Chapter I: Front Matter

Transcriber's Note:

Inconsistent hyphenation and spelling in the original document have
been preserved. Obvious typographical errors have been corrected.

Italic text is denoted by _underscores_.

On page 29: "premisses" should possibly be "premises".
On page 184: "Mr Adam" should possibly be "Mr McAdam".
On page 300: "meaning basis" should possibly be "meaningful basis".

EVERYMAN'S LIBRARY
EDITED BY ERNEST RHYS

BIOGRAPHY

THE LIFE OF MAZZINI
BY BOLTON KING, M.A.

THIS IS NO. 562 OF _EVERYMAN'S
LIBRARY_. THE PUBLISHERS WILL
BE PLEASED TO SEND FREELY TO ALL
APPLICANTS A LIST OF THE PUBLISHED
AND PROJECTED VOLUMES ARRANGED
UNDER THE FOLLOWING SECTIONS:

TRAVEL · SCIENCE · FICTION
THEOLOGY & PHILOSOPHY
HISTORY · CLASSICAL
FOR YOUNG PEOPLE
ESSAYS · ORATORY
POETRY & DRAMA
BIOGRAPHY
REFERENCE
ROMANCE

THE ORDINARY EDITION IS BOUND
IN CLOTH WITH GILT DESIGN AND
COLOURED TOP. THERE IS ALSO A
LIBRARY EDITION IN REINFORCED CLOTH

J. M. DENT & SONS LTD.
ALDINE HOUSE, BEDFORD STREET, LONDON, W.C.2

E. P. DUTTON & CO. INC.
286-302 FOURTH AVENUE, NEW YORK

A GOOD
BOOK
IS THE
PRECIOUS
LIFE-BLOOD OF
A MASTER
SPIRIT
EMBALMED &
TREASURED
UPON PURPOSE
TO A LIFE
BEYOND LIFE

MILTON

THE LIFE
_of_ MAZZINI
_by_ BOLTON
KING·M·A·

EVERY
MAN
WILL
GO
WITH
THEE &
BE THY
GUIDE

IN THY
MOST
NEED
TO
GO
BY
THY
SIDE

LONDON & TORONTO
PUBLISHED BY J·M·DENT
& SONS LTD & IN NEW YORK
BY E·P·DUTTON & CO

FIRST PUBLISHED IN THIS EDITION 1912
REPRINTED 1914, 1919, 1929

_All rights reserved_

PRINTED IN GREAT BRITAIN

Preface

This volume contains a life of Mazzini and a study of his thought. It can hardly be said that any serious attempt has been made either in England or Italy to deal with either. Hence the present volume, however unequal to the subject, may have its use. The thirty years, which have passed since Mazzini's death, make it possible now to place him in his true perspective; and the author trusts that the supreme admiration, which he feels for Mazzini as a man, has not prevented him from viewing the politician with impartiality. There exists abundant matter to allow us to judge Mazzini's political work, and it is unlikely that anything yet to be published will seriously affect our estimate of it. For the personal side of Mazzini's life, the moment is not a very opportune one. Ten years ago it would have been possible to glean reminiscences from many, who are now silent. It has been the author's privilege, however, to obtain invaluable information from two of the very few persons now living, who knew Mazzini intimately. While it is nearly too late for personal reminiscences, it is too early to avail oneself fully of Mazzini's correspondence. A good many of his letters have indeed been published, and I have been able to use a good many unpublished ones, especially his correspondence with Mr and Mrs Peter Taylor, which I have found of the greatest value. But unfortunately only one volume has as yet appeared of the collected edition of his correspondence, and there are still probably many of his letters, which have yet to come to light in Italy.

With regard to the study, which occupies the second part of this volume, the author is very sensible of his limitations in dealing with so vast and complex a system as Mazzini's ethical and political thought. It is his hope that he may do something to stimulate more competent writers to labour in a very fruitful field. He believes that the more Mazzini's thought is disentangled, the more its essential importance will appear.

