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    SOCIAL CONDITION OF ITALY.*

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    JtECENT FRENCH LITERATURE. ,

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    Untitled Article

    Qn -the . ' present occasion it opens with atriumpilingarticle , which it entitles tire * ' Commercial Relations of England and France , " but which is really a panegyric on the late Treaty . In its unrestrained admiration of this proceeding ? it broaches some extreme doctrines on the advantages of competition , which certainly show the article was not penned by an exporting manufacturer . The writer does not act on the principle of the Lacedaemonian , who , on being : urged to advocate a democracy , said , " Begin it in your own family . '' There is little really new used in the arguments for free trade , which have become platitudes , so universally are they acknowledged .

    The article on Milton is an admirable resume of the late biographies of the great poet , and brings prominently before the mind the extraordinary intellectuality of Milton . From his early youth to his last breath he lived intellectually . The article on Education is a short and not very liberal article on the subject . " English Local Nomenclature " is an interesting : bub not very profound article , by a deceased Ethnologist . The dissertation on " Duke of Wellington ' s Correspondence as Sir Arthur Wellesley , and Secretary for Ireland , " reveals a state of public and governmental profligacy so outrageous that nothing but such evidence would make it believed . ' .. ¦ ' ..

    I > e Broglie ' s '' Church and Roman Empire" is treated fairly , and , if not kindly , at considerable , length . The article on the " Alleged Shakspeare Forgeries " is a clear and impartial -res 111116 and examination of all thajt has jet appeared on the subject ; and it rebukes the pert audacity with which a venerable and , we -believe . ) most conscientious commentator of Sliakspeare has been attacked by a numerous band of unscrupulous critics ^ evidently urged on by a desire for notoi'iety , and the gratification of that virulent species of envy which seems peculiar to Shakespearian commentators . We happen to know the whole history of this Shakspearian tfe «^ fo , _ which has been descending from editor to editor ever since ; one of them

    ( y ery Unjustly , as we : believe ) was accused of purloining mantiscrjpts from si college in Cambridge . This led to the accusatioil ot another eminent 7 t ^^ eraife «?* of embezzling ' n ; ioney intrusted to him ; and it has now blossomed into a charge of wholesale forgery against one of the niost honest and respectable of the class . Such virulence surpasses that of the lowest portions of society , and even the spite of the ladies of Billingsgate itself does not extend to such extremities . An article on Darwin ' s great work on " The Origin of Species , " and one upon the " Annexation of Savoy , " close this interesting , though not remarkably able , number of the Edinburgh Review . .

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    ON the subject of Italy , there is an intense desire in the public to know all , and on the part of travellers and writers to impart all that can be known . The external and political aspects have been frequently described with accuracy and interest ; but these give the outside view and indeed mere outline of the picture . What , after all , is the inner life of the people ? What bearing- have the political aspects on the individual , on the family , on the moral and intellectual development of the household ? Ho \ y far , too , are they the outgrowth of the inner life , and the index to its secrets ? What is the action and reaction of each P What is the manner in which they mutually operate ? Such questions are of vital importance , and press for answer . Not long ago Mrs . Sharman Crawford

    contributed much satisfactory ' information on some of these points , and now we have before iis a work of Mrs . G . Gretton , the utility of which is not easily estimated : for ourselves , we value it at a . 'high , rate .. Mrs . Gretton has had singular opportunities for arriving at a knowledge of Italian domesticities . Her uncle , an English merchant at Ancona , invited her thither ; and thus introduced , our authoress was enabled to mingle with the society of the place . Her experiences , accordingly , are mostly of Ancona , and her book is mainly occupied with portraits that have consequently a local colouring ? nevertheless , they are ho sharply drawn and carefully as well as correctly taken , that they most effectively symbolize the whole as about tho best representative portions that may be

    obtained . Ancona is the principal seaport of the Koman States on the Adriatic , and the first impression made on the writer was extremely favourable . On her way thither , she mot with less agreeable impressions . The decaying cjty of Forli , for instance , filled her \ vith apprehension . There the grass-grown streets , the ruined palaces , and ragged , idle population , give a more striking testimony to the workings of the , dominant system than tho most heart-stirring eloquence could achieve . The proprietor of one of the few wretched shops tho town contains confided to her , seeing 1 she was English , some confidential lamentations . Ho spoke of the injustice and venality of all the Government officials ; saying 1 they wore all

