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COUNT CAVOUE 
 
 AND 
 
 MADAME DE CIECOUET 
 
ANASTASIE KLUSTINE, COMTESSE DE CIRCOURT. 
 
COU^T CAYOUR 
 
 AND 
 
 MADAME DE CIECOURT 
 
 SOMU UNPVBLISHED CORRESPONDENCE 
 
 EDITED HY 
 
 COUNT NIGRA 
 
 TRANSLATED BY ARTHUR JOHN BUTLER 
 
 LATE FELLOW OF TRINITY COLLEOE CAMBRIDOE 
 
 CASSELL AND COMPANY Limited 
 
 LONDON PARIS 4' MELBOURNE 
 
 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 
 
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 -^B R A R^ 
 
 OF THE 
 
 UNIVERSITY 
 
 OF 
 
 CAVOUR'S LETTERS 
 
 INTEODUCTION. 
 
 Early in the year 1860, Count Cavour sent me to Paris 
 to take charge of the Sardinian, afterwards to become 
 the Italian, Legation. When I took leave of him, he 
 said: " I am giving you a letter for the Countess de 
 Circourt.^ Take it to her yourself, and frequent her 
 salon. This is my final instruction to you ; and if you 
 carry it out, you will be able to render sundry addi- 
 tional services to our country, besides getting profit 
 and pleasure for yourself." 
 
 When I reached Paris I did not fail to take the 
 letter to Mme de Circourfc. I found her lying on a 
 sofa in that little drawing-room in the Eue des 
 Saussaies which, for some years past, had come to 
 be the meeting-place of all the well-known persons, 
 men and women alike, of all countries. She introduced 
 her husband. Count Adolphe de Circourt, a man of 
 
 ^ This is the letter of Februaiy 7, 1860. 
 
 132955 
 
2 CAVOUR'S LETTERS. 
 
 mucli merit and a good wit, immensely learned, and 
 modest beyond common.^ 
 
 Until her death, which took place in 1863, I saw 
 the Countess continually, except during the ten months 
 — October, 1860, to August, 1861 — which I spent in 
 Italy, owing to the temporary break in my mission.^ 
 During these years I saw a stream of those who might 
 be called the picked men of contemporary society pass 
 through the Circourts' drawing-room in Paris, or their 
 country house at Les Bruyeres, near Bougival. She 
 herself determined to honour his recommendation in my 
 favour, and passed on to me a portion of the friendship 
 which she had long felt for Count Cavour. Young 
 and almost inexperienced as I was when suddenly 
 
 ^ He appeared for a short time in a public capacity when M. de 
 Laniartine sent liim, in 1848, on a mission to Frederick William lY., 
 King of Prussia, a task which he fulfilled, amid serious difl&culties, with 
 much tact and with his native straightforwardness. But to the men of 
 his generation he was known less by this brief tenure of office than by 
 his rare erudition, and by the kind courtesy with which lie placed it at 
 the disposal of every applicant. His published works, numerous as they 
 are, are far from giving a measure of his talents and his knowledge. 
 His worth, both as a man and as a savant, will be judged by his cor- 
 respondence, if it ever be published, and by the recollections of his 
 contemporaries. One of these. Colonel Huber-Saladiu, has dedicated to 
 his memory a cleverly — perhaps too cleverly — written book, interesting, 
 however, for the historical, biographical, and bibliographical material 
 which it contains. It appeared at Paris in 1881, under the title, Le Comte 
 de Gircourt, son temps, ses ecrits ; Mme de Circourt, son salon, ses corre- 
 spondances. But the book never had any circulation. Like him who 
 was its principal subject, it remained almost unknown beyond the narrow 
 circle of friends for whom it was exclusively destined. 
 
 2 On the breaking off of diplomatic relations between France and 
 Sardinia, owing to the invasion of the Papal territories by the latter power. 
 
INTRODUCTION. 3 
 
 placed at the head of what then was the most important 
 and most difficult of Italian diplomatic missions, called 
 upon, moreover, to move amid a society in great part 
 hostile to the cause which I represented, I was not 
 without some apprehension as to the success of my 
 efforts. The assistance which I had been fortunate 
 enough to afford to Cavour, and the intimacy with 
 which he honoured me, had, it is true, been the best train- 
 ing I could have for all that related to the political part 
 of my task. But in the social relations which are so 
 important in diplomatic life, I was, so to say, without 
 bearings ; not to mention that, at the time of which I 
 speak, these relations had in France become extremely 
 difficult, owing to the great division and hostility 
 between parties. The chateau} as the phrase then 
 was, and official society were, of course, open to me; 
 but there were many people in Opposition circles whom 
 it was useful and agreeable to me to know, and my 
 only chance of meeting them was in those salons which 
 brought together the best men and women of both 
 parties in the bond of wit and intelligence. That in 
 the Eue des Saussaies was perhaps the last survivor of 
 these. When Mme de Circourt admitted me to it, 
 she used all her courtesy and all the inducement of 
 her wit to make me welcome to the distinguished 
 company which surrounded her. 
 
