The Trinity of Italy ; or the Pope, the Bourbon,
and the Victor. By an English Civilian. (Meson and Co.)—The writer of this volume lived for eight years in Southern Italy, and had an official connection with the Court of the Neapolitan Bourbons. His opinion of the Italians is not high, and his opinion of the late Government is very low. But his lips are closed on much that would be most interesting, and the hints he gives us makes us wish that he would speak out boldly. When he leaves Court topics and describes popular manners and customs he shows that he did not neglect his opportunities. Yet even then it seems to us that he has been warped in his views by fidelity to his official connection. He ascribes the vices of the Court to the popular character. It would be more true, we think, to ascribe the defects of the popular character to the tyrannical interference of the Court. If truth is not prized in Italy, it is because the Italians have hitherto been afraid to speak the truth, and have been driven to resort to constant intrigue and secresy. If the people are superstitions, it is because they have been kept in ignorance, and the priests have been in league with the governments. The effect of both religion and government has been to create vices of character, and when once those vices were created, religion and government pandered to them. It is too much to say that in doing so they merely Baited themselves to the national character. The Civilian has confused cause and effect, and though he has observed much, he has not thought either much or accurately. Parts of his book are readable, but other parts are poor, and the work of wading through them is tedious.
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