My Italian year; observations and reflections in Italy during the last year of the war

Front matter

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Preface

The writer of these observations and reflections, since childhood a lover of Italy^ an admirer of the Italian people, and a frequent visitor to theb country, was in the latter part of 1917 assigned to military duty in Italy. He witnessed the remarkable adjustment of the country's internal resistance which took place after the Caporetto disaster, and which blossoming on the Piave in June, 1918, had its fruition in the magnificent victory of the Italian army four months later. The duties of his assignment brought him in close contact with Italians in every walk of life and in every part of the kingdom. Trained by a life of observation, examination and deduction, it was in search of refreshment that the substance of these essays was set down for the entertainment and divepsion of one whose thoughts were in Italy, but whose work was in the land that has radiated and reflected the light of liberty to the whole world; the land in which humanity fought its most glorious battle of the nineteenth century, and which to-day is the source of a purifying strctfun of liberalism in which are bdng washed the sins of militarism, class, and dynastic privilege. Though some of his statements may seem to disparage certain features of Italian conduct or activity, it is conunendation rather than disparagement that the writer feels for the Italian people.

Italy has such an incomparable past; her potentialities

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are so great; her people are so intelligent^ serious, courteous, affable, courageous^ optimistic, industrious and uncomplaining that one prejudiced wholly in their favor becomes sometimes impatient with their submisfiiveness, their inactions and reactions.

The person who deprecates the lack of virtue in anoth^ does not necessarily possess it or profess it himself. So it is with nations. These essays, written originally in the form of letters, have been pruned of the personal note, but otherwise they have been left as they were written, with the date of composition appended.

It is with the hope that they may divert and entertain others while calling attention to a people whose conduct and aspirations merit the admiration and sympathy of every lover of liberty, that they are now published.

Contents

I. TeICPBRAMEMTB ^AND TeABS 1

II. RiOHTEouB Lips Abe the Dbught of Eingb 21

m. Il Popolo Italiano 46