The New York herald., 1922-07-09
The Garden of the Mediterranean
IL

The SPELL OF SICILY. The gar
den OF the Mediterranean BY VIII
s. Monroe Boston: The Page Com
gany.
HROFEssoR MoNRoE's COM
prehensive book is the result
OF tour through Sicily some
Ten years ago and an extended study
u the history and literature Of the
Island. The fascination of this most
beautiful spot-"the garden of ITALY,"
as it is so often called-is cast like
! spell upon every sensitive traveller
And in the conspicuous detail OF
fcenery. though more than two or
beauty Of situation. in climate Of
paradise, 1t is generally agreed that
cTaormina is the eye of Sicily"
The author has placed emphasis on
<he human side OF his subject, and
while he has neglected no national
feature of this famous island he has
0AfNA ~tOoCot attCAtAOu ~ tie oACl4-
tans themselves-their ethnic char
Acteristics. moral traits and social
conditions. Sicilian morals have been
feckoned by many travellers as al
Yhost non-existent. The author has
smade a conscious effort to avoid
this pitfall." and while the record
remains Of five times the amount of
crime in Sicily that exists in the
northern provinces of Italy, all the
explanatory circumstances are in
sisted on-the direst poverty. wide
Wread hunger. crushing taxation. a
general system OF government under
which 1t is difficult to expect any
xhing much better.
The remarkable physical features
8 the island are discussed at length:
; special chapter is given to Mount
Etna, the Mount Of Mountains" the
Volcano which dominates the island.
Ind the antique remains at Syracuse,
9irgenti. and other once world
famous cities receive comment and
dre the subjects of illustration.
There is a chapter on "Hostelries.
Brigandage and the Mafa"-a sug-
kestive grouping: religion and the
General worship OF saints are dis
&ossed in another. the general state
IL popular edueation-and it is very
4eplorable-in another. Agriculture.
Industry and commerce are grouped
In still another: and the author pre-
6ents vividly the dominant human
interests and activities OF the people.
The history of Sicily. with deep
foots in prehistoric tradition. is pre-
eented with an intelligent perception
4f cause and effect; the centuries of
wars which racked the island are
embroidered in a long tapestry OF
Homantic and heroic achievement.
The most notable details are ac-
fented. and the reader will find a
fascinating reflection of the old races
8hich succeeded each other in the
Ko1OuLz<Alioi anu Last lOiloWlnS tOu-
6uests OF the strong cities. Only the
hamlet Of Mola. clinging to the crag
t6ove Taormina. was never con-
Hdered: il is still a Saracen village.
Of the ninth century. when 1t came
INTO existence. even though eccle-
klastical verdure has grown upon its
rocky site.
The racial strains are 50 tangled
b Sicily as TO battle conjecture.
irrespective OF the three original
faces (and these followed the Cyclops
5tho founded the pIace) more than
: dozen different nations have occu-
bied the island In the historic period.
y strong infusion Of Arab blood
4me with the Phoenicians, the
phsthagenians and the Saracens: the
Greeks in Sicily for a number OF
4snturies numbered several millions:
ehe invasion OF the Goths and Van