t his wife, an Austrian by birth. He came to the
throne at a dark time, succeeding to a royal inheritance of {199} ruin
and misery. The army had been disgraced, and the exchequer was empty.
He had the dignity of a king and remarkable boldness, but it would have
been hard for him to have guided Italy without his adviser and friend,
the Count Cavour.

Mazzini, the prophet, and Garibaldi, the soldier, had won the hearts of
Italians devoted to the cause of Italy. Cavour suffered the same
distrust as Victor Emmanuel, but he knew his task and performed it. He
was the statesman who made the government and created the present
stable monarchy. He had to be satisfied with less than the Republican
enthusiasts. He had few illusions, and believed that in politics it
was possible to choose the end but rarely possible to choose the means.

Born in Piedmont in 1810, the statesman was of noble birth and
sufficient wealth, being a godson of Pauline, sister of the great
Napoleon. He joined the army as an engineer in 1828, but found the
life little to his taste since he was not allowed to express his
opinions freely. He resigned in 1831 and retired to the country, where
he was successful as a farmer. He travelled extensively for those
days, and visited England, where he studied social problems.

Of all foreigners, Cavour, perhaps, benefited most largely by a study
of the English Parliament from the outside. He was present at debates,
and wrote articles on Free Trade and the English Poor Law. He had
enlightened views, and wished to promote the interests of Italy by
raising her to the position of a power in Europe. He set to work to
bring order into the finances of Sardinia, but the King recognized his
minister's unpopularity by the nickname _bestia neira_. He had a seat
in 1848 in the first Parliament of {200} Piedmont, and was Minister of
Commerce and Agriculture later. He pushed on reforms to benefit the
trade and industries of Italy without troubling to consult the
democrats, his enemies. His policy was liberal, but he intended to go
slowly. "Piedmont must begin by raising herself, by re-establishing in
Europe as well as in Italy, a position and a credit equal to her
ambition. Hence there must be a policy unswerving in its aims but
flexible and various as to the means employed." Cavour's character was
summed up in these words. He distrusted violent measures, and yet
could act with seeming rashness in a crisis when pr