YON ROCHAU 9 S WANDERINGS THROUGH THE CITIES OF ITALY.* LIVELINESS and

pleasantry, with independent common sense, are the characteristics of this tour in Italy. Von Rochau is more French or English than German. He has the vivacity and felici- tous expression of the Gaul, without his flippancy or exaggeration; • Wanderings through the Cities of Italy in 1850 and 1851. By A. L. Yon Rochau. Translated by Mrs. Percy Sinnett. In two volumes. Published by Bentley.

nature or cosmopolitan training has banished the pedantry and phlegm of the Germans. These characteristics coupled with a large experience and the present state of Italy, have given to his " Wanderings" a freshness and interest hardly to be expected from so thoroughly beaten a field.

The good qualities of the tourist are accompanied, almost of necessity, by corresponding drawbacks : " maxima pars Tatum- deeipimur specie recti." The author's vivacity sometimes leads him to aim at imparting attraction to subjects of such trifling import as a criticism on a bad opera to which his ill fortune carried him. His independence of judgment and opposition to humbug occa- sionally lead him into artistic heresy. The Sistine Chapel finds no favour with him, and he boldly records the impressions pro- duced ; in which numbers who took a slighter and more superficial view than he avowedly did would probably agree with him if they told the truth; for the art of seeing an old painting, especially when the colours have faded, is a faculty, as Reynolds intimates, of difficult acquirement. Raphael finds less favour in Von Rochau's eyes than Michael Angelo (whose great genius and whose services to art are admitted) : but the critic gives reasons for the faith that is in him.

" 'How, in Heaven's name, does it happen that your artists make so much of Raphael ?' I asked, a short time ago, in a state of semi-despair, addressing an Italian painter. The reason is, that Raphael makes fewer mistakes than any one else,' was the answer I received. At these words a sudden flash of light came across my view of tho matter, and the longer I thought about it the clearer did it become. These few words contain the whole enigma. Raphael makes no mistakes : his drawing is true, his co- lours well chosen and well treated, neither out of keeping with each other nor with the subject; his grouping is thoroughly considered, he observes the proportion and relation of every part; in one word, he is a correct painter. On this account he is admired by all those who are acquainted with the enormous difficulties of the technical part of painting ; and it is therefore that those who are anxious themselves to overcome these difficulties study him with such persevering zeal. Raphael is a master of the handicraft of painting ; and he must himself understand this craft who would thoroughly appreciate his perfection in this respect. "This handicraft, however, is still only the body of art; what of the soul thereof? is the question. To make no mistakes is but a negative merit ; and however hard it may be to accomplish, can no more constitute an artist than to have no vices will make a man virtuous.

"The poetic fire must gleam through these colours and these lines, if they are to become living art. Does Raphael possess this creative power ? Is 'there in him that inspiration, that soaring fancy, that bears us unconsciously heavenward on the mighty wings of genius. Do we read in his pictures the eloquence of an ardent soul ; any passionate love, any fervent piety ; deep powerful feeling of any kind whatever ?—No, and for ever no ! The compo- sition of Raphael is throughout cold, feeble, conventional, inexpressive: the composition, however, is that which constitutes the work of art."

The law is truly laid down, but is it truly applied ? Is there no composition, no dramatic expression, in Elymas struck with Blind- ness? or the Preaching at Athens ? or the Beautiful Gate? or Paul and Banishes at Lystra?

Art may not have been Von Roehan's object in visiting Italy ; but art ancient or modern—painting, sculpture, architecture, or re- mains, occupies a considerable share of Ins attention. Sometimes his opinions may be extreme or questionable, but there is always a reason given: the judgment is always clever, if not always sound ; the criticism is lively and descriptive in a high degree, though, like most descriptive criticism, conveying the opinion which the piece suggests to the individual, rather than what it will universally convey. Here is an example, distinct, striking, in harmony with history; but who can say, reader, whether you or anybody else would see all this if it were not pointed out? There may be more of the tangible in Nero.

"In the face of Tiberius, on the other hand, every feature is eloquent. An uncommon amount of understanding and strength of will may be read in

the broad forehead and firmly closing mouth; the whole form of the head speaks of intellectual capacity, and the face is the mirror of a rich and cul- tivated mind ; but the eye is that of a crouching tiger. Nero looks like a talented gentleman, whose vices have not yet reacted on his originally pleas- ing countenance ; there is a something of primness in it, perhaps the effect of the smooth chin and upper lip and the formal whiskers, which I have not noticed in any other antique head."

