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Leader (1850-1860), 10th September 1859, Edition 1 of 2, Page 1037, Untitled Article

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    • LIT ERA TUBE.
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      Lit Era Tube.

      LIT ERA TUBE .

      Untitled Article

      MR R PANJZZI . of the British Museum , has just passed through Turin on his way to Parma and Moderia . Mr . Panizzi is a native of Brescello , inModena , and his fellow-countrymen proposed to elect him as a deputy to the National Assembly of Modena but he refused . His object in coming to Italy was to visit his native place and to thank his fellow-countrymen ; but some of the Turin papers ascribe his visit to another cause , and say that he is an agent of the British Government . Mr W Dyce , R . A ., has received the first prize of £ 50 at the Liverpool Academy Exhibition , for his icture of " The Good ShepherdI . "

      p New York papers mention the report that Alfred Tennyson contemplates a tour in the United States during the approaching autumn . Tom Taylor , the dramatist , it is also said , will favour the Americans with his presence about the same time . His play of the " American Cousin " gained him a reputation at New York which will ensure him a hearty

      welcome . . The chroniclers' of non-political events at Paris are loud in their praises of Victor Hugo ' s forthcoming work , with the sight of which , as the saying is , they have been favoured . It is called " La Legende . des Si . ocles , " and is described as the first complete series of an immense work which may be continued as long as the poet lives . It begins with " Le Sacre de la Feinme j" in other words , the " Maternity of Eve . " In the course of the poem the reader is carried through the leading epochs of the world ' s history up to the seventeenth century . The style and colouring are greatly applauded .

      The good will of the Bengal Hurkaru newspaper and of the New Era and . Press , also the presses , types , &c , connected with the above papers , the outstanding bills , the books comprising the late Hurkaru library , and the Bengal Hurkaru premises , are to be sold by public auction , on an early day . There is also a rumour current , that the Englishman newspaper is to be sold to another party . Mr . Hurry still continues the latter journal , and the Hurkaeu has fallen into the hands of a barrister . The Phoenix has very much improved of late , and lias a large circulation .

      Under the name of the " London Arabic Literary Fund , " an undertaking of an educational and civilising tendency for the many millions speaking the Arabic tongue is being started in London by a Syrian gentlemen named Antonius Ameuney . Mr . Ameuney will make an appeal to the British public for the means of establishing an Arabic newspaper in London , which will be sent to every country where the Arabic language is spoken , and there gratuitously distributed amongst all classes . The objects which are to be promoted are to neutralise the great efforts made by France for the aggrandisement of her influence in the East , by means of the clerical , scholastic , and journalistic machinations which she has set on foot ; and , to infuse as much as possible into the Arabian mind the ideas and sentiments which generally prevail among . the Anglo-Saxon race . Mr . Ameuney was educated at King ' s College , London .

      Untitled Article

      TUSCANY IN 1810 AND IN 1859 . By T . Adolphus Trollopc—Chapman and lCn . ll . Countless are the books that accumulate on the subject of Italy , but among them one more valuable than the present cannot be found . Mr . Trollope , by his intelligence and long residence in Italy , has thoroughly qualified himself to speak with authority , lie has also been present _ lately at those quiet manifestations in Tuscany which , are likely to result in its union with Piedmont . It is to lnu latter experiences that we shall chiefly direct attention . The story of 1849 is sufficiently known . Lord Nonnanby falla very deservedly under Mr . Trollono ' s lush , for havinir denounced , in his place

      in Parliament , the little work entitled " Toscana e Austria , " as " very treasonable , but also as very tedious . " U ho draft of a letter frohn Radotsski to the O rand-Duke , bearing date 2 nd February , 1840 , is terribly compromising to the Austrian cause . In it , ho proposes to subdue " the demagogues of Sardinia , and then to fly to his aid with 80 , 000 of hit ) owii brave troops , and replace him on the throne of his ancestors . ' * That this letter had something to do with the Grand-Duko ' s retirement ( rpm Siena , and refusal to sign the law . for the Constitituente there is little doubt . The . Q rand-Duke went direct to Santo Stofano from Siena , - — a place of refuge well Beleotea with a view to the facilities it offered

      for unobserved escape to some still more secure and distant nsylum . But why dwell on this ? On 23 rd March , the battle of Novara was lost , and the history of the last ten years then commenced . Ten years ! The fortresses of despotism , like the walls of Troy , have endured even so long a siege . These ten years , says Mr . Trollope , have done the work of half a century . " The men of ' 59 look back on the men of ' 48 with the feeling and ideas of a . posterity enriched and . matured by the life and experience of more than a generation .