 ^ Of the Tuileries : that is, the court. 
 B 2 
 
4 CAVOUB'8 LETTERS. 
 
 At her death she bequeathed to n^e the letters which 
 Count Cavour had written to her during a period of 
 twenty-five years. Unfortunately, they are not many. 
 Reckoning the six addressed to Count Adolphe de 
 Circourt, which formed part of the legacy, and in- 
 cluding a note two lines long, the little collection 
 contains only thirty-seven items. They are all auto- 
 graph, written in Cavour's delicate little round char- 
 acters — extremely neat and free from erasures ; but 
 curiously enough only six have a complete date, while 
 seventeen are undated.^ They are written in French, 
 for though Mme de Circourt knew something of 
 Italian, she was not accustomed to read or write it. 
 Such are the letters which I now publish, thirty years 
 after the death of her to whom they were addressed. 
 Mme de Circourt was wont to call this little collection 
 her " treasure " ; and indeed its publication will add 
 fresh wealth to that unequalled treasury formed by the 
 works of the greatest statesmen of modern Italy. 
 I Count Cavour's letters can well dispense with any 
 commentary ; they speak clearly and plainly for them- 
 selves. (What, indeed, could one add to these pages ?? 
 If the author's renown, or his claim to the gratitude 
 
 1 " Count Cavour's Correspondence," edited by Signor Chiala, contains a 
 letter to Mme de Circourt of April 26, 1849 (vol. i. p. 413), which is 
 not in my collection. In vol i. p. 287, of the same work, the letter whicli 
 appears as No. xii., under the date of May, 1835, is wrongly put down 
 as addressed to Mme de Circourt ; and several extracts from letters to 
 her are inaccurately dated. The correct dates will be found in this book. 
 
INTEOBUGTION. 5. 
 
 of Italians and the admiration of the world, could be 
 increased by anything, it would be by these letters. 
 All his characteristics, his prodigious activity, his clear- 
 headedness, his "go," the keenness of his intellect, at 
 once playful and decided, touching with equal ease the 
 most diverse subjects ; the precision of his thought, his 
 unalterable faith in freedom, his ardent yet well-con- 
 sidered patriotism, his independent yet safe judgment, 
 find in these letters fresh and genuine corroboration7 
 
 Nor is there any need for me to take the oppor- 
 tunity of this publication in order to write another 
 biography of our great statesman. Every circumstance 
 of his life, every political act of his, has been the 
 subject of careful studies and of numerous writings, 
 some of which met with a success which time has 
 only confirmed.^ Although an important part of the 
 present correspondence, that, for instance, which refers 
 to the preparation for the war of 1859, could not be 
 included in the great collection compiled and anno- 
 tated with such unwearied devotion by Signor Chiala, 
 
 ^ I may mention two, rendered specially worthy of attention by the 
 position of their authors and the authentic sources to which they had 
 access. One is the fine introduction which Signor I. Artom, who shared 
 with me the honour of acting as secretary to the great Minister, prefixed 
 to his CEuvre parlementaire du Comte de Cavour, brought out by him and 
 M. Albert Blanc at Paris in 1862. The other is M. William de la Rive's 
 Le Comte de Cavour, recits et souvenirs (also Paris, 1862). M. de la 
 Rive, whose family was related to Count Cavour, had seen him frequently, 
 and at all periods of his life, in the close intimacy of his own father's 
 house. He has drawn with a master hand the most lively and most 
 faithful portrait that exists of his illustrioas cousin. 
 
6 GAVOUE'S LETTERS. 
 
 Count Cavour's work has by this time been known 
 and judged in its entirety. His mighty figure lives in 
 the consciousness of the Italian people, and has taken 
 its place for ever in history. That of his unpretentious 
 correspondent, on the other hand, has never, even at 
 the time of her most brilliant social success, been con- 
 spicuous beyond the circle with which she came into 
 personal contact. The new generation knows her not. 
 It is her figure, possessing more than one claim to our 
 interest, that I propose to sketch out in the following 
 lines. But the amiable lady who was Cavour's friend 
 will be better known from the letters which she wrote 
 to me in her later years, and which I give in an 
 Appendix, than by any words of mine. 
 
