Even now-- and
perhaps more than ever --in those parts of Italy where, as a rule, the
most unintelligible dialect prevails, the stranger is often astonished
at hearing pure and well-spoken Italian from the mouths of peasants or
artisans, and looks in vain for anything analogous in France or in
Germany, where even the educated classes retain traces of a provincial
speech. There is certainly a larger number of people able to read in
Italy than we should be led to expect from the condition of many parts
of the country--as for in- stance, the States of the Church--in other
respects; but what is more important is the general and undisputed
respect for pure language and pronunciation as something precious and
sacred. One part of the country after another came to adopt the
classical dialect officially. Venice, Milan, and Naples did so at the
noontime of Italian literature, and partly through its influences. It
was not till the present century that Piedmont became of its own free
will a genuine Italian province by sharing in this chief treasure of
the people--pure speech. The dialects were from the beginning of the
sixteenth century purposely left to deal with a certain class of
subjects, serious as well as comic, and the style which was thus
developed proved the equal to all its tasks. Among other nations a
conscious separation of this kind did not occur till a much later
period.
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