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the main room and the dais should be called； we find； first； the
monitress for the week； who stands up while she recites； and
secondly； the Virgin herself； who is the only pupil allowed a seat
so near to the august presence of the Lady Principal。 She is
ostensibly doing a piece of embroidery which is stretched on a
cushion on her lap； but I should say that she was chiefly interested
in the nearest of four pretty little Cupids； who are all trying to
attract her attention； though they pay no court to any other young
lady。 I have sometimes wondered whether the obviously scandalised
gesture of the Lady Principal might not be directed at these Cupids；
rather than at anything the monitress may have been reading； for she
would surely find them disquieting。 Or she may be saying； 〃Why；
bless me！ I do declare the Virgin has got another hamper； and St。
Anne's cakes are always so terribly rich！〃 Certainly the hamper is
there； close to the Virgin； and the Lady Principal's action may be
well directed at it； but it may have been sent to some other young
lady； and be put on the sub…dais for public exhibition。 It looks as
if it might have come from Fortnum and Mason's； and I half expected
to find a label； addressing it to 〃The Virgin Mary； Temple College；
Jerusalem；〃 but if ever there was one the mice have long since eaten
it。 The Virgin herself does not seem to care much about it； but if
she has a fault it is that she is generally a little apathetic。
Whose the hamper was； however； is a point we shall never now
certainly determine； for the best fossil is worse than the worst
living form。 Why； alas！ was not Mr。 Edison alive when this chapel
was made？ We might then have had a daily phonographic recital of
the conversation； and an announcement might be put outside the
chapels； telling us at what hours the figures would speak。
On either of side the main room there are two annexes opening out
from it； these are reserved chiefly for the younger children； some
of whom； I think； are little boys。 In the left…hand annex； behind
the ladies who are making a mitre； there is a child who has got a
cake； and another has some fruitpossibly given them by the Virgin…
…and a third child is begging for some of it。 The light failed so
completely here that I was not able to photograph any of these
figures。 It was a dull September afternoon； and the clouds had
settled thick round the chapel； which is never very light； and is
nearly 4000 feet above the sea。 I waited till such twilight as made
it hopeless that more detail could be gotand a queer ghostly place
enough it was to wait inbut after giving the plate an exposure of
fifty minutes； I saw I could get no more； and desisted。
These long photographic exposures have the advantage that one is
compelled to study a work in detail through mere lack of other
employment； and that one can take one's notes in peace without being
tempted to hurry over them； but even so I continually find I have
omitted to note； and have clean forgotten； much that I want later
on。
In the other annex there are also one or two younger children； but
it seems to have been set apart for conversation and relaxation more
than any other part of the establishment。
I have already said that the work is signed by an inscription inside
the chapel； to the effect that the sculptures are by Pietro Aureggio
Termine di Biella。 It will be seen that the young ladies are
exceedingly like one another； and that the artist aimed at nothing
more than a faithful rendering of the life of his own times。 Let us
be thankful that he aimed at nothing less。 Perhaps his wife kept a
girls' school； or he may have had a large family of fat； good…
natured daughters； whose little ways he had studied attentively； at
all events the work is full of spontaneous incident； and cannot fail
to become more and more interesting as the age it renders falls
farther back into the past。 It is to be regretted that many
artists； better known men； have not been satisfied with the humbler
ambitions of this most amiable and interesting sculptor。 If he has
left us no laboured life…studies； he has at least done something for
us which we can find nowhere else； which we should be very sorry not
to have； and the fidelity of which to Italian life at the beginning
of the last century will not be disputed。
The eighth chapel is that of the Sposalizio； is certainly not by
Aureggio； and I should say was mainly by the same sculptor who did
the Presentation in the Temple。 On going inside I found the figures
had come from more than one source； some of them are constructed so
absolutely on Valsesian principles； as regards technique； that it
may be assumed they came from Varallo。 Each of these last figures
is in three pieces； that are baked separately and cemented together
afterwards； hence they are more easily transported； no more clay is
used than is absolutely necessary； and the off…side of the figure is
neglected； they will be found chiefly； if not entirely； at the top
of the steps。 The other figures are more solidly built； and do not
remind me in their business features of anything in the Valsesia。
There was a sculptor； Francesco Sala； of Locarno （doubtless the
village a short distance below Varallo； and not the Locarno on the
Lago Maggiore）； who made designs for some of the Oropa chapels； and
some of whose letters are still preserved； but whether the Valsesian
figures in this present work are by him or not I cannot say。
The statues are twenty…five in number； I could find no date or
signature； the work reminds me of Montrigone； several of the figures
are not at all bad； and several have horsehair for hair； as at
Varallo。 The effect of the whole composition is better than we have
a right to expect from any sculpture dating from the beginning of
the last century。
The ninth chapel； the Annunciation； presents no feature of interest；
nor yet does the tenth； the Visit of Mary to Elizabeth。 The
eleventh； the Nativity； though rather better； is still not
remarkable。
The twelfth； the Purification； is absurdly bad； but I do not know
whether the expression of strong personal dislike to the Virgin
which the High Priest wears is intended as prophetic； or whether it
is the result of incompetence； or whether it is merely a smile gone
wrong in the baking。 It is amusing to find Marocco； who has not
been strict about archaeological accuracy hitherto； complain here
that there is an anachronism； inasmuch as some young ecclesiastics
are dressed as they would be at present； and one of them actually
carries a wax candle。 This is not as it should be； in works like
those at Oropa； where implicit reliance is justly placed on the
earnest endeavours that have been so successfully made to thoroughly
and carefully and patiently ensure the accuracy of the minutest
details； it is a pity that even a single error should have escaped
detection； this； however； has most unfortunately happened here； and
Marocco feels it his duty to put us on our guard。 He explains that
the mistake arose from the sculptor's having taken both his general
arrangement and his details from some picture of the fourteenth or