The Idea Of Any Sudden Change Is As Repulsive To Us As It Will Be
To The Greater Number Of
My readers; but if asked whether we
thought our English universities would do most good in their
present condition as
Places of so-called education, or if they were
turned into Oropas, and all the educational part of the story
totally suppressed, we inclined to think they would be more popular
and more useful in this latter capacity. We thought also that
Oxford and Cambridge were just the places, and contained all the
appliances and endowments almost ready made for constituting two
splendid and truly imperial cities of recreation - universities in
deed as well as in name. Nevertheless, we should not venture to
propose any further actual reform during the present generation
than to carry the principle which is already admitted as regards
the M.A. degree a trifle further, and to make the B.A. degree a
mere matter of lapse of time and fees - leaving the Little Go, and
whatever corresponds to it at Oxford, as the final examination.
This would be enough for the present.
There is another sanctuary about three hours' walk over the
mountain behind Oropa, at Andorno, and dedicated to St. John. We
were prevented by the weather from visiting it, but understand that
its objects are much the same as those of the institution I have
just described. I will now proceed to the third sanctuary for
which the neighbourhood of Biella is renowned.
CHAPTER XVI - Graglia
The sanctuary of Graglia is reached in about two hours from Biella.
There are daily diligences. It is not so celebrated as that of
Oropa, nor does it stand so high above the level of the sea, but it
is a remarkable place and well deserves a visit. The restaurant is
perfect - the best, indeed, that I ever saw in North Italy, or, I
think, anywhere else. I had occasion to go into the kitchen, and
could not see how anything could beat it for the most absolute
cleanliness and order. Certainly I never dined better than at the
sanctuary of Graglia; and one dines all the more pleasantly for
doing so on a lovely terrace shaded by trellised creepers, and
overlooking Lombardy.
I find from a small handbook by Signor Giuseppe Muratori, that the
present institution, like that of S. Michele, and almost all things
else that achieve success, was founded upon the work of a
predecessor, and became great not in one, but in several
generations. The site was already venerated on account of a chapel
in honour of the Vergine addolorata which had existed here from
very early times. A certain Nicolao Velotti, about the year 1616,
formed the design of reproducing Mount Calvary on this spot, and of
erecting perhaps a hundred chapels with terra-cotta figures in
them. The famous Valsesian sculptor, Tabachetti, and his pupils,
the brothers Giovanni and Antonio (commonly called "Tanzio"),
D'Enrico of Riva in the Val Sesia, all of whom had recently been
working at the sanctuary of Varallo, were invited to Graglia, and
later on, another eminent native of the Val Sesia, Pietro Giuseppe
Martello.
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