The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-07-08
TRAITS or THE SUNNY ITALIAN.
As Observed by Meth odist bishop ID.
A. GOOdseII.
From lions Herald.

From lions Herald.
The joyousness, patience and polteness
Of the Italians are very pleasing from one
point Of view. and distressing from an
other. Very little suffices for meal in
Middle and Southern Italy. and this little
is eaten as IL 1t were a banquet Smiles,
laughter, reparte, are ats sauce. The com
mon people have little to rejoice over and
small reason to be content They are tax
ed outrageously by the government, the
priest and the landlord. Little Is left for
the man who does the work. To all i'm
posts and annoyances he responds with
shrug, a smile, and 'patienzia- rms
seems to me the most popular word IN
the language. No other people could bear
what the Italians do without revolution.
one finds himself asking: Are they
spiritless people? Has the power or
steady resentment against wrong gone
from them, eliminated by centuries OF OPP
preston? Or Is 1t climatic, or Latin, or
what? one might think that oppression
was the cause N they were stolid. But a
liyelier wit never belonged TO a people nor
greater quickness of apprehension. AS a
rule their quarrels are more ike inc
"tifs' of children than the anger OF men.
They have a positive genius Tor abuse.
Two hackmen, boatmen or porters Will
eXGCTdtE
voice and gesticulation which would mean
murder In northern nations. Here It
seems to be a dramatic tribute to an oc-
casion and nothing more. But TINS docs
not apply to family feuds and love quar-
rels. The vendetta still exists, and women
and men are, In such cases. expert with
the stiletto Yet, as a rule, they are a
peaceable songful, courteous and indus
trious folk-these Italians-and singular
~ abstemious in food and not often
drunken.
on this point Of drunkenness my own
observation gives me the opinion that
there Is more drunkenness than hasty
travellers see. 1t Is, however, infrequently
seen on the streets. 1t Is reserved for tho
feast-days. for ones own house, for the
lateness Of the night and the early morn
ing. There Is much more charity FOR
tipsy man than we exercise The Italians
would describe one In the exhilirated
stages OF drunkenness as ALLEGRO" or
joyful The police would almost never
trouble one who was on his way home
alone or In the company Of friend.
Moreover Il Is generally drunkenness on
wine and Il either joyful or stupid, much
less often ugly and vicious; yet have
seldom taken an early train or arrived
bv a late one without seeing drunken men
on the streets while the papers often
speak Of drunken brawls as occurring In
the "trattorias," or cafes, an the night.
Here the male Italian spends his even
ings remaining In the warm season very
late. so that unless a foreigner has oc-
casion to be equally lata he will know
nothing OF this phase OF life. But there
IS much reason to believe that IN coun-
tries where wine has been long used, tho
national susceptibility to drunkenness has
been diminished by the elimination OF that
susceptibility through the extinction by
alcoholism OF those IN whom II existed.
80
DRY to account for the greater sobriety
Of southern nations. The open bosotted-
ness OF certain London and Scotch quar-
tiers cannot be found in Italy.
All have noticed the talkatiyeness OF an
Italian crowd. Silence Is not golden In
Italy The language IL graceful sweet,
delicious, but not strong II abhors a con-
sonant. A cultural Is almost unknown.
Every word must end with a vowel II
flows like an unobstructed stream.
Whether the absence Of ruggedness ac-
counts for tho lucessant gusticulation,
whether this be an endeavor 20 invigorate
Il. / know not. but In conversation, a. IA
oratory, every muscle Of the body Is call
ed on In turn TO talk with the tongue Yet
differences can be noted In the several
provinces The Neapolitan n easily chief
in grimace. shrug and contortlon. These
are often az readily employed IN the pull
Dit as IN less weighty talk. have seen
preaching ffldrb Bathef tneF ROBES up
with as vigorous expression OF contempt
FOR heresy as ever Pharlsee had for a
publican. Some priests equal, IN man
aging their long skirts, the skill OF a fine
dame In the handling Of her train.
Nature seems 10 have been more boun-
tiful IN giving beauty 70 men IN Italy than
20 women. Ia no country VIII 20 many
refined and beautiful male faces b. seen.
ind It hard 20 characterize. however
tho quality Of this beauty. II iH not apir-
ifual. certainly. IN our sense Of the word
n reminded me more OF the dciicacy pure
" animal, o. human on the animal side,