New-York tribune., 1900-11-11

!
leaning upon the arms of their slaves while ,
they held little vials of scent to their and
looked down curiOusly. for the Athenians had
been handsome men" He retells also the old
story of Syracusan enthusiasm for l>uripides.
and how the people freed. for the poets sake.
those Of their captves who could repeat and
sing long passages from the plays. Thus the
literal arts JostIe the brutaities in the fcvered
life Of the ancient dH elIers in Sicily. The pas
sages we have quoted give sufficient idea OF
Mr. Crawford's quality in this book He ap-
nIics the same method of vivid. discursive mar
ration to the achievements of the Greeks. the
Romans the Goths and the BYZantin"S, the
Saracens and the Normans; he shows the same
sympathy and uses the same animation IN
skeching the major personalities among
those successive rulers of the fertile, beautiful,
glorious and quite unhappy island. This is not
a grave work of historical research but col
lection of popular sketches, loosely linked to-
r.ther For students il cannot take the place
OF Holm or of Freeman's fragment, but for the
reader who desires to dip at random INTO the
chapters of a wonderfully romantic history II
has undoubted merits on one point Mr. CraW-
ford is Instructive where no other writer III
English has spoken with any authority at all
He concludes his second volume with an ac-
count of the Malta, basng his elucidaton OF
that famous Sicilian institution on the latest
Malta Matiusi.
He cannot explain the derivation or the worn
~Mafa" In the Sicilian dialect" he says, 1t
means the ideally perfect, and a beautiful girl
for instance would be called 'Mafiusa simply
on account of her looks. The word is even ap-
piled by hawkers TO their wares. 1t was hrst
used In its present sense by the author OF a
famous play, I Matusi Ill la Nicarfa when
was produced in 1868" The Scilian character
3cticS at he
standing but Mr.. Crawford states that the
organization as 1t now exists probably sprang
from the corrupt practices OF the Bourbons'
especially in the police department. Ihe
Sicans found that if they wanted justice they
had to get it for themselves. This was, more
over agreeable them Their character, we
are told, is bold. out extremely reticent and
deeply mbued with peculiar sense OF honor
According this code. who appeals 10
the law against his fellownan is not only
fool. but coward, and he who cannot take
OF himself without the protection Of the
police is both" Mr.. Crawford cites provcrb
Of the country: If live will kill thee; II
die, l forgive thee" Cases have been known
of innocent Mafusi going to prison and dying
in the place OF guilty men whose names they
oud readily have revealed. But TO self
by betrayal is to court infamy. to say nothing
OF a sudden death. The low Mahuso OF Palermo
Is thus described:
He wears his hat upon the left side. his hair
emoothed with plentiful pomatum and one lock
brushed down upon his forehead. he walks with
@ swinging motion of the hips. cigar in his
mouth, a heavy knottrd stick in his hand. and
he is frequently armed with a long knife u
revolver. He stares disdainfuy at every
he meets with the air Of challenging each conner
to speak To him if H. dare.
He lives by the shadicst of expcdents. he is
courageous, but vicious In many cases he ends
In prison the disscctng table. but some
times he Contrives, after while" To- lead Il life
more respectable, the surface. and decent
In its close. Others OF the guild ar" to be- found
In wealthy houses In all the professions in the
provincial council itself suppose a Manuso Of
the baser sort stabs II he is arrested.
which does not often happen, MS antoccdents
pre- looked up by the ca po-niara under whose
Jurisdiction he has lived
If it is found that the prisoner has through
out his life strictly oh"y,d the principles and
the commands Of the society, it's vast machinery
or acquittal; money is spent unsparingiy though
the accused be pcnnilcss. scores and sometimes
hundrcdS of witnesses Suborncd. the most
eminent lawyers are secured FOR the defence.
ana the strongest arguments appear in the
man faY0r in the most accredited newspapers.
me man is, OF course. proved innocent and the
Nefdlct is received with chorus of popular
appreciation. If, on the other hand. the inquiry
Shows that the man has failed in his
duties as a Matiuso. the Capo-mafia refuses all
help not witness will dare To appear in his
1aF"r, and he is dealt with by the law without