LIPE OJf GA.BIB.U.:Oio

89

\o the beet fa1nilies of Naples, Bologna, Modena, Parma i and, before
all, of Milan."

We have already seen that at the first indication of the war with
Austria, the EJo.glish natioD pronounced energetically in favour of Italy;
but the ViennEIIe Cabinet posseseed friend& at the Court of St. James's,

and it might be considered a triumph for the popular cause that the
British Government refrained from interferiDg. So soon aa the war
began, a public meeting waa held, at which Kossuth spoke amid the
great applauso of hie hearers. He declared that " if England kept
aloof, the war ·would be limited to the Italian Peninsula ; but if she inter­
fered, it would become European." England did keep aloof, but only
during the So soon as peace waa signed, all her efforts were
employed to 1:ause the wishes of Italy to be respected, and prevent
Austria, or any power, from making any attack on her independence.

Garibaldi, the implacable foe of the Austriane, waa more and more
honoured and exalted. So soon aa the news reached head-quarters that
the Austrians had been routed on May 27, and that Garibaldi had
entered, the llr.ing sent off by telegraph congratulatory messages to
Gi!neral Garibaldi. The Radlrtd:y steamer ventured to fire on his
baggage waggc>ns, but he soon repaid that by capturing all four steamers
on the lake of Como. And here we may insert another explanatory para­
graph from columns of the SiecW.­

ILW&re that Garibaldi proceeds from conquest to conquest,
arousing the peoples in favour of the Italian cause. The Austrian is
preparing to s•end large forces against the illustrious Chief of the Chas­
seurs of the .AJps, but I trust that he willireceive support in time; for,
in spite of his own courage and that of his handful of Volunteers,
Garibaldi, left to his resources, would eventually succumb beneath the
very weight of his victories. It is said that the emperor, highly satis­
fied with Garibaldi's energy and the discipline of his small army, follows
hie movementu with the greatest interest, and every arrangement baa
been madE! to prevent him being crushed by an enemy twenty times his
superior in numbers. I form earnest vows for these young Italian
Volunteers whom I saw at Turin-so simple, animated with such gene­
rous sentiments, and who, for the sake of defending their country,
abandoned home, fortune, and mothers, who will weep till their sons
return."

The Daily New1t, too, whose opinions are justly appreciated by

politicians, saw in the victor of V arese and Como the man of genius,

and spoke most highly of his strategic ability, comparing him to Todleben,

JUld the heroes1 whom the Indian revolt brought into notice among our-

LIFE OF GARIBALDI,

selves. We are of opinion that history will endorse this verdict. The
correspondent of the Siecle writes again on May 29 :­

"If we may believe reports, an attack will take place shortly along the
entire line to second the movement Garibaldi is making on the other side
of Lake Como, in the direction of Milan. What a marvel of a man he
is ! he has the faculty of animating all those who see him, follow him,
or enter his presence. His name is in every mouth, engraved on every
heart: he is everywhere present. The rich, like the peasants, possess
his portrait. Both are glad to have near them the hero of the day, whose
bright s.nd piercing eyes seem fixed on one point, and that is the freedom
of Italy. Italy to him his mother, his country: he loves and defends
her, and wishes her free. For him danger does not exist: he is the
soldier of victory. Death spares him, for he has not yet ended his
task.

" I will not tell you of the marches he makes, and the successes he
gains, with a handful of men, increased at every town and· village, for
you know the facts by the bulletins. The whole country is in a state
of inswTection : the youths put on uniforms and take up muskets. All
c lass e s, without distinction-nobles, peasants, citizens, men, women,
children -.are prepared for resistance. It is .absurd to attempt to
explain Garibaldi's actions, or call imprudent his march on the' Lombud
territory with so few men, for all was foreseen, and his instructions
agree with the plans of the allied armies. In Lombardy, Garibaldi is at
home . "

These1 unanimous praises annoyed the Ultramontane party, end they
b egan once more to invent calumnies about Garibaldi of the old stereo­
typed class. But the time was past for any one to credit them, and the
French partizans of liberty responded by getting up the subscription for
the Italian Volunteers, which soon reached a considerable amount. A
magnificent sabre was presented to Garibaldi, and it was to him a glorious
compen : ;ation for insults past and present.

The defeats experienced by the Austrians, both against Garibaldi, ns
well as iin the battles with the Franco-Piedmontese army, did not lessen
the cruel boasting of their chief. The furious menaces of General Zobel
were exceeded by those of Feldzeugmeister Giulay, who, seeing the
Italians in arms against the foreigners, tried to keep them in check by
terrorism. "The districts," he said, "which make common cause with
the revolution, will be, I pledge my word, destroyed by fire a.nd sword."
But the time had passed when Austria could make herself feared; a.nd to
the proelamations of her generals against revolution, Italy responded by
revolutionary manifestations.

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