      " Both men and nations live fast in these latter days . And truly in the history of mankind it would be difficult to find a period of tenyears , which had produced by its lapse changes in the feelings , opinions , and sentiments—it might almost be said , in the character—of a nation , so notable and so important . No more childish braggadocio of " JtaHa far a da se 1 " . Italy knows that she is weak , and she knows why she is so , and intends that the knowledge should turn to means of future strength . No more insane rejoicings , with perpetual " TeDeums " to serve the childish crowds for a gratuitous theatrical exhibition ; no more rioting , threatening , speechifying , and scrawling on the walls ! But united effort , directed knowingly ,, and with

      intelligent , unbending purpose , to one great end ; unanimous postponement of all differences and minor questions whatsoever to the achievement of this ; an amount of personal and national self-denial worthy of all praise ; above all , an amended conception of the mutual relative position of the Papacy and the nation , a total and final awakening from all dreams of basing an Italian nationality , or basing anything whatever , on that quicksand , ever shifting , yet ever unvaryingly fatal to everything approaching it ; and withal a wise determination , despite all strong temptations to the contrary , to defer all consideration of this hideous internal gangrene , till liberation from external oppression shall have been attained . "

      It is really wonderful . Little , at the beginning of this year when all was fear and doubt , did men expect that events would travel so fast ; nay , even the peace of Villafranca gave no assurance that so much had been done ,-that so little remained to do ; vet it is quite evident that the game was then won , ' " though the chessboard was riot cleared . The skilful victor would not trouble himself about needless moves ; but pointing to the inevitable , the fatal result , closed the contention , which had ceased to be doubtful , and therefore to

      be amusing . Mr . Trollope gives the passages from " Toscana e Austria , " which to Lord Normandy were so " tedious " ns well as " treasonable . " He charges his lordship with accepting , for his client the Grand-Duke , the acts of the Austrian invaders . Reproaches must therefore fall on him . Leopold the Second , and his Austrian relatives , are so bound up together that to reject and protest against the interference of the latter is treason against the former . On the other point he

      says : — " As for the tediousness of the unquestionably long account , one can on that score more readily sympathise with the feelings of Austria ' s advocate . A long long bill , rigidly scored up , every one of the numerous articles in which must bo paid for , is , it must be owned , a very tedious document to the debtor ^ when the day of payment has come . But now that that day—long waited for and patientlylias arrived at last ; now that Austria must balance her accounts with long-suffering humanity ; now that Nemesis will wait no longer ; it is idle to talk of the disagreeablencss of tho articles in the long indictment against her , if the truth of thorn cannot be denied .

      " Can it bo wondered at that when there camo a chance for a UJow at this insolent oppressor , who had added contumely to injury , and tho most cynically arrogant assertion of might against right , to the haughtiest assumption of superiority—can it bo wondered at that the Tuscan youths rushed to the volunteering rolls , to secure tho chance of an opportunity of laying one of thoso insolent heads low ? Can it scorn surprising that a government , which was known to sympathise with tho foreign

      oppressor instead of with tho najtlon , should liavo boon swept out of the way by tho current of tho national wrath ? Of what use could it bo supposed to bo for tho diplomatists rind public writers of other countries to pronoh to tho Italians of tho possibility , that French intervention might perhaps ond by making itself oiioroua and oppressive bof ' oro it could bo got rid of ? 'Away with such prating ! Would have boon tho unanimous Italian reply j away with prating about tho continffonciofl of possible ovile to ono smarting under Intolerable Ilia

