, 1865-09-29
From tie London Times, September H.

has deeper roots in human nature, and
more living affinlties. The hero Of a
melodrama may, for ought you know,
have a first cousin in the same part, but
ON the stage of real life. Some months
ago Mr.. Moons, a harmless London stock
broker, as we understand, had so much
faith in regenerated and United Italy
that he and q friend ventured upon o
crOss-rnad from Postum to Eboli. The
whole locality is about two hours by rail
and road from Naples, and within sight
of the sea. Though there are mountains
enough within view, this part is compa-
ralively open, and there is no hiding, ex-
cept in bitches, thickets, and such small
cover. However, a band of robbers sur
prised the helpless tourists, carried them
off, and let one Of them go with informa-
ton that they must have either Mr.. Moons
life or an enormous ransom. Mr.. M0ens's
position was now that Of a man carried
off by q tigress into the jungle, and re-
served for a future meal. He was drag
ged about from place to place, closely
watched night and day, made to sleep in
the open air, and TO subsist on the mise
rable fare to which the life of his captors
had reduced them. The efforts made for
his rescue threatened him even more than
his new companions, for, besides their
common peril from the shots of the pur-
suerS, there was an evident intention not
TO give him up or abandon him alive.
All this time a double game, of which he
was the object, was going on, but with
most conflicting laws. The Royal forces
were hunting down the banditil with the
EnglIshman in their clutches, driving them
from place TO place, into marshes and
ravines, and only too happy to poar a
few shots among them, with the chance
of killing somebody. They also drew a
Gordon of sentincls and of scouts round
the wandering brigandS, in order to pre-
vent Mr.. Moons from being ransomed,
deeming it more for the interest of Unit
ed Italy and of order that be should per-
ish miserahly than that the brieands
should succeed in their monstrous de-
mand. Mr.. Moens's friends were for
weeks at Salerno, and elsewhere, trying
to pay the sum they had raised TO some
undoubtedly authorized agent of the band.
The British Government, of course,
conld have nothing to say TO compost
tions of this sort, and it was quite pos
sible that Mrs. Moons would lose both
her husband and her money without the
consolation of having done any public
good thereby. However, she has at last
succeeded. The money is paid Mr..
Moons is restored to his friends; and if
the Royal troops have not rescued the
prisoner, they may, perhaps, have more
success with the booty of the banditti.
Now, we are quite aware that it is Of
little avail to advise foreign Governments,
and that the most modest suggestion is
often met with an ~alluSion to some of
our own old and inveierate evils. But
the incident before US is so astounding,
SO exceptional, so harbarouS, and not
only SO unlike our age, but even SO un-
European, that we may venture to make
some comments. Ii really is not too
much to say that it ought not to be. We
can make allowance for the difficulties Of
a new Government and q new dynasty.
are aware that the Italian Govern
ment have against them some Of the In
anences usually the most powerful for