On this page

• Departments (1)
  • 
• Text (4)

  Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.

  • 

    Untitled Article

  • 

    Untitled Article

  • 

    Untitled Article

  • 

    THE STORY OF ITALY.*

• Transcript

  • Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.

    Additionally, when viewing full transcripts, extracted text may not be in the same order as the original document.

    Untitled Article

    his own liking , till they run against one another , and then turn back sulkily but by a watchful instinct , far apart , they anticipate their companions' courses as ships at sea , and in every new unfoldino-of their edged tissue , guide themselves by the sense ot each other ' s remote presence , and by a watchful penetration of leafy purpose in the far future . . So . that every shadow which one casts on the next , and every glint of sun which each reflects to the next , and every touch which in toss of storm each receives from the next , aid or arrest the development of their advancing form , and direct , as will be safest and best , the curve of ' every fold and the current of every vein . "

    In such writing as this life breathes in every line , every sentence is vital . For what the author recognises is life ; nor life only , but a life of progress and will . Nor are these statements meant as metaphors , but as truths . He would have us recognise the living intelligence of nature . Old faiths revive in him ; the faith of the Greek , and the faith of the Hebrew . To have all this illustrated in beautiful and musical language , with epithets that throb like a human heart ! Mr . Ruskin ' s favourite illustrations are , of bourse , drawn from Mr . Turner ' s paintings . Hear him on what he calls " the infinitude of foliage . " That quality , he tells us , in Turner ' s execution attaches not only

    to his distant work , but in due degree to the nearest pieces of his trees . He perfected the system of art as applicable to landscape , by the introduction of this infiniteness . " In other qualities he is often only equal , in some inferior , to great preceding painters ; but in this mystery he stands alone . He could not paint a cluster of leaves better than Titian ; but he could a bough , much more a distant mass of foliage . No man ever before painted a distant tree rightly , or a full-leaved branch rightly . All Titian ' s distant branches are ponderous flakes , as if covered with seaweed , while Veronese ' s and Raphael ' s are ¦ ' . conventional , being exquisitely ornamental arrangements of small perfect leaves . See the background of the Parnassus in Voluato ' s plate . It is very lovely , however . "

    Mr . Ruskin finds the Venetian mind perfect . But its aims were reckless- ^ the purpose was mean where the motive was high . The holiest subjects were selected simply for ends of decoration . Perhaps it was because their selection was limited to religious subjects . If so , it was owing again to . their culture being exclusively religious , Art thus conduced to desecration , and heuce its decay and fall in the Venetian schools . Similar speculations as to Durer , Salvator , Claude , Poussin , Rubensj Cuyp , and others , are ventured by Mr . Ruskin , into which in any detail it is impossible to follow him . Salvator is lamented

    as a fallen soul ; Durer is hopefully erect . Claude and Poussin were men of classical taste , a state of mind hot in high favour with our art critic , who prefers natural genius . He prefers " spasmodic " composition to that of the school of reserve . To the former he thinks belong Solomon ' s song , Job , and Isaiah . Subsequent painters are animated by a worldly spirit , even when their subjects were sacred . Faith and Hope in the seventeenth century were at a low temperature ; and the pictures of Reubens and Rembrandt show it . The Dutch paintings ignore religion altogether . Teniers and Wouvennans present insuperable difficulties to Ruskin ' s appreciation . He recognises mere mechanism in their works .

    We regret that we cannot pursue further the analysis of this work , nor discuss the theory which Mr . Ruskin proposes ol Turner ' s theory of colour . The reader must refer to the work itself for all this ; nor does the excellence of Mr . Raskin ' s book depend upon any system or creed that it contains . It presents no conclusions , but the process of thinking . We are called upon to think with the author , not- to adopt his opinions , which he reserves to himself the privilege of changing , whenever he sees occasion . Sack a work teaches mental discipline , and the present is eminently serviceable , if perused in a proper spirit , in inducing habits of sincere thought both in art and morals .

    In this kind of art-gossip the book abounds . To the veritable art-scholar nothing can be more delightful . But to pass , from the leaves to the clouds , their beauty finds a loyal worshipper in Mr . Buskin . He ; like Wordsworth , reads in their silent faces unutterable joy . Alas ! we can only indicate the sections relative to them . These are four : —" Tile Cloud-balancings , " " The Cloud-flocks , " " The Cloud ^ chariots , " and " T 4 ie Attgel ' of- tlieuSeav ' Such are the titles of the chapters- ; fantastic , surely , but intelligible . Turner is incomparable for his ^ cloud-drawing . " The word is used adcoloured xlouds beautifull but

    visedly . - Other great niei ^ y ; none he ever drew thein truly ; this , power coming from his constant habit of drawing skies , like everything else , ' with the pencil point . " The " Angel of the Sea" is the Rain-Cloud . _ AndMr . lluskia , indeed , writes grandly on it . Sometimes the Sea-angerbecomes a Sea-fury , or rather a Sea-gorgon ; the latter is "the true stormcloud . . T-lie . highest storm-cloud our author identifies with Medusa ; " therefore , " he adds , " the hail-clond or cloud of cold , her countenance turning all who bshold : it to stone . (« He easteth forth his ice like morsels . Who can stand before his cold ? ' ) The serpents

    about her head are the iringe of the hail , the idea ot coldness being connected by the Greeks with the bite of the serpent , as with the hemlock . " Other classical fooling of this kind may be found iii ^ djoiaung ^ eGtions- ^ -w-hfii ^ v ^ i ^ - ^^ it is alike exquisite . The two chapters that concern " Ideas of Relation " are , of course , more metaphysical in character than the preceding . Here tve have much profound reasoning on composition . The principle contended for is , that every part must be helpful to all the others . The following division or" men , according to their employments , suggests a world of associations : — " ! . Persons who see . These , called ht that

    in modern language , are sometimes sig-seers , being an occupation coining more and more into vogue everyday . Anciently they used to be called simply seers . 2 . Persons who talk . These ,, in modern language , are usually called talkers , or speakers , as in the House of Commons and elsewhere . They used to be called prophets . 3 . Persons who make . These , in modern language , are usually called manufacturers . Anciently they were called poets . < t . Persona who think . Thero seems to be no very distinct modern title for this kind of person , anciently called philosophers ; nevertheless , we have a few of their ^ among us . 5 . Persons who do : in modern language , called practical persons ; anciently , believers . "

