New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1859-07-18
ITALIAN LITERATURE SINCE t949.

spt and the ncessant desire 10 make fresh attempts
mil the cay Of victory shsll dawn, are causes APP
,srsn,y hostile 10 the peaceful progress Of thought
IN the sphere Of Philosophy, History and Literature.
Wessy apparently because, although such periods
rarely produce great works, yet they collect and fer
bhze and powerful elements, opsn out fresh
paths, indicate aims 10 talent and pave the way
Or new manifestation Of national genins 10 emerge
hem the subsequent period-the period Of liberty
and peace.
But tt canses which prove really and effectualy
hottie to even the most ordinary develop Dents OF
thought must be sought for in the absolute system of
reaction to which despotsm exaspers'ed and terrified
BY revolt, ruth, cts the conquered people 1t lie easy
" understand that the rack and leap Of silence
OF King Bombs, the scaffOlds of Austria and the
Pope the terrible parsphernaa Of dungeons, chains,
gems armes and sp s-those satellites Of An ombipO-
t<pt police-oer but slight stimulus TO free phiosO-
pby small guarantees to the administration Of DIS
bative justice in history, feeble inspiration 10 the
ttteIess flight of poetry. Nevertheless, while else
where, as IN France, similar circu Instances have pro-
dooed silence or degradation of Conscience in writer's
Iialy has not ceased 10 give proof Of her innate
power She has grown used, daring more thar three
r.utuies TO this spectacle; she gszes at it undis-
r,syed; and as to-day offers up her martyrs on
the altar Of her political rights so during those three
centuries her believers and martyrs clustered round
The shrnes Of free thought and Of science commencing
with Bruno and with Calico. Such courage and such
keurdny, which Popes and EmperOrs, with the dag
ger at her throat, have sriven to annhate in vain,
afford the sures pledges Of her future grandeur when
the .un Of liberty shall illuminate her sky.
In order to 81 etch Of the products of Italian
opgbt OuDg the last ten year,, we must speak sep
asaiely of History, Literature and Philosophy.
The limits of our space prevent us from examining
works on art-ths scientific works Of Marianin aud
Mateucci; the discoveries of Pra in Chemistry, Of
Plsna in Astronomy of Mollopiin Physics; the works
on Political Economy by Soisloja Tnnehera Boocardo
FerraJa and Tacini; we do more than touch
upon few of the principal works of History and Lit
erature:
HISTORY.
Historical studies have been widely cultivated in
Italy during these latter years the boldes utelects
hsve been excited by the examples of Botta, Coleta,
and Troya, and also by desire to respond to the
positive characters assumed by modern literature of
which history forms the most prominent object.
Abo in this department Italy since 1913 has furnished
an iumense library Of valuable works-the mere
catalogue Of which would occupy column. These
historical works belong to three categories-General
Bhtory Local History, and Histories of tue Revou-
CEsARE CANTU.
The name Of Cesare Cantu is deservedly the most
celebrated among modern Italian historians. He is q
writer Of antique mold, and may te compared to
Vanone and has produced and continues to produce
o. much by his snge pen as could be expected from
a Society of SoUans. He has written Universal
Hrtoyy III sc volumes, IIomeric work, defective in
many ways, but full Of merit. 1t has been translated
-. nd h.o .lv Sfatt ha
development Of historical studies in Italy through the
precious documents hitherto unpublished which
Il has brought to lght--the unity which Cantu
has succeeded in giving to the medley OF things
and ideas set forth, and the lofty, free, and
philosophical style of his narration, which will
be sought for in vain in the rhetorical histories
published previously in Italy.
Though still young, this intefatigable author mas
written novels tales poems, critlquss local histories
hhst of the Diocese Of Como in two volumes for ex
amplel books for Children and quite lately, Gnu
s,pp. Pariri and his times in two volumes, and Il
volume illustrating the Archives of Venice, and relat
ing tothe corresp ndence ofthe Venetian EmoaSsadofS
especially from Milan and the Lombard cities llooo'l
In 1854 he commenced the publication OF another
great work "The History Of the Italians, IN SIX
volumes divided into three eras; the Pagan era
which extends to the fall Of the Empire OF the West;
the Catholic era, which embraces the middle ages
the Political era which is brought down to our own
time
In 1851, he Published La Storia DE- Cento ANN
3yols Floreuce which work has since been translated
into several languages. With great precision clear
ness and vigor the author has unfoded tins brilliant
and complicated portion of human history, which in-
cludes two distinct periods, related each to the
other as cause and effect the first representing the
destruction Of antquated order OF IDEAS oil lhsl
stutions and of customs; the second, aperod OF re-
organization. He commences with political Sketch
Of Eur, pc after the peace Of Utrecht iI3l, "hlch
closed The war of succession to the throne oil SPAN.
The peace he regards the commencement OF the
revolutions which continue at the present time, since
its stipua,iops according to absolute ideas, with
out reference to authority and tradition These IDEAS
introduced for the exclusive ben, tit OF princes, Were
treasured up by of letters then utilized by the
vulgar and let hope, concludes the author, th"'
they will at some time or other prove uSeui 10 tue
people To that peace all succeeding treaties have
refeued.
He commence. his narration with Great Britain,
sketching the epoch of the Georges, and the Admin
is,atlon OF Walpole, Of Fox, and Of the two Pitts
whence emerged the regular constitutional develop
ment and the grandeur OF the nation 1t was also the
epoch Of her parliamentary glory with Chatham,
Genvile North, Erskine, Burke, Sheridan, Wiz
berforce, etc. The study Of the laws of the coun-
try were commenced With Blackstone, while the
Quakcrs the Mehocists, and the Universities OF Ok
ford and Cambridge Unlisted the emancipation OF the
negroes. The literature of England at this period
was conferred in the Parliament-at time when the
liberty Of the press rarely permitted, the hnssn
Parliament dflused throughout Europe mass OF
political ideas.