New-York tribune., 1898-10-23

komc TO-DAY Of which he has given such
interesting glmpses in his Italian romances,
Mr. Crawford pictures with amazing detail and
fulness the family life Of the Middle Ages Al
hiding TO the great scale upon which the Roman
palaces were built-thc Doria- -Pamflli Is almost
tx o. thirds OF the size OF st. Peters, and within
the ground plan Of ST. Peters the Colosseum
could stand-he ascribes IT partly to the giant
tsu' Of the Latin race, to their deep-] rooted dc
rire for things colossal. bat shows us also how
the medieval baron lived in his house as IL
little realm and sheltered not only his many
relatives and immense retinue OF domestics,
but several hundred braves whom he protected
from the law that they might protect him.
self and his family. Foreigners sneci al the
Willingness OF modern Roman noblcmen TO let
apartments in their palaces, but why shouio
they not do SO asks Mr.. Crawford, when they
fnd il physically Impossible to occupy more
rooms than suffice the Emperor of Germany or
the Queen of England? He shows us how
necessary these vast fortresses were, and asks
rs to guess at the emotions of those who lived
H. them. to guess at what women felt whose
husbands and sons going out for a stroll Oh an
afternoon in the streets OF Rome, might az
likely as not be brought home dead o1 q uoZe'i
sword wounds before evening "A husband d
father was stabbed in the dark by treachery
try and imagine the daily and year-long sehsa'
lions of the widowed mother, bringing up hei
only son deliberately to kill her husbands mu1-
derer" He adds ais account Of tb. dam DIG
Of ntn and woneI SO situated
No Roman lady Of to-day Will cve1 show heI-
self at a window that looks on tbc street except
during Carnival be tells us, and traces IL BACK
70 the old days when the fierce barons' com
peled to reckon with equally fierce enemies al
every turn, and even forced a. We have saio,
10 keep murderers in the house WIN "hch "
6pht murderers outside, ruled Their Womehklhu
with All iron rule. THE position Of twenty vi
thirty women and girls under the same rooi
with several hundreds OF the most a'rooiou'
e,,ttbroats Of any age was undehlapiy sum d.
a. ,,stif, III. most tyrannical measures for then
xrotocticp The palaces were, H6urao'o'y
.neatinc N q perpetual state Of siege, and the
A,sc,pnne within them was harsh accoroine'!'
Mr. crawford apty begins his description OF
sav IN one of them with the Waterman ap
,roacbinc the nail-studded doors ano stumbling
30, cornse OF the way. To him IN ms 1right
,o casually tho mounted men at arms, re
.r,,inq from a night raid across the Campashd
w., ciatter into the courtyard and the leaoer
,',,e IN ropOrt 10 the baron, who slls Ih h's
49, covn trimmed with foxs fur' ana
,rn. hos toasted bread with niue VINE as "e
to- n
nstene with stcrn dcmeanoI Mass to!io"S ID "
.bnrcb neal by. sometimes 50 near 'ha' 'ne
,or.oboid can enter from the palace pS pr
.o,o corridor Then, while the maios eue"
,,osb rushce on The floor and put tho oeoS -
-,ch,s the bravo. ride Their horses ou' 10 water
.ho,n a. the public fountain Ihe 'oren'o"
-o..os awav with the children OF 'he houSe
,.orpinc TO ride and fence IL th' c'"'" i"'n
IT,, dinner at noon, with talh "'"'"1 Wv
-ou,,s ~ some street scrimmase rom "i"CN
49,, have lust returned. After dinner 'he ""''
houeehold sleeps, until it is time loI 'n'
-, children. accompanied by the i0roS u '"'
,ariIv and guarded by scores ot men y" "oi
.ocL ~ go out to take the air ii tne "'''H0'
8. had they stay indoors and tell stoiie9' N'''
oh as Boccacoio and the rest nave h"iO'N
Aoyyn 70 US and which MI Cra"1oru piuS 10
,,,o,,a aye far more faithful to nature 'h"ii
.,o reader would always suppose 30 inc al
,ornoop masses and supper arrives, with oeo SUI"
.ror A peaceful lfe-on the surface Anu
,areatb Il and around It, and through anu
through IT, q strain OF preparedness ae"'"''
.ndden danger which. al cur au'hoI VIZ" o"'''
.,oe enough to drive men mao. Read 'h's 'n"p-
a.. Oh. THIRD IL the FIRST VolGme. anG p''h"p-