Edward Henry Michelsen

“ At the port of Leghorn, I found at every street corner a number of beggars with a sort of money-box in hand, which they continually rattled, and accosted the passers-by with the usual “Povero infelice, Signor!” I perceived by the sound, that each of the boxes only contained one single copper coin, the remainder having no doubt been taken out and pocketed as soon as they were thrown in. ”

“ On arriving at some of the villages which have acquired a name amongst the tourists for some architectural beauty or fine scenery, the whole population, men, women, and children, and even able-bodied and good-looking people, are out begging. They surround the unfortunate traveller in large numbers, each and all putting forth their hands for alms, and do not stir from the spot, despite all the “andante al diavolos” he may tell them, until he has complied with their demand. ”

“ At the commencement of an epidemic all, and during its continuance nearly all, its victims, are among the destitute and imperfectly nourished. Like typhus, and unlike typhoid fever, it is contagious under certain conditions. It does not spread readily by slight and casual contact with the infected, but is freely communicated when the contact with or contiguity to the sick is prolonged and takes place in confined rooms. Relapsing fever sets in abruptly and violently. ”

“ Leaving his basket in their hands, Angelo made his way to the salons, and, passing from room to room, he took a rapid survey of the various paintings, but remained fixed with admiration before the yet unfinished “Galatea.” Observing an empty spot in the centre of the picture, he took up a piece of charcoal, mounted the scaffold, and drew in the vacant space a colossal head of Jupiter. ”

“ Michel Angelo was aware of the fact, and his excitable and haughty temper often betrayed him into malicious tricks against Raphael. When the villa paintings were in course of rapid progress, nothing else was then talked of at Rome. Some spoke with enthusiasm of the “Banquet of the Gods and the Union of Psyche;” others were inexhaustible in praise of the beautiful “Galatea,” while each and all expressed a desire and curiosity to know what Angelo would say of them. ”

“ There is no class which suffers so much from typhoid fever as domestic servants, a circumstance which may be explained by the fact of their living and sleeping apartments being so often in the basement of houses, proximity to the sink holes and crevices, whence emanate the sewer gases. They must, therefore, oftener breathe the poisonous gases in a less diluted form than other members of the same household. Cowkeepers and others exposed to concentrated exhalations from excrementitious matter are peculiarly liable to typhoid fever. ”

“ The children, of all ages, constitute by far the largest portion of that community, and it is these juvenile beggars in particular that prove a perfect nuisance and try the patience of the most patient traveller in Italy. At every place where he stops, either to enjoy the beauties of Nature or of art, he is sure to be surrounded by a swarm of these juveniles, who pursue their object with a perseverance worthy of a better cause. ”

“ There seems to prevail a traditional belief among the Italians, that all strangers who arrive at their shores are travellers par excellence, come in search of the pleasures and enjoyments peculiar to their country, and that the natives have consequently a just claim upon their generosity, if not even a prescriptive right to levy a tax upon them in the shape of alms and charity. ”

“ Use all possible means to prevent people crowding together in filthy ill-aired houses, and so prevent typhus; give protection from sewage gases, and so prevent typhoid fever; and lastly, in times of scarcity and destitution, give timely succour, and so prevent the poor from falling under the relapsing fever. ”

“ Sewers may be good; but if they are ventilated into the houses, in place of external to them, they become the most pestiferous agencies which can be imagined. Moreover, all drains are liable to go wrong, and all of them, therefore, require frequent inspection by experienced persons. ”

“ The various laws which were frequently enacted in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, to check drunkenness, or, at least, immoderate drinking of wine and spirits, proved utterly abortive, owing to the social life of the middle ages, which was chiefly based upon quaffing. ”

“ The rough picture I have drawn above of the character and conduct of the beggars is, however, frequently softened by some mild and humane traits in the character of some of the younger generation. I was sitting before a café at Genoa, leisurely sipping my cup of coffee (the Italians can drink that beverage at any hour in the day) , when a cripple, quite a child, approached my table for some alms ”

“ Unfortunately, the inspectors of nuisances appointed by the rate-payers are very often not competent. They are generally tradesmen who have failed or are failing in business, who by favour of some parochial coterie manage to be placed in office. ”

“ The thorough application of these preventives requires a better system of sanitary police than we possess, and a higher grade of officers to carry out the administrative details. The supervision of dwellings must be made stringent and general, in respect of number of occupants, ventilation, cleanliness, and sewage gases. ”