 I would not have the reader think that I am urged 
 to publish this latter correspondence by any feeling of 
 vanity. Mme de Circourt does, indeed, address to me 
 in some of the letters eulogies which I never believed 
 myself to deserve. I know well, however, that these 
 must in some measure be set down partly to her friend- 
 ship for Cavour, whose pupil I was, and partly to the 
 excessive kindness which her desire to attract and 
 retain those whom she liked to have around her, made 
 habitual to her. Also, I have kept these letters in 
 their portfolio for more than thirty years — long enough, 
 I think, to prove that I have not been in too great a 
 hurry to use them for the furthering of my vanity. 
 
INTRODUCTION. 7 
 
 But now, after making all needful concession to my 
 scruples, I thought myself no longer justified in sup- 
 pressing this correspondence, closely connected as it is 
 with Cavour's own, and rich in memories of him. 
 
 Anastasie Klustine was born at Moscow in 1808. 
 She was the daughter of Simon Klustine, an officer of 
 high rank in the Eussian army, and the Countess Vera 
 Tolstoi. Her early years were passed, sometimes at 
 Moscow, sometimes on the estate of Troitzkoie, in the 
 district of Kalouga. According to the most praise- 
 worthy custom of the Eussian noble families, Anastasie 
 learned in her childhood, first from governesses, then 
 from masters, the principal modern languages. Though 
 her health was very delicate, she made such rapid pro- 
 gress in her studies that at sixteen she knew Eussian, 
 German, French, and English. Besides these, she had 
 learned the ancient Church-Slavonic, and was studying 
 religion and ethics, metaphysics, and even botany ; not 
 to mention music. At eighteen, in company with ber 
 mother, she commenced the travels which occupied a 
 great portion of her life. To improve her health, she 
 went first to Montpellier, to be under the care of Dr. 
 Chretien ; then to the Pyrenees and to Paris. Two 
 years were passed in these three sojourns. It was in 
 Paris during the winter of 1826-27 that she made the 
 acquaintance of Count Adolphe de Circourt. She met 
 him at the house of his cousin, the Marquise de la Tour 
 
8 GAVOVIVS LtJTTERS. 
 
 du Pin Montauban, who was at that time living with 
 her father, the old Marshal du Houx de Yiomesnil 
 (who died in 1S27, aged ninety-four). Mile Klustine 
 was not pretty ; but she had a pleasant face, with fine 
 eyes, large and expressive. She was naturally elegant, 
 and decidedly taking. Being no less remarkable for 
 intelligence and education than for nobility of mind 
 and a soul full of goodness, she attracted the attention 
 of distinguished men wherever she appeared. Count 
 Adolphe came under the charm of the young Eussian, 
 and soon a mutual liking decided their fate. Their 
 marriage, however, did not take place for three years, 
 being celebrated at Berne towards the end of 1830. 
 These three years were passed by Mile Klustine with 
 her mother at Nice, at Greneva, and in Ital}^ ; going 
 from Pisa to Eome, and from Naples to Venice. At 
 Pisa she learned Italian from Professor Eosini, who 
 dedicated to her his novel Luisa Strozzi. During this 
 journey she made friends with Carmignani, Niccolini, 
 Cicognara, Justine Eenier Michiel, and many other 
 eminent Italians. At Eome, Signor P. E. Yisconti 
 dedicated to her his collection of popular songs. Mar it- 
 tima e Campagna, and the Accademia degli Arcadi 
 admitted her to membership under the name of 
 " Corinna Boristenide."^ Later on she added to the 
 
 ^ In 1829, Mile Klustine had written a remarkable article on the 
 state of Russian literature, which was printed without author's name in 
 
INTBODUCTIOK 9 
 
 list of lier Italian friends the names of General Filangieri, 
 of Grino Capponi, of Pellegrino Eossi, and of Camillo di 
 Cavour. She passed the year following her marriage in 
 Switzerland, and chiefly at Geneva, whither she was 
 drawn by the connexion which she had formed with 
 the literary society of that place ; especially with 
 Sismondi, the aged Bonstetten,^ and Pyramus de Can- 
 dolle. Then, wishing to revisit Italy with her husband, 
 she passed three winters there, staying by turns at 
 Pisa, Eome, Genoa, Milan, Florence, Naples, and 
 Venice. Italy, by her past greatness, by her present 
 misfortunes, by her indomitable faith in a better future, 
 by the merit of the men who then were nursing the 
 first germs of revival, was in 1830 well fitted to arouse 
 in the generous and enthusiastic soul of the young 
 woman those feelings of admiration and sorrowful 
 tenderness which she retained for the country till her 
 death. She was appreciated and loved there ; and left 
 behind her memories which the disappearance of all 
 her contemporaries has not wholly effaced. 
 
