a natural manner.” Having been frightened perfectly by Radcliffe before, this critique believed that readers were likely prepared for the twists of The Italian. There was also some unfavorable criticism of the scenes dealing with the Spanish Inquisition, which are sometimes considered too unrealistic or ridiculous to be believable to the audience. A review in The Critical Review from June 1798 stated that, "Among those parts of the romance which we disapprove, we may reckon the examination before the court of inquisition: it is so improbable, that we should rather have attributed it to one of Mrs. Radcliffe's numerous imitators.” Despite this, the review went on to say that there still remained several scenes that would successfully seize the imagination and interest the passions of readers. Following Radcliffe's retirement after this novel at the young age of thirty-two, and her death a few decades later, public opinion of her overall works including The Italian swung to a more positive light. Upon her death in 1823, the political and social atmosphere in England had changed again and Radcliffe regained positive assessments of her importance in the history of Gothic writers. In her obituary in the New Monthly Magazine, she was described as "the able authoress of some of the best romances that ever appeared in the English language;" in the Literary Gazette she was, "the finest writer in this kind of fiction that ever existed;" and in the Gentleman’s Magazine she was noted to have produced romances that we able to be translated into 'every European tongue’ to the 'honour of the country.’ Anti-Catholicism, oppression, and women's independence The Italian provides an in depth look into Radcliffe's portrayal of the Catholic Church as cruel, arrogant, and corrupt. The character Schedoni solidifies the Church as an opposing force. He is murderous, manipulative, hypocritical, and above all else he represents the "un-English" way of life. Unlike Ellena, whom, like the rest, is Italian, and represents the ideal behavior of English women. She is both mental and materially independent. Ellena's clear "Englishness" separates her from the foreign background of Italy and the villainous church. Although the church is painted in a negative light, likely due to Radcliffe's own Protestant ideology, the convent Santa Maria del Pianto is shown as a refuge from "motherhood, wifehood, and the heterosexual lover." The convent provides intellectual and spiritual freedom for women. During the eighteenth century, women were poorly,