The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1883-03-18
4 GREAT AUTHOR OF THE PAST
Ce..-s cans... n.~i.,.c..es. or Ms....,.

Cesare Cantu's neulnescences 81 Maussas.
Woo, Feb. 13.-whie am thus, like ono
placed on a secure eminence, far nboye tho
region whore tho earthquake and the flood are,
destroying the old landmarks 10! there comes
TO me from Milan one OF those timely books
which challenge the attention OF both states
mon and scholars tho whole world over the
"Romniscenzo dl Alessandro .Aranzoni." by
Cesaro Cant0.
Tho life OF Manzoni. onding-on May 49, 1873.
In his eighty-cighth year. had begun In 1885,
Just when tho United States were recovering
strength aftcr tho war OF Independence and
while France Incorporating for tho meeting OF
the states General and convulsed by the first
throcs OF the coming revolution.
This last production OF the indefatigable pen
OF the gront Mllancse historian. ut which, rs
he assures the reader. he has been at work
for tho last thirty years adding something to
1t or taking something from 1t nearly every
day" thus covers almost an entire century.
In reading over the fascinating and pregnant
pages Of these two small volumes. seemed to
live both with Manzoni and with his friend
and biographer all through tho great French
upheaval. and all through tho long yearnnss
and struggles Of Italy for Independence. till tho
contamination OF the Piedmontcse conquest OF
Rome in 1870.
Around Alessandro Manzoni. who lived in
1919 we soc all the great mon aud women who
In the world Of politics and of letters have
powerfully contributed to make the nineteenth
century both in France and in Italy. The vivid
sketches given by Cantn Of all these workers
Tor good or r9r evil and the ANALYSIS he sub,
the w TO sf n
Rousseau. or contributed to sustain and repair
the very foundations OF the moral world shat
tered by skepticism and the revived materlalism
OF the ancient pngans.
The book arrays before ua. generation after
generation, the antagonistic vital forces which
Christendom. II viii have for American read
.rs,-for such. at least as share the religious
rnpher more than n superficial or passing in
terest, The literary criticisms. tho artistic.
discussions ie contained in these voumes. in,
volve the principles and tendencies most dear
to ron she 50 s mas
European Institutions, The wisdom of Aessan-
akin to that which has made our people a con;
servqtive rs well as liberty, loving race. and
f low W Words on nf9 ss His mother
was a daughter Of that Ce5nre Boccaria whose
fame. when, Alossandr9 was 6 years Cd he
FATHERS in the College Of Morate. OF these. his
early teacners he wrHS In hs youth some a. IT,
soose ne as HSeS Sas
s e ns the so1 q ~ E Franz, Pa e. The y e
sdao ~Sdi CLASSES Il had ls but too
eagerly the skeptical gibss of voltaire and the
thus prepared to accept readily tho IDEAS sol Of
social and religious liberty brought 70 them by
e. a ina" /" nHYsn 10y PAX 6n Snq Mn ASs
r. with III ps0a Il. us9 s &
had drawn upon him the public attention.
Even Monti praised and encouraged this pre-
dear friend of his family. having died in Paris
in 1903, Manzoni, In Milan wrote 'versi In
the author secure place among true poets;
To Paris Manzoni went to rcioin his mother.
Of his vile. was brought back 70 the faith OF his
fathers 4 lady wrote to him later that ia'nen-
Ga7 spek bss q, h nna as RELIGIOUS cnG
The evidence Of tho Catholic religion nils aud
suplqeates my intel,igence. see it in the be-
tty. SHE peryades all those where her author
lily Is Invoked as we'll as those from whom Il Is
out her support appear to me to have, their en-.
trio completeness only when tried by the
n Of ss sbe ansn o
her teachinx. Such a CONVICTION must. natn-
Ially. force itself to the surface in all my writ
writing in accordance with my belief"
restoration to Austria of Lonbardy and Venc-
passions Of his life. his ardent love for the an
cient faith Of his fathers and the no less ardent
grew grew Il the three works on which m9st rest his
lame as a writer Ch lI AMI patriot
T thu n@S ns his
lea. "a refutaton Of Ssmondi.
The hymns together w!h the In in the
q his novel Promessi snosi" 1.-THE Bs-
N,NtI ,,l tIAr.. tl nlu n u n n
ened MENTION r here. Il has been translated Int
all European languages. and has had in Itai,
entity ii Illustrated. The German translation
was made at the instance and under the eyes Of
review OF it. and used all his influence to hav.
widely known and read In GsrmaTy Mats
d. 70 he
anhoe for any merit ,, a,s S Scatt m!sn
h Pfooss spo sast is my most ePe
Even Sismondi. whom Manzoni had handled
eySSre IS; WIN
70 Psry, tae ,S ssn
SSSns wE peape book " Wes
hearts, moves them to enthusiasm. and con
tinualy gives them lessons OF virtue
As is well known to European scholars. blu
IS. perhaps. is not SO web known 70 America ca,
Of Milan, and during the time q the oppresssiiys
Spanish omination in 1880. It Is impossib!
W6s6 Ss aashor Is as tha
OF two centuries before. The same brave
hearted people, ground down by foreign :,1,o op p
the heroic virtues 1t inspires the noble church
mon who dared to resist and upbraid the op
pre>sor, the self sacrificing ministers who Ia
we'll as tho timid and tme-serving who dar
not rebuke the wrongdoer-these were III
vital forces which Manzoni and Cantn. CESAR
Btlbo and Rpsmini and many other nobl
and religious spirits wished to deye!op an
array in favor Of Italian liberty in Lombard
and throughout the entire pcninsula. Bot
Manzoni and his biographer were born an
reared amid tho mountains which were IN
cradle Of tho Lombard League OF lndspe n I
snec. They dreaned Of a new and Tree tai
independent Of all foreign domination. Will
remaining devotedly attached to tho reiigio
OF their forcfathers.
When Milan drove out Rodetzky and hi
Austrians in March 184s. tho men who lahore
with Manzoni and Cantn hastened to prociai,i