Chapter II: Preface

The first chapter of these Volumes discloses the reasons which induced me to undertake the present Biography—a task amounting to a labour of love, owing to the personal interest I have felt in it from beginning to end. How far, however, I may succeed in satisfying my Readers—fully conscious as I am of my own demerits and the many defects to be met with—I leave them to decide, trusting to their kind indulgence not to be hypercritical in their verdict on my faithful endeavour to perform my duty both to them and to the subject of these memoirs.

Some delay has arisen in the completion of the work, to be attributed to three causes: the interruption occasioned by my official duties, the variety and complicated nature of the subject, and the numerous translations required for the full development of the life I desired to treat with justice in every respect.

Grateful acknowledgments are due for the valuable assistance received from Mr. CHARLES CANNON of the Foreign Office, Mr. RICHARD GARNETT of the British Museum, Mr. C. E. FAGAN and from Mr. C. M. TYNDALL, to whom I am deeply indebted. Certainly in no less degree must I record, with sincere thanks, the cheerful and graceful aid rendered me by Madame ARDITI, who has, throughout my labours, proved a most encouraging and able coadjutrix.

The respectful expression of my gratitude to the Duke D’AUMALE and to the Right Honourable W. E. GLADSTONE is an honourable duty, since to them as well as to Mrs. FRANKLIN, Sir GILBERT LEWIS, Sir JAMES LACAITA, Mr. C. T. NEWTON, Mr. ANDREW RUTHERFURD and the late Mr. EDWARD ELLICE I am indebted for the loan of letters, etc., without which my work could never have attained the degree of completeness of which it may fairly boast. Finally, in the list should also be named those who have helped me to present these volumes in their finished state—MM. DURAND, PILOTELL, SEM and F. GUSMAN, to whose courtesy I owe six of the portraits interspersed within these pages.

To men of letters throughout the civilized world I can scarcely doubt that a biography of one so well-known in his particular and important sphere as was the earnest worker of whom I have written should be otherwise than acceptable. Nevertheless, it is with some anxiety that I lay my venture before the public, though trusting at the same time that no serious drawback in the accomplishment of my labours may prevent a just appreciation of them by all considerate readers.

LOUIS FAGAN.

2A, GRANVILLE PLACE,
PORTMAN SQUARE, W.
_September, 1880._

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER I.

Introduction—History of 3 to 38.
Brescello—Birth—Parentage—Education—Carbonaro—Piedmontese
and Neapolitan Revolutions, 1820—“I Processi di Rubiera”

CHAPTER II.

Flight—Lugano—Arrival in London—Santa-Rosa—Sentence of 39 to 62.
Death—At
Liverpool—Roscoe—Shepherd—Haywood—Linati—Pecchio—Letter
to the Tax-Gatherer and Inspector of Finances—Miss
Martin—Lectures

CHAPTER III.

Foscolo—At Holkham—First Article—Departure from 63 to 101.
Liverpool—Brougham—Miss Turner—London
University—Botta—Lady Dacre—“Orlando Innamorato”—W. S.
Rose—Keightley—Moore’s Verses—Correspondence with Mr.
Grenville—Appointed to the British Museum

CHAPTER IV.

The British Museum—Appointment Discussed—First Duties—The 102 to 141.
Royal Society—Promotion—Cary—Hallam’s Letter—Official
Residence

CHAPTER V.

Sir Henry Ellis—Parliamentary Committee, 142 to 175.
1835-6—Keepership—Removal of the Library from Montague
House—“Temporary Assistants”—Superintendence of
Catalogue—Rev. R. Garnett—J. Winter Jones—Thomas
Watts—J. H. Parry—Additions to Library, 1838, and
Deficiencies—Annual Grant

CHAPTER VI.

Bridport Election—Desire to Visit Modena—Mazzini—Post 176 to 198.
Office Espionage—Biographer’s Personal
Reminiscences—Portland Vase—Psalter, 1457—Interview with
Francis IV.—Libri

CHAPTER VII.

Thiers—“Spanish Marriages”—Downfall of Lord Melbourne’s 199 to 254.
Administration—Corn Laws—Coolness between Panizzi and
Thiers

CHAPTER VIII.

The Royal Commission, 1847-49 255 to 265.

CHAPTER IX.

Mr. Grenville—Bequest—A Portrait by Manzini—Chartist 266 to 293.
Demonstration—Copyright Act—Mr. Bohn

CHAPTER X.

Lord Vernon’s Dante—Sir G. Cornewall Lewis on Milton and 294 to 312.
Dante—“Chi era Francesco da Bologna?”—John Harris

CHAPTER XI.

Minor Incidents—Holland House—Sydney Smith—Ecclesiastical 313 to 329.
Commission Act (1836)—Joseph Parkes—Count d’Orsay—Lord
Melbourne—Mrs. Norton—Dr. Hampden’s Case—Watt’s Portrait
of Panizzi—Lord Holland—Sir T. D. Hardy’s Life of Lord
Langdale

CHAPTER XII.

Panizzi and Austria—Policy of Lord Palmerston 330 to 337.
Discussed—Mr. E. Ellice—Scotch Sabbath—Mr. Gladstone on
Tasso—Panizzi and Thomas Carlyle