The richest of the few Italian millionaires, the Due de
Galliera, has died this week, leaving a fortune estimated at £8,000,000 sterling, and certainly very large. The Duke was a Genoese, but accumulated his great fortune in Paris, where, however, he did not forget his native city. He recently made the municipality a present of £800,000 for public works, probably the largest single benefaction ever given by a subject, and was con- templating further improvements when he died. Italy is almost the only State left in Europe where great nobles will hold municipal office for years, and where life in a provincial town is not considered smaller than life in the capital. In England, men are not ashamed of life in a county, but life in a town is con- sidered almost discreditable, although at the same time no one above the middle-class ever displays any enthusiasm for London.
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