thedral was in course of construction from 1063 to 1118. It is entirely of white marble, with black and colored ornamentation. The most magnificent part is the façade, which in the lower story is adorned with columns and arches attached to the wall, and in the upper parts with four open galleries, gradually diminishing in length. The choir is also imposing." At the end of the nave, suspended by a very long iron rod from the arched ceiling, is the elaborate and beautifully wrought bronze lamp, which suggested to Galileo the idea of a pendulum. We have a fine photograph of it, and also excellent photographs of the Duomo, Baptistery, Leaning Tower, and of parts of the Campo Santo.

The Baptistery, a circular white marble structure with a dome, is remarkable particularly for its beautiful Gothic architecture, its exquisitely carved pulpit, and its wonderful echo. Situated a few rods from the Duomo, its height is about one hundred and ninety feet and its diameter one hundred feet. The pulpit is on pillars near the center, and is entered by a flight of marble steps richly carved. One of the pillars rests on the back of a lion, while others present reliefs, representing, we imagine, Saints or Apostles. The panels are in like manner covered with bas-reliefs of various descriptions. Near the pulpit is a large baptismal font, adorned with beautifully carved figures in alabaster or marble. The custodian sounded a series of musical notes, and "heavenly echoes burst forth in response. They were of such a tender and exalted rapture that we might well have thought them the voices of young-eyed cherubim singing as they passed through Paradise over that spot of earth where we stood." We called to one after another of our dear friends at

home, and their names were echoed back to us, many times repeated, as though they were answering in person.

The Leaning Tower stands across the street from and on the other side of the Duomo. When taken together in a photograph all three structures appear to be connected. We climbed by easy circular stairs to the seventh story of the Tower, from which we had a grand view of the city and surrounding country. In October, 1867, the writer, with his son Henry, ascended one story higher to the top, above the bell deck; but the rain was pouring in torrents, which, of course, obstructed the view. The question whether the oblique position of this Tower was intentional or accidental has been frequently discussed. Some writers hold that the most probable solution is that the foundation settled during the progress of its construction, and that to remedy the defect as much as possible an attempt was made to give a vertical position to the upper part. Our impression is that its leaning position was intentional; and this impression is strengthened by the fact that there is an ancient Leaning Tower at Milan, which we were informed was left unfinished because it could not be carried to its contemplated height on the same oblique line with its base without the danger of its toppling. The work of the Pisa Tower, too, looks very solid; nor could we discover any cracks either in the stone steps or walls. Its height is one hundred and seventy-nine feet, consisting of eight different stages. It is thirteen feet out of the perpendicular. Galileo is said to have availed himself of this position of the Tower in his experiments regarding the laws of gravitation. This structure was completed in 1350. It is supplied with seven bells,

Bologna

the heaviest of which, weighing six tons, hangs on the side opposite the overhanging wall. To ring these bells the bell-ringer is obliged to stand on the bell deck.

The Campo Santo, or Burial Ground, also near the Cathedral, is well worth a visit. Surrounding the church-yard is a low structure four hundred and fourteen feet in length and one hundred and seventy feet in width, with corridors looking inward. The walls of the corridors are covered with frescoes, representing "The Creation," "The Fall," "Expulsion from Paradise," "Building of the Ark," "The Deluge," and many other scriptural subjects. The pavement is formed of the tombstones of the persons buried here, and there are memorial tablets also in the walls. There is a collection of Roman, Etruscan, and Mediæval sculptures, and some of modern date, among which we observed a fine marble bust of Cavour. On the walls there are two heavy chains, which were used to protect the harbor of Pisa when at war with neighboring principalities. One of them, captured by Florence, was restored in 1848, and the other, captured by the Genoese in 1632, was restored in 1860. That the dead here "might repose in holy ground," the Archbishop, after the loss of the Holy Land in the thirteenth century, caused fifty-three ship loads of earth to be brought hither from Jerusalem.

On the 15th, Dr. Parker and family reached Pisa at half past eleven in the morning, from Florence, and, joining them, we all arrived in Genoa at half past six in the evening, stopping at the London Hotel. We passed near Carrara, where we saw great quantities of white marble, and still nearer Spezzia, which town, situated on the Gulf of Spezzia

between two elevated points of land and crowned with forts, was in plain sight. It is a favorite naval station and summer bathing place. Our first experience in Genoa was not very pleasant. On the pretext that his best rooms were all occupied, our landlord put us all in the fourth story, to which, however, we did not particularly object, since our stay was to be short. His office was on the second floor, the lower story being set apart for shops. The dining-room and adjoining reading-room were a few steps above and at some distance from the office. With a few other guests we were all sitting quietly at supper in the dining-room, when suddenly a thick volume of smoke, white with heat, came pouring into the room through the reading - room door, which was open, and it was evident the house was on fire. Now came a race for our lives. Total strangers, it might have been difficult for us readily to find our way to the street even had the halls been lighted; but as soon as the alarm was given, the gas, to avoid explosion, was wisely turned off, and we had hardly more than left the dining-room before we found ourselves in total darkness, groping our way, as we supposed, toward the office as our nearest way out doors. Fortunately we came to a room where two frightened ladies had just lighted a candle, and they gladly joined us in our retreat to the office, which we finally reached in safety, but badly scared. A staircase led immediately from the office to the street, and we no longer feared for our lives. In the moment of doubt whether our lives might not be sacrificed, the thought of the loss of our luggage, all of which was in our room, had not the weight of a feather with us. But as soon as the first danger was over, and we

found by a cautious reconnoissance that we might venture to go to our room, we ascended hastily, seized the bulk of our things and as speedily made our way back with them, entirely out of breath. At the same time, Dr. Parker started on a similar errand; as he had not returned when we reached the office, Miss Parker urgently asked us to go to his assistance, but it was half a minute before we could recover our breath to answer. We then proceeded to comply with her request, when, meeting the Doctor coming down, we kept on again to our own room, which was filled with smoke, and secured the rest of our effects. Meantime the servants and others of the hotel had succeeded in subduing the flames by drenching the reading-room, to which the fire was confined, with water, carried in buckets and whatever other vessel was nearest at hand. Had this fire occurred after the inmates had retired to bed, it is more than probable that these "Sketches" never would have been written. As soon as things became a little settled, we all made up our minds to go to another hotel; for, seeing that the fire took from a furnace pipe between the floor and ceiling, we feared it might break out again. This determination did not suit the landlord, who now remembered that he could give us rooms, which he offered us, on a level with the dining room, and we concluded to remain. The next day we all took a good view of the city, going into the principal Cathedral and some other places of interest. There is a handsome monument to Columbus here, and many of the buildings are very elegant. The city is beautifully situated on a slope rising above the sea in a wide semi-circle,” and its harbor is also in the form of a semi-circle, about