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£44 THE LEADER ^ [No. 486. July lft 1859...
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" Ettore Fieramosca," which gave him a p...
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TO THE EDITOR OF "THE LEADER." Sir,—Pass...
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Tub Moiitaka Oasis.—Sir M03 . es Montofl...
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Transcript
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Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
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Private Lunatic Asylums Which Answer The...
effort must be made somewhere . " If the poor young man was not mad , he ought to be mad ; dissipation , and drunkenness , and destitution had rendered him subject to epileptic seizures . A doctor was called in and communicated with the family . It was resolved in a family council that a residence in a lunatic asylum was the best thing for the patient . Two doctors , "who had no previous acquaintance with him , were found ready to declare that he was labouring under dangerous delusions . An uncle , who had not seen 1 dm for five years , signed the order for his
committal as nearest relative , and thereupon he was forcibly removed to a private madhouse . After three months' detention he happily succeeded in making his escape , eluded the pursuit of his keepers , and with the help of strangers , who took an interest in his case , brought an action against Ids uncle for illegally confining him . The action ¦ was compromised during the trial by an agreement that his uncle should allow him a hundred a year , oh condition that he acquitted his relations of any charge of dishonesty , while they expressed their conviction that there never had been any ground for considerinsr him insane .
For the interest of Mr . Fletcher and his family we doubt not that this was the wisest decision which could have been arrived at . For the interest of the public we could have wished the matter had been pushed further . To speak seriously which of us is safe from such a proceeding ? You are a lucky man , indeed , if there is no act , or series of acts , in your private life which Cannot be accounted for on any principle of sane reflection . You are fortunate if you have no eccentric habit , no peculiar gesture , which could be raked up against you as proof of oddness ; and most of all , you . are fortunate if you possess no kind relations , and no sympathizing kinsmen . If there
be ever any question of bur sanity , may Heaven preserve us from the judgment of our relatives . Such is the prayer of every sane person . Practically , any one of us , who enjoys the blessing of [ a considerate uncle , and is subject to the inspection of two ignorant and interested practitioners , may be imprisoned in a lunatic asylum , where it is the interest of the keeper to detain one indefinitely . If we demand publicity , we are told it would be so painful to the family . Our sympathies , unfortunately are so ill directed , that they side with the prisoner inside the prison , and not with the injured relatives ¦ without .
£44 The Leader ^ [No. 486. July Lft 1859...
£ 44 THE LEADER ^ [ No . 486 . July lft 1859-
" Ettore Fieramosca," Which Gave Him A P...
" Ettore Fieramosca , " which gave him a place in the world of letters only inferior to that of Manzoni . Its fervent patriotism and many allusions to the galling rule of Austria in Italy at once rendered him the object of admiration to the Liberal party , and of , suspicion to the police . He could not remain in ILombardy , nor was Piedmont a safe country for him , notwithstanding that the King was known , to entertain views similar to those he had expressed in his book . He settled in Tuscany for the next ten years , his pen remaining idle while he employed his pencil with undiminished success . At the end of that period he brought out another most spirited national romance , "piccolo dei Lapi , " and soon af terwards , at the beginning of 1846 , his most celebrated pamphlet , " Degli Ultimi Casi de Romagna . " The vigorous picture drawri in this small work of the corruptions prevalent in the Roman States , with which his long residence has rendered him familiar , made the most profound impression upon the Pope , Gregory XVI ., the rulers of the other Italian States , and , indeed , upon , every class throughout the Peninsula . His political" opinions , as expressed in the Casi , may be designated as those of the school of Cesare Balbo , which received a vast accession of strength
intelligent and powerful Italian political writers should be blind to the enslaving and degrading consequences of Roman Catholic priestcraf t with' its inevitably retrogressive tendencies . The extension of the secular rule of the Pope over the whole Peninsula , as now spoken of , was the ardent desire of the patriotic Gioberti . He enthusiastically supported Papal supremacy , and expressed the-most confident belief that it
was alone throug h the Pope and the influence of the Catholic religion that Italy could be restored to power and happiness . This we had hoped was a delusion , which the events of the past ten years had almost sufficed to dissipate ; but if Europe ratifies the agreement so unceremoniously made on Monday morning at VUlafranca , another ten years may have to elapse before the principle on which it is founded is finally abandoned as false .
