. Italian life in town and country . husband having not only ill-treated her, but actu-ally swindled these very servants out of a part oftheir hard-earned savings. Among the poorestclasses one constantly comes across examples ofthe most beautiful and unassuming charity. Onehas but to read Dr. Axel Miinthes Letters froma Mourning City to see what even the poor ofNaples are capable of in the way of cheap kitchens {cucine eco7iomiche), whichexist in most Italian towns, managed by com-munities of ladies, who take turns in superintend-ing them and tasting the food every day, are
. Italian life in town and country . husband having not only ill-treated her, but actu-ally swindled these very servants out of a part oftheir hard-earned savings. Among the poorestclasses one constantly comes across examples ofthe most beautiful and unassuming charity. Onehas but to read Dr. Axel Miinthes Letters froma Mourning City to see what even the poor ofNaples are capable of in the way of cheap kitchens {cucine eco7iomiche), whichexist in most Italian towns, managed by com-munities of ladies, who take turns in superintend-ing them and tasting the food every day, are oneof the most useful forms of private charity. Theysupply soup, vegetables, meat, wine, etc., at costprice, and sell vouchers which outsiders may buyto give to the deserving poor. Of course, fromthe fact that charity is unorganised, and depend-ent on private benevolence past and present, itfollows that some towns are well endowed withbenevolent foundations, while others are deficient,and usually the poorer provinces, which stand in. o I- > I-< zuIo Wealth and Poverty 73 greater need of help, have fewer charities. Thereis a large number of well-managed charity schoolsand homes. Politics as a rule have very littleinfluence on charity, and those who give, givewithout considerations of party. The Clericals,however, have instituted many excellent charita-ble establishments, the benefits of which onlyprofessing Catholics may enjoy. The Socialists areopposed to all charity, as they fear that by help-ing the poor they may diminish the number of thediscontented and thus lose recruits for their extreme thriftiness and frugality of theItalian people of all classes is very noteworth)^This quality has produced a movement whichforms a most hopeful feature of modern Italianlife, and is one of the chief causes of the countryseconomic revival. Savings banks, co-operativesocieties, of all sorts, and friendly societies aboundin Italy. The best English and German exampleshave been
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