ng
dislike for absolutism and clericalism, which, as he had not acquired
the art of reticence, made him a suspect in the eyes of the police and
of the reactionaries; at the same time he does not seem to have joined
any secret society, for he was too loyal to conspire against the king
whose uniform he wore, and he did not believe that the time was yet ripe
for a revolution. But after the accession to the throne of Charles
Albert, whom he always distrusted, he felt that his position in the army
was intolerable, and resigned his commission (1831). From that moment we
find him in the ranks of the opponents of the government, although his
was always a loyal and straightforward opposition which held aloof from
conspiracies. During the next few years he devoted himself to the study
of political and social problems, to foreign travel, and to acquiring a
thorough knowledge of practical agriculture. Cavour's political ideas
were greatly influenced by the July revolution of 1830 in France, which
proved that an historic monarchy was not incompatible with Liberal
principles, and he became more than ever convinced of the benefits of a
constitutional monarchy as opposed both to despotism and to
republicanism. But he was not affected by the doctrinaire Liberalism of
the time, and his views were strengthened by his studies of the British
constitution, of which he was a great admirer; he was even nicknamed
"Milord Camillo." He frequently visited Paris and London, where he
plunged into the political and social questions of the day, and
contributed among other essays two admirable and prophetic articles, one
on the Irish question, in which he strongly defended the Union, and
another on the Corn Laws. He applied his knowledge of agriculture to the
management of his father's estate at Leri, which he greatly improved, he
founded the Piedmontese Agricultural Society, and took the lead in
promoting the introduction of steam navigation, railways and factories
into the country.

Thus his mind gradually evolved, and he began to dream dreams of a
united Italy free of foreign influence, but owing to the reactionary
policy of the Piedmontese government he was unable to take any active
part in politics. In 1847, however, the psychological moment seemed to
have arrived, for the new pope, Pius IX., showed marked Liberal
tendencies and seemed ready to lead all the forces of Italian patriotism
against the Austrian domination. The hopes of the Italian Libe