Entertaining and often solid as are the criticisms on art, and lively as are the descriptions of Italian nature and manners the great interest of this book lies in its view of the condition of the people and the present state of opinion. Extensive travel and varied observation have shaken Von Roehau's patriotic estimation of Vaterland, but have confirmed his liberal opinions and love of progress. Such indications as are visible to a passing traveller of the tyranny under which Italy is groaning, or the feelings of the people towards their tyrants, did not escape him. And his opinion coincides with that of the latest travellers, that nearly the whole of Italy is a smouldering fire ready to burst forth on the first op- portunity. Venice seems to Le the principal exception; where the easy good-nature of the people, and the extraordinary clemency of the Governor, (for though the terms of capitulation were favour- able, their spirit might easily have been violated,) have induced content. We all knew the intense hatred of the Milanese to- wards the Austrians, even before the late outbreak and its accompanying confiscations. The hatred of the Romans to the

priests and the French seems fiercer than that of the Milanese to the Austrians. Even in Florence there is a feeling against the latter power, whatever there may be of loyalty to the Duke. "The Influence of English and French manners and customs, of which there are no traces beyond the Apennines, is perceptible enough in Florence. Without noticing such things as may be meant for the use of travellers,— of hotels, English doctors, French cooks, &c., or of the abundance of foreign faces and foreign tongues in the streets,—it may be boldly asserted that foreign habits and fashions reign in the Florentine homes. " The many similarities with German customs, however, which you meet with in the North of Italy, disappear almost entirely in Florence ; and but

for the Austrian possession one would only be reminded of Germany by the Allgemeine Zeitung.' "That the Austrian troops are here in a perfectly strange country and stand completely isolated, may be seen in a multitude of slight circumstances. They have no connexion with the Florentine troops, not even that footing of military courtesy on which the officers of hostile armies often meet."

These are examples of the spirit at Rome.

"The intercourse between the Romans and the French, however, is not always carried on in this harmless manner; and even during this carnival very violent scenes took place. That the French soldiers should make their appearance in crowds on the Corso was already an occasion of bitter annoy- ance to the people, and the occasional military rudeness of their unwelcome guests in handling the Shrove-Tuesday weapons was a ground of just com- plaint. On the other hand, the soldiers were exposed to many attacks, in which, sportive as they were supposed to be, a bitter hostile feeling was suffi- ciently obvious. The French officers came only in plain clothes, and, in general, the moment they are off duty they hasten to get rid of their uniform ; an infallible sign of their unfavourable position. "The relations between the foreign garrison and the inhabitants of Rome have in part by no means improved by the lapse of time. There is, indeed, less of actual bloody strife, but these things do happen from time to time, and the murder of single Frenchmen is an incident continually recurring. "The bitter feeling against them is universal : all the sins of the Papal Government are laid on their shoulders; and in all things, great and small, the common sentiment is manifested.

"'When on Sundays there is a grand parade held on the Spanish Piazza, there cannot, out of the curious and spectacle-loving populace of Rome, be a hundred people got together to listen to the excellent military music, nor contemplate the fine military spectacle, such as assuredly neither the Pope's soldiers nor those of the Civic Republic could have offered anything to ap- proach.

"In the first days of my arrival, when I was looking about for a private lodging, I went into a house which had a great number of rooms empty. But when I had explained my wishes to the housewife, she turned suddenly to her daughter, with the question, put in an anxious tone, 'But the gentle- man is perhaps a Frenchman ? '

"The daughter, who I suppose understood national physiognomy and ac- cent too well to mistake use for a Frenchman, laughed, and gave the required assurance to the contrary; which had an immediately tranquillizing effect on the elder.

" ' And if I had been a Frenchman ?' I inquired. " ' Then I would not have let my rooms to you, sir,' she replied; have had enough of the French.'

V One may hear every day the wish uttered, Would that the Germans were here instead of the French ! ' But it would be a great weakness to place any reliance on such expreesions, however sincerely they may be meant at the time. Were the Germans really here, they would be no greater favour- ites probably than the present occupants; and in Bologna the people say, Would that we had the French instead of the Germans l'—the Austrians, videlicet. The rest of Germany may thank Heaven that no such task has been laid upon her ; a task in which there is absolutely nothing to win— nothing in the world—no credit, no gratitude, and least of all any agreeable self-approval. "As for the French troops, they are far from being proud of the part they are playing here ; nor is France precisely, as we all know. But I am never- theless convinced that the French will never leave _Rome of their own accord. The Ecclesiastical State will never more stand on its own legs."

In Naples, the external signs of feeling are not so obvious, and the support of the foreigner is not so visible, though just as real. But for the Swiss troops the Bourbon would not long occupy his throne. So much is this the case, that the grave military offence of open drunkenness is passed over aa a matter of course.

In Piedmont, Von Rochan found opinion very different, as well as such parts of government as the traveller comes in contact with— the police and the customhouse officials. Even the Roman Catholic religion seems to flourish under freedom of opinion, although the attacks of the press upon the Papacy are numerous.

"What struck me, however, as more remarkable than anything in the architecture, was the great number of young men, whom, contrary to the usual custom of Italian, and non-Italian towns, I found in the churches of Genoa.

"Can it be, that in spite of this wicked constitution_ that it possesses, Genoa is rather a religiously-disposed town; whilst in Rome, under the happy rule of the successors of St. Peter, the employment of all the spiritual and temporal means at its command has not enabled the Pope's Government to check the tendency to infidelity, or what is, of course, worse, to Protestantism ? "Borne is swarming with cowls and frocks and shaven crowns. In Genoa, on the contrary, you see few priests, still fewer monks ; and of the Jesuits' scholars, with their clerical-looking vestments, none at all. Yet the Genoese are, to all appearance, good Catholics ; whilst the Romans scarcely have any other religion than that of hatred and revenge ; of which re- ligion. of theirs there will, probably, some day be a notable revelation."