470 



THE LIVING RACES OF MANKIND 



but what is picturesque and pleasant, but in the poorer quarters of the town disease, 

 pestilence, filth, and dirt exist in their most repulsive forms. Sicily barely conceals beneath 

 the smiling exterior of her fair vineyards and orange-groves the extreme destitution of her 

 peasantry. It is here that secret societies like "La Mafia" flourish. 



If Italian morals compare unfavourably with those of colder northern races, one can easily 

 perceive some of the causes at work. Although passionate and deceitful, the Italians are 

 warm-hearted, generous, and hospitable. For a good-natured people, their cruelty to animals 

 is, at first sight, extraordinary; but it must be remembered that the bigoted and uneducated 

 Latin of the lower orders, whether Italian or Spaniard, regards it as superfluous to bestow 

 kindness on beasts which have no souls to be saved. Italians of all classes are noted for their 

 charming manners, keenness of wit, and vivacity of expression. The intellectual gifts of the 

 race are considerable, but they do not exhibit any of that stolid earnestness which we associate 

 with the Teutonic peoples. Facility is one of their chief characteristics. In dress they show 

 a natural instinct for arrangement and effect. In matters of diet they are extremely frugal. 

 But little meat is eaten; polenta (maize porridge), with bread and vegetables, forms the staple 

 meal of the northern peasantry. A genial climate enables the southerner to exist for an 

 incredible time on a little fruit and some bread and wine. The Italians are fond of amusement 

 and the carnival still forms one of their national institutions. 



The State religion of Italy is the Eoman Catholic. The fusion of the Papal dominions 

 in the secular kingdom of Italy has deprived the Pope of all territorial power; and although 

 he still rules over the Vatican, his position in Home is only that of a foreign prince. There 



is a Protestant community of 

 Waldenses. numbering about 

 20,000, in the district of Pinerolo 

 in the Cottian Alps. 



FRANCE. 



THE French people are connected 

 geographically and by language 

 with the Italians. In the year 

 1896 the population of France was 

 38,517,975, and the annual increase 

 is so slight that these figures are 

 probably not far short of the actual 

 number of inhabitants at the 

 present moment. In early historic 

 days the land was peopled by the 

 Gauls, a branch of the Celtic 

 stock. Some older race was there 

 before them, the race which erected 

 the wonderful stone circles, dol- 

 mens, and avenues of upright 

 stones seen in Brittany. Archaeolo- 

 gists are inclined to think that 

 these prehistoric builders are repre- 

 sented at the present day by the 

 Basques or Iberians; but these 

 questions cannot be discussed here. 

 The reader who wishes to follow 

 up this subject may refer to the 



Photo by M. Emu Frechon] [Biskra. present writer's " Prehistoric Man 



AN OLD FRENCHWOMAN. and Beast." 



