ri and Gioberti was
lacking," wrote T. Artom, his private secretary, "a deep and lively
sense of reality, Cavour possessed to a supreme degree. He was not a
_litterateur_; he was never a political dreamer. His views broadened
progressively; at each stage he discovered a new horizon, and he
followed his path without ever seeking anything save what was real and
possible." He was gifted with pronounced political genius and with an
astounding power of foresight. In his ideas he was always a moderate
Liberal, and although he disapproved of republicanism, he was an ardent
constitutionalist, ever refusing to resort to arbitrary methods, for he
felt that, the Italian character being what it is, Italian unity could
not last if unsupported by popular feeling. In meeting opposition he
could not, like Bismarck, rely on a great military power, for the
Piedmontese army was a small one; Austria must first be isolated and
then an alliance had to be obtained with some other power. Some of his
acts, especially his policy towards the Neapolitan kingdom, have been
criticized as politically immoral; but apart from the fact that few
revolutions--and Cavour, after all, was a revolutionist--can be
conducted without attacking vested rights, it is hard to see that any
policy which led to the destruction of a government, rightly described
as the "negation of God on earth," could be deemed immoral. He has been
accused of changing his views, but what statesman has not? Moreover, in
the extremely complicated and difficult diplomatic situations which he
had to face, what was impossible or dangerous one day became possible
and desirable the next. This was particularly the case with the
Neapolitan question. Cavour's one absorbing passion was the liberation
and regeneration of Italy, and to this he devoted his whole life and
talent.

BIBLIOGRAPHY.--G. Buzziconi, _Bibliografia Cavouriana_ (Turin, 1898);
Countess Evelyn Martinengo Cesaresco, _Cavour_ (London, 1898), an
excellent and handy little monograph which brings out the chief points
of Cavour's life in the right light; G. Massari, _Il Conte di Cavour_
(Turin, 1873); W. de la Rive, _Le Comte de Cavour_ (Paris, 1862),
interesting and valuable as the work of a contemporary and intimate
friend of Cavour; L. Chiala, _Lettere edite ed inedite del Conte di
Cavour_ (7 vols., Turin, 1883-1887); D. Zanichelli, _Gli Scritti del
Conte di Cavour_ (Bologna, 1892), and _Cavour_ (Florence, 1905);