 After Italy, the young couple visited Eussia and 
 Germany. In the last-named country, Mme de Cir- 
 
 the Bihliotheque Universelle of Geneva. Later on the same publication 
 was fortunate enough to have three more articles from her: Georges 
 Miloslawsky, ou les Busses en 1812 (by '' Zagoskine") in 1831 ; Belation 
 d'une course a Benevent et Amalfi ; and Belation de quelques excursions 
 dans le Boyaume de Naples y both in 1832. 
 
 * The friend of Gray. He lived to the age of 87. 
 
10 GAVOUR'S LETTERS. 
 
 court added yet others to her illustrious friendships. 
 Prince — afterwards King — John of Saxony, the Dante 
 commentator and translator/ and two Kings of Prussia, 
 William III. and Frederick William IV., successively 
 showed her marked regard ; and soon she could reckon 
 among her friends Cornelius, Kaulbach, Eauch, Lepsius, 
 Humboldt, Eanke, Bettina von Arnim, Schelling, 
 Tieck, every person, indeed, then eminent in letters, 
 art, and science throughout Grermany. In Eussia she 
 was held in esteem by the small literary circle of which 
 Pouschkin w^as the recognised head ; and in later days 
 she acquired, out of Eussia, the faithful friendship of 
 her most famous compatriot, Mme Swetchine. 
 
 But I must come without further delay to the first 
 meeting between Mme de Circourt and Count Cavour. 
 At Greneva the Countess had known the future 
 Minister's mother and aunt, the Marquise de Cavour 
 (born de Sellon), and her sister, the Duchess of Cler- 
 mont-Tonnerre ; and at Plombieres, in 1834, she had 
 met his elder brother. Marquis Gustave de Cavour. 
 Her first meeting with Count Camillo was at Paris in 
 1835. He had just resigned his commission in the 
 Sardinian Engineers, and was travelling to improve his 
 mind. In after times she often said to me, "At the 
 very first sight of him I recognised in Cavour the most 
 high-minded man of his time." From that moment 
 
 ^ KuoAATi to Dante students as Philalethes. 
 
INTRODUCTION. 11 
 
 she dedicated to him a friendship which was ever con- 
 sistent, and later on grew to be an unbounded devotion. 
 Count Cavour, on his side, felt for her an affection 
 mingled with respect and gratitude, which only ceased 
 with his life. Even at the most critical moments of 
 his political career, amid his most severe trials, the 
 great statesman found time to write to her. He knew 
 that wherever in Paris society there was most hostility 
 to the Italian cause, he could reckon on the courageous 
 and audible voice of his friend. The reader, as he 
 peruses the letters which Cavour addressed to her, will 
 be able to judge for himself how great was the con- 
 fidence, intimacy, and esteem which united these 
 generous souls. 
 
 After 1836, Mme de Circourt was definitely settled 
 at Paris during the winter. In 1841, following the 
 example of her compatriot, Mme Swetchine, after 
 mature reflection, she left the Orthodox Church and 
 became a Catholic. In 1848, she accompanied Count 
 Adolphe on his mission to King Frederick William IV. ; 
 and on this occasion, as at all times, she afibrded M. de 
 Circourt at the Court and in the society of Berlin the 
 support of her grace, of her judgment, and of her 
 advice, and even that of her pen, for during the whole 
 time that the mission lasted she was her husband's 
 only secretary. In 1850, she furnished a country 
 house at Les Bruyeres, near the village of La Celle 
 
12 CAVOUWS LETTERS. 
 
 Saint-Cloud, not far from Paris. She called this her 
 hermitage, and henceforth in summer and autumn the 
 house receiv^ed, as we know, many illustrious visitors. 
 It was in this cottage that, on the evening of August 
 IS, 1855, happening to put her head near a candle, she 
 set fire to her cap and her hair. The poor Countess 
 was so badly burnt about the neck and shoulders that 
 for the rest of her life she remained an invalid and 
 partly paralysed. Her sufferings, which were literally 
 indescribable, were supported by her with heroic 
 fortitude and serenity; she concealed them from her 
 friends, and continued to receive both at Paris and at 
 Les Bruyeres, whither she had herself moved every 
 spring. 
 
