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    is that several Deposit Banks have recently . been formed tinder the authority of Acts of Parliament , ¦ where not only the working-inan , but also persons in the middle class of life , are now enabled to make deposits at rates of interest more favourable to them than that allowed by the Government savings' banks . These deposit banks also offer both ^/ depositors an d the public the advantage of takin « - loans of money at interest upon all the current securities ofthe day—a system which , it is believed , will prove highly beneficial , both to the borrower and lender . ' .

    As a matter of history , and in conclusion of this article , it may be mentioned that the oldest bankins firm in the metropolis ( and provinces ) is that of Messrs . Child and Co ., Temple-bar . Oliver Cromwell was a customer to it , and the firm now possesses autographs of this great man , once the head of the State , and the terror of all Europe . Life in Tuscany . By Mabel Sharman Crawford . ' With Illustrations . Smith , Elder , and Co . A book in subject just fitted for the time , not altogether in form and treatment . Mrs . Crawford

    commences her work with a description of the Baths of Monte Catini , and similar objects and places , such as Viareggio , Lucca , Pisa , and Florence . At this point she begins to paint not only the scenes , but the amusement of the people that inhabit them . She then condescends on the state of society in general , and proceeds to details of the national character . Her portrait of the peasant forms , as it were , the central figure ; from his condition that of the rest may be gathered . His general state she thus describes :- * -

    " With the fertile soil and the warm sun of Tuscany , joined to the indefatigable industry of the peasant class , it is quite evident that their beggarly aspect , their meagre food , and their cheerless homes , must arise from , some , peculiar evils in their position . Devoid , generally speaking , of property in the . soil , the peasantry are yet very far from standing in the same relation to their landlords as the two corresponding classes are to each other in England . The English tenant pays to the proprietor of ihe farm he cultivates a fixed annual sum of money , whilst the Tuscan tenant is bound to render to his landlord the half of air the produce raised upon his farm . Wheat , wine , and oil are divided , share and share alike ; and even in articles of the most trifling kind the lialvinor svstem is applied . Of every brood of

    chickens the landlord can claim his half , and even eggs may come under the operation of a similar , rule . The evident hardship of such terms is mitigated by the fact that the landlord contributes , in some degree , towards the expenses of the cultivation of the farm . Ho provides the house , supplies a moiety of the requisite seed corn , contributes in the same proportion towards the purchase of cattle and of mulberry leaves for the silk worm ' s , Even taking , however , these landlord contributions into , consideration , the bargain on the tenant ' s side seems evidently n far from favourable one ; and in the absence of oppressive taxation , to this system of land tenure must be traced the comfortless and struggling life led by the frugal and industrious contaainQ . "

    There is as little doubt of the industry as of the frugality of the Italian contadino , He expends the largest amount of the former for the smallest of re-r wards . His fields are well-cultured , but his home is neglected . Ho rejoice , ? in poverty and dirt , and is encouraged in it by the national superstition . Civil and religious institutes alike teach the virtues of patience , submission , and content ; and in some instances l'oal pious feeling predisposes the viotim to these sluggish merits . All seem to bq afraid of free and independent ! activity ; and with roa $ oiirfor the slightest exertion would disturb the whole fabric of society , and bring it down in ruin on the head of poor and poasaht . True , well-directed

    made what she is by artificial accidents . And what is the first cause of her being what she is ? The nominal celibacy of the Clergy . It is to the Church of Italy that the evils of Italy are attributable . Good government in Italy is impossible with the Papacy . Mrs . * . Crawford's Italian politics arc rather curious . She wishes all Italy to follow the lead of Victor Emmanuel , but avoid Louis Napoleon . Now , as the former needs the help of the latter , and can probably do notliin g effectually without it , we cannot exactly perceive the value ' of Mrs . Crawford ' s advice . This world is one of compromises , and We cannot make of it a fancy toy , and play

    with it as we please . The kid-glove politician is not exactly suited to the exigencies of the time or country . Revolutions are not to be made . with rose-water . Adversity introduces anian to strango bed-fellows ; and we must sometimes put up with doubtful company , and learn to enchwe the infliction . Let , by all means , Italy and Sai-diuia unite ; but neither of thein , can reject the aid of a powerful friend in contending with a powerful foe . Leave the consideration of ulterior objects to the time when they shall declare themselves , and then deal with them bravely and wisely . Sufficient for the day is the evil thereof .

