The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-03-02

icct, and he will be readily persuaded that the
very best OF them are merely misconceptions
OF Italian life. character. and thought
Slgnor De Amcis is writer OF short
stories and books OF travel. His books on
Holland. Spain. and Constantinople are un-
questionaby the most original and picturesque
descriptions Of countries and customs that
have come to light in our time Nothing es-
capos his attention. and his poetic and easy
manner Of interpreting natures artistic dis
order is wonderful inlmitable. and unique He
has. however met with some severe criticism
at home. which goes far TO prove that Italy has
a tendency to underrate whatever bears the
Impress OF specifically. IT Ia not long since
Signor Arcangolo Ghsleri raised his voice
against the increasing taste for writings such as
sketches. pronlcs. siLtouettes and the like.
which represent but the outer man. Where
are tho vigor." writes this critic, tho on
thusiasm. the strong passions. tho great
features OF life. tho tokens Of powerful
mental activity. the aspiration to the ideal the
bold figuring OF the inner man. the adequate ap-
probation Of writer's duty. in all these ILL
putian creations2 They arc children's toys.
playthings improvised between two yawns- not
real works Of art. bearing tho marks Of genius
and solid education" We agree with Mr..
Ghsleri in theory; but we are not practi-
cally called upon to determine the comparative
value OF deep psychological study. and OF n
superficial employment OF certain materials. We
are called upon 10 judge whether Edmund do
Amicis, once being admitted an authors liberty
as TO tho manner Of disposing OF q subject has
done 50 well or not. consistently with his pecu-
liar method. The question being put in these
terms. we do not hesitate to admit that he is in
literature. as great On impressionist as Fortuny
is In painting Each one Of his Sketches Of
Military Liio is agem. both as regards thought
and feeling. language and style.
new style of novel has lately been intro
ducod by Prof. Paolo Mantcgazza the physlolo-
gist. lie has invented what might be termed
the physiological and hygienic novel" The
! wrongiulncss Of marriage for persons having
any faint Of consumption In their blood Is ST. TX
| ingly illustrated in his novel; Day at Ma
! deira." 1t is tho story OF young English
woman who swears 10 her father on his death
| bed that she will never marry for fear Of
transmitting the disease Of consumption
to other generations. From England she
proceeds 10 Italy in search Of milder eli
mate; there. coming in contact with man OF
superior talent and requirements. she uncon-
sciously falls in love with him. and he falls in
love with her. On being made aware Of
the sentiment she had inspired. and mindful
OF her promise to her dying father she
suddenly returns to England Her Italian
lover follows her. An explanation takes
| place. after which the unhappy girl is in
| duced TO try the climate Of Madeira. Tho
physicians consulted having declared that
| II after two years solOurn on that island she
! can stand q winter in London. she may consider
! herself perfectly cured. she enters on a condi-
tional engagement with her faithful lover. But
In vain does she 20 to Madeira. and in vain
does she hope; the terrible disease leads her to
untimcly death. while all tho destinations of a
| healthy life with the man she adores are con-
stantly before her mind. The consultations
among the various physicians afford the author
asplendid opportunity for display Of humor
and wit. and certain characters and therapeu-
| teal systems are most comicay drawn. Tho
story, although. owing to the distance by which
| its leading characters are separated. ii is en-
bodied mostly in the epstolary form. which is by
no means the most agreeable Is exquisitely told
and full OF pathos and OF glowing descriptions
OF natural scenery. There are passages in It
so tendcrly touched as to bring tears to the eyes
OF the most hardhearted reader. Inspired bv u
wider conception is Mantegazza's more recent
novel. " The Unknown God" in which the great
problems OF the characterization and spirit
ualism-are brilliantly discussed.
| Though the France OF to-day reokons. as its
own. dramatists Of worldwide reputation
| whatsoever Is not deceived by the glow Of SON
sationalism and believes in naturalness Of
characters and situations. in a dialogue not
altogether unlike that we employ in our every
day existence. in a familiar representation OF
ali that belongs 10 family life. and In morality
Of purpose. will rank the present Italian theatre
rs almost equal with that Of the 'neighbor-
ing country. No branch Of literature anywhere
exhibits such wonderful progress as the drama
in Italy within the last twenty years. With tho
| - E.trtl as.I N..ta h.g NJ.
means Italian in character and tendencies.
Italy had produced nothing in this line worth
speaking Of since Goldoni. How low the
theatre had fallen can only be understood by
| people who visited Italy before the revolution.
With Ferrari and Gherardi Del Testa a reform
was initiated. and the series Of trlumphs
achieved since 1859 is surprising TO the Ital-
ians themselves. Tho historical plays OF
Ferrari. " La Satira Parini" and Goldoni Q
10 sue Sedici Commedie." are the foundation
OF the national Italian theatre. A long time
will eapse before these magnificent pictures OF
Italian life during the eighteenth century must
be witnessed by Italian audiences with dimin-
ished enthusiasm. We regret that Ferrar has
ever abandoned the path he had so successfully
trodden to enter the wider one offered by social
life. though his successes in this domain arc
scarcely inferior 10 his others. Gherardi Dol
Tesla is q very clever playwright; no one man
ages dialogue better than ho does he is grace
full pleasant and witty but he Is as light rs the
society for which he writes. But he deserves.
however to be gratefully remembered here. as
he did great deal to reform the taste OF his
countrymen. vitated by the old French sensa-
tionalism and its Italian apostles. Giacometti
Chiossono. and Forts. Gherardis "Yero Bla-
some 1.-THE True Escutcheonl marks the awaken
ing OF the Italian Theatre to q civil life In keep
ing with tho political changes which put an
end to the servitude Of the country. Teobado
Ciconi with the only Daughter" Martini
with Tho New Rich :" Bersezo with The
Misfortunes OF Mr. Travel" and Soar
Bubbles" OF which Pink Dominos" il
an imitation; Torelll with Husbands
Wives" Truth and Duty" Montecarboll
with In Good Season. 4" and many others. have
elevated comedy to standard OF nobeness
such as we would heartily wish for both the
English and the American stage. Each one OF
these plays is a delicate satire on some vice Of
education. or on some social evil. 1t has been