MY PRISONS (ALE MIE PRIGIONI'), one of Italy's most noted books, was written by Silvio Pellico (1789-1854) and published in Turin in 1832. The work is autobiographical, relating the 10 years' experience of the author, charged with conspiracy and condemned by the Austrian government, first to death and subse sequently to 15 years of imprisonment in the prisons of Venice and Spielberg, near Briinn in Austria. The work itself is of the simplest character, written, as he says in his preface, to comfort unfortunates like himself by show ing that under the most unfavorable conditions humanity is not as black as it is painted. Had Pellico aimed directly to expose the inhu manity and cruelty of the Austrian govern ment, as might have been expected he would have done, his effort would likely have fallen far short of what he actually accomplished in doing just that in this pathetic tale of his sufferings borne with the utmost Christian resignation. No hatred nor vindictiveness to ward his arrogant persecutors escapes the unfortunate victim. In fact it is just here that the recital is most open to criticism. The patient sufferer is too submissive, too long suffering. Inoffensive and saintly as he is, that virility, which, because founded on righteous ness, must ever command respect, is conspicu ously lacking in him. His sad story awakened
throughout Italy the most profound sympathy. Its moral effect may be compared to Chateau briand's 'Genie du christianisme,' which was worth an army to Napoleon. Pellico's (Le mie prigioni' was, as Caesare Balbo, who counseled the author to write the story, has said, worse for Austria than losing a battle. It is not primarily as an author that Pellico's place is secure in the hearts of his countrymen, for his literary work as a whole is rather common place, but as a Christian martyr upon• whom an odious enemy has placed a crown of thorns. From the time of the appearance of this story, the hateful domination of Austria was judged and condemned by the fairminded not only of Italy but of Europe. Nothing has ever been written better adapted to cause and to per petuate feelings of hatred toward a despicable tyrant. And even to-day the influence of (Le mie prigioni) on Italian sentiment toward Austria is abiding. Many translations of Le mie prigioni) have appeared in many languages and English versions are easily procurable in the large libraries.