    Chiefs of Parties , Past and Present . By Daniel Owen Maddyn , Esq . 2 vols . C . T . Skeet . Something more than the term " clever " is due to these something more than mere " pen and ink sketches" political men ^ -tAvo or three , however , are not quite worthy of being ranked ahaong the chiefs" of parties . We like Mr . Maddyn ' s appreciation of bygone political chiefs somewhat better than' his estimate of living celebrities . In the first Mr . Maddyn has shown a large and liberal spirit . Take , for instance , his Pitt , Fox , and Burlte . In the latter he has not been quite so happy , nor , to our thinking , so wholly

    unprejudiced . Take his judgment on Lord John Russell , Mr . Gladstone , and Viscount Palmerston . Some of the anecdotes are of a too trivial character , and rest on a too doubtful basis , to find a place in a work that has well-founded pretensions to be regarded as an authority for a very fail" amount of accuracy and impartiality . Then , again , it is hardly possible to give entire acquiescence to his parallel portraits ofTVIr . Stanley , now Lord Derby , and the late Mr . Daniel O'Connell , as antagonistic politicians and orators . The reputation of Mr . O'Connell as a first-rate orator never travelled

    out of the limits of Ireland . In the English Parliament he took second rank , and even on his pet subject , « ' Justice to Ireland , " he has been known to make more than one failure . Mr . Stanley , on the contrary , was always the polished , vehement , and finished orator—iinmeasurably superior to Mr . O'Connell in argument and in general debate . The first won his laurels from Irish mob audiences —tbo latter obtained his from Englishmen of cultivated intellect . Etence the difference between the twain . We can cordially recommend theso pleasant , eloquent , and informing volumes to all classes of readers .

    Robert Mornay , By Max , Ferrer . Chapman & Hall . Robert Mornay has been written to exhibit the ill effects of not exercising a little self-denial , and the serious consequences which too Often ensue from indulging our vanity to excess . This affords a fertile theme for the pen of a practised writer ; but it can scarcely bo said that Max Ferrer has put his materials to the best use . "ttis hero is intended to bo a young fellow of excellent heart and manly sympathies , spoiled by his uncurbed passions and entire freedom from the necessity of . earning his own livelihood ; but ho will appear to most persons simply as a scl , flsh egotist , indulging his whims and fancios without any regard to the feelings of others .

    is wanting in proper self-esteem . " We are too wicked , " said a Roman gentleman to our authoress ^ and therefore not suited for free institutions . The opinionist was of the Anti-papal party , yet he took this discouraging view of his own cause . In Tuscany the feeling is general , an d contributes more , says Mrs . Crawford , "to the stability of the hated Government of the Grand . Duke than the ' army of Austrians he has at command . " But what is the " stability" that the fair writer predicates ? And have not the Austrians the Grand Duke more * it command than he them ? It is wonderful how much a confusion of ideas enters into all apologies for despotism . / .

    The falseness and hollowness of the whole system of society may be gathered from the disrespect in which the ministers of the Church are held . They command no reverential feeling . Prudent people avoid , as much as possible , the admission of the cose nere ( black things ) into her house . Avarice , stinginess , and immorality are generally imputed to them . Rank , too , is treated with little respect ; nor are the means of obtaining it always respectable . Some towns are entitled to a Libro d ' oro ( golden book ) , in whose pages the names of candidates for nobility are inscribed . Notliing more is necessary to secure the patent .

