Italy From The Fall Of Napoleon I In 1815 To The Death Of Victor Emmanuel In 1878

ITALY FROM THE FALL OF NAPOLEON L, In 1815, TO THE DEATH OF VICTOR EMMANUEL, In 1878. JOHN WEBB PROBYN. CA8SELL COMPANY, LIMITED LONDON, PARIS NEW YORK. 1884. ALL EIGHTS PREFACE. THE purpose of this volume is to give a concise account of the chief causes and events which have transformed Italy from a divided into a united country. Formerly the Italian Peninsula was separated into a number of petty states whose despotic rulers were maintained almost wholly by the power or influence of foreign sovereigns, to-day it forms a single constitutional monarchy freed from external dictation and acknowledged by every civilised government. This change is one of the most remarkable of modern times and well deserves to be studied. But it must be acknowledged that a detailed account of this revolution would occupy several volumes iJt a complete history were given of all the circumstances connected with it, and of the principal men who have borne a part in it. The time, however, has scarcely come when such a work can be written, for many details have yet to be made known, or cleared up, which Ti PEEFAOR will afford further and valuable information with, respect to the numerous and varied causes which have trans formed the Italy of 1815 into the Italy of to-day united under the constitutional rule of the House of Savoy. So, too, as time goes on there will be better means of knowing and therefore of estimating the men who had a share in bringing about this remarkable change which has substituted union for disunion, replaced foreign domination by national liberty, and bestowed on Italy a government at once orderly and free. Yet it is desirable that all who are interested in the important events of ourtime should be able to obtain some connected account of so striking a trans formation as that which has been effected in Italy between the years 1815 and 1878. It has been with the object of giving such an account that I have written this volume. But no one is more conscious than myself of the many and indeed unavoidable omissions which mark it. Nor can I but feel how far it falls below the subject of which it treats, for during the period which elapsed between the summer of 1859 and the commencement of 1867 I passed the greater part of each year in Italy and among Italians, as well as the memorable autumn and winter of 1870 and the spring of 1871. The personal know PREFACE. vii ledge I thereby acquired of Italian affairs makes me well aware how inadequate is the manner in which the present volume treats so great a national revolution conducted hy leaders who proved themselves capable of carrying it to a successful issue. Yet I trust what I have written may be of use to those who have not had the same opportunities of studying the course of events in Italy as I have enjoyed by staying in the country and seeing much of its people, as well as by reading the works of their best authors on the history of the Peninsula during the present century. I trust, too, that Italians, who necessarily know that history better than I can pretend to do, will deem this volume not wholly unworthy of the important subject which it has been my desire to lay truthfully, though briefly, before my readers. J. W. PEOBYN. BOOKS READ OR CONSULTED ON THE STATE OF ITALY DURING THE PRESENT CENTURY Memoires Documents et Ecrits Divers kisses, par le Prince de Metter nich, CLancelier de Oour et dEtat Publics par sonfils, Le Prince Richard de Mefctemieh, 18161848. Storia di Cento Anni, 1750 1850. Cesare Cautu Fireiize 3vuk Storia dltalia dal 18151851, di Giuseppe La Farina Torino, 1851. 6vols. Lo Stato Romano, 1815 1850 Luigi Carlo Fariiii. Fiienze, 1850 4vols I casi di Napoli dal 29 Gen 1848 in poi, Giuseppe Massari, Deputato Torino, 1849. I Mici Eicoi-di, di Massimo dAzeglio. Firenze, 1867. 2 vols. s Denx Ans de Revolution en Italie, 18481849, par F. T. Perrons Paris, 1857. Daniel Manin, par Henri Martin. Paris, 1859. Le Oomte de Cavour, par Charles Mazade Paris, 1877...