The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1809-05-03
/ LEfTER FIFTH.
Rome, Fc5. S, 1905.



AS promised in my last letter, will proceed to
give you some dcsultofy Astches of slan nanncrs,
usagss, and charactcr. If eo.ae of them should be
thought trivial m themcclve apology mrst be,
that the cbs Of well individuals is
made up Of an infinite number dfnnute circunstan-
ces, each one perhaps considered separately, unn-
portant; but the whole forming aNasse which
Constitutes that marked diversity. which we observe
la different countries e~s.'~- '~-- "a t-~'f'r-
In the greet outlines incnin all civilized nations cs
sentially agree. We find the same pskons, weak
nesses, talents, virtues, andviccs thous adcd with
almost every imaginable diversity by usa& habit.and
example, and effected by climate religion, yerncnt
and state OF morals. .Its - s4 ~ hA ~ (.
every other European nation, by the rcg,lIarN aud
beauty cf their features By the colour Of thci on.
plexi6ns which Is chat of lively brunette sohetAeA
accompanied with sickly pdi!eness; and by wy
striking gravity, and tlloughtiulnesS OF explsssnN
id not think stSuld be extrayagant in saying, than
the corntcfances or the common people in this city
Iespeak snAe intelgence, sensibtity and reflection,
than those uf any other city which havcyet visited
How fsb ylis melancholy gravity may bc tarly at
tributed to- the influence OF religion. which oblges
them to be three u~rters OF the Year employed in
ecclesiastical xcrcises, the arbitrary nature of the
government ,e the misery of tic grcater part OF The
people, or to the comparison u their present
degraded staie with their former unexampicu :rsn-
deur (an idea, which the rcancst Roman never icr-
gcts,l leave tarphilosohers 10 determine. Ihc fact
only ithsnk IT proper to notice. ls.
The dress Of the Italians in general rcscnalestllt
of the Freuch there is rart OF itonv, wclf is
pecuay to tbcmseres, and which believe has .bccn
handed down to them fromstheir ancestors, the an
cent Ronians Every man. even the most poor, is c-
vclopcf in cold weather in the most awpo coak,one
end OF which thrown over the shoulder, srdrsaccs
ncariyto thc feet. cannot perceive nyslfIsrcnce
bctm tlssgarnent and the toga OF the ancient Ro-
mans, cs it's represented upon the antique basso
lievos anil statues. n. ..-1 -, srs3.s sas,
Much Rasibccn said bywrilcrs and connossc,,rs,
who have DIE ,lsto Italisno about the deGcacy Of
the Italian language its sofness ia pronunciation, its
atispttudc,to oratofy and mus;ck. 4 was prepared
to find nation, whose colloquial cioquence would be-
all harmony Hut believe scven-eghths Of all
these e,thsastick praises TIC result Of fashion or
vanity. We very fond of comrepding those ac-
complishmcnts which we possess but which o.hCrs do
not generally enjoy. certainly entered Italy with
the usual prejudccs in fyou OF the clarguagc that
nation, cfesed by Few months attention to, and adj
miration at It. But ca, assure you, that Twas cx-
tremely disgustSd with The Italian pronunciation Of
their language and that during six months residence
IheaId but one Rerson speak in anianncr not often
sive 20 the ear. te .@yi.H 81 IN
Il may be said perhaps that all languages sound
at first unconthH 10 those, who have been &C.
custoned to them; butitwss by A-conparisoa ofthc
italian withuthcr languages, with which was little
famlar, that the above opinion was formed. The
fact is that the bpad sound rf She ItasH vowcls and
the constant recrtacc of vow eisih their words, pro-
iuccsa very loud, and inharIpohiousl Of speak
ing extremely painful 10 stranger hcctsto,ncd to
closer. and more councd pronuhciatiuu. Every kal-
ian, consersng on the most ordinary and Indifferent
subjects, appear TO be in state OF violent emotion
The practice OF employing canuchs htieir opcfas,