Sketches of Italy and the Italians.
CJun.
tion over old and new works, both Ita- lian and foreign. Amongst various books prohibited by the placards of 1818, were a large portion of the works of Kant ; " Sismondi's History of the Italian Republics;" " Villier's Prize- Essay on the Consequences of the Re- formation ;" and an insignificant Ger- man volume on the preservation of female beauty. Foreign literature pe- netrates slowly into the Papal states, and as the censors are often perplexed and baffled in their occupation by a foreign language, many works are not forbidden ia Rome until they are al- most forgotten in their native coun- try ; for instance, " Zimmerman on Solitude," prohibited in 1818.
Several of the Greek, Latin, and Italian classics, intended for popular use, are crippled by excisions ; others are entirely forbidden. These prohi- bitions, however, are not without li- mits and exceptions. Men of a cer- tain age and rank are privileged to read the unmutilated text of Aristophanes and Horace, Bocaccio and Machia- velli ; but no one is allowed to peruse the philosophical works of Voltaire and the Priapeia, without previously obtaining absolution from the Cardi- nal Grand Penitentiary, and from these absolutions the works of Marino and Aretino are, with rare exceptions, ex- cluded.
To illustrate this Roman castration of the classics, I will instance the li- censed Horace. In the first book of Odes are omitted Odes 5, 13, 19, 23, 25, 33. From some of the Odes only certain passages have been struck out ; for instance, the two last verses in Ode 4, the last stanza in Ode 9, and the
four last stanzas of Ode 27. In all the instances quoted, the objections are obvious and reasonable ; but why con- demn as obscene that pure and anima- ted ode of Horace : " Donee grutus eram tibi ?"
The unmutilated editions of the classics, and the prohibited works ot later authors are preserved in the pub- lic libraries, where they are accessible to privileged readers ; but no booksel- 'ler in Rome is allowed to sell them, nor any private individual to possess them. Some Roman booksellers have, however, bought the privilege of im- porting and selling foreign editions of the classics, but to foreigners only ; through which and other channels, however, they are sometimes attain, able by natives.
There is no regular bookseller in Rome, nor is there sufficient encou- ragement for any one to undertake the sale of books exclusively. They are sold by antiquarians and dealers in specimens of fine arts, who assume also the title of Librajo. Fixed shop- prices are unknown, and purchasers bargain and are imposed upon. But in Italy every thing is bargained for ; even ad- mission into the Roman theatres ; and if in Naples you require assistance from the police, it becomes a matter of bargain and sale.
The private dealers in forbidden books, &c. at Rome, are principally poor Abbes, who for a commission to compensate the risk and trouble, will procure for foreigners the works of Marino and others ; also the priapeian gems and erotic schersi of Giulio Ro- mano and Annibale Caracci.
X. PRIVILEGES OF HERETICS.
At all the Roman church- festivals, the foreign heretic has the privilege of admission, in preference to the native true believer. This preference is par- ticularly obvious at the portal of the Sixtine Chapel, when the celebrated Miserere is performed. On this occa- sion an English or German physiog- nomy passes the lances of the Swiss guards more readily than Roman stars, and not from any motives of corrup- tion or complaisance on the part of the military, but by especial instructions from the higher powers.
This grievance has suggested the
following pasquillo, which lately ap- peared in Rome.
Pasquino says to Marforio, " Where are you going, brother, with your black dress, and your patent sword ?"
Marforio. " I am going to the Six- tine Chapel to hear the Miserere."
Pasquino. " You go in vain. The Swiss guards will push you back, and the Pope's cavaliers will very politely send you about your business."
Marforio. " Never fear, brother ! I am sure to get in, because I turned he- retic yesterday."