      present . He that will help me to strike ; , down the Austrian is my friend—he , and none other ! Foi the rest , change , be it what it may , can but benefit me . I may defy him to make my lot worse than it is . ' " For had not Austria assiduously employed tin ten . years of hard schooling that liiid to intervene between the revolution , which was a failure , and the revolution , which ought to ba a success , iu teaching Italy where to strike the only blow that coulc break her chain ?—in making it evident even to th < artisan in the workshop and to the peasant in th < vineyard , how grievously thev had erred in suffering jealousy of royalty , or any other dividing feeling , oi trust in the dream of a regenerated Papacy or if the promises of their own sovereigns , to wesiker the national effort by misdirecting any portion of H to any other object , than the one primal need o Austria ? Austria

      freeing Italy from the gripe of . lias taught the lesson , well . She has preached umtj to the Indians in perhaps the only manner m wind : it could have been made thoroughly a part of the national mind in the short space of ten years . 1 hi : time there was no mistake , and no doubting , no disputations , and no division . Italy delivered fron : the Austrian . This was the programme : It was the condition of allegiance to the actual sovereigns : the sole test of friendship or hostility to Italy Artfully has it been endeavoured to divert the Italians from their scope by raising questions respecting the ulterior fortunes of Italy ;¦ ¦ questions which arc felt there to be subordinate , in interest only to the all-absorbing one of freedom from Austria . But they have been felt to be subordinate With rare prudence and self-restraint , the Italians have refused to be led away from the great object . Afterwards ! is the only answer to all invitations to

      discuss such matters . " The schooling has been a rough one ; but the lesson has been learnt ; and the reward , it is hardly too soon to say—( July 12 th , 1859)—has been won . " Mr . Trollope prints documents to prove what Lord Nonnanby denied , that sealed instructions for firing on the people were opened , though they were not obeyed . The troops had previously come to an understanding with the people , therefore the documents referred ' too were dead letters , though they had been carefully , preserved " in the care of the commandant of ' the fort , to be read in case of alarm . " Atrocious papers , these I Oh Italy ! from what sanguinary tyrants hast thou been delivered !

      ¦ " It is proved , therefore , beyond the possibility of doubt or denial , not only that ' the Grand-Duke had organised a plan of firing on his subjects , ' but that it was his wish and intention—or at least that of his son- ^ to put that plan into execution . The military organisation of this plan in its details ; the position to be taken up by the batteries ; the calmness and regularity enjoined on the soldiers whan firing , one file on each side of a street , into the opposite windows , on the families of the citizens , for fear of wasting their ammunition ; the orders to

      afford ' all respectable inhabitants , " such as functionaries and place-holders under Government , " an opportunity of retiring with them to ' a place oi safety ; all this may be read in tho documents Nos . 1 , 2 , 3 of the Appendix . Further , if any doubt remain on tho mind of any person whether , it were really tho intention of the Arch-Duke , that the orders for firing on the peopk * should be forth-, with put in execution , tho reply niiulo by Lieutenant Angiolini to his Highness , and tho rejoinder of tho latter , are on record to prove tho fact beyond me

      possibility of cavil : ' **! answered liim , Highness , permit me to speuk to you frankly and loyally . Tho measures which have just been read , cnmwt bo carried into attest , because tho troops will not fire on tho peoplo . Highness , you and all the royal family lmvo boon deceived hitherto' by those who luivo made you believe tho contrary . ' ,,, . . ,,, nt ,,,. " To which tlio Archduke rejoins— h JNoi : — ' And what is to bocomo of us ! ' « ' Organised a plan of firing on his subjects ! why it was tho trust in which thoy lm

      circumstances into npouklng -truth to an Imperial uignncss , ? that your troops would on command fire on tho noonlcj . You havo boon deceived , for thoy will not do it , ' And tho young prince , though not arrived at adult years , yot having learned among tho first and most unchangeably normal of tho laws surrounding him , tho position of an Austrian Aroh-Duko among Italian subjects , and tho conuttlonH of such an existence , exclaims , « What then is to bcaomo of us ! ' ; , « , "What indeed could become of Imperial Grand-Dukes and other IIlghnossoB , when troopB would o longer flro on their subjects V Ono thing only .

      Untitled Article

      Ko . 494 . Sept . 10 , 1859 . ] THE LEADER . " . _^ .. ^ .... ^ ^ .. ^— J ^ ^

      Untitled Article

      LITERARY NOTES OF THE WEEK .

  • Citation
    • Leader (1850-1860), Sept. 10, 1859, page 1037, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse2.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2311/page/17/