Of the ceramics of Portugal very little is known; but that little is sufficient to lead us to wish for more exact knowledge. In this matter, Portugal has not yet, in fact, been appointed to any recognized place in history. Her ceramic art has not been known to Europeans for more than ten years, and to Americans for little more than one; and we have no means of telling whence it was derived. Probably it came from Spain, as we learn that the Portuguese use azulejos as extensively as the Spaniards. We are further told that many of their imitations are exceedingly clever. Of the truth of this we have had ample evidence. None of the imitation Palissy ware exhibited at the Centennial was more realistic and full of life than that of Portugal. Some majolica vases, with coiled snake handles, were very creditable. The snake evidently plays an important part in Portuguese ceramics, as we met with it elsewhere, and notably as the handle of a fish-shaped dish. Very remarkable were the unique and droll little figures of painted pottery, sometimes grouped into a humorous scene, sometimes single, and illustrative of the national costumes. The humor which the Portuguese contrived to infuse into their art evidently lent the pottery section of their department at the Centennial its greatest attraction; and combined as it was with excellent modelling and colors, the nature of which we can hardly specify, it excited our curiosity to learn what historical background there may be to the art which now chooses such expression. A natural porcelain factory at Vista Allegre, near Oporto, is mentioned, and the faience fabrics of Rato and Caldas. CHAPTER IV. ITALY. Italian Art.--Whence Derived.--Greece and Persia.--Divisions.--Ancient Roman and Etruscan.--Etruria and Greece.--Questions Resulting from Discoveries at Vulci.--Early Connection between Etruria and Greece.--Etruscan Art an Offshoot of Greek.--Examples.--Best of Black Paste.--Why Etruscan Art Declined.--Rome.--Nothing Original.--Its Debt to Etruria and Greece.--Decline of its Art.--Unglazed Pottery and its Divisions.--Glazed Pottery.--Samian Ware.--Aretine.--Terra-cotta.--After Rome fell.--The Renaissance.--Saracenic Influences.--Crusades.--Conquest of Majorca.--Tin Enamel and Metallic Lustre.--Bacini at Pisa.--Lead Glaze.--Majolica Made at Pesaro.--Sgraffiati.--Luca della Robbia.--Sketch of his Life.--His Alleged Discovery.--What he really Accomplished.--Where he Acquired the Secret of Enamel.--His Works.--Bas-Reliefs.--Paintings on the Flat.--His Successors.--Recapitulation of Beginnings of Italian Majolica.--Chaffagiolo.--Siena.--Florence.--Pisa.--Pesaro. --Castel-Durante.--Urbino.--Gubbio and Maestro Giorgio.--Faenza. --Forli, Rimini, and Ravenna.--Venice.--Ferrara.--Deruta.--Naples. --Shape and Color.--Modern Italy.