BOOKS.

SPENCER'S FRANCE AND ITALY.*

This tour of inquiry through France and Italy contains a good deal of fresh and striking matter, accompanied by heavy draw- backs. Mr. Spencer indulges too much in retrospection and the expression of opinion rather than of conclusion. The antiquities and even the scenery of the South of France and Italy have been too often described to warrant being done again, especially in a work whose avowed object is the present and the practical. Even where these topics engage his pen, Mr. Spencer often treats them too much in the manner of a discourse in which the theme is sub- ordinate to the writer's ideas of it. As the mind of the traveller, though possessed of judgment, and of varied knowledge as well as experience, is not characterized by force, and his style is a reflex of his mind, these disquisitions are not always worth the space they occupy. The book, however, is a useful addition to our data for forming a judgment on the present condition and prospects of France and Italy. Mr. Spencer had friends in the latter country ; long expe- rience in travelling has given him a facility in making acquaint- ances by the way ; and his liberal opinions naturally inspired con- fidence amongst men with the same ideas. Sympathy with the unfortunate and persecuted, disgust at what he saw and heard, with smarts of his own from arrogance, extortion, and petty tyranny, may have disposed him to take the most unfavourable view of despotic doings ; but after every allowance is made, the picture of Italian misery is sad, bitter, and, when power is directly acting on an individual, terrible.

In Mr. Spencer's opinion, the evils which beset not only Italy but the European Continent at large are traceable, to Romamsm as a religion: and this, as regards Italy, is the conclusion of many Italians themselves. The idea is all but universal, that the present agony of the country is owing to the Church as a se- cular power. Hence, throughout Italy, the most bitter hatred of the Pope and of the priests, promising an equally bitter vengeance when the opportunity shall come. Of this there is little likelihood at preset, -with the power of France and Austria pressing down the country. - So intolerable is the misery of the Italians, that, little reason as they have to be satisfied. with France or Louis Na- poleon, there is no doubt but they would follow the new Emperor willingly in any project which should gratify their vengeance against the priests and the Austrians. Mr. Spencer corrobates statement which has been made before, that French agents are actually at work holding forth" hopes of the regeneration of Italy by means of Napoleon the Third. On this and some other grounds which he does not state, he seems to think it possible that the au- thor of the coup d'etat may trick the Jesuits and overturn the Papacy, as he deceived the French and destroyed their con- stitution:

Although there is overmuch of disquisition in the Tour of In- quiry, there is also a good deal of description, and chiefly of things bearing on the events of the day. Mr. Spencer arrived at Rome at the same time as the news of the coup d'etat at Paiis, and he describes the sensation produced.

"We had gleamy seated ourselves at the table-d'hete, among a com- pany of between thirty and forty strangers, English, Americans, French, Germans- and Spaniards, when a gentleman entered, and announced that he had that'thoment heard of the arrival of an estafette, bringing the intelli- gence- of the outbreak of another revolution in France‘ In free England, with her stable institutions, accustomed es we are to hear of the erratic political deeds of our volatile neighbours, &revolution in France creates no greater sensation than any other passing zievety of the day. But the case is very different in every country within the pale of despotism; and nowhere perhaps, did it cause greater excitement than in this little state, where the Progressistas assert the grand battle must be fought and won, before mankind can hope for a .complete and lasting emancipation from the thraldom of arbitrary rule and priestly bondage. "The citizens of Rome could scarcely have been in a more excited state during the bombardment of their city by Republican France : each party being aware of the hostility of -their opponents, regarded each other as mortal enemies. The Sbirri seemed powerless; the dictatorship of General Gemeau appeared suddenly terminated; the Liberals met in the streets, on the promenade, in the coffeehouses, restaurants, hotels, and private house, and discussed politics with-as much boldness and acrimony as if they were the subjects of the freest country in the world. On the other hand, the news produced an abso- lute panic among the Parti Pretre: scarcely a soutane was to be seen in the streets, and it was generally reported and believed that the Holy Father had all- his valuables packed and was ready to start at a moment's warning for Bologna, to place himself under the protection of Austrian bayonets. In the mean time, estafette followed estafette in quick succession, until it became known to all men that the nephew of • mon oncle ' was the ally of the Jesuits, and the French people not yet sufficiently educated to ap- preciate the value of constitutional freedom."

