New-York tribune., 1870-11-17
JOSEPH MAZZINI.
PERSONAL RECOLLECTIoNS OF THE GREAT
CONSPIRATOR

Inv a
asitators We found Mazzin in his lodgngs-very SIM
ple plain lodgings sthey were, in q small house, in
Cbesea He received me very cordially and showed in
his conversation most intelligent interest In my coun-
try and institutions He afterward called several
times me- and finding me capt. at least, to feel
and believe did the honor to talk TO somewhat
freely OF the and sorrows OF his owncounty ana
OF his hopes and plans for Italian liberation
Maszni then about 40 years of slight grace
person. with grave, scholarly air, somewhat melan
choly indeed. His face dark and pale, with great
intensity and purity Of expression He did not look al
all like the subtle and bloody minded conspirator be was
generally regarded The lines abOnt his mouth betrayed
Great ccncacy OF feeling and even tendernes-s ;ho
while utterly free from the desparing ., It,,ian
s,umbrous softness and shallow passion loi inos' -
eyes, were neither wild. nor fierce Ihe9 dncss q,
weary looking at times but IT was oiy % -. - no
hope deferred" the weartness OF cAIe '"P''
"gvingup" in them. 20 desperation. Inere wac vo
thing In the tole manner OF the man .n"' "7 .,,,
reminded one 'of Kossuths words: 10 not .'
r.v ,,, h, sorrow is that of dependency that KNOWS
r,tbine better than hopeless complaint. NO; IL Is
that enlarges the horizon Of hope ana persee
ence getting, like the Antaus Of old, new sfehshH H0"
every fall"
Mazzni was then supporting himself by literature, ana
not only supplying his simple necessities, but nnd
ing means 10 help starving icompatrOts-Chrsiian gen
emen and brave Republicans, who had fed before the
restoration OF the paternal reign OF the tPope ana the
bsyonets of their brother Republicans OF France LAKE,
Kossuth while refusing pecuniary assistance for himself
he gladly accepted for more helpless ana or sur
fering and children. lie seemed 10 De eSpeolay
tender toward children and however deeply engaged IN
his complicated work his secret organizations ana perl
lous enterprises he found time to labor ana peau or
the instruction Of poor little italian waits and wander
ers Generous, arden and devoted with sympathes as
wide as humanity with hopes and demands for humanity
As high as granest ideals of poets and philosophers
have reached loving freedom with an absolute heroic
passion-hOugh defeated, ridcued and calunniaed no
held his way, sparng himself neither TOLL nor peril
nor hardship, privaton aud he has ever since heid
Oh his way, with singeness of purpose ana hlgh
heartedness and courage, which doubt II the pOtca
world has ever paralleled.
Mazzini POSSESSES in a remarkable degree what Mrs.
Browning calls the genius to be loved" There
then, even among his English friends, men and women
ardently devoted him and his doubtful enterprises
They performed brave service in visiting his associates
on Continent the secret headquarters OF the var
leagues and in the bearing back and forth Important
dispatches Yet Mazzini did not has been ujustly
charged against him. habtualy risk the liberty and lives
OF his friends in perOGs missions which he srank from
himself He again and again. In ever varying dis
guses France to switzerland and Italy, TO visit his
adherentsproud, fiery young spirits chatting against
Austrian French and tyrannyto cheer and brace
up their hearts to counsel sometimes wise delay, some
times precipitate actioD but always striving TO
keep up the great ideal of nsurng
10 all the people the largest civil and religious liberty,
the ideal of regenerated Italy and great republic.
When came TO Mazzni, found 1t difficult to be-
eye the wonderful stories had heard Of his power OF
Disgusting himself to escape detection in localities
where he well known, and where minute descrip-
tions OF his person abounded Though his mobile Italian
face night be changed at WILL in expression, by the
actors arts, did not see how wig or any sort OF
strange covering could efecualy disguise the grand
head which such tempting price set is most
hle in form
Gen sherman's, but larger in proportion and more
purely intellectual. Mazzin then spoke English with
slight accent, and with occasional tAng inaccuracy
which, with the Of certain quaint, poetic forms of
expression gave sort OF picturesque charm to his elo-
qucut talk such belongs TO the style Of his friend
Giovanni Ruhu No one, however faithless and unbe
lleving, could listen 10 him long without being drawn
into the sphere Of his thought and under the strong
spell of his enthusiasm. AS he presented it, his great
hope did not seem extravagant wild 1t founded
on the patriotic devotion OF that young Italy which
seemed perpetually renewing its youth, and he evil
Cently knew in whom he believed. Through his brave
couederate scattered through the italian Sates-stu
dents men of the people, soldiers, saiors-he worked
and so lived only half in exile. With them and the
refugees in Geneva, Marseles, Paris and London he
organized planned plotted. His energy and execu
tive ability marvellous he literally "tOiled ter
rbly," giving himself rest indulgence. AS he
saws of himself he learned well the stern lesson OF
labor uncontrolled by any individual hope urged on by
duIl-cold drear, inexorable duty, alone. OF young
Italy he says: minority, cOnsecrated by misfortune
and sentines the Outposs of revolution we bade sol
emn farewell to all the joys and comforts of existence
the day when fidelity to the sacred cause OF
the oppressed"
In the Autumn OF 1852 conveyed Mazzn an invita-
tion from the friends with whom then staying, in
London, to a dnner-pasty, TO meet some people we
thought would be cong gcnia to him. among them the
German patriot Knkle, and the poet Freigrath and
received the following reply:
DEAR Miss GRACE: regret very much the necessity
which find myself of declining the kind invitation OF
Mr. aud Mrs. BcnnOck and your Generally speak
ing dine out and have refused so many friends
nary amount OF business, not TO be neglected without
risk persons embarked in struggle am obliged TO
lit in my wrtngdesk in my little room from o'clock IN
the morning 10 10 IN the evening, when go ana call on
intimate friends OF mine in the end OF King sr0ad,
But, my life not that OF prisoner,
the forthcoming two weeks would involve other mpossi-
liities my coming you which IL would be useless
10 explain You may therefore forgive my declining.
and tell Mr. and Mrs. Bennock that hope am allowed
record their kind invitation, so as 10 feel nyse1
entitled TO call on them some future day as soon as
shall have day Of leisure.
/ shall learn on Monday about Carlyle.
Believe me, dear Miss Grace, very faithfully Yours
Friday Night No Is Radnor-st, King 'sroad, Chelsea
think have been able to make correct copy OF the
above note after years Of study Mazzin writes regu-
Tar consprators hand though it is sngularly neat and
compact and almost requires key TO make II out
Another note written TO just L was starting for
Italy, and which quite despared over and gave up,
some time ago bestowed enthusiastic autograph
collector though strictly private in its character.
felt confident that any revolutionary secrets it might
contain would go further The extraordinary amount
of business referred in the note given above had TO
do doubtless with the tpeUte at Milan called "the
dagger insurrecton which occurred few months later
During these times of intense labor and anxiety Mazzni
said almost TO exist the stmulant of coffee and
cigars. There always about him and pervadng his
lodgings aroma Of the first and strong suggestion OF
the latter. AS said, Mazzin much loved, even in