I have to acknowledge gratefully the kindness of those who have helped me in writing this book. Above all I am indebted to Mr and Mrs W. T. Malleson, to whom I owe the loan of the Peter Taylor correspondence and other invaluable help; to Miss Shaen for letting me see Mazzini's letters to her father, Mr W. Shaen, and the MS. of the "Prayer for the Planters," now first published; to Mr Milner-Gibson Cullum, Miss Dorothea Hickson, Mr Mazzini Stuart, Mr P. S. King, and Miss Galeer for the loan of unpublished letters from Mazzini. I have also to acknowledge my grateful thanks to many others, who have assisted me, among whom I would especially mention Miss Ashurst Biggs, Signor Mario Borsa, Mr James Bryce, M.P., Mr W. Burnley, Signora Giuditta Casali-Benvenuti (to whom I owe the portrait of her grandmother, Giuditta Sidoli), Mr T. Chambers, Signor Felice Dagnino, Signor G. Gallavresi, Mrs Goodwin, Miss Edith Harvey, Mr H. M. Hyndman, Dr Courtney Kenny, Miss Lucy Martineau, Professor Masson, Mr C. E. Maurice, Mademoiselle Dora Melegari, Mr D. Nathan, Mr T. Okey, Mr Chas. Roberts, Mr J. J. Stansfeld, the Società Editrice Sonzogno (for permission to reproduce some illustrations from Madame White Mario's life of Mazzini), Mr W. R. Thayer, and Mr Remsen Whitehouse.

BOLTON KING.
_October 1902._

A reissue of the book has allowed me to revise it in the light of recent publications referring to Mazzini. A good many more of his letters have been printed since 1902 (including a second volume of the _Epistolario_), but with the exception of Mademoiselle Melegari's collection of his letters to her father, they are not important. Nor, with the exception of Signor Cantimori's illuminating _Saggio_, have I found any useful recent studies of his thought. I still adhere to the view that subsequent research will add little to our knowledge of him. I am glad, however, to be able now to take a different view of his connection with the publication of Kossuth's manifesto in 1853, and of Madame Sidoli's mission to Florence in 1833 (see pp. 68 and 169).

BOLTON KING.
WARWICK, _November 1911_.

_A complete Bibliography of Mazzini will be found on page 367._

Table of Contents

CHAPTER I

THE HOME AT GENOA
1805-1831. Aetat 0-25

PAGE

Boyhood and Youth--University Life--Literary Studies--
Classicism and Romanticism--Joins the Carbonari--Arrest
and Exile 1-19

CHAPTER II

YOUNG ITALY
1831-1833. Aetat 25-27

Condition of Italy--The Revolution of 1831--Young
Italy--Its Principles: Belief in Italy; Inspiration of
Duty; Social Reform--Its Political System: Republicanism;
Italian Unity; War with Austria--Secret Societies 20-34

CHAPTER III

MARSEILLES
1831-1834. Aetat 25-28

At Marseilles--Spread of Young Italy--Letter to Charles
Albert--The Army Plot in Piedmont--At Geneva--The Savoy
Raid 35-50

CHAPTER IV

SWITZERLAND
1834-1836. Aetat 28-31

Life in Exile--Mental Crisis--Principles of the
Revolution--Young Switzerland--Young Europe--Literary
Work--Women Friends: Giuditta Sidoli; Madeleine de
Mandrot 51-72

CHAPTER V

LONDON
1837-1843. Aetat 31-38

Life in London--Spiritual Condition--English Friends--
The Carlyles--Lamennais and George Sand--Literary Work--
Decay of Young Italy--The Italian School at Hatton
Garden--Appeal to Working Men 73-99

CHAPTER VI

THE REVOLUTION
1843-1848. Aetat 38-43

Politics in Italy--The Bandieras--The Post-Office
Scandal--The People's International League--Life in
1845-47--Letter to Pio Nono--Attitude towards the
Royalists--The Revolution of 1848--At Milan 100-122

