ABSTRACT
Even a most superficial study shows that among the civilized nations the religious sentiment has grown in the last years and is still increasing. This has benefited not only all religious forms already in existence, which would be the various Christian denominations, but it has lent vigor mainly to a new order of religious sentiments which manifest themselves in socialism. People living in Italy, who for a long time have not been abroad, where they could have come across not only the larger number of sane people, but also the small cliques of fanatics, cannot have a clear idea of the doctrines of modern ascetics. Spiritualism, occultism and other similar superstitions have not a few followers and receive further increase through the general growth of religious sentiment. In literature, in art, and in science, mysticism, "symbolism", and other vanities are making large inroads.
