Idling in Italy: Studies of literature and of life

IDLING IN ITALY
STUDIES OF LITERATURE AND OF LIFE
BY JOSEPH COLLINS
AUTHOR OF MY ITALIAN YEAR
I loaf and invite my soul
NEW YORK CHARLES SCRIBNER'S SONS 1920
Copyright, 1920, by
CHARLES SCRIBNER'S SONS
Published September, 1920
TO M. K. C.
... Io vengo di lontana parte, Dov'era lo tuo cuor.
Nothing obstacled my pleasure so much when I first went to Italy as unfamiliarity with its literature. Every one who would add to his spiritual stature and his emotional equanimity by tarry in Italy should have some intimacy with the Bible, with mythology, and with Italian writers, especially the poets. I sought books about books but was not very successful in finding them. Interpretative articles on men and books which are so common in British and American literature are exceptional in Italy. One who is ambitious to get even a bowing acquaintance with them must make the introduction himself. In 1918 an enterprising Italian, Signor A. T. Formiggini, attempted to supply such introduction by the publication of a literary review called L'Italia Che Scrive , a monthly supplement to all the periodicals. He has had gratifying success.