In 1848 Aaeglio joined the Roman volunteers , and was foremost among the brave defenders of Vicenza . He was shortly af ter elected deputy to the Turin Parliament , and in ] . 849 became President of the Cabinet . As a politician he has ever acted with the most unswerving honour , boldness , and independence . His post , and that of his colleagues , has been one of no small difficulty , owing to the opposition made by the priestly party to the
progressive policy upon which the Jving and Ms counsellors have been disposed to act . During the present war the Chevalier d" Azeglio has been appointed Commissary Extraordinary of Victor Emmanuel at Florence , and , -more recently , Military General and Commissioner Extraordinary for the Roman States . His career has always been marked by noble disinterestedness , and Italy very justly assigns him a foremost place among themost honoured and consistent patriots .
by the addition of the talented and practical Azeglio . A man of action , known not only by reputation , but personally throughout almost the whole length and breadth of Italy—well acquainted with the peculiar condition of all the States which he siiccesively visited and inhabited for longer or shorter periods—endowed with high personal and moral courage , no one could be "better adapted than he to effect the . amalgamation of the various elements existing amongst patriotic and true-hearted J men who were seeking by various
means and in different places to improve the condition of their common country . After the publication of his pamphlet , but few spots of Italian soil remained upon which he could dwell in safety . Residence in Lombardo-Venetia was refused him ; he was expelled from Tuscany ; the gates of Rome were naturally closed against him ; ingress to Naples was forbidden with the most inexorable policy to all "Liberals . No retreat , therefore , remained but PieUmont , nor could he elsewhere hope to find circulation for his book . Here it was more
than tolerated . Besides being offered for sale publicly it was for some time to be seen on the tables of the halls of public assembly . But this could not long continue , in consequence of the seizure of the book by Rome . Even in Piedmont its circulation became difficult without , however , being subject to the interference of the police , as in the rest of Italy . Pius IX ,, while still Cardinal Mastai , is said to have thoroughly acquainted liimself with its contents , and , on becoming Pope , appeared resolved to profit by its warnings . He was ,, however , destined to exemplify that the Papal office is unsusceptible of improvement , and must
COUNT D'AZEGLIO . Massimo Jappabeixi d'Azegi / io , President of the Ministerial Council and Secretary of State to the King of Sardinia , is a man of rare and extraordinary ability , who may be said to succeed in everything he undertakes . His father filled the post of Sardinian Ambassador at the Court of Rome , and the residence of Massimo in that capital gave him the opportunity of cultivating his strongly-developed tastes fbr painting , poetry , and music . The versatility of his talent may be inferred from the
following ^ anecdote : —While still quite a lad he employed his leisure in writing a lyric drama , which ) by way of experiment , he determined to set . to music . Having succeeded in satisfying himself to & far greater extent than he anticipated , he was anxious to witness the effect of hia double labour upon the public , and determined to exhibit it upon the stage . He accordingly painted suitable scenes , and on the day of representation the persevering youth , who had already received the compliments of hid private friends upon his efforts as poet , composer and painter , took his place as first violinist , directed the orchestra in person , and shortly after , ' laying down his instrument , appeared upon the stage and took the principal part for the tenor
voice . The authority ilrom whom we quote declares that he succeeded admirably in each and all of these miscellaneous displays of artistic talent . Upon the return , of his father to Piedmont filial obedience compelled Massimo to enter the . army . The military profession being , however , somewhat repugnant to his inclinations , ho succeeded in overcoming the soruples of his family , and returned to Borne to study as an artist . Here , in the course of eight years , he achieved the reputation of the first modem landacape painter of Italy , From Rome Jw went to Muan , whore ho became acquainted . ww the celebrated Alessandro Manzoni , whoso daughter he marked . Intercourse with his intellcotual father-in-law developed the literary powers ol Azeglio , and he produced an historical romanoo ,
