Year: 1859

A gentleman, lately returned from a tour in


Switzerland, has sent to the London Times an


account of visit he paid, with some friends,


to Gen. Garibaldi at Como. The most inter-


esting portion of the letter is rs follows: T


=" We drove through quiet streets crowded


with armed men to the Albergo del Angelo,


and were received and shown rooms just as wo


should have been year ago, only there was a


guard In the gateway, and we passed o room


full OF officers writing, for the General had here


taken up his headquarters. We did not CON


slider that it would be a serious breach of the


neutrality Of the nation if we paid our respects


to the Garfbaldi who defended Rome, and


who, amid all the blunders and disasters of


'fS, showed that only time and opportunity


were wanting to develop in the Italians a


single-minded heroism and constancy worthy


OF ancient Rome. After lunch we sont in eur


cards and message came from the aid-de-


camp saying that the General was asleep, but


that as soon as he awoke he would present


them, and had no doubt he would be happy to


receive us. After an hours saunter among


the volunteers VIC were informed that the Gen
eral would be happy to wait upon the ladies,


aud IN short time he was shown in He
proved as different from what we expected as
was the state of the town from that reported


From his portraits and warlike exploits had
pictured to myself very tall, large man, of
sallow complexion, with long black hair and
beard. with something of the romantic air of
those Spanish guerilla chiefs, who sang their
own songs to the guitar or killed people with
equal gusto. Just the reverse. 1 could scarcely
believe that the quiet, unaffected, gentlemanly
man, who entered and sat down with rs was
Garibaldi. He is of middle hight, not more than
D feet or inches, should think; a square
shouldered, dcep-chested, powerful man, with
out being at all heavy. He has healthy Eng
lish complexion, with brown hair and beard,
rather light, both slightly touched with gray,
and cut short. His head shows very fine de-
velopment, mental as well as moral, and his
face is good, though not remarkable to casual
observer-nothing to show the man who could
form and carry out such plans as the retreat
from Rome or the capture of Como, but when
no spoke OF the oppression and sufferlngs of his
country. the lip and eye told the deep feeling
long suppressed, and the steadfast daring char.
a,ter Of the man. child would stop him in
the street to ask him what o'clock it was. but
the man condemned to be shot in half an hour
would never, after look at that calm. deter
mined face waste time in asking mercy upon
earth During our long interview, he spoke
much OF passing events, excepting his own
share.) but without southern gesticulation. He
has the calm manner and appearance of the
English gentleman and officer; il was onIy
when he spoke of the generous sympathy Of
the people OF England with the sufcrings of
Italy that his Sax0n-like calmness gave way:
then, as he assured us again and again how
thoroughly it was appreciated by Italians of
every class, and how grateful they were for it.
he showed that the warm blood of Italy burned
in his veins. My impression had been that his
operations were more the result of rash i'm
pulse than military calculation; but it was
palpable that, strong as may be his impulses,
they are thoroughly under control. Bold and
enterprising, even to apparent rashness, he is.
no doubt, but he IL also cool and calculating:
and as watched him on the opposite side Of
the table, telling the ladies of his voyages to
China and the antipodes as pleasantly and
calmly as in London drawing room, while at
any moment he might be Interrupted by the
fire OF an overPowering Austrian force brought
by railway to bis outpost, felt no doubt that
in case of the very worst he had arranged ex
sctly Whist to do, and would do it, But what
impressed me most was the mental calibre of
the man; / met him with the idea that he was
little more than a dashing popular military
leader parted from him with the conviction
that his warlike cereer is a mere episode in
his history, and that his true greatness will
be seen in the political regeneration and gov
of his country.