DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.6095#0333
SICILY AND MALTA. 315
" other {hafts but those of Cupid ; and the
" only cords it forms are the cords of
" love."
The Sicilians are much fonder of study
than their neighbours on the continent;
and their education is much more attended
to. We were a good deal surprised to find,
that instead of that frivolity and nothing-
ness, which so often constitute the conver-
sation of the Italian nobility, here their
delight was to talk on subje&s of literature,
of history, of politics, but chiefly of po-
etry ; for the other branches of knowledge
and science are only general : this is the
only one that may be said to be universal.
Every person in some period of his life,
is sure to be inspired; and a lover is ne-
ver believed so long as he can speak of his
passion in prose ; and, contrary to our way
of reasoning, is only reckoned true in
proportion as he is poetical. Thus, inspi-
ration,
" other {hafts but those of Cupid ; and the
" only cords it forms are the cords of
" love."
The Sicilians are much fonder of study
than their neighbours on the continent;
and their education is much more attended
to. We were a good deal surprised to find,
that instead of that frivolity and nothing-
ness, which so often constitute the conver-
sation of the Italian nobility, here their
delight was to talk on subje&s of literature,
of history, of politics, but chiefly of po-
etry ; for the other branches of knowledge
and science are only general : this is the
only one that may be said to be universal.
Every person in some period of his life,
is sure to be inspired; and a lover is ne-
ver believed so long as he can speak of his
passion in prose ; and, contrary to our way
of reasoning, is only reckoned true in
proportion as he is poetical. Thus, inspi-
ration,