CHAPTER VII

THE ROMAN REPUBLIC
1848-1849. Aetat 43-44

The Collapse of the War--The People's War--At
Florence--The Mission of Rome--The Roman Republic--The
Triumvirate--Attitude to the Church--The French Attack 123-138

CHAPTER VIII

LONDON AGAIN
1849-1859. Aetat 44-54

In Switzerland--Life in London--English Friends--
English Politics and Literature--The "Friends of Italy" 139-153

CHAPTER IX

MAZZINI AND CAVOUR
1850-1857. Aetat 45-52

The Piedmontese School--Mazzini and Cavour--The French
Alliance--Mazzini and Manin--The Theory of the Dagger--
Conspiracies--The Genoese plot of 1857 154-175

CHAPTER X

UNITY HALF WON
1858-1860. Aetat 53-55

The War of 1859--At Florence--Plans for the South--
Garibaldi's Expedition--Projected Raid into Umbria--
At Naples 176-188

CHAPTER XI

FOR VENICE
1861-1866. Aetat 56-61

Policy after 1860--Disappointment in Italy--Rome and
Venice--Attitude towards the Monarchy--Life in England--
The Greco Plot--American and Irish Politics--Mazzini
and Garibaldi--Overtures from Victor Emmanuel--The War
of 1866 189-207

CHAPTER XII

THE LAST YEARS
1866-1872. Aetat 61-66

The Republican Alliance--Life at Lugano--Mentana--
Republican Movement in 1868-70--Intrigue with Bismarck
--Imprisonment at Gaeta, and Release--Attack on the
International--Death 208-221

CHAPTER XIII

RELIGION

Religion Essential to Society--Paramountcy of the
Spiritual--Criticism of Christianity; Catholicism;
Protestantism--Christ's Teaching: its Truths and
Imperfections--The Doctrines of the New Faith: God;
Progress; Immortality--The Criteria of Truth: the
Conscience; Tradition--Humanity--The Need of Unity;
Authority; Church and State; the New Church 222-248

CHAPTER XIV

DUTY

Morality Depends on an Ideal--Criticism of the Theory
of Rights and Utilitarianism--Happiness not the End of
Life--Life is a Mission--Work for the Sake of
Duty--Thought Useless without Action--Power of the
Principle of Duty--Duties to Self; Family; Country 249-266

CHAPTER XV

THE STATE

The Moral Law and the State--Duties of the State:
Liberty, Association, Education--Sovereignty is in
God--Democracy--The Ideal Government--The Republic--The
Ideal State 267-282

CHAPTER XVI

SOCIAL THEORIES

Importance of Social Questions--Their Moral Basis--
Attack on Socialism--Contrast between Mazzini's and its
Theories and Work--Social Programme--Cooperation 283-295

CHAPTER XVII

NATIONALITY

Country and Humanity--The Marks of Nationality: the
Will of the People; the Sense of National Mission--
Patriotism--International Solidarity--Ethics of Foreign
Policy; Non-Intervention; War; the Special Missions of
each Country--The Future of Europe--The Slavs--The
United States of Europe--Italy's International Function 296-311

CHAPTER XVIII

LITERARY CRITICISM

The Function of the Critic--The Function of the
Poet--Art must avoid 'Art for the sake of Art' and
Realism--It must be Human, Social, Didactic--Poetry of
Modern Life--The Historical Drama--Music--'Objective'
and 'Subjective' Poets--Dante--Shakespeare--Goethe--
Byron 312-328

CHAPTER XIX

THE MAN

Poetic Temperament--Defects as a Thinker--Greatness as a
Moral Teacher--Strength and Weakness as a Politician--The
Man 329-341

APPENDIX A

Some Unpublished (in one case privately published)
Letters and Papers, written by Mazzini 343-367