I would as soon take an English bishop
to the Surrey pantomime as to the Sacro Monte on a festa.
Then the pilgrims went into the shadow of a great rock behind the
sanctuary, spread themselves out over the grass and dined.
CHAPTER XXIII - Angera and Arona
From the Hotel Riposo we drove to Angera, on the Lago Maggiore.
There are many interesting things to see on the way. Close to
Velate, for example, there is the magnificent bit of ruin which is
so striking a feature as seen from the Sacro Monte. A little
further on, at Luinate, there is a fine old Lombard campanile and
some conventual buildings which are worth sparing five minutes or
so to see. The views hereabouts over the lake of Varese and
towards Monte Rosa are exceedingly fine. The driver should be told
to go a mile or so out of his direct route in order to pass
Oltrona, near Voltrone. Here there was a monastery which must once
have been an important one. Little of old work remains, except a
very beautiful cloister of the thirteenth or fourteenth century,
which should not be missed. It measures about twenty-one paces
each way: the north side has round arches made of brick, the
arches are supported by small columns about six inches through,
each of which has a different capital; the middle is now garden
ground. A few miles nearer Angera there is Brebbia, the church of
which is an excellent specimen of early Lombard work. We thought
we saw the traditions of Cyclopean masonry in the occasional
irregularity of the string-courses. The stones near the bottom of
the wall are very massive, and the west wall is not, if I remember
rightly, bonded into the north and south walls, but these walls are
only built up against it as at Giornico. The door on the south
side is simple, but remarkably beautiful. It looks almost as if it
might belong to some early Norman church in England, and the stones
have acquired a most exquisite warm colour with age. At Ispra
there is a campanile which Mr. Ruskin would probably disapprove of,
but which we thought lovely. A few kilometres further on a corner
is turned, and the splendid castle of Angera is caught sight of.
Before going up to the castle we stayed at the inn on the left
immediately on entering the town, to dine. They gave us a very
good dinner, and the garden was a delightful place to dine in.
There is a kind of red champagne made hereabouts which is very
good; the figs were ripe, and we could gather them for ourselves
and eat ad libitum. There were two tame sparrows hopping
continually about us; they pretended to make a little fuss about
allowing themselves to be caught, but they evidently did not mind
it.
