New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-09-17
OLD and NEW.
Italy Through ancient and Modern
SpectdcIeS.

CH 70 &c OF TIE CITY OF PERUGIA
7'-a1sIsted Nv F-5v-ard S--acha1 Morgan Emo
r. xviii 2S5 Z. p. Dutton & Co
THE CITIES OF rMBRIA BY Edward Hutton
ana twelve other Illustrations. emo Pp. xvi
sos. E. P Dutton & Co
Italy IS everybody's theme to-day New books
on the subject may not be as numerous as the
new novels. but there are enough Of them, N all
conscience, to satisfy even the hUnSTiest reader.
Sometimes we won6e- = there are not too many
OF these arniable -tributes'; If Italy IS not
fed from which an unvritten law should ex-
clude all save very few inspired interpreters.
Certain it IS that an enormous quantity OF
more gush is poured forth over the Ioveliest
country in the world, some of it sentimental
Eush. some Of It boolish gush. but all Of it IN
speakably wearisCrce. I Is comfort, there
fore 10 receive q little volume like MI A[orsan's
version Of Natarozzo a fifteenth century scribe
who had his ditEvrarbic moments. but AT any
rate knew his subject and wrote ike man IN
his Chronicles of the City Of Perugia" we have
one Of the best Of the sources Of Unbrtan his
tory a book vibrating with "actuality'' and as
readable as q romance. No doubt we have no
right TO expect q modern author to rival him in
realism or in charm. yet there is no denying that
Matarazzo puts Us q little out Of patience with
your modern author.
As Mr.. Morgan points out, he Is the apologist
the exploits Of that formidable brood are coIored
By d sympathy which The historian Of the pres
ent century could hardly share But that
scarcely matters The main thing Is that he
carries Us into The very heart of Perugia IN the
golden age Of that heroic seat Of art and poll
tics piety and murder II is mildly interesting
to read the divagalious OF clever traveller, re-
hashfug facts about the town with pretty obse7-
va-fors Of his own on Perugino and the en-
r---. 1T7
the irnaeiuat5on as Natarazzo tells 1t, for he
writes Of things as a native he was part Of
the life which he describes. Not all the archaeo-
Logical talk III the wo-I5 about Perlgla has the
value Of a passage 6 his Ike this:
Thu canons. too rebuilt their houses from tie
stoc- n re 75..s- 10 -}zlraI a srace around
them And their Initiation they streISthe1e ne
a Fr-r and tEev buIt covered galleries inside Win
p ---l51r-a- -fE---z "a guard. Al this they cid
YOU WI readily qndersLaI1I Hea 1o i ~ he at
rsrE,-d nv Their enemies Moreover t.ley DC-.5 -
Two Of tn doors o. ne 9 .5 t-5,!g6 At the
game tire The choir and sacTl5tZ Were 3 S
tn Flis-s glL - t-;z-sl-ls ana the clergy
o=7-=-5 f-7 II T-fttl al seeIrly r0up- The Chapel
o. s. Joseph was also built ana decorated ana N
& vaS deposited the TI--z OF ~ - - 1-s from
a few years before been c2tlVeyeu 70 Is + 49,
Crfus . city dependent on Slena. ahd TT 1S,-I
this rin- had been kept in the Chtl 81 N 4
o. L7e cE A-.Tro ~ - - enlarged and
OF Szn r-'nezzc9 q p - - f{74 ,a- c1oister And
10 sun up not u make my story TOO loLg, ai s55
ever-- church and hospital II the city was nl4ue
sDleCo1C-
There is 10 attempt here to give i picture
of F7er11gia but how the UnobtTusive lines he-P
rs ia realize the pbysiognOTny Of the town. ana
with what vividaess does Natarazzo fl out me
chronicle on its strictly human side! he Peo-
vlae the steep streets and the superb Piazza WITH
I5-=7e- beings splendid amongst them those
-,ar7bers of the House Of Baghoni, whose deeds
OCCASIONALLY made him vince but whose glorles
he oo71Id not but admire Take for example
bic tale of Young Semonetto, summoned from
his house in his shirt drive the enemy from
the streets $50 long and so fierce a fight dld
he wage with the foe that in the end he mad
~ and twenty wounds on his naked body, and
-7s,,gF- could avail but he must needs fan TO
eth as If bereft Of life, drawing over him his
t,,ol,1ar Thus he lay as lie the dead But the
.+,-- is not all told It continues in this wise:
A. that moment Up rode the H1gh ana hlshlys
his horse covered with housings OF
80 bsT1ssIf all clothed about n steel ana VIII q
falcon crest upon MS l---Ll r-ta, snIIr-
i-t+7saIe IN look and deed very Mars men spttI
- his good steed he draVe mo me lL4iI9t U
x7-1- Gould one whit delay 10 SlccoI MS cousin
then and stood up from etI u
80 TOOK himself off from that place: lor IN
ll-L he could have fought no more, ALo ht ven
rrr-zo 10 his brother, ana ---re Ne 4lil.
~ - - 10 resr for by Gods grace LOt OF. o.
81 Ms wounds was mortal Mean"I slIs ms LIS
az I--2 ss-o~re had I have told you, come
ness the midst OF Inc