90 
SICILY. 
By W. ANGELO WADDINGTON. December 10th, 1889. 
Mr. Waddington dealt at length with the history of this 
interesting island—‘ the golden fairy land of the antique world.” 
He observed that Sicily was the key to Italy, and its importance 
was summarized in the expression ‘without Sicily, Italy is 
nothing.” To most the mention of Sicily called up the thought 
of brigandage. Though this curse still survived, it might be 
said to be almost stamped out: and civilization was making 
substantial progress. The true glory of Sicilian annals, said 
Mr. Waddington, begun in the year 734 B.C., when the city of 
Syracuse was founded by the Corinthians. ‘Then followed the 
invasions by the Carthaginians, the Romans, and the Saracens, 
the last named occupying the island for 200 years. Subsequently 
the Normans and French held sway: next it became a dependency 
of the Spanish crown, and then in 1861, along with other states 
it was united to the kingdom of Italy. Its history was thus a 
chequered and eventful one, and the remains of the powers that 
had successively controlled the island furnished some of its chief 
attractions. The relics of ancient art with which Sicily abounded 
were beautiful in their dissolution: and were not at variance with 
the lovely natural scenery which richly adorned the island. A 
well-known proverb said ‘‘See Naples and die.”” Mark Twain had 
said that there nature and artistic beauty were not surpassed, 
but Mr. Waddington observed that in his opinion the beauties 
of the bay of Naples could not compare with the exquisite 
scenery at Taormina. The lecturer then proceeded to describe the 
different places visited. The promontory adjacent to Palermo, to 
which place he sailed from Naples, was perhaps the grandest in 
the world. ‘he Cathedral and palace of the capital were two 
architectural gems. The Capella Palatina was the loveliest of 
chapels ; its real interest was found in the golden blaze of its 
matchless mosaics. There was not to be found an example 
where mosaics and marble were so rich in detail and so lustrous. 
Reference was made to the curious catacombs where thousands 
of bodies are well embalmed, and placed in all sorts of positions. 
The street scenes were well depicted, with the quaint bullock- 
waggons, the gaudy harness of the mules, and the costumes of 
the people. Attention was then drawn to Girgenti, a place on 
the south coast formerly possessing 800,000 inhabitants, re- 
nowned for its luxury and splendid buildings. The temple of 
Jupiter was of stupendous proportions. Its pillars, some of 
which remain, were 14 feet in diameter, and the flutings were 