    A reaction , Mr . Ruskiu thinks , is taking place in modern times , out of which a new spiritual art may be developed . Ho calls it the contemplative . There can be no doubt he is philosophically right . Merely religious painting and religious literature is always defective , for which he gives some excellent reasons . As a fact it is indisputable . A Beu life is the best for the removal of a merely ceremonial belief , though it generates superstitions of a diflerout kind . Much in Venetian art was owing to an oceanic stiite of existence . The Venetian school of art was " the lust believing : school of Italv . Although always quarrelling- with the Pope ,

    there is nil the more ^ evidoncd ^ rmroarnesFfuith' ^ Mrillourrolfgroiu People who trusted the Madonna less flattered the Popo more . But down to Tintoretti ' s time , the Roman Catholic religion was still real and sincere at Venjce ; and though faith in it wus compatible with much , which to us appears criminal or absurd , tho religion itself was entirely sincere . " This is the remark of a thinking ' man , and goes deep into xiuestions of real importance . The illustrations of the topic are numerous and beautiful—particularly Veronese's picture of hia own family . In all its roots of power and modes of work , —in its belief , its breadth , and its judgment—

    Untitled Article

    A T any time a well-written history of modern Italy would be an acceptable boon , but the subject derives an extraordinary interest from the movements of the time . Italy , after long centuries of suffering and oppression , is coming forth from the furnace of political affliction with a new and regenerated life . Civilization bids fair to gain 26 , 000 , 000 of devoted ' . adherents ,,, who are organizing themselves into a nation , composed of individuals remarkable for many of the subtlest and noblest qualities of our race . They may have their internal dissensions , and they may take a part in those collisions Of armed hosts ^ which are not likely to cease until the predominance of freedom has put an end to aggressive war ; but Europe has nothing to fear fromthe reconstruction of a powerful fcit : ite in tlae lopalitv from which the Caesars dominated over the world . That free

    and united Italy to which so many movements seem to tend , will be an unmixed gain for the human race . Art , Science , and Literature will be found , as of old ., native to the soil ; and when the blighting influences of foreign despotism are removed , no country will contribute more to the intellectual advancement of humanity ; and it may be predicted that the continent will experience no great religious reformation until the yoke of authority has been broken on the Seven Hills of Rome . When emancipated from the contemptible tyranny of its petty princes , Germany will take rank as a foremost progressive-pmverT ^ nd-FraiieeHwwfe ^ ne ^ lay-reGOv «^ fi ^ nvtlie-Njipo = ^ - h it stimula

    leonic fever which degrades her moral character , althou £ te ? her energies in particular directions . But European civilization must Want completeness and variety unless the Italian element is fully represented and developed . It is impossible to contemplate the Italy of the middle ages without being impressed with the force and richness of individual life . The German Kinperors and the Popes laboured with tremendous power to hammer all into the flat level of uniformity ,- but nowhere did individuality more successfully assert its pretensions , and nowhere did so many men stand out from the mass in bold contrast , pre-eminently distinguished for the loftiest genius and patriotism , or sometimes for the most outrageous crime . ¦ , The brutal tyranny of the lowest , the meanest , and the mosc ignominious of all despotisms—that of the House of Hapsburg—has kept down this spirit to a very great extent , and would ha ve succeeded with a less impulsive and indomitable race ; but in Italy , whenever tho evil work has seemed to be accomplished , some Mustzmi , some brothers Bundina , or some Garibaldi , has proved by zeal , by martyrdom , or by success , that a real national lite existed which ' tho most perfidious ' and sanguinary despot has been unable to trample out . There is a Divine Justice in history , which marks its judgments in hard and massive strokes , and after centuries of success in crime , we now have tho satisfaction of seeing the House of Austria in its dotage , decrepitude and decay , while Italy exhibits tho hopeful freshness of youth , and Hungary waits calmly and proudly for tho restitution of her rights .

    _ ..... ., , Mr . Butt has wisely introduced in his work an excellent summary of tho modiroval history of Italy , a subject which bewilders tho student fruui its confusion and complexity , as much as it delights him by tho startling variety of its incidents and tho romantic grandeur of ita characters . Italy forces upon us strongly tho connexion between the present and tho past , the value ol historical associations , ' and the importance of making men feel that they ore inheritors of past glory , and must on © day stand before the judgment seat of posterity , t . o receive tho reword of their deecUs . it Milan had not fought so nobly in tho middlo ages , if liberty had

    Untitled Article

    June 30 , I 860 *] The Leader and Saturday Analyst . 613

    Untitled Article

    * Tho llistori / of Itah / from tho Abdication ( f Napoleon I . hy IflAAO Butt . Chapman ' & Hall .

    The Story Of Italy.*

    THE STORY OF ITALY . *

• Citation
  • Leader (1850-1860), June 30, 1860, page 613, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2354/page/13/