THE BOOK OF ITALY.*
Tins beautiful book—which, but for an unhappy accident, should have been noticed here on its first appearance—was designed to serve a two. fold purpose. It was to raise funds for the Italian Rod Cross and for the benefit of Italian soldiers' and sailors' families in Groat Britain, and it has undoubtedly achieved this aim, as it is already in a third, impression. It was also to give English.authors, artiste, and musicians an opportunity -of showing their love for Italy, the ancient home of. eivilieation, and.talet Italian writers pay their tribute to England, the
home of freedom. In this second purpose, too, the book succeeds admirably. No volume of the kind that we remember to have seen contains a more varied and interesting sot of essays, sketches, anclpooms, runt the illustrations are exceptionally-good. The end-papers are repro- duced from Leonardo's famous coiling in the Castello at Milan, and the; frontispiece in .colour is from:. a Neapolitan boy's -head-by Mr. Sargent.
A profoundly- impressive- picture, is contributed 'by an Italian artist, Signor Mentessi of Milan. It allows the west front of & Cathedral like.
Reims, battered by shells and burning ; on the broken gable is a great crucifix, itself intact amid the ruins. The artist calls his picture simply " The Target " and lcaveeit without further comment as an emblem of
" frightfulness." Tho place of honour is given to Signor Boselli, who on behalf of the. Dante Alighieri Society recalls the great Italians who have lived among .us, and the groat Englishmene-he names Byron and . Gladstone, is particular—who have been the friends of -Italy. Mr. Frederic Harrison,. who met Mazzini- in London in. 1851 and first visited Florence in 1851 was one of the enthusiasts for the Risorgimento in. 1859 ; he declares that " the hearts of liberal -Englishmen wore as deeply stirred in sympathy with the cause as if it had been their own country and future at stake." " Only those behind the scenes ever luiew how •
much Palmerston, Russell, Sir James. Hudson, and Gladstone supported Cavour and Rattazzi." The Countess Martinengo C,esaresoo quotes a remarkable- speech made by Cavour in the Chamber at Turin in- 1848, in reply to a Radical who hoped that the Italian patriots might receive help from the revolutionists in Austria and Hungary and from " liberal and learned Germany." Cavour told the Chamber that the Austrians hated -Italy and that the Magyars were the oppressors of the Slays. " Scarcely born, Gormaniam threatens to disturb the European. equili- brium; . . . The Diet of Frankfort does not conceal its design. to extend its dominion to the shores of the -North Sea, to invade Holland by treaties'or by force, in order to become a maritime Power and contest on the seas the empire wielded by England." Cavour's prescience caused him therefore to favour the English alliance, informal though it was ; he read the future only too accurately. M. Pail &bailer, than eloquent
litter-to an.Italian friend at Assisi, congratulates-Italy on her choice of a glorious war rather than an ignoble peace, in obedience to her Latin instincts. Hedwells, too, on the moral aspect of the Entente; common Ideals rather than materiaidesioss have united. the Allies is this crusade :
" By. appealing to our.most animal passions, Germany has aroueed.
EditEa nal U 1 or H taly. Edited by Naffeello D.Litt. London; T. new Vawin, tor tee Pro itatlas, „Committee. 17a. (ki. mt.]
instincts dormant in vs all, almost subdued by centuries of civilization, but still so strong that we must guard against their resurreations We are almost fatally tempted-to meet our enemy on his own ground and to fight him with his own weapons.. Here our patriotism must rise to a height not yet attained by more humanity, unexampled in the history of the -past."
"The mission imposed on us," ho says, "is to rebuild the temple of the; . ideals which are everlasting" ; and he quotes very aptly the famous, command—" Go, Francis, and restore my house which, as thou eoalt, is. all in ruins "—which Inspired the saint to whom 31: Sabatior !tee devoted his .literary life. In a. charming little essay Professor Gilbert. Murray tells us of an old Italian. painter who, having fought for Italian unity and aeon it accomplished, was dissatisfied because ho thought. that the long struggle had not been long enough to purify the nation from materialism.. The old Garibaldian, he goes on to say, would have welcomed Italy's heroic. decision in May, 1915. Mr. 0. K. Chesterton makes fun of the German Professors eagerness, before the war, to find a, Teutonic ancestry for all groat Italians, like Michael Angelo or Leonardo., There are many other light and engaging contributions, notably a paper on Italy as the land of music by Mr. E. J. Dant, a note on gondolas . by Lord Dunaany; and the character of-a -fine old gentleman of renhote Calabria by Ms. Okay, who insists, rightly enough, on the intellectual activity to be- found in provincial Italy. The volume- includes a good. deal of- verse and some music, such as a -tuneful " Sioiliana " by Sir, Alexander Mackenzie. Those who buy it to help a good cause will have value for their money.
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