t, evidently used to the best company,
yet acquainted with the condition of the people, the methods of farming,
and other economical subjects such as are seldom thought worthy of
attention among Italians of quality.
It appeared he was newly from France, where he had been as much struck
as myself by the general state of ferment. Though owning that there was
much reason for discontent, and that the conduct of the court and
ministers was blind and infatuated beyond belief, he yet declared
himself gravely apprehensive of the future, saying that the people knew
not what they wanted, and were unwilling to listen to those that might
have proved their best advisors. Whether by this he meant the clergy I
know not; though I observed he spoke favourably of that body in France,
pointing out that, long before the recent agitations, they had defended
the civil rights of the Third Estate, and citing many cases in which the
country curates had shown themselves the truest friends of the people: a
fact my own observation hath confirmed.
I remarked to him that I was surprised to find how little talk there was
in Italy of the distracted conditions in France; and this though the
country is overrun with French refugees, or emigres, as they call
themselves, who bring with them reports that might well excite the alarm
of neighbouring governments. He said he had remarked the same
indifference, but that this was consonant with the Italian character,
which never looked to the morrow; and he added that the mild disposition
of the people, and their profound respect for religion, were sufficient
assurance against any political excess.
To this I could not forbear replying that I could not regard as excesses
the just protests of the poor against the unlawful tyranny of the
privileged classes, nor forbear to hail with joy the dawn of that light
of freedom which hath already shed so sublime an effulgence on the wilds
of the New World. The abate took this in good part, though I could see
he was not wholly of my way of thinking; but he declared that in his
opinion different races needed different laws, and that the sturdy and
temperate American colonists were fitted to enjoy a greater measure of
political freedom than the more volatile French and Italians--as though
liberty were not destined by the Creator to be equally shared by all
mankind! (Footnote: I let this passage stand, though the late unhappy
events in France have, alas! proved that my frie
|