Alexandria gazette & daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1817-1822, 1818-03-30
From Gait's I'rdrels,
THE sICILIAN Ms.

The Sieili ms are rather a sly than
cunning race perhaps no nation in Eu-
rome possesses so much nmrete. Loqua-
cious and ingenious, they make more use
of persuasion in their dealings than any
other people tits not enongh thar ST.
Gillian objects 10 the highprice oi What he
desires TO purchasc---he expat'ates on
the infe,iority of the quality, recalls to
recollection how luag he has been Gus
tome, enuneraies, one by one, cauntlhg
them ou his fnge 8, the circumstances Of
unlacky bargain. that he has had latter
inaly contrasts the opulence, OF the
Eaglish W tn The poverty OF the sicllians;
animadverts on the politics OF the s"Vera-
men, /; .uagnifes the value OF his read,
money: insinuate. that ne may change
his merchant: and often retires, andre.
turns several times, before he offers ms
uItinatum. Norm selling does ne prac-
tice less address. There is not sin
ole poiut of his wares that does not pos
ses, something extraordinary, or bsau'l-
full. no other shop in the town has any
thing ike them 30 cheap 81 so excellent.
If the price be high, WHIT viii you GIVE
and il is seldom that Sicilian 'eisses the
orer Of an E,glishman.
The inbabi ants of this island are, in
the proper sense OF the FERN. highly SUI
psrstitiauS--hut the dicta OF ignorance
are so interviewer with the creeds OF
popery, that many notions ot Vulgar su-
ne stition are regarded as essentials oil
religion. The only exception is belief
IN the effects of the Influence OF evil ewes
and even over tins the priesthood
have acquired this jurisdiction. Fo:
they per ,uade people to buy bits ct bes-
sed rags and paper, which, when worn
suspended ,oand the neck, have the ell
feet a. th.y pretend, OF neutralizins
the maglignancy. The inference OF an
evil look IS nstantanenus-and The per-
son yhs happens to glance It, may be un
c,nsciyus OF what he does-it sm ties the
subject with sudden mslad'. or impress
ses his mind with lugubri JUS images, and
units him for the prosecution OF pre-
medi;at d intentions. |. is useless to
specuL,te on the fautasits OF the human
m;nd-but, in this case, he constant
sficksJ,us Of electricity in this climate,
ard he rccs-ianal breathing 1t pcstife-
rons exhalations from he vegetable Cur
ruptien in the bottoms If the valleys, Of
foru plausible reason for the sudden
distempers aud objections which are as.
cribed t, the aspect oil unsracious eyes.
the same superstition Is well kn""n IN
Sco,Ilnd-bnt 4, more generally pc.
vsient among the Sicillisns than the
Sc ,tch Whether it Is among US, an lm-
ported or indigenous belief cannot now
be ascertained. Owe all the ancient ex-
tent 1t The Papal Empire, there is great
similarity in the topics OF vulgar credu-
litY.
rhe Sicilians have, certainly very
keen relish of humOur-and, now and
then, one NAV perceive in them strong
trait of pecaliarlty, not individual but
national, WHICH, Notwithstanding their
anci, proficiency, is an assurance to
think tina. they may yet attain some Ii
terary superiority which shall be regard
ed as original. A des rip'ion of man
ners and customs, BY genuine sIcllian,
otherwise properly qua! fed, would equal
ly surprise and delight
The Young man Who would rise above
- - ..J;narv ioyaI an fame mr. virtue. must