victor Emmanuel Gallery, which is to unite the Cathedral Square with that of the Scala, and with the large and new streets adjacent to those squares. The execution of this project will sweep away the narrow and tortuous streets which encumber the centre of the city and impede the circulation of air, light, and traffic; it will at the same time make the Cathedral Square worthy of that magnificent building. The plan of this vast and useful work has been made by an architect of Bologna, Signor Mengoni; its execution

* Since 1864-65 this important work of popular education has continued to progress in every way, and bids fair to place the Milanese people high on the list of well-educated communities.

has been undertaken by an English company, which tendered for it to the municipality of Milan. On the 7th March 1865, King Victor Emmanuel laid the first stone of this magnificent gallery, which bears his name. Despite very bad weather, a great crowd was assembled, anxious to witness the inauguration of works which will make the capital of Lombardy one of the prettiest cities in Europe.* As such undertakings cannot, however, be carried on without incurring great expense, the immediate consequence of these fine projects is an increase of taxation; it must not, however, be forgotten, that they give work and occupation while increasing the circulation of money; and there is good reason for believing that under the direction of a free government they will have the effect of rendering more brilliant the future of Milan.

Within the last five years the number of hotels, inns, and restaurants has been doubled. Since 1863 one of the finest railway stations on the Continent has been opened. A handsome new street, named Prince Humbert, now leads from this terminus into the city, piercing the old ramparts near the public gardens, which have been much extended and improved since 1859. The Museum of Natural History, which faces one side of the gardens, has also been greatly enlarged during the last two or three years. In this neighbourhood are forming the new streets

* The gallery has since been completed, and is certainly the handsomest construction of the kind in the world.

Montebello, Parini, and Carlo Porta, the latter so called after the Milanese poet of that name.*

The abolition of the petty internal custom-houses which, by their thousand vexations, formerly impeded the development of Italy's material interests, and the great extension of the network of Italian railways since 1859, have given everywhere to the internal commerce of the Peninsula an activity hitherto unknown. Milan has naturally had its share of the general benefit; still it is difficult to find exact data as to the progress which has been made by the commerce and industry of the city. I have only been able to get at comparatively few details worthy of notice in the documents, only too few in number, relative to the commerce of Milan. In the report of the civil administration laid before the communal council on the 28th November 1864, it is said that the produce of the house tax had yielded 19,693 francs more in 1864 than in the previous year. This increase came from the additional number of houses, whose rental had increased by 613,259 francs between 1863 and 1864. The produce of the taxes upon the commerce of the city had also augmented, the matters subject to impost having yielded about one million of francs more in the latter than in the former year. It was absolutely the same in the case of all the other taxes, and this result was due to the mere increase of commodities subject to taxation, for (at the time

* This paragraph was accidentally omitted in the original article.

B

referred to, 1863 and 1864) the taxes themselves had undergone no change whatever.

Another document, the report of the Milan Chamber of Commerce, especially pointed out the unexpected extension of the spirit of association since 1860. It signalled the formation of six joint-stock companies, and of five limited liability companies, in the province of Lombardy. One of these societies deserves special mention, namely, the one formed for the construction of dwellings for the working classes, and for the building of public baths and wash-houses. Established in 1861, with a capital of 350,000 francs, which has since been augmented, it has already constructed working men's houses to the value of 500,000 francs. These dwellings are situated in the new streets of San Fermo and Montebello, and form in great part the new square which bears the latter name. The object of the society is to give the working classes commodious and clean house accommodation at a moderate rent, According to its statutes, the society cannot declare a dividend of more than 4 per cent. All monies accruing over and above that profit must be employed in the construction of new dwellings destined to the same object. This society has already made much more than 4 per cent., and has been most successful in every way. Benefit or Mutual Aid Societies have also grown in numbers and importance during the last few years. These inestimable associations (which anticipate distress, which tend to produce and propagate habits of economy and saving, and which establish the happiest