The discreditable conduct of many English abroad has often

• A Tour of Inquiry through France and Italy, illustrating their present Social, Political, and Religious Condition. By Edammd Spencer, Esq., Author of "Travels in European Turkey," " Travels in Circastaia," Sm., &c. In two volumes. Published by Hurst and Blackett. been commented on. This has shown itself in a contemptuous dis- regard of the external reverence due to every place of worship, or an open contempt of foreign authorities. Of late the current has run in an opposite direction. The obtrusive solicitation to ob- tain invitations to the entertainments of a man like Napoleon the Third is more especially disgraceful to the national character, since the respectable part of French society, whether Le- gitimist or Republican, shrink from all contact with his court.. In Rome the vice of the day is different in mode; and though not perhaps so morally discreditable as the English at Paris, is in some sense less national, since the Pope and his Ministers have undoubtedly offered an insult to the British Crown, which the slight and foolish men and women who haunt the processions and parties at Rome do their best to countenance, however little their countenance may be worth. Mr. Spencer describes the behaviour of different peoples at Rome on the day of the thanksgivings for the successful plot of December 1851. "While the gorgeous cavalcade slowly passed onward, it was interesting to listen to the observations made around us by the throng of Italians and foreigners. The French soldiers on duty, with their usual frivolity and contempt for the Romish Church, made many a witty remark, as they sa- luted in succession its various high dignitaries. To the devout member of the Roman Catholic religion, imbued from earliest infancy with a deep re- verence for the mysteries and ceremonies of his church, all was grand, so- lemn, and imposing. On the other hand, the stern Reformer of young Italy regarded the whole affair as an empty display of idle pomp, more resem- bling the Pagan ceremonies of ancient Rome than genuine Christianity, and altogether unworthy of the minister of Him who hath said My kingdom is not of this world.' My own immediate friends, [Americans,] England's practical children of another hemisphere, reprobated the waste of so much time and labour, and considered it would be much wiser in the chief of a petty state ruined in its finances and overrun with beggars to lay aside his gorgeous ceremonies, and devise some plan by which he could find industrious employment for such an idle host of priests, monks, and friars. The fair sex, so easily captivated by a creed that appeals so powerfully to the senses, were the most enthusiastic in their expressions of applause and none more so than our own dear countrywomen, whose vivas, as they steed up in their elegant carriages, were so loud and vehement as to attract universal attention. Oh, what a dear old man! what a benign countenance ! how full of dignity and devotion !' were only a few of the exclamations elicited successively by the various Cardinals and dignitaries of the church as they passed onward. But when the Sovereign Pontiff made his appearance, their delighted admiration knew no bounds ; and, to say the truth, we have rarely seen kindness and intelligence more unequivocally expressed than by the re-

gular well-formed features of Pio None. * * *

"Taken altogether, so far as winning the applause of the Roman people was considered, the exhibition proved a complete failure. Of this we had ample opportunities of judging as we rode.along the line. With the excep- tion of a few vivas from those who were paid for the servide, a sullen gloom characterized the multitude ; and notwithstanding the presence of an army of Sbirri moving-from place to place, we heard several Italians uttering curses loud and deep as they commented, not in the most flattering terms, on the conduct of some of the high ecclesiastical dignitaries. These animadvorlions, whether true or false were of somewhat too free a character, and too un- ambiguously expressed, to find a place in our pages. "After returning to our hotel, the events of the day became the general subject of discussion at the table-d'hOte. The observations of our American brethren upon the fanaticism of the English at Rome were more unrestrained and sarcastic than it was agreeable to listen to. They were especially merry at the expense of an English lady of high rank, a recent convert to Roman- ism, whose pious zeal having mounted to fever heat, she alighted from her carriage, and, breaking through the crowd, as his Holiness the Pope was about to enter the church, threw her beautiful and costly cachmere shawl on the earth as a carpet for him to pass over. Unfortunately, she was disap- pointed in the object she had in view ; for a French officer on duty, unable to comprehend so sublime an act of piety, concluding the poor lady mad, had her arrested as a maniac."

The Americans who accompanied Mr. Spencer to the show, tra- velled with him from Naples. An incident exhibits the extensive system of espionage-now adopted by despotic governments. We found Capita, where we remained the greatest part of the day and a night, filled with Neapolitan soldiers; which afforded us an opportunity of becoming acquainted with a party of officers, fine gentlemenly men,. who took every possible means to make our short stay among them agreeable. The next morning, while breakfasting with our gallant friends, the waiter announced a French lady, the Countess de an elegant, ladylike wo- man, who, although somewhat past the age of love and romance, might still be termed pretty. She stated that the object of her visit was to petition for a place in our carriage as far as Rome, and another on the outside for her servant ; offering to pay her share of the expenses. She apologized in the politest manner for the intrusion, by saying that being unprotected, she trusted the unsettled state of the country =OA be pleaded as an excuse for the liberty she had taken; adding, that she knew by placing herself under the protection of Englishmen, a name synonymous with all that was brave and honourable her safety was insured. "Who could resist such a flattering speech ? My friend, whom we termed the philosopher of Boston, looked at his companion, the poet of New York, and both cast a searching glance on their English brother; and, presuming their feelings agreed with mine, and that denial was impossible, we made our wishes and convenience submit, though, with shame I confess it, very reluctantly, to our gallantry. "The circumstance would have been too trifling to record, were it not illustrative of the social character of the country, and the protecting core with which a traveller is watched on every side by the secret, agents of this most suspicious government. Before we quitted the hotel, a kind friend placed in my hand a slip of paper, in which he cautioned me to beware of the lady, as he knew her to be one of the most dangerous women in Italy- a perfect Jesuit in petticoats—a spy of the police, and that her servant was, in all probability, o priest! "Iu addition to her personal charms, and great amiability of manners, our fair Jesuit as a linguist was admirably qualified to carry en any political intrigue with success. She spoke the Italian language almost with the fluency of a native ; she also knew the English, German, and Spanish, suffi- ciently well to converse."

