The Sun.
London, England, 1869-04-02 00:00:00

FACT AND FICTION.

Mr. Anthony Trollope writes to the Daily Tele-
graph denying that in his novel, " Phineas Finn,"
he intended by the burly demagogue, Mr. Turnbull,
to depict Mr. Bright. " 1 intended," he says,
" neither portrait nor caricature; and surely I have
produced neither."

PALESTINF. EXPI.O:‘ATIoy,

A correspondent of the Times, writing from
Jerusalem, is very anxious that the task of Palestine
exploration should not be allowed to languish.
There will never again, he thinks, be such a
chance of successful discovery. The Turkish
Government cannot be expected to view with
favour excavations which lead down to the
foundations of their own sacred stronghold,
though they cannot withdraw from the permission
accorded to the present explorers. What has already
been discovered gives, it is thought, an imperfect
measure of future results to be attained. The most
important problems in Biblical traditions and story
which are keenly disputed over head may be solved
by the underground workers in a few months,
and the whole scheme of the architecture may be
revealed to us. The writer complains very much of
the conduct of the Russian and Christian pilgrims
who throng the streets of Jerusalem every Easter,
and he appeals strongly to " wealthy, religious, and
Protestant England" to sustain the Palestine
Exploration Fund, in which no one can find room
For just exception, derision, or animosity.

FOREIGN NOTES.

WE CONSPIRACY IN ITALY.

Conspirators do not generally publish reports of their
deliberations, and the conspiracy in Italy, like all such pro-
jects, is, therefore, involved in considerable doubt. But that
a plot, with extensive ramifications, has been designed is
certain. The Times Florence correspondent says that a
rising was contemplated rather for the purpose of influ-
encing politics, by exciting alarm, than with any hope of
success. But the authorities have kept on the alert, and
the scheme has failed. In addition to the disturbances at
Ancona—which , after all, were got up by the Republicans—
there was much agitation at Naples. At Turin and Pavia
the garrisons were kept under arms for two or three days.
Menotti Garibaldi is said to have led the projected move-
ment in the Calabrias. His participation in an affair of
the kind is rather in contradiction with his father's decla-
ration a few months ago, but it is possible that he acted
independently and without the paternal sanction. The
Romagna appears to have been the headquarters of the
projected rebellion, and at Genoa it is said that
the partisans of disorder and anarchy would have mus-
tered strong but for the vigilance of the authorities.
The whole business, adds the writer, has caused much
annoyance in a high quarter.
The Libertg states that the elder Garibaldi has quite
retired from the business of conspiracy. Mazzini is the
statesman, Menotti Garibaldi the warrior, of the Republi-
cans. The latter has been fifteen days in the Calabrias. His
design was not to march on Rome, but to get up a rising
throughout Naples. As for Mazzini, he is working diplo-
matically with " incredible energy." The Liberte differs
from the Times correspondent in expressing belief that the
danger is only just commencing.

" TIIE TRIPLE ALLIANCE."

A deputation from Naples presented the King of Italy
with a crown of gold on the anniversary of the battle of
Novara, fought March 23, 1849. After thanking the
deputation, the King remarked that Italy was on the eve
of a grave crisis. Never had the need of earnest unity
been greater. " Momentous events, from which will
spring the accomplishment of our wishes and of the des-
tiny of our country, are at band." There seems to be no
doubt that the King did make use of these significant
words, and as a Republican conspiracy can hardly be
looked upon as realising the destiny of the country,
the Kine is supposed to allude to the " triple alliance."