be got rid of to be rendered harmless—a truth to which both Azeglio and his father-in-law seemed to be as insensible as the French Emperor ' s present policy now induces him to appear . Manzoni once greatly surprised a French diplomatist by insisting in private conversation that everything in Italy depended upon upholding the infallibility of the Pope . In his writings , of the period t , o ¦ which we " & re referring , Azeglio seems to have advocated similar views ; but from his more recent productions we ore inclined to believe that his sentiments are greatly modified , and that he would now be content to see the Pope a superior bishop and nothing more . We have little doubt that the Austro-Franco arrangement , which makes the Pope Honorary President of an Italian Confederation , will now boas distasteful as it would have
been grateful to him earlier in life . By this time he must have learned that it can be little fbr the honour and prosperity of Italy in general , and Piedmont in particular , to be presided over by a clerical government . The struggles of Victor Emmanuel to maintain his tolerant rule as a constitutional sovereign in spite of priestcraft , in which struggles Azioglio , as his minister , has taken so largo a share , must have practically proved to him that no greater enemy to Italy ana Italians can exist than the Papacy , unless , indeed , it bo that Emperor who has just put an end to the war by making Italy the triple slave of the Pope , Austria , and France . Most strange does it appear to Protestant lookerson , who can distinctly trace many of the evils most loudly complained of by the Italians to the dominant religion of the country , that some of the most
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To The Editor Of "The Leader." Sir,—Pass...
TO THE EDITOR OF " THE LEADER . " Sir , —Passing by the National Gallery , a few days since , I was witness of a scene . from which the suggestion I have to offer through your widely-circulated and influential columns took its origin . A foreign gentleman was engaged in fierce pantomimic contest with a member of the police force . The foreigner so ugh t wi t'h most painful eagerness to extract some particular information from the municipal wmte , who could make no response to . or even understand a syllable of what was being said to him . Nods , shrugs , and rapid jabbering were of no avail , frequent reference by the foreigner to a street map was equally futile . The policeman was completely at a loss
how to enlighten his questioner or even to tell him that he could not supply the required information . I have frequently seen a puzzled Frenchman or German consulting a map at the corner of a street , who , after half an hour ' s microscopic research , lias turned about , with the most bewildered air , evidently as much at a loss wliat course to steer as before his investigation . Now , Sir , I think all this mifrht be obviated if we had stationed at the Bank , the National Gallery ; , Somerset House , and in fact , at all our public buildinga , a policeman who . has at least one language besides his own nt his tongue ' s end . The language should , as a matter of course , be French , as being the one most generally understood py our continental visitors . That " the force " are capable of linguistic attainments to the extent I ask , has been proved from the fact of a sergeant of police having attended some French debating clubs and reporting their proceedings in a very efficient manner . My suggestion does not demand that every policeman should be sot to the study of Ollendorff's Grammar forthwith . The purpose would , I presume , be perfectly fulfilled if merely a select few of the force -wore to become linguists to the extent of a conversational knowledge of the French lunguage . All that is wanted is that a man capable of communicating some few simple directions as to route , & C . in French , should constantly bo found at tlio portals ot all our groat buildings , ana as tlio policeman is always stationed there , I have to suggest that ha be utilised for the purpose . Sir Richard Mayne would thus bo able to hold out an additional Inducement for tlje entrance of a superior class of men Into his brigade , aixd another chance of advancement and larger snlury would bo created for an order whoso emoluments , considering the nature and amount of work they perform , arc at present sufficiently scant . I am , & c , 11 . HadcliFi' 13 Pond .
Tub Moiitaka Oasis.—Sir M03 . Es Montofl...
Tub Moiitaka Oasis . —Sir M 03 . es Montofloro lias published a highly interesting report of hla mission to Homo , undertaken for tlio purpose of interceding with tlio 3 ? opo for the release of the Mortara child . Sir Moses made every cllort to accomplish this benevolent object , and was well supported by Mr . Russell , our representative at Rome , but tlio authorities were obdurate .
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Citation
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Leader (1850-1860), July 16, 1859, page 16, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_16071859/page/16/
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