 Mme de Circourt's salon at Paris, of which the 
 cottage at Les Bruyeres had become since 1852 a 
 summer dependency, was, from the very first, one of the 
 few places where eminent people of all countries could 
 have the pleasure of meeting each other. Count Adolphe, 
 both by family tradition and by personal conviction, was 
 a Legitimist. He has been wrongly accused of being 
 sceptical or indifferent in politics, whereas he really was 
 only tolerant and enlightened. As for the political 
 opinions of Mme de Circourt, we must suppose that she 
 had preferences, or one would rather say, an ideal ; but she 
 never made any display of it. She tolerated all sincere 
 convictions, and judged men by their deserts independ- 
 
INTBODUGTION. 13 
 
 ently of the political sets to which they might belong. 
 As M. de Circourt wrote to me after her death, " Her 
 intelligence leapt out to meet greatness and goodness 
 wherever she recognised it, piercing all barriers and 
 disdaining commonplace objections." Essentially kind 
 and amiable towards all, loyal and devoted towards her 
 friends, always inclined to preach concord to the most 
 divergent and most obstinate spirits, putting into this 
 work of conciliation all her heart, all her feminine 
 persistency, and all the charm of her wit, she succeeded 
 in bringing side by side and keeping near her men and 
 women whom whole gulfs separated, and who had no 
 bond between them save her friendship. Monseigneur 
 de Bonnechose and Vitet, De Falloux and Merimee, 
 Eanke and Tocqueville, Cobden and Thiers, Prevost- 
 Paradol and Drouyn de Lhuys, Mme Swetchine and 
 Mrs Austin, Countess de Pimodan, and Duchess 
 Colonna, Lady Holland and Mme de Goyon, Cavour 
 and the great ladies of the Faubourg St. -Germain, 
 Eckstein, Cousin, Ticknor, Stanley, Prescott, Senior, 
 De la Eive, DolgoroukoflP, Oliphant, Geffcken, Scherer, 
 Parieu, Filangieri, Scialoja, a whole list of illustrious 
 persons wide apart from each other in politics, religion, 
 or prejudices, coming from all countries, professing the 
 most different beliefs and opinions, found beside Mme 
 de Circourt's sofa an opportunity of meeting which they 
 would have sought in vain elsewhere. 
 
14 CAVOUR'S LETTERS. 
 
 The Countess de Circourt died March 9, 1863, after 
 a short illness, at her rooms in the Rue des Saussaies in 
 Paris. Her death was a great grief to her numerous 
 friends of all countries. It was specially felt in Italy, 
 where people were well aware both of her intimacy with 
 Cavour and of the sympathy which she boldly avowed 
 for his cause. I made myself the interpreter of the 
 feelings of my countrymen by inserting in the Official 
 Gazette of the kingdom^ an obituary article containing 
 some biographical notes which I had obtained from 
 Count Adolphe de Circourt a few days after his wife's 
 death, and of which I have here been giving a summary. 
 A French critic, whose leanings were not to the side of 
 indulgence, Sainte-Beuve, dedicated to her memory in the 
 Gonstitiitionnel a page, which is worth the longest 
 biography. I cannot refrain from quoting some lines 
 from it : — 
 
 "The special characteristic of Mme de Circourt's salon was 
 that intellect gave, as one may say, rights of citizenship there. No 
 preconceived opinion, no prejudice stood in the way of this lady, 
 pious as she was and firm in her beliefs, so soon as she perceived 
 that she had to do with a sterling intellect and a man of talent. 
 From whatever political shore one might come, on whatever philo- 
 sophical dogma one might take one's stand, one met with friendship 
 and sympathy beside that sofa on which she had for years been 
 imprisoned by cruel sufferings dissembled under a kindly and 
 gracious charm with a social art that nothing could alter." 
 
 ^ Gazzetta Ufficiale del regno d'ltalia, April 10, 1863. 
 
INTRODUCTION. 15 
 
 It is with a sentiment of pious gratitude that I dedicate 
 these pages to the memory of the clever and good woman 
 who was the friend of Count Cavour, and remained 
 loyal to him until death. 
 
 In publishing this work, which will receive, I hope, 
 a favourable greeting, not only from my fellow-citizens, 
 but from the lofty minds of all countries, I am fulfilling 
 a duty which was imposed on me by Mme de Circourt's 
 last wishes, and by regard for the name of him who 
 was at once my master and my friend. I was the last 
 person with whom Cavour held any connected talk 
 upon State afiairs ; may I be allowed to end this intro- 
 duction with a personal reminiscence ? 
 