    It is procurable for money ; the charge varying from thirty pounds to one hundred . What can be expected from a sham like this ? After this , who would wonder that a nobleman was more easily created than a man . Unworthy customs , as well as an ill-Constituted Government , niake an unworthypeople * But the despotism to which they are subject nevertheless act with considerable force in the production of the national character . We may readily enough concede to our lady traveller that " the energies of the human mind cannot be altogether repressed ; " and that if denied vent in a useful , rational way , they will make for themselves

    an outlet of a widely different character . Our authoress illustrates it by a familiar image . " The fertilising river , ' she says , " whose onward course between its banks " is checked by a strong dyke , will lay waste the land around in unwholesome marshes What the dyke is to the stream , despotic institutions are to the character . Liberty of speech and action denied , legitimate objects of ambition refused , mental activity looked" upon with suspicion and discouraged , it is only a iiatuial consequence that the innate energy Of the Italian character should exhibit itself in an unworthy manner . " To this cause the -writer attributes the character of the

    Italian youth ; Excluded from polities and theology , he resorts to love , music , and poetry , as stimulants to mental exercise . Thus lie becomes Epicurean in theory and practice ; and the tone of Italian society is frivolous in the extreme , and its usages most enervating . The iipper and middle classes of society are inveterately idle : to be diligent in business , or to have business at all , is voted vulgar . " The tone of thought , " writes Mrs . Crawford , ' which ruled society m Tuscany in the days of the Medici , is extinguished utterly ; the lad of fifteen apes the man—apes him in the levities , and too often the vices , of his career . The youth of twenty is thoroughly a man of the world , intimately acquainted with the world ' s worst features . So long

    as he can find the means to buy light kid-gloves , attend the opera , and pay his caje bill , he lives on contented with his position : his future troubles him not , so long as Ins present wears an agreeable aspect . " . Our lady author ' s experiences of the Italian Revolution were not favourable . But it is too evident that she fears the mob mom than she dreads the despot . The former , ovon when right , is noisy \ but tyranny does things quietly , even many things ; and the Jady likps quiet and gentility , as it is natural she should . No' doubt , however , she is correct in her facts ; for such facts oocur in all such cases . But the error lies in supposing

    Robert Mornay and Mabel Fairon ( sweofc name tlus ) , brought up together in their childhood , formed an attachment as infants , which , as they grow older , riponed into a mature and doop lovo for oach other . This affection , which thoir parents allowed to proceed when thoy considered ifc-dovoid , of danger , thqy highly disapproved of whoa they had grown up , and on ltoborfc desiring to marry his botrothocl , hormothor sjtriotly forbids tho union . In this Tobias Mornay , tho horo ' sfuthor , aoquiosceBr and Kobort , finding both inoxorablo , resolves to leave England in search ot tho " waters of oblivion . " JKieh and handsome , ho nnds life way easy ovory whore , and wo moot with him affaln it F ' loronco , rovolling in all tho luxuries of Italian soonory . Being ft" artist ho n ^ tuarjly goes In soaroh of tho beautiful , and , as a matter Qfcourijo , • moots a yory pretty Italian girl , with whom

    that thoro is an Italian peculiarity of charaoter , or born baseness , which leads to such facts . The rationale of the matter is yorv different . Any race of men , under similar ojvoumstanocs , and subjootod to them for long years , would display tho same vices and Aveakness . Tho immediate cause for tho evil is , wo are next told , the social code of Italy ; ami that tho public lilb of a country is fihe reflex pf the private life . The woman of Italy , js not what eho should bo , whothcr as mother , wife or maiden . Granted ;—but jt would bo hard and unjust to suppose that she is worse than tbo woman of any otuoi-country ' . ' Again , ' slid is

    industry is virtually freedom ; but in Italy none is permitted to aspire . Ho who should infringe on the rule of passivity would subject himself to distrust . Each man , our authoress tells us , suspects his neighbour of selfish aims . They do not soem _ to understand that , within certain limits , selfish aims wo needful . Italians lament , she says , the low moral tone they exhibit , and ascribe to it their unfitnoss , as a nation , for freedom . Mrs . Crawford forgets that it is only tho few over that win political privileges for nations . Freedom is won by indi-Vfduals , not by masses ; but the masses finally reepiyo the " jcneflt . "A littlo Joavou loavonolbh tlje whole lump ? " but a gradual , very gradual process , intervenes between tho introduction of the fermenting body and tUo final strike . The Italian

    Untitled Article

    ¦¦ -NV » . 4 fr 7 . May 14 , 1859 . 1 THE LEADEB , 619

• Citation
  • Leader (1850-1860), May 14, 1859, page 619, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2294/page/15/