St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1869-03-19
Letters from 1brOdd. No. 4.



lave seen all that | care TO see OF Italian
lolidavs No doubt we have too lew
HOLIDAYS; we should be a happier people
ii we gave ourselves more to rational
pleasures. But the extreme OF work Is
preferable to the extreme OF play. we
have tbriyen because we have worked
hard. Our fathers @ave Us the example
and started us upon the sobrletles OF lite.
The nation has been a sober child. 1t Is
coming to a sober and practical maturity.
These Italians have been playing for cen
turie,. We see the effect of it. They
have developed some taste: everywhere
YOU see the trace OF some fine art. They
are cunning in the devices OF taste. You
find the best gloves in the world at Ma
pies the best engraving> and pictures OF
every sort at Rome; the finest mosaics
1t Florence. They sin" and play on ev-
,rv manner of musical instrument beau
tlully, even the commoncst people upon
the streets, will bring you 10 Il halt with
their pleasant songs. The children catch
the chanting of the churches and cathc-
drals, and Guido the priests and church
officials in their charming rendering. The
other night a group Of rough-looklng tel-
lows sang lust under my chamber Will
dow in such MANNER Is would call out
our best audience at home TO hear them.
But withal they are thriitleas people
What wonder There are 90 holidays in
their wear. That i, they play one
fourth of the time. OF course. they Will
not work three-tourlhs OF II. Ii You
want a man to work for you on the Sab
bath. there i. no objection but, on the
/ HOLIDAYS. never. The result Is not only
that business and work are much embar-
raised by the holidays, but the working
rcoplc have fallen INTO idle habits more
over. here in Florence, a working man l.
Of no account. Not even merchants.
with the exception OF bankers, are much
accounted OF. None but the nobility
and artists-and professional men. l
fancy the church Is largely responsible
for tli,. THIS Eomi>h church = a lazy
church. | wish could see that II i do
ing a good work for the people. am
sure l do not look with preiud@ment
against it. ! want TO find the best. But
confess ! 10 not see from General ob-cr-
walton, evidence that it Is a great power
for the mental and moral elevation OF the
people. 1t claims the necessity ot IL
tempuralitics. but | do not see that ii
iustilics il claim 10y irving itself 10 the
political or social moderation OF H. sub
iect-. 1t cultivatc- the popular tastes.
it no doubt keeps the people. 10 an eN-
tent. from the groS>c-t immoralitle-.
Beyond tbs see little \, regards IT,
spectacle sin. it l. powelle->. The Rom
iSh church ha, the power 10 --ttle thl>
Sabbath question. but it hasn't moral
cnergy enough TO 10 it. Iucrc l. no
Sabbath here ~ regards the evils oi
social and domestic life, the public cun-
science Is dcpraved am afraid those
notices upon many Of the churches, per
/ petual, daily absolutiou Tor the sins of
the living ard the dead" have share in
this deprivation of the public conscience.
The filth and degradation of grrat masses
of this people are dcplor,,l.,. They pre-
Ter be--aly to work. There Is little cv
ideucc Of invention in the practical arts.
You will see the finest ornaments and
trinkets in the shop windows, but no I'M
plements of practical industry. ]!
searched Florence tor half Il day for q
respectable pair Of walking shoes, and
cave it up in despair. The sports OF The
people ON their holidays seem childish.
Goldsmith saw something OF this in the
French people years ago. The sports
OF children satisfy the child l. truer for
the Italians than for the French. The
Corso, as ii is called, Is very childish
affair Ga the afternoon Of the holidays
the people turn out in carriages, and ride
in procession about the streets. Every
one who i able, and rood many who
are not able, must have Crlrriagc. The
rich and noble parade their fine clothes,
and jewels, and splendid cquipage-; and
the poor do the best they can. They all
bear bouquets. and nosegay-, and wrcath-
of flowers Some Of the carriages were
: crowded with them. These they tiiug to
their friends as they pass. Some carry
enormous quantities of small CONNECTIONS.
with which they peIt the crowd, and the
be9gar boys risk their necks TO gather
them. Here and there in the procession
is a group oddly or Enthusiastically dressed
with hideous masks, and banners with
odd devices and iacetious sentiments up
on them, sometimes half witty, oftenel
> profoundly stupid. There Is always per
feet order in the crowd There Is no at,
tempt at rowdyism. Every one Is cour.
teously treated: every one Is happy
Perhaps all this Is 4 public good, but
fail to see the point. l thought it emf
e nently stunid. HE more 50. 1hnt ii sl1n