Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-08-26
Special Correspondence Of The Star.

special Correspondence OF Tue Stur'
ROME, August IA, 1908.
~T NAV be roughly said that to the hall
of intelligent Italy Giosue Carducci
Is q hero, a god, a being who can 90
II no wrong; while to the other haii nc
is a hear. who shows his claws when
not left alone.
Carducci under all aspects STANDS al
the head of the italian poets. His prose-
while marked by strength and good sense,
- quite inferior to his poetic work. smaii
IN stature, with a broad figure, rough
board. short and square like Its owner;
shock Of white hair, he looks more ike
philosopher than a weaver OF rhymes
Carducci does not lend himself to light an
ecdote and description. He Is poet Oh hish
IDEALS and lofty form. with past which
does him credit for It's patriotism ana So
briefly, and an old age OF modest compe-
Asncy and peace. The great man began lie
on July "a, 1885, at Val di CASTILLO, In the
Pisa district, and therefore in Tuscany.
HIS father was physician OF modest
means, half revolutionary. half student,
who gave his sons a good education ana
then expected them to fend for themselves.
Giosue was scarcely out Of college when
he married, at the age Of twenty-four'
Elvira Menicucci distant relative
After instructing the youth of Florence,
he went as professor to Bologna, where he
has been ever since. There is an interest
ing description of his first appearance pc
fore his pupils there. The ages of the boys
ranged anywhere from fourteen years TO
seventeen. and they, knowing that one pro-
lessor had refused to go to Bologna be-
cause he feared that he would be Wh1stled
down by them, were ready for any mis-
chief, and considered themselves the arDi-
tiers of the fate of their professors. nc
them one day came little man Win
lnt,- nr16i N
his head, and a brusque manner. The con,
trast between the master to whom they hao
been accustomed for years, a tall, elegant
men between military officer and non,
badour, was so striking that II produced
q smile. That smile was fatal
The little man carried a theater hat in
his hand, one of the oldfashioned kind,
which closed and opened with spring, and
this he fourished as he began his lecture.
The smiles broadened, and in proportion
to the smile the fourishes grew more pro-
nounced until there was a confused vision
of q face red with indignation, circles made
by a big hat, from the midst of which
came a small and trembling voice, due to
what the students took to be timidity, but
which was in reality rage A loud laugh
was not to be suppressed and the day was
won for the students. Carducci stopped
suddenly, gathered. up his papers, opened
the absurd hat with click, clapped 1t on
his head and rushed from the hall. swearing
he would leave Bologna.
However, the rector of the university in
terfered explained who the new professor
was, and the students, much impressed,
asked for forgiveness for their rudeness,
and peace was patched up. Now, forty
two years later, the great man enters the
lecture room in the midst of awe-1nspired
silence, beloved and revered by his pu-
pills. His lectures are listened to as though
dropping from the mouth Of a god, and
taken as the laws of the Modes and Per-
SLAMS.
Carducci's chief characteristics are his
bursts of rage and his love of being left
alone, which latter amounts to churlishness.
These outbursts usually take place In the
lecture room, as outside he Is rarely cross
ed or given occasion for anger, except
when he finds himself being gazed at curl
ously or some one taking snapshot OF
him, then his Indignation knows no bounds.
1t must, however, be said that the storm
once over he ts incapable Of bearing malice,
and IL absolutely childlike In his generosity
and forgiveness.
If there is one thing above all others
which he cannot endure and never permits
Il is strangers coming to his lectures not
to listen. but to look at him. This he can
not entirely avoid, as the lectures at the
university are public, but woe to the per-
son who comes late or does not attend to
what is being said.
On one occasion certain deputy drop
ped In almost at the last moment. Car
ducci stopped In the middle of a sentence
and invited him to leave as he was disturb
ing the students. This the deputy, some
what nettled, refused to do, but on being