Page:Life in the Old World - Vol. II.djvu/294

304 the people is neglected, and when the government of the people and management of the country is such as the condition of this crowd indicates? What can be the use of one hour's confession, admonition and absolution during a life-time devoid of spiritual light or care of the body, a life without humanizing and ennobling influences?

A noble-minded lady, an artist and a Dane, who has resided here for some years, and who spends her summers in the small towns on the hills round Rome, has described to me the poverty there, and the filthiness, the concomitant of poverty—as a something beyond all conception. The people are famished, and—beg; yet they are naturally gentle and good-hearted. The pleasures which are accessible to the people in the Papal capitol, for example, the Tombola, the lottery which is going forward incessantly, and is continually announced in shops and places of refreshment, are not of an improving, but rather of a deteriorating character. Gaming is also a principal amusement of the people at the present time; one sees, sitting in open places, men and boys, playing with dirty packs of cards, or with their fingers, the game of Morra, which however is forbidden. Nevertheless, spite of so many brutifying influences, I cannot but continually admire the natural gentleness and educazione of this people, and how undisturbedly one can go about in Rome, into all quarters, and at every time of the day, even amidst the greatest throngs of people. If you speak kindly to the Italian he will answer in the same manner; he faithfully keeps any agreement made with him; nor have I ever, without any