 On Friday, May 31, 1861, the third day of his 
 illness. Count Cavour summoned me to his bedside 
 about three in the afternoon, and gave me with great 
 clearness instructions for drawing up a note, of which 
 I need not here state the purport. Our conversation 
 had lasted half an hour when I thought I perceived a 
 little difficulty in his speech. I told him that he must 
 not tire himself more, that I quite understood him, and 
 that I would lay the minute before him on the following 
 day. He answered, "Yes, I feel very weary ; I need a long 
 rest ; but I have yet two things to do, Venice and Eome. 
 It will be you others who will do the remainder." ^ 
 
 ^ I give the Piedmontese words literally, " I I'ai aucora doi cose da 
 f e, Yenessia e Boma. 'L rest a '1 lo faran peui lor." 
 
 Ix 
 
16 CAVOUE'S LETTERS. 
 
 I could not refrain from smiling, and I answered, 
 " Count, if the comparison so far as we are concerned 
 did not savour of vainglory, we might complain of you 
 as Alexander did of his father, by reproaching you for 
 having left us nothing more to do." He smiled in his 
 turn and put his hand out to me. As I pressed it I 
 felt that he had fever. I went out just as the Marchesa 
 Al fieri was entering. She watched for six days and six 
 nights beside his noble delirium, and on June 6, at 
 6.45 a.m., she closed his eyes. She contributed to M. 
 de la Rive's book a striking account of the illness and 
 death of her beloved uncle. Having myself witnessed 
 the last moments of the great Italian, I am unable, 
 after more than thirty-two years have elapsed, to read 
 these pages again without keen emotion. 
 
 C. Nigra. 
 
 October, 1893. 
 
INTRODUCTION. 17 
 
 Note. — The bequest of Count Cavour's letters was 
 made known to me, and the legacy forwarded, by Count 
 Adolphe de Circourt in the following letters : — 
 
 To M. Nigra, Paris. 
 
 Paris, March 25, 1863. 
 
 Sir, — I am sure that no one understands better than you, 
 perhaps no one so well, the extent and the nature of my loss. I 
 hasten to comply with your request.' It does not renew my grief 
 to occupy myself with matters relating to the object of it. I cannot 
 for a moment turn my thoughts from it ; and when I find no means 
 of occupying my thoughts they prey upon me. 
 
 Faro come colui che piange e dice.^ 
 
 I will send you a little later my wife's precious legacy. Those 
 letters of Cavour's were so dear to her that she never called them 
 anything but "my treasure." Count Cicognara's have some value 
 from a literary point of view ; and had much for us as a memory 
 of one of the noblest men of past days. 
 
 Quando mi ricordo, 
 Del tempo andato, e 'ndietro mi rivolgo.^ 
 
 I speak of all this in the past, for I feel as if I had been following 
 
 my own funeral. 
 
 Believe me, devotedly yours, 
 
 A. DE Circourt. 
 
 ' This letter was enclosed with some notes on Mme de Circourt's 
 life, for which I had asked the Count. They were reproduced in the 
 obituary article in the Gazzetta already referred to. 
 
 2 Dante, Hell, v. 126. 
 
 3 Petrarch, Ode, " Spirto gentil," 11. 30, 31. 
 
18 GAVOUE'S LETTERS. 
 
 Paris, May 4, 1863. 
 
 Sir, — I have found, collected and put in order, Count Cavour's 
 letters to my wife and to myself ; as I had the honour to write to 
 you, this precious little legacy is bequeathed to you. I am dis- 
 charging this sad duty before leaving Paris for a few weeks' 
 holiday, which the state of my health renders necessary. I will 
 forward you the correspondence of Count Cicognara from Les 
 Bruyeres, where it is kept. 
 
 In parting with these letters, to which my wife attached so much 
 value, I have no feeling but one of gratitude for the truly worthy 
 hospitality which they will find in your portfolio. That great man's 
 memory has no heir more affectionate, more zealous, or more capable 
 of realising the ideas of which the execution has by his premature 
 death been relegated to the future. 
 
 Again I will beg you to believe that I am sincerely yours 
 with all respect and devotion, 
 
 A. DE CiRCOURT. 
 
LETTERS OF COUNT CAVOUR TO 
 MADAME DE CIRCOURT, 1836-1860. 
 
 c 2 
 
LETTEES OF COUNT CAVOUE TO MADAME 
 DE CIECOUET, 1836—1860. 
 
