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Leader (1850-1860), 16th July 1859, Edition 1 of 2, Page 844, Untitled Article

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      Untitled Article

      Q THE LEADER , [ No . 486 . July 16 , 185 9 .

      Untitled Article

      effort must be made somewhere . " If the poor young- man was not inad , 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 lie was labouring under dangerous delusions . An uncle , who had not seen him for five yearssigned the order for his

      com-, mittal 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 his 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 , on condition that he acquitted his relations of any charge of dishonesty , while they expressed their conviction that there never had been any ground

      for considering 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 iucky man , indeed , if there is no act , or sei'ies 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 odclness ¦; - and most of all , you are fortunate if you possess no kind

      relations , and no sympathizing kinsmen . If there be ever any question of our 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 .

      Untitled Article

      ——? TO THE EDITOR OT Cf TIIK 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 sought with most painful eagerness to extract some particular information from the municipal mute , who could make no response to . or even understand a syllable of what . was bein £ said to him . Noda , 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 , has turned about , with the most bewildered nir , evidently as much at a loss what course to steer as before his investigation . Now , Sir , I think all thia might be obviated if we had stationed at the Bank , the National Gallery , Somerset House , and in fnct , at all our public buildings , a policeman who has at least one language besides his own at his tongue ' s end . The language should , ns a matter of course , be French , as being the one most generally understood by 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 verv efficient manner .

      My suggestion does not clemnnd that every policeman should be set to the study of Ollendorff ' e Grammar forthwith . The purpose would , I presume , bo perfectly fulfilled if merely a select iew oi the for . ee wore to become linguists to the extent of a conversational knowledge of the French lunguage . AH that is wanted is that n man capable of communicating eomo few simple directions as to route , &c . in French , should constantly bo found at tlio portals ot all our , great , buildings , and as the . policeman is always stationed there , I have to suggest that ho be utilised for the purposo . Sir Richard Mayne would thus bo able to hold out an additional inducement for the entrance of n superior class of men into his brigade , and nnothor chanco of advancement and larger salury would bo created for an order whoso emoluments , considering tho nature and amount of work they perform , are at present sufficiently scant . I tun , iScc , 11 . llADOhwrn Pond .

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      i . , , Tun Mortara 'Cask . —Sir Mosos Montofloro has published a highly intorosting report of hla mission to Homo , undertaken for tlio purposo of interceding with the Popo for tho release of tho Mortaro child . Sir Mosos made every effort to accomplish this benevolent object , and van well supported by Mr . RussoU , our representative at Home , but tho authorities vrarn r > V > rlnrn . trt .

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      " Ettoi-e 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 Iioinbardy , nor was Piedmont a safe country for liim , 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 idlie while he envployed his pencil with undiminished success . At the end of that period he brought out another most spirited national romance , " Niccolo dei Lapi , " and soon afterwards , at the beginning of 1846 , his most celebrated pamphlet , " Degli Ultimi Casi de Romagna . " The vigorous picture drawn in this small work of the corruptions prevalent in the Roman States , with which his lone residence has rendered him familiar , made the

      intelligent and powerful Italian political writers should be blind to the enslaving and " degrading consequences of Roman Catholic priestcraft 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 through 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 Villafranca , another ten years may have to elapse before the principle on which it is founded is finally abandoned as false .

      In 1848 Azeglio joined the Roman volunteers , and was foremost among the brave defenders of Vicenza . He was shortly after elected deputy to the Turin Parliament , and in 1849 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 which the and his

      progressive policy upon King 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 the most honoured and consistent patriots .

      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 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 succesively visited and inhabited for longer or shorter periods . —endowed with high personal and moral courage , no one could be better

      adapted than lie to effect the amalgamation of the various elements existing amongst patriotic and true-hearted 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 ; thegates of Rome were naturally closed against him ; ingress to Naples was forbidden with the inost inexorable policy to all liberals . No retreat , therefore , remained but Piedmont , 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 tills 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 hihv self with its contents , and , on becoming Pope , appeared resolved to profit by its warnings , lie was , however , destined to exemplify that the Papal

      COUNT D'AZEGLIO . Massimo Jappabelli d'Azeglio , 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 hisstoongly-developed tastes for painting , poetry , and music . The versatility , of his talent m * vv 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 , lie determined to set to music . Having succeeded in satisfying himself to a for greater extent than he anticipated , he . was anxious to witness the effect of his double labour upon the public , and determined to exhibit it upon tho stage . He accordingly painted suitable scenes , and on tho day pf representation the persevering youth , who had already received the compliments of his private friends upon , his efforts as poet , composer-jvnd 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 from whom wo quote declares

      that ho succeeded admirably in each and all of these miscellaneous displays of artistic talent . Upon tho return of his father to Piedmont filial obedience compelled Massimo to outer tho army . The military profession being , however , somewhat repugnant to his inclinations , ho succeeded in overcoming the scruples of his family-, and returned to Rome to study as an artist . Here , in the course of eight years , ho achieved tlio reputation of tho first modem landscape painter of Italy . From Rome ho ¦ went to Muan , whore ho became acquainted with tho celebrated Alossandro Manzoni , whoso daughter ha married . Intercourse with his intellectual taflior-iu' -law enveloped tho literary powers of Azegho , and ho produced an historical romanoo ,

      office is unsusceptible of improvement , and must be got rid of * to be rendered harmless— -a truth to which both Az . eglio and hia 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 i a Italy depended upon upholding- tho infallibility of tho Pope . In his writings , of the period to which we are referring , Azcgfio seems to have advocated similar views ; but from his more recent productions we are 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 tho Austro-Franco arrangement , which makes tho Pope Honorary President of an Italian Confederation , will now be as distasteful as it would have been grateful to him earlier in life . By this timo ho must have learned that it can be little for the honour and prosperity of Italy in general , and Piedmont in particular , to be presided over by a clerical government . Tho struggles of Victor

      Emmanuel to maintain his tolerant rule as a con " stitutional sovereign in spite of priestcraft , in wlu ' cli struggles Azoglio , as his minister , has taken so large a share , must huvo practically proved to him tliat no greater enemy to Italy and Italians can exist than the Papacy , unless , indeed , it bo that Emperor who has just put an ond to tUo war by making Italy tho triple slave of the Pope , Austria , and France , Most strange docs it appear to Protestant lookers " on , who can di » tinotly trace many of tho evils most loudly complained of by the Italians to tho dominant religion of the country , that some of the most

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      ( Ditlgimtl Olamspiutence .

  • Citation
    • Leader (1850-1860), July 16, 1859, page 844, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2303/page/16/