This is a sample of Austrian domineering in Italy, and that too not in their own 40.1niniens, but in those of an allied power. The scene was Leghorn. "As one fact is worth a volume of declamation, and what occurred one evening may he regarded aa a specimen of the general conduct of the Austrian soldiery in Italy, we shall relate an incident that happened to two of our fellow passengere, a Prussian officer and a French gentleman, who, like our- selves, had paid their Fulls for permission to pass a night at Leghorn, and for the bake of amusement engaged a billiard-table at one of the ooffee- bousea. They had not been long at play when a party of Austrian officers entered the room, and, presuming they were Italians, haughtily commanded therm to resign the billiard-table. Our friends disregarded the insolent de- mand; when the intruders seized the balls, and violently striking their swords, with a coarse German oath, ordered them instantly to quit the room. This was toe much for the patience of the Prussian officer ; who read them an indignant lecture in his own manly language on their duties as soldiers and gentlemen, when they retired from the room thoroughly humiliated. Still, with all the pride of fatherland, he did not forget to inform his hearers, as a palliation for their conduct, that they were not Germans, but Croats : they were, however, Austrian officers,—who, it appears, are not necessarily

gentlemen."

The obstacles thrown in the way of travellers in Italy by the trouble and extortion of the passport system is well known. According to Mr. Spencer, the annoyance is not less in France. On his return, he travelled from Turin with two gentlemen, one of them an officer in the French army of occupation at Borne.

"We were soon made aware of the sad change that had taken place in France, when, on arriving at the frontier customhouse, our carriage was surrounded by 'a file of soldiers, who drove us at the point of the bayonet into the presence of the despot of the Passport-office; who arrogantly cross- questioned us, examined our passports, and took down our signalement, with as much minuteness as if we had been denounced to him as political incendiaries. Even my fellow traveller, the officer from the army of occu- pation at Rome, was not spared ; for the suspicious Government of Louis Napoleon sees in every stranger an enemy.

"With respect to myself, I was severely reprimanded for my audacity in wearing a Turkish fez, my usual custom when travelling. What ! ipsult the majesty of France, with that badge of insurrection, anarchy, and defiance of the existing government—the bonnet rouge ! And as I retorted with more warmth and sarcasm than was respectful to so mighty a personage as the chief of the Passport-office, I know not how the altercation would have end- ed, if my fellow travellers had not come to the rescue, and assured him that the obnoxious cap, being the head-dress of the whole Turkish army, ought not to be confounded with the revolutionary ensign of Republican France. "Irritating as all this was to the feelings of an Englishman, it was no- thing to the ordeal of examining the baggage. I had already travelled in Russia, Austria, Turkey—in short, through the dominions of every great and petty despot in Europe—but never before was I humiliated by having my person examined : my word as an English gentleman, that I carried no- thing contrahand, had hitherto sufficed to save me from the annoyance of having the dirty paws of a customhouse-officer thrust into my pockets. Now, however, it might pethaps be that I was the bearer of letters from some un- fortunate exiles ,iit Piedmont to their friends in France : then the provoking fez had no doubt ruffled the temper of the amiable official; for certainly every article of my baggage underwent the strictest scrutiny, especially the books and papers ; among which the discovery of a few copies of the Fischietto '—the Charivari of Turin—at once stamped me with the cha- racter of a political incendiary.

"Fortunately, my fellow travellers, seeing that my indignation, was evi- dently becoming too strong for my discretion, again interposed in my favour, and convinced my persecutors that I was no revolutionary agent, especially as nothing was found in my baggage that could endanger the safety of France, Fischietto,' however, fared worse ; for, like his brother Punch' of London, having been feund guilty of malice, ridicule, and sarcasm against the majesty of Louis Napoleon and the most civilized nation in the world, was speedily condemned by our chief inquisitor of the customhouse to the penalty of a public auto-da-fe !"

The earlier sufferers from this system were deserving of sympa- thy. They were taken by surprise; they had no way of escape; or if they had heard of such things, they might fancy they were exceptional, not part of a system. This excuse can avail no longer. Every one who ventarea into the despotic states of the Continent knows what he has to meet, and must make up his mind to it. Amusement, change, even art, are by no means necessaries of life ; and those who would rather not pay the price should stoically re- solve to do without them. The enlightened inquirer is in a differ- ent category, but knowledge cannot be had without trouble. The passport system is far less onerous than the toils his predecessors till within these thirty or forty years had to undergo, or the in- sults they often had to submit to. The man of business has a greater right to complain; but he gets through the affair more easily perhaps, and at worst "it is all, in his day's work "—no worse than a morning at the Customhouse or the Stamp-office. Nor is John Bull entitled to sympathy on another score : he per- haps has the remedy in his, own hands, except as against Austria. U the British were to cease their visits to Borne, Naples, and Florence, the passport system would probably be revised, to call them back again. Perhaps, too, John sometimes brings his troubles on himself. To mistake a fez for a cap of liberty was an absurd thing, blit it might as well have been quietly explained, and 4pietly ]Anglian, at, as met with "warmth sand sarcasm."