Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1860-10-30
Peculiarities of italian nCharacter-Its,Un-
fitness for Liberty.

AT this time, says the New York World,
when the general attention of the public
mind both in Europe and this country. is
directed to the events occurring in the ftal-
ian peninsula, the moral character of the
Italian people becomes of interest The
fact that Mazzini has begun to exercise an
influence upon the revolutionary movements
in Naples, gives great importance to the
other. fact that the Italian Of to-day, and
especially the inhabiaut of the southern
portion of the peninsula, is totally unfit for
self-government. Centuries of misrule have
developed in him those vices which are ever
the attributes of the weak and oppressed
cowardice and deceit. Among all other
nations, courage and truthfulness and yir-
tues which, if man do not possess himself
he yet respects in others, but the Italian
does neither. And such is the state of moral
feeling on the subject that he not only enter
tains, but will not hesitate to express his
contempt for the weakness which would lead
man to perform an act simply because it is
right when it would be to his disadvantage
10 do so.
OF this curious illustration recently pre-
sented ITSELF Macaulay, in his essay on
Machiavelli, to sustain the position he as
sumes with regard to the difference in moral
sentiment which existed in the fifteenth CEN
tury, between Italy and the rest of civilized
Europe, goes on to say that had OtheLLo
been represented before an Italian audience
on that day, the whole of the sympathies of
those who witnessed the play would have
been with "Iago," rather than with
"Othello."
"Othello," says Macaulay, murders his
wife; he gives orders for the murder of his
lieutenant; he ends by numbering himself.
Yet he never loses the esteem and affection
ofnorthern readers. His intrepid and ardent
spirit redeems every thing. "Iago," on the
10 the oh Ia
Now, we suspect that an Italian audience of
the fifteenth century would have felt very
differently. "Othello" would have inspired
nothing but detestation and contempt. The
folly with which he trusts the friendly pro-
fessions Of a man whose promotion he has
obstructed, the credulity with which he takes
unsupported assertions and trivial ciroum-
stances for unanswerable proofs, the violence
with which he silenees the eXculpation eau
only aggravate his misery, would have ex-
cited the adherence and disgust of the spec
tators. The conduct of "Iagop they would
assuredly have condemned; but they would
have condemned it as we condem that of his
victim, Something of interest and respect
would have mingled with their disappro-
| baton.
The readiness of the traitors wit, the
clearness of his judgment, the skill with
which he penetrates the disposition of others
and conceals his own, would have secured to
him certain portion of their esteem. Some
months ago an American gentleman, resi-
dent in one of the cities of Southern Italy,
witnessed this very play rendered in Italian,
and the Hypothetical case presented by the
| great. historian as likely to occur in the
| fifteenth century, became a reality in the
nineteenth. The feeling of the audience was
unmistakably with Iago, and more thaa
once contempt for the credulity and weak
ness of Othello was audibly expressed by
persons in various parts of the house
let it is from a people like this that MAJ
zini and his fellOw-enthusiasts dream of
creating the supporters and defenders of q
Republic. Unhappily, even Garibaldi seems
to to have caught the infection of their de-
lusive hopes; and although he has not yet
openly announced his republican leanings,
it is not impossible, to say the least, that we
shall receive news that he has done so. A
more fatal step for the future welfare of
both. Sicily and Naples, he could not well
take. In being united to Sardinia, alone
lies their hope Of permanently enjoying the
freedom they have recently gained.