Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1872-07-17
EarIYIe aud MaZZini.

From Harper's Magazine for July
1t is high circumstance that while
Thomas Carlyle was, amidst the lonely
hills Of CraIgenputtock, steadily shap-
ING out the idea OF task ordained for
every life, Joseph Mazzini was gaining
the same revelation III the solitude of
his prison. Neither of these had heard
of the other until many years after
that but when they met it was with a
mutual recognition that they were
brothers, born of this mother princi
pie, and many differences on other
points could never destroy this sense of
religious relationship. When an English
home Secretary had opened the letters of
MaZSini, then an exile in London
084D, and could OILY confront popu-
lar Indignation at his thus having
made the government an Austrian de
tective by trying to biacken Mazzini's
character, Carlyle did not wait for the
retraction that had to be made, but ut
tered his protest i'll the London Times.
II have had, he said, " the honor to
know NJ. Mazzini fora series of years :;
and whatever [ may think of his prac-
tical insight and skill in worldly affairs,
[ can, with great freedom, testify to all
men that he, if [ have ever seen one
such, is a man of genius and virtue, a
man of sterling veracity, human
Ity, and nobleness of mind.
Whether the extraneous Aus
trian emperor and miserable old Chi
mera of pope shall maintain them.
selves in Italy, or be obliged to decamp
from Italy. is not a question in the
least vital to Englishmcn. But it is a
question vital to us that sealed letters
IN an English post-otfice be, as we all
fanclcd they were, respected as things
sacred that the opening of mems let
ters, a practice near Of kin to picking
mems pockets, and TO others still viler
and far fataler form OF scoundrelism-
be not resorted to i'll England except
i'll cases of the very last extremity"
MazzinI lived in London for many
years almost as hermit. Beyond his
fellow eXlles, then a large company, he
had scarcely any intimate friend except
Carlyle.
L remember WELL" said CARLYLE
his voice had all It's depth and tender
ness, for he had Just heard of Mazzi-
mis- death-"I remember well when he
sat for the first time on the seat there,
thirty-siX years ago. A more beautiful
person ] never beheld, with his soft
flashing eyes, and face full Of intelli-
gence He had great talent, certainly
the only acquaintance OF mine of any
ching like equal intellect who ever be-
came entangled Ill what seemed 10 me
hopeless visions. He was rather silent,
spoke chiefly i'll French, though he
spoke good English even then, not
withstaDding q strong accent. It
was plain he might have taken
high rank i'll literature He
wrote well, as it was; sometimes for
the love Of it, at others when he wanted
little money; but he never wrote
what he might have done had he devo-
ted himself to that kind of work He
had fine tastes, particularly in music.
But he gave himself up as a martyr aad
sacrifice to his aims Tor Italy. He lived
almost III squalor; his health was poor
from the first, but ne took no care of
1T. lie used to smoke great deal, and
drink coffee with bread crumbled i'll IT,
but hardly gave any attention to bis
food. His mother used to send him
money, but he gave it away When
she died she left linn G2OO a year
all she had-but it went to Italian
beggers. His mother was the only
member of his family that stuck to him.
His father soon turned his back upon
his son; his only sister married strict
Roman Catholic, and she herself be
came too strict to Lave anything to do
with him. He did see her once or
twice, but the interviews were too pain
full to be repeated. He desired, [ am
told, to see her again when he was dy-
ing, but she declined. Poor Mazzini