Semi-weekly North-Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1852-1853, 1852-01-28

Sicily. This is the largest and most remarkable
island in the Mediterranean, and measures 755 miles
in circumference. The ancients denomnaied it the
9 Island Of the SUM- and the land of CycioDs. The
Greek poets, on account of its extraordinary beauty
and fertility, styled it the Z" Garden Of Hesperides'
The number Of houses upon the island is estimated
at 26S.l2O, and the population at l,7S7,77l. The
of the people are poor and without education.
1t is subject TO The King of Naples, who governs il
by Vceroy. The government is very exacting and
oppressive, and affords scarcely any to
agriculture. manufacture commerce. Sicily has
ALWAYS beer distinguished Tor the remarkable uxur-
ance Of its SOIL and even in its present imperfect
of cultivation good crop, says Brydone would be
sufficient to maintain the island years. In the
spring the flowers fragrant beyond description,
and the air is loaded with their perfume that dogs
lose their scent in hunting its heaths. The
works Of Homer, Virgil, Cicero, and Milton, abound
with many beautiful illusions in reference Sicily.
The shape Of Sicily is that of triangle, and this
account has heen called Trinacria il is full of noun
iains and valleys and ferizng streams In the ear.
ly ages, the Sicians assdiously cultivated poetry,
sculpture and painting Fabricias gives list of sew
enty Sicliahs who have been celebrated in antiquity
for learning and genius there still able and gift
ed men scattered the island, but they are silent
and in the shade The absolute character of the
eminent and the arbitrary censorship Of the Cress
prevent them from being either or known-their
works seldom, if ever published and their voices
N o. paper is issued u Sicily, excepta price current.
and the only authorized journal in circulation. is that
entitled" Journal of the two Sicilies." published at
Naples, under the official sanction of the King, r
In spite Of wars, earthquakes tyranny and super.
stioh, lie atural beauty Of the island is still the
same but the people not happy, because they are
without frecdom, without which, the richest blessings
of nature Of little value. - ~. ..s l.- -
A RAILROAD IN AFRICA. One of the most inte-
resting facts in relation 10 the onward Of things
which characterize the present age is that the Vice
roy of Egypt has sanctioned The project Of railroad
from AleXandIia the lsthmus of Suez, bv the Wav
of Cairo. II is said that the Viceroy is able tany
time to place "a hundred thousand Arabs at work on
The proposed route and, he is very enterprising
monarch, it is supposed that he will not suffer the
improvement to anguish The spirit Of progress
never active as it is al present. Every nation in
Europe is exhibiting striking evidences Of Ahs fact
Even the Sultan Of Turkey has rousedr himself from
the long dream in which his government has induged
and is now busily engaged 10 introducing reforms
from other nations in Europe. The hoary old Ges-
potisms Of Asia must also ehounce their torpor and
decrePitude, be rejuVenated and enter the grand
career of Improvement Railways and telegra pflic
lines with thereafter pierce the soli,udes of Oriental
despotism, and open up high ways for the exchange
of the products of mind as well as of manufactures
and agricultures 3siseE@ EHasssFs Mdgozine