660 



ITALY. 



but although he is perhaps too uniformly flowery, gay, and tender, he has given proofs of 

 higher powers in his Tancredi, Semiramide, and Moise in Egitto. It is probable, however, 

 that the music of Rossini which now enchants the world, will be forgotten long before that 

 of Haydn or Mozart, or at least that posterity will bestow a more sober judgment upon his 

 works, than the present age, bewildered by his succession of glittering melodies, is capable of 

 pronouncing. 



The national airs of Italy are suited to her soft and mellifluous language, which Metastasio 

 has pronounced to be " la musica 5/csso." Singing is common among the Italian peasantry. 

 The Venetian barcaroles, and the songs of the Venetian gondoliers of alternate stanzas from 

 Tasso's Jerusalem, give proof of that love of music and poetry which is there inherent in the 

 lowest classes. Even among the tuneful sons of Italy, the Venetians are remarkable for their 

 taste in both. The songs of the gondoliers, which are rude and hoarse when near, are inex- 

 pressibly charming when heard from a distance. The sound is not dismal, but plaintive in 

 the extreme. 



The ancient literature of Italy has overspread the world, and the Latin has become a uni- 

 versal language. Italy was the first country in which knowledge was cultivated after the dark 

 ages. The magnificent remains of the Romans, tended to excite in the Italians a desire to 

 investigate their learning. For two centuries Italy was again the luminary of Europe. Poets 

 and other writers of excellence preceded Dante, who was born in 1265. He wrote in a new 

 and unformed language, and his use of it is still a classic standard. Posterity has estimated 

 him better than his own age, and perhaps ranks him higher than he rated himself, though in 

 his great poem he assigns his own place after Homer, Virgil, Ovid, Lucan, and Statius. Pe- 

 trarch was the ornament of the 14th century, and it is one of the least of his honors, that he 

 was crowned in the capitol. Boccaccio, his friend, with inexhaustible invention and wit, did 

 much in his Decamerone to polish his native language. Ariosto marks the 16th century, and 

 he was followed by Tasso ; their works are known in every language that has a literature. 

 Galileo, Machiavelli, Davila, and Guicciardini, are great names in science, politics, and his- 

 tory ; and there are many others in almost every department of literature and science. With 

 the Italian governments of the present day, it is a part of the policy of self-preservation, to 

 depress the soarings of intellect ; yet Alfieri stands forth the monument of his age in Italy ; 

 and the works of Casti, Monti, Pindemonte, Muratori, Botta, and others are honorable to 

 Italian literature. 



19. Religion. The Roman Catholic religion is established throughout Italy, and nowhere 

 else has it so many splendid accessories, addressed to the senses and the imagination. There 

 are Protestant communities in Piedmont, which, however, are much restricted, though gen- 

 erally the Italians are not intolerant, and Protestants, Greeks, and Mussulmans may approach 

 the Pope himself. The English at Rome, have on the great festivals of the church a con- 

 spicuous place assigned them. This gave occasion for one of the Italian pasquinades. Mar- 

 forio is supposed to warn his correspondent Pasquin, that he would find no place at the solem- 

 nities to be held in St. Peter's ; the reply was, " pardon me, I have turned heretic." 



The clergy are numerous ; many of the churches are rich, and all of them are highly orna- 

 mented. The Italians are fond of religious processions, in which they have much faith. On 

 occasions of public calamities, as fires, pestilence, and, at Naples, eruptions of Vesuvius, long 

 processions go through the streets carrying images of saints and consecrated relics. There 

 are many shrines, which many pilgrims visit. To St. Peter's a few poor peasants annually 

 come, with staff and scallop shell, induced by a small gratuity given by the Pope. But the 

 most numerous pilgrims at St. Peter's are those of taste, and not of devotion. The Holy 

 House at Loretto has a greater reputation with the devout. It is believed to be the actual 

 house of the Virgin Mary, brought by an angel to the spot on which it stands. A scribe is 

 employed to register the gifts made to the altar, which include not only the mites of the poor, 

 but the donations of kings. At Rome the Scala Santa, or marble stairs of Pilate's house, 

 which, as the people believe, Christ ascended, are now ascended by his followers on their 

 knees. All classes may be seen toiling up them in this way, though there is another passage 

 by which they come down. Relics of all kinds abound in countries where there is more faith 

 than knowledge ; and they are as numerous in Italy as in Spain. Some of them, indeed, 

 have returned to " strange uses." The chair of St. Peter, which is kept in his church, too 

 sacred for inspection, was yet examined by the sacrilegious French ; and there was found 

 upon it in Arabic, the Mahometan confession of faith ; " there is no God but God, and Ma- 