 I. 
 
 [Turin, 1836.] 
 
 Madam, — I am sorry that an excess of delicacy 
 should have caused you some moments' embarrassment. 
 If you had reflected upon the reason of your scruples 
 you would be convinced that you owe no gratitude to 
 anyone, but that, on the contrary, you rendered a real 
 service both to M. de Casanova^ and to me when you 
 gave us a more special opportunity of attending to your 
 wishes in London. In that foreign land it was very 
 pleasant to us to have something to do which might 
 carry us back to those spots which we had just quitted 
 with so much regret. We could have wished to have 
 a fresh commission to do for you every day ; we should 
 
 ^ Count Alessandro Avogadro di Casanova, of Vercelli in Piedmont, 
 was one of the most brilliant officers, first of the Sardinian, then of the 
 Italian ai*my. He served in the Crimea and in all the Italian campaigns, 
 became lieutenant-general in command of an army corps, was deputy 
 and senator, and died in 1886. 
 
22 GAVOTJR'S LETTERS. 
 
 have the less felt our separation from the Eue des 
 Saussaies, which has nothing in London to match it. 
 
 During my stay in England I often wished to write 
 to you, but was always withheld by the fear of boring 
 you. I knew that you were unwell and not strong, and 
 if I had thought that I could cheer or distract you I 
 would have written you volumes. But how can one be 
 lively or amusing when one is living in the middle of 
 fogs and sm'oke, crushed under the weight of a heavy 
 and ponderous intellectual atmosphere? In England 
 one may discuss, but never chat; how could I have 
 gone into discussions or dissertations with an invalid ? 
 I preferred to deprive myself of the pleasure of any 
 intercourse with you rather than run the chance of 
 boring you. People who are in pain are more sensi- 
 tive to boredom, and I was afraid of adding to your 
 suffering. 
 
 I do not mean to say that England is not a country 
 of immense intellectual resources. You can find there 
 quite as many specialists and men of deep thought as 
 anywhere else — perhaps more. Nowhere are certain 
 branches of the moral sciences better cultivated, but 
 there is one thing which you will seek there in vain ; 
 I mean that admirable union of science and wit, of 
 depth and of kindliness, of solidity and polish which 
 forms the charm of certain Parisian salons^ a charm 
 which one regrets all one's life when one has once 
 
GOUNT CAVOUB TO MADAME BE CIRCOUBT. 23 
 
 made trial of them, and which can never he found 
 again when one has left that intellectual oasis of which 
 you are one of the principal adornments. 
 
 In London one makes acquaintances, the intellect 
 ripens, the ideas become less vague and more avail- 
 able ; one gains, perhaps, a practical spirit, highly 
 valuable in the conduct of the affairs of life, but 
 one loses that flexibility of intellect, that pleasant 
 sharpening of the wits which make a Parisian sahn 
 the only place in the world where the intelligence 
 can exert itself without fatigue. It is impossible in 
 London to keep up a correspondence with Paris, it is 
 like trying to run in leaden shoes. 
 
 If I had been able to go back by way of Paris 
 and to stay there a month, just long enough to tend 
 you in your convalescence, I should have asked your 
 leave to recount my impressions of England ; thanks 
 to the atmosphere which one breathes in your society 
 my story would, perhaps, not have been too much 
 flavoured with the fogs of the Thames. I do not 
 venture to write it, for in certain respects the air of 
 Piedmont is heavier than that of London. The sky 
 is clear there, but the moral horizon is so darkened 
 by the clouds which are there developed under an 
 eminently repressive system that one's wits have even 
 less elasticity than in England. So, instead of think- 
 ing how I may occupy myself with all that interests 
 
24 • CAVOUR'S LETTERS. 
 
 the brilliant circle of which yon are the centre, I have 
 decided to resnme my rustic career, which certainly 
 will not do anything to make me regain what I have 
 lost since my departure from Paris. 
 
 I make this confession to you in order that you may 
 have no illusions with regard to the new correspondent 
 whom you have acquired. I have too much conscience 
 not to warn 3^ou that in pledging yourself to an epis- 
 tolary correspondence with me you are making a 
 wretchedly bad bargain. You must have felt that 
 you had a strong element of generosity and devotion 
 in order to agree to exchange the thoughts which with 
 you develop under the highest intellectual tempera- 
 ture in Europe against those of a person who is about 
 to make oxen and sheep his principal occupation. If 
 after this humble confession you persist in your kind 
 intentions with regard to me, I can only promise to 
 make up for the deficiency of interests which my 
 correspondence will have by gratitude and a devotion 
 of rural vigour. 
 