    manner , asking the waiter if he could tell in what light all Austrians regarded the Italians ? " The man ' s sallow cheek , " continues the narrative ,. " grew a shade paler * but lie made no reply , as he busied himself in changing their plates and knives , making as much clatter as possible—so it seemed to ' . ihe—to drown the voice of his interroga tor . ' Do you not know , j > es ^ a ? ' reiterated the officer , stamping as he spoke ; ' then I will tell you : we all of tis look upon you Italians as the dust under our feet—as the little creeping beasts we crush every ' -moment of our lives , at every step we take—ha' ! ha ! ha ! ' And then they all roared in chorus , _ and swore , and twirled their moustaches , and called for coffee and cigars . " Not more surely did the fall of the apple indicate the law of gravitation .,-than ' such instances as these the general condition of a people . But we must confine ourselves to the-particular manifestations in Ancona , where we can trace them in an interior form . Here they are , indeed , instructive . We see at once the system in the details ; how it penetrates the strata of the social kosmos , and vitiates private manners as much as it corrupts public administration . One powerful arm of the system is ignorance . It pervades all ranks . Talking of the terrors of death , an Italian lady was reminded of the end of the world , and the opinions of some that we are not fur from it ; whereupon she exclaimed , " Do not talk soyou make me miserable ;! Besides , " she said , recovering herself a little , "I have been told that in . the Bible it is expressly said that for seven years before that dreadful day no children are to be born ; and that gives me comfort ; for at every fresh'birth I hear of , I say to . ¦ myself— -well ; the seven years at least have not begun yet . " The same imperfect information prevails on every subject . The pressure of the system is niost felt in relation to the intercourse of the sexes , both before and after marriage . A marriage of the affections is dreaded , and everything done to prevent such . Girls are sent to the convents for education , and are not released from their restraints until their bridegrooms have been chosen by their parents or guardians . These , without previous knowledge , are ; at once accepted , so eager . are the ydiing hidies to qiiit their cage and win their freedom . The latter , after marriage , they use licentiously . Thus it is that the ecclesiastical system , founded on Obedience , not on Love , produces as many domestic aiid social evils as it does political and governmental ones . Mrs . Gretton discloses this , " the great social evil " Italy , with a fullness equal to its . importance . Rightly , in regai'd to it , the judicious authoress remarks , that " many of the failings of the Italians may be ascribed to their erroneous system of marriage , their defective education , and other domestic evils , " but that " these evils are so deeply rooted , it will require a complete upheaving of the existing framework of ; society to destroy tlieir baneful influence . " That upheaving has commenced , and will go on—nor can it cense ,- until it overthrows the entire clerical system , which has been truly pronounced incompatible with , the customs and civilization of the present day . In the language of the document just quoted , " ' responsibility in those who govern , no publicity in the administration , no safeguard before the tribunals , canon law above the civil code—those sire the inevitable consequences of a government at the head of which stands a prince , who , bound by religious ties , and declaring himself . infallible , is free from all control . " We agree that any attempt at modifying : the system must be fruitless ; yet this probably will be made . However / it is a question only of time , and the galvanized corpse will only show its mock action for a brief period . A portion of this work is devoted to the subject of Sardinia . 'Mrs . Gretton ' s pictureof f urinissuggestive . Sorricof the old leaven remains there yet , and favour is not in favour with the aristocrats , who have failed to reconcile themselves tothechangefrom an absolute uxvnarcny , under which they mpnopoHsod every channel to power and distinction , to a representative form of government , where absence oF title is no barrier to advancement . Mrs . Gretton describes a saloyn in which the guests wero chiefly aristocratic , and illustrates well enough tho prejudices by which they still continue to bo animated , notwithstanding tho grand events which are passing and sweeping a the vestiges of old institutions that had boon so fatal ' . y perverted from their original purpose . The perusal of this book is well en en-Iated to confirm the hopes that good won entertain for the Italian future ; and adduces besides solid reason for confidence in tho integrity of Victor Emmanuel , who has already so faithfully iullillea tho trust bequeathed to him by his father .

    alike , from tho lowest impiegato to the high personage whp rules the Popo as well as his subjects . He meant Cardinal Antonolli;—adding , " All is falling to pieces , Signoia ; but who can wonder at it P We are governed by men who hctvo 110 ohildren . " Tho italics aye not ours , but the author ' s , and at once explain the spirit of her work . As to Austrinn oppression , this she fe . at . ly illustrates by a dramatic scone in hor hotel , at dinner . One oxtromity of the table was occupied by white : pontod Auatrinn infantry officers , belonging to tho army of occupation . These men abused the waiters in execrable Italian , beginning 1 with ' * Vol jpostia d'ltalianp ; " until tlio entrance of a respectable Italian party , two Indies and a gentleman , at whom they soon began to talk in an insolent

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    NOVELS or scientific works , poetry or irrational quantities , treatises on education or vaudevilles on the tune , " 1 ] ' '< iufc , ^ dpoux Hssortis , " which do you prefer P We have goods of all lumls at tho great emporium of tho Rue Piorvo Surnssiii , ami at tne London Agency , No . 18 , King William Street , BU'iind . " l' ^ t-co a votro cuisinior , monsieur , ou a votro cochor quo voua vouloz l ) lU'' ° J » car jo suis Tun et 1 ' uutre . " Thus spoko Mtiitre Jacqvks . w . Hackette , too , is 1 ' iin ct I'aulre , or rather Vun et Us att () 'os , lor there is not « single branch in literature whioh ho does not taUeiuiuoi hia . m'Qteothiff winsr , every whore selectinc the best , and working out

    in . the happiest inannor some now nnd viuoful idea . ' , o 1 Tho serial now well Known under tho niiniQ of " Z'Amioc Scicntifiqxi Q ct Inditstricllo , " is ono of those light conceptions wliw" m" '« soon ostabliHhed tlioir olnima to populuvity , and got at onoo into wcll-doservcd colobrity . Tho volume for 1650 , * being tho iourt 1 01 the collection , is quite us good us tho preceding ones , and tliomunc-r ,

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    380 The Leader and ' Saturday Analyst . [ April 21 , 1860

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    * Tho EwiU&h woman in Italy . Impressions of Life in th

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    * L ' wlnnto Solent {/ hjiio ot Induct Hello . Pnv Louis Viavmn , •!•> nnnce . 12 o . l-Inohott .

    Social Condition Of Italy.*

    SOCIAL CONDITION OF ITALY . *

    Jtecent French Literature. ,

    JtECENT FRENCH LITEllATUUK . ,

• Citation
  • Leader (1850-1860), April 21, 1860, page 380, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2344/page/16/