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thirty-four marble pillars. The altars, with the niches between,
occupied by colossal statues, are ranged round the walls, and in
some instances decorated by splendid modern paintings. A great
quantity of lapis lazuli has been used in the construction of the
grand altar. In the higher regions of the cupola two galleries,
with tasteful iron railings, are to be seen. The entire church, and
even the confessionals, are covered with a species of grey marble.
The peculiar appearance of this place of worship is exceedingly
calculated to excite the visitor's wonder, for to judge from its
exterior he would scarcely take the splendid building before him for
a church. It was built on the model of the famous rotunda at Rome;
but the idea of the porticoes is taken from St. Peter's.

Two large equestrian statues of bronze form the ornaments of the
square before this church. Quitting this square, we emerge into the
two finest and most frequented streets in the town, namely, the
Chiaga and Toledo. Not far off is the imposing theatre of St.
Carlo, said to be not only the largest in Italy, but in all Europe.
Its exterior aspect is very splendid. A large and broad entrance
extends in front, with pillars, beneath the shelter of which the
carriages drive up, so that the spectators can arrive and depart
without the chance of getting wet. This evening there was to be a
"particularly grand performance." I entered the theatre, and was
much struck with its appearance. It contains six tiers, all
parcelled off into boxes, of which I counted four-and-twenty on the
grand circle. Each box is almost the size of a small room, and can
easily accommodate from twelve to fifteen people. A fairy-like
spectacle is said to be produced when, on occasions of peculiar
festivity, the whole exterior is lighted up. Here, as in nearly all
the Italian theatres, a clock, shewing not only the hours but the
minutes, is fixed over the front of the stage. A "particular
performance" commences at six o'clock, and usually terminates an
hour or two before midnight. This evening I saw a little ballet,
then two acts of an opera, and afterwards a comedy, the whole
concluding with a grand ballet. It is usual on benefit-nights to
give a great variety of entertainments in order to attract the
public; on these occasions the prices are also reduced one-fifth.

The greatest square, Largo del Castello, almost adjoins the theatre;
it is of an oblong form, and conta