The Portland daily press., 1886-08-04
OUR FOREIGN LETTER.
Especial correspondence of the PRESS

Especial correspondence of the PREss.]
NAPLES.
Had we made but one visit here we should
have left with very distorted views of the
Neapoltans and Naples, which we viewed
the first time from a fourth story window or
a carriage as we skirmished about her outer
circle; while, with our friend, during our
second visit, we entered into the very heart
of the city and felt the throbbing of her in
ner life. Nowhere does humanity seem to
swell and surge in such solid phalanxes as in
Naples. As you drive along the thorough
fares and look into the lanes at any hour of
the day, the unbroken columns stretching
from wall to wall remind you of the great
outpourings of the ancient amphitheater. At
first we felt they were lazy good-for-noth-
ing people, forever in the street; but after
we frequented the by-paths, out of the
strangers reach, we saw their homes were
dark and cherries, only shelter from the
rain and noontide heat, and to imbibe the
fresh air or the glow Of Gods sunlight they
must bake and brew, knit and spin, forge
and cobble on the pavement. They literally
turn the houses inside out, for you see the
mothers washing their babies and spanking
the refractory rogues on the doorsteps, and
you will soon think it is all right on Sunday
morning, when the whole population of Ma
pies combs its hair in the street; and live
ly time they have Of it we assure you, for
the field yields a lively and abundant har-
vest If you are SO fortunate as not to have
some subtle germs lodge in your own crani-
ums, you will quite likely find the magma
ry infection will give you about as much dis
comfort as the reality. The next time we
visit Naples we shall doubtless see fewer ar
tistic models and quaint archways and eel
lars; but we confidently hope to see great
progress in Christianity and its social con-
ditions.
Protesting Italy is everywhere at work
roofing out the cumberers of the ground alike
in the material and spiritual kingdom. The
municipal government is cutting fine roads
letting g a f t A ft Ho and md
dark corners.
We were deeply interested in the enter
prise of starting schools which now engages
the hearts of our evangelical brothers and
sisters. 1t is not the work Of any missiona-
ry organization, but the earnest endeavor of
the united Protestant churches of the vari-
GUS denominations in the city who look to
their friends in America and England for
assistance in this good work. OF course this
meets with opposition from the priests, but
their circumstances avail little with parents
as soon as they grasp the practical advan-
tage Of a broad and thorough education over
the limited and conventional teaching the
Church has bestowed in the past. They do
not inculcate doctrines in these schools, but
devote one hour each day to biblical history
of both the Old and the New Testament. No
better testimony to the worth of this educa-
ton can be given than the fact that the jew
ish rabbi has sent his children. The system
is based on the principle that only that is
appreciated that costs us some sacrifice, and
each pupil is charged from one to two cents
each day. The average cost Of educating
girl for one year, above what is raised by
these pittances, is ten dollars.
There is no better means of estimating the
progress of city like Rome under the re-
gime of the new government, which, since it
has been freed from the trammels of the pa
pal power, has encouraged more liberal in
struction of its lower classes, than by MOTTO
ing few figures, which were given us by a
these liberal educational institutions upon
the population. Fourteen years ago there
were 5000 ecclesiasticS in Rome and 1000
children in school; to-day the ecclesiastics
number 1000, while the school children have
increased to 10000. From these schools grow
Sunday schools, and many instances could
be related showing how gladly the common
people hear the word of God in simplicity,
and of their cheerful and unflinching self
denial, when their own households have
turned against them for forsaking the pater-
nal church; but these stories might be more
appropriate for reports in our missionary
meetings. Naturally these efforts will slim
ulate the Catholic clergy to provide more
competent instructors, as they fully realize
the good policy of adopting methods suited
to the demands Of their followers, and of
not keeping too far behind the advanced
guard in the onward march to victory. Now
that the Church has been forced to walk in
the trail of the civil power, she can no long
er cramp the free thought Of the people, but
must see that she can only maintain her in
fuence by leading, not driving her subjects.
One day we took long drive in the SUBJ
Carthusian Monastery, San Marco, which is
a gorgeous villa, on great elevation, where
four or five hundred monks for centuries
have revelled in luxury and splendor. 1t is
admirably fitted for a museum, to which New
Italy has dedicated it. Nowhere have we
seen it surpassed in oriental lavishness of
paintings, mosaics, porphry, lapis lazuli-in
short, every gem from the mine and pearl
from the ocean has contributed to its beau
ty. 1t must have been a sore trial to these
brothers, who could look back to a long line
of their predecessors, who have paced these
marble halls in garments of white, to turn
their backs upon the gilded altar and leave
it to its long silence. We were told that the
aged and infirm monks and nuns OF the varl-
GUS orders receive an annuity from the gov
eminent, while many able bodied ones are
employed as teachers, and some are support
ed by wealthy citizens, that they can still
keep up the old forms of monastic life.
We sat under grove of walnut trees on
the brow of q hill overlooking the city,
where we ordered lunch at country gro
Gerry. The old woman brought us some
crumbs of cheese, a loaf of very sweet bread
which the peasants make and twist pre-
cisely like the Pompeian loaves in the muse
um The flask of wine which was set be- |
fore US was rich in color, but to our unedu- |
Gated taste less pa,atable than good cider vim |
egar. We cannot imagine how people |
could ever become poor and degenerate by |
their incorporate indulgence in such vile |
beverage as the italian wines, and yet they
look at you in surprise if you ask for glass
of cold water One servant said. 1--WE never
drink water if we can get anything else"
When we alghted to rest the weary beast,
as he toiled up the long hills, we would mix
with the common herd by the wayside. We
bought roasted chestnuts piping hot from the
old women at the corner stalls, and wedged