ers,
who had rushed to Italy at the first trumpet-sound, could never
get employment from him. As to his generalship, it was entirely
inadequate, even if he had made use of the first favorable moments.
But his first thought was not to strike a blow at the Austrians before
they recovered from the discomfiture of Milan, but to use the panic
and need of his assistance to induce Lombardy and Venice to annex
themselves to his kingdom. He did not even wish seriously to get the
better till this was done, and when this was done, it was too late.
The Austrian army was recruited, the generals had recovered their
spirits, and were burning to retrieve and avenge their past defeat.
The conduct of Charles Albert had been shamefully evasive in the first
months. The account given by Franzini, when challenged in the Chamber
of Deputies at Turin, might be summed up thus: "Why, gentlemen,
what would you have? Every one knows that the army is in excellent
condition, and eager for action. They are often reviewed, hear
speeches, and sometimes get medals. We take places always, if it is
not difficult. I myself was present once when the troops advanced; our
men behaved gallantly, and had the advantage in the first skirmish;
but afterward the enemy pointed on us artillery from the heights, and,
naturally, we retired. But as to supposing that his Majesty Charles
Albert is indifferent to the success of Italy in the war, that is
absurd. He is 'the Sword of Italy'; he is the most magnanimous of
princes; he is seriously occupied about the war; many a day I have
been called into his tent to talk it over, before he was up in the
morning!"

Sad was it that the heroic Milan, the heroic Venice, the heroic
Sicily, should lean on such a reed as this, and by hurried acts,
equally unworthy as unwise, sully the glory of their shields. Some
names, indeed, stand, out quite free from this blame. Mazzini, who
kept up a combat against folly and cowardice, day by day and hour by
hour, with almost supernatural strength, warned the people constantly
of the evils which their advisers were drawing upon them. He was heard
then only by a few, but in this "Italia del Popolo" may be found many
prophecies exactly fulfilled, as those of "the golden-haired love of
Phoebus" during the struggles of Ilium. He himself, in the last sad
days of Milan, compared his lot to that of Cassandra. At all events,
his hands are pure from that ill. What could be done to arouse
Lombardy he di