ed to surrender. The vanity
that strives to cover over these facts is unworthy of men. The only
excuse for the imprudent conduct of the expedition is that they were
deceived, not by the Romans here, but by the priests of Gaeta, leading
them to expect action in their favor within the walls. These priests
themselves were deluded by their hopes and old habits of mind. The
troops did not fight well, and General Oudinot abandoned his wounded
without proper care. All this says nothing against French valor,
proved by ages of glory, beyond the doubt of their worst foes. They
were demoralized because they fought in so bad a cause, and there was
no sincere ardor or clear hope in any breast.

But to return to the hospitals: these were put in order, and have been
kept so, by the Princess Belgioioso. The princess was born of one
of the noblest families of the Milanese, a descendant of the great
Trivalzio, and inherited a large fortune. Very early she compromised
it in liberal movements, and, on their failure, was obliged to fly to
Paris, where for a time she maintained herself by writing, and I
think by painting also. A princess so placed naturally excited great
interest, and she drew around her a little court of celebrated men.
After recovering her fortune, she still lived in Paris, distinguished
for her talents and munificence, both toward literary men and her
exiled countrymen. Later, on her estate, called Locate, between Pavia
and Milan, she had made experiments in the Socialist direction with
fine judgment and success. Association for education, for labor, for
transaction of household affairs, had been carried on for several
years; she had spared no devotion of time and money to this object,
loved, and was much beloved by, those objects of her care, and said
she hoped to die there. All is now despoiled and broken up, though it
may be hoped that some seeds of peaceful reform have been sown which
will spring to light when least expected. The princess returned to
Italy in 1847-8, full of hope in Pius IX and Charles Albert. She
showed her usual energy and truly princely heart, sustaining, at her
own expense, a company of soldiers and a journal up to the last sad
betrayal of Milan, August 6th. These days undeceived all the people,
but few of the noblesse; she was one of the few with mind strong
enough to understand the lesson, and is now warmly interested in the
republican movement. From Milan she went to France, but, finding
it im