New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-08-29

happy Queens son, Louis Napoleon, became
Emperor of the French in 1858, and which
some Italian sentimentalist paraphrased at a
time when it was hoped that France would
help Italy to realize her dream of freedom.
The three periods of Itay's national struggle
marked by the years 1921, 1S4S and 1859 all
produced political songs, some Of which have
survived in the memories of the people, but
only one of them fills their hearts, and that
one was inspired in a twofold sense by the
man whose romantic career in an earlier age
would have insured him the kind of immor-
talty enjoyed by the heroes of myths and
legends. Even now it is easy to imagine that
the names of Mazzini, Cavour and Victor En-
manuel will be forgotten by the learned when
that of Giuseppe Garbaldi will live on in the
story and song of the illiterate. "Garibaldrs
claim on the memory of man." says Trevelyan
on the concluding page of his "Garibaldi and
the Making of Italy" rests on more than his
actual achievements. 1t rests on that which
was one part of his professional equipment
as soldier of revolution, but which sur
passes and transcends this appeal to the
imagination. He was poet in all save liter
airy power He was guided in political, and
somewhat even in military, situations by a
poets instincts and motives. He is perhaps
the only case, except Byron for few weeks
| in Greece, Of the poet as man of action.
Fol most poets II they take part in action
cease to be poetica While he was alive this
quality was both his strength and his weak
Iness-Samsons locks and Achilles's heel. But
new that he is dead the poetry in his char
acter and career is all gain in his race for
immortal laurels. The history of events is
epbemeral and for the scholar the poetry of
events is eternal and for the multitude. 1t is
the acted poem that lives in the hearts OF
millions to whom words of history and the
written words of poetry alike an unopened
book. So Garibaldi becomes the symbol OF
Italia to her children in all ages to come on
either side of the Atlantic. AS the centuries
slip by, carrying into oblivion almost all that
once was noble and renowned, Mazzini's soul
and Cavours wisdom will be forgotten by the
Italian who tends the vine or sweats beside
the furnace sooner than the old gray cloak
and the red shirt and that face of simple
faith and love. And to US of other lands, and
most of all, to US Englishmen, Garibaldi will
live as the ncarnate symbol of two passions
not likely soon to die out of the world-the
love Of country and the love of freedom, kept
pure by the one thing that can tame and yet
not weaken them, the tenderest humanity for
all mankind"
There is something else and something
nobler than selfish political interest, some
thing more felt than talked about, in the
bond which untes the Briton and Italian IT
the present war. 1t is the fruit of that help
full spirit which Garbaldi's devoted heroism
aroused in Gladstone and Palmerston and the
people whom they guided and the gratitude
which liberated and united Italy feels fol-
those who helped it in its time of need. Fol
the rising generation of to-day the recovery
of the Trentino will rellumine the figure
which shone before the eyes of the youth OF
all lands fifty years ago. No American who
vas conscious of the astounding events which
were enacting in Italy in 1860 will ever for
get the thrill with which he greeted the red
shirted brigades in the street demonstrations
in our cities. | can recall those thrills, but
among the most impressive of my memories
is one of a Sunday afternoon, in June, 1882
which | spent in an upper room over an ltal-
ian restaurant listening to stories of Carl
baldi from one who had been fellow laborer
with him in the candle factory on Staten ISL
and / think it was Meucci himself-old and