DOI chapter:
Chapter I: Naples
DOI Page / Citation link:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.59000#0047
Naples
towards the Neapolitan in the minds of many of the
Piedmontese and Tuscans, an acrimony which is returned
with interest. The unity of Italy does not seem to have
amalgamated the races of the North and South any
more than has been the case in Austria-Hungary.
This supports the assertion that the moral slackness
of the South does not go hand in hand with intellectual
decay.
The Neapolitan is said to be able to conquer the
difficulties of reading and writing in three months 1
Taine, in his critical work on Naples, says : “Il n’y a
pas de race plus fine, plus prompte a saisir et a deviner
toutes les idees. Le paysan, enrichi et eclaire, deviendra
plus liberal.” These words were written before the
unity of Italy. The Camorra itself is an extraordinary
instance of misdirected intelligence. How any brain
can control the countless threads of intrigue in this
society is a mystery. The ramifications of this body
completely undermine the foundations of law and order,
and have made an effective secret-service system under
the ostensible regime of justice and municipal govern-
ment. Not very long ago the tourist season in Naples
was threatened by rumours of several cases of plague in
the town. As a matter of fact, there was no truth in
the report. Being for the moment in need of funds,
the Camorra endeavoured to levy blackmail on the hotel-
keepers ; but they met with a decided refusal. A few
days afterwards the newspapers were filled with reports
of an outbreak of plague, much to the damage of the
hotels. Is it not curious that a large proportion of the
J3
towards the Neapolitan in the minds of many of the
Piedmontese and Tuscans, an acrimony which is returned
with interest. The unity of Italy does not seem to have
amalgamated the races of the North and South any
more than has been the case in Austria-Hungary.
This supports the assertion that the moral slackness
of the South does not go hand in hand with intellectual
decay.
The Neapolitan is said to be able to conquer the
difficulties of reading and writing in three months 1
Taine, in his critical work on Naples, says : “Il n’y a
pas de race plus fine, plus prompte a saisir et a deviner
toutes les idees. Le paysan, enrichi et eclaire, deviendra
plus liberal.” These words were written before the
unity of Italy. The Camorra itself is an extraordinary
instance of misdirected intelligence. How any brain
can control the countless threads of intrigue in this
society is a mystery. The ramifications of this body
completely undermine the foundations of law and order,
and have made an effective secret-service system under
the ostensible regime of justice and municipal govern-
ment. Not very long ago the tourist season in Naples
was threatened by rumours of several cases of plague in
the town. As a matter of fact, there was no truth in
the report. Being for the moment in need of funds,
the Camorra endeavoured to levy blackmail on the hotel-
keepers ; but they met with a decided refusal. A few
days afterwards the newspapers were filled with reports
of an outbreak of plague, much to the damage of the
hotels. Is it not curious that a large proportion of the
J3