The author, who has lived among the Tuscan peasants for over thirty years, has written a series of fifteen papers, eleven of which have already appeared in various magazines. The book opens with the history of the Misericordia, the brotherhood of pity in Florence, then follow chapters upon “A domestic chaplain of the Medici,” “Two Florentine hospitals,” “A September day in the valley of the Arno,” “Popular songs of Tuscany,” “Vintaging in Tuscany,” “Oil-making in Tuscany.” “Virgil and agriculture in Tuscany,” “A stroll in Boccaccio’s country,” “The dove of the holy Saturday,” “San Gimignano della Belle Torre,” “Volterra,” “Mezzeria or land tenure in Tuscany,” and “The jubilee of the crucifix.”
Reviewed by Anna Benneson McMahan.
| + | Dial. 38: 351. My. 16, 05. 760w. | |
| + | Ind. 58: 1070. My. 11, ‘05. 150w. |
“Well deserve being collected into book form on account of their historical research and of their keen observation of actual conditions of peasant life in Tuscany. The most attractive article of all in this volume is on the popular songs of Tuscany.”
| + | Nation. 80: 218. Mr. 16, ‘05. 1150w. |
“Written with a distinct and common inspiration and with undoubted joy in transcription.”
| + | N. Y. Times. 10: 140. Mr. 4, ‘05. 490w. |
“Mr. Carmichael and Mr. Hewlett have been enlightening us as to Tuscany; now comes Mrs. Ross in a smaller volume but with almost equal information, especially as to the Tuscan peasants. While we learn more about modern Tuscany than about old Florence ... Mrs. Ross’s account is noteworthy, although for a more exhaustive treatment one will turn to the volumes by Mr. Gardner, M. Yriarte, and Mrs. Oliphant.”
| + — | Outlook. 79: 247. Ja. 28, ‘05. 260w. |
Rosse, Florence James. Philosophy and froth. 50c. Broadway pub.