Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1880-04-10
An Italian View Of the British
Tourist.
THE Fanfulla.

For some time past English travellers have
been quarrellng to the death With us. Those
pale-laced gentlemen, long as day without
bread, and those faccid ladies, yellow as
cheese colored with saffron and with those
feet-GOd forgive them for them!-wh1ch might
at pinch wear slippers made for the colossal
statue OF st. Charles at Aroma, come among us
with all their bilious system out OF order, and
full Of spite, and look at us aslant, as one does
at those whom one would rather not see at
closer quarters.
BY dint of travelling in Italy Tor economy.
grudging. too, every day the few farthings for
their beard and their furnished room. these
children or the mist have at last persuaded
themselves that they are at home here, as in
bought and paid for by the small change OF their
pounds sterling. Our sun is an English heating
apparatus, kept up aioTt at the expense OF the
British treasury. Our fowery meadows, our
green pastures, our hills garlanded with olives
and vines, are samples Of British manufacture
sent ON hire into these ATTITUDES for the profit
and comfort of the lords and ladies who are
afiiicted with the difficulty Of breathing
And our monuments. our ancient tenn
pies. the maryels OF Italian art, are
English property, OF which we others are
only the custodians, the doorkeepers and
the salaried sweepers, employed to keep all
clean, and air them little from time TO time
And, In fact. II we are to speak things as they
really are, ii is patent defect, recognized ON
all hands that there are too many Italians in
Italy. And they have besides the fault Of con-
sidering themselves the masters OF the place.
and Oh undertaking certain works without ask
ing leave; OF living after their own fashion; of
opening and closing streets; OF restoring build
1ngS injured or In danger: OF making garden
where there was dust heap, path where
there was precipice, piazza where some lane
full OF ruins and dirt formerly drained itself.
And then goodbye TO the picturesque, accord
ing to the tastes OF the English travellers. Good
bye to traditions. Good bye TO the exactitude
or the guides and handboOks.
In times gone by, when journey to Italy
cost an eye out OF ones head, when people
went about the world in sailing vessels and
post carriages. the English. who came as lar as
this promenadtng the boredom OF their homes
and their National hypochOndria were all great
perSOnageS, persons well Instructed and edu-
Gated, who knew that they never could nav
highly enough for the lessons OF civilization.
good taste and artistic judgment which they
came to Italy for the purpose OF taking; and
they used to stand and gaze for hours to-
gether taking very good care to abstain from
parrot-like chattering of matters which
were above their intelligence for fear OF
being found out and passing for impertinent
peasants NoW ada ana tho o one can yisi,
tickets belong to the lower half OF the middle
class, to second hand dealers and thlrd-rate
manufacturers, ShOpkeeperS, brokers, slop-
dealers, people who are.retati In everything and
who expect much for few half-pence. These
are the people who deluge US with such SELF
haughtineSs, who ventflate their p0mpous
absurdittes, talk ex-cathedra nonsense, lay
down the law, give rules, spit out abuse, and
arrogafe to themselves the right OF teaching us
now TO 1--we. and to work, and TO preserve what
,,e 70 US These ara the people who call
who invite Europe to pronounce an interdict
agalnSt US ana declare that we have forfeited
our Iignt OF property In favor Of the cockneys
and the snoos Of Manchester"