 I arrived here two days ago. Yesterday I suc- 
 ceeded in seeing Rora^and his wife. You will know of 
 their troubles, the illness of their daughter,^ and her 
 sad convalescence. Mme di Eora could not bear the 
 
 ^ Marquis Maurice Luserna di E,ora, senator and syndic of Turin, 
 who died in 1854 ; and Adele Oreglia di Farigliauo. 
 
 2 Constance Luserna di Bora, Countess Costa di Carru. 
 
COUNT GAVOUR TO MADAME BE GIBGOURT. 25 
 
 sad sight, and fell ill herself ; though not actually 
 in danger, she suffered terribly. Thank God, she is 
 better, and her daughter is in the country. She will 
 join her there. Pray Heaven that the distractions of 
 country life and the quiet which she will enjoy at 
 Campiglione may re-establish the order of her thoughts. 
 It would be too cruel to see a most reasonable, most 
 sweet, and most virtuous person fall into a complete 
 state of derangement. 
 
 My brother begs to be remembered to you. Al- 
 though we have only passed a few moments together 
 we have already spoken much of you, and of the 
 recollections which we have brought away from your 
 house. He was wishing to publish a work upon which 
 he has been engaged for three years, but the censorship 
 does not find it suflBciently Catholic ! ! ! This shows 
 you how sincere is the neo-enthusiasm of the Catholic 
 party for liberty of speech and the progress of education. 
 
 I am addressing this letter to you at Paris, but I 
 hope that it will not find you still there, for that would 
 prove that you are by this time well enough to go in 
 search of strength to the sea-side, where you will get 
 thoroughly set up. 
 
 Please give my compliments to M. de Circourt, and 
 accept the assurance of my most respectful devotion. 
 
 C. DE Cavour. 
 
CAVOUR'S LETTERS. 
 
 II. 
 
 [2Vrm], 1838. 
 
 I HAVE been very happy; madam, to learn from my 
 cousin Eora that you were kind enough to preserve 
 some kindly recollection of me. I had hardly dared 
 to flatter myself that it would be so, for if it is impos- 
 sible to leave Paris without bearing away many recol- 
 lections, nothing is more rare than to leave any behind. 
 That city, so full of new occurrences and of interests 
 constantly renewed, is the classic land of oblivion. 
 But your drawing-room is a happy oasis which in this 
 as in many other respects bears no resemblance to 
 its surroundings. You know there how to maintain 
 bygone feelings in view, and those persons who have 
 been happy enough to gain a benevolent reception 
 there run no risk of being forgotten. Yet, again, it 
 is that drawing-room, and she who forms all the charm 
 of it, that one most regrets in leaving Paris. You 
 must be accustomed to inspire regrets of this kind, but 
 I venture to assure you, madam, that there has never 
 been any truer or more sincere than mine. 
 
 I hear that this winter has been far less brilliant 
 than the last. Society has undergone cruel losses, 
 which must have diminished the number of parties 
 and the eagerness with which people attended them. 
 Your visitors will have been the gainers, for you will 
 
COUNT GAVOUB TO MADAME BE CIRCOUBT 27 
 
 have had more time to bestow on them. Have you no 
 thought" of once again exchanging the noisy pleasures 
 of Paris for the more tranquil enjoyments of a winter 
 in Italy ? It would be a very groat happiness for Bora 
 and for myself ; for Turin would be on your road, and 
 there would no longer be any Alps between you and 
 us. You are too fond of the arts and of ideal beauty to 
 be able to refrain over long from visiting their father- 
 land. I trust that this feeling will soon bring you back, 
 and that one of these winters — next winter, perhaps 
 —we shall find once more, at Kome or at Naples, that 
 salon which makes us so envious of Paris. You must 
 bring with you, when the time comes, your graceful 
 cousin, Mme de Menthon,^ who knows only a corner of 
 Italy. She, too, is made to appreciate the land of art 
 and grand memories, and I feel sure that she would 
 find as much pleasure and as much admiration in the 
 studios of artists as in the drawing-rooms of Paris. 
 What is she doing this winter? Is she hiding in the 
 depths of the country the wit and grace which made 
 her shine in the midst of Paris society ? 
 
 May I venture to remind you, madam, that you 
 obtained General Eogniat's^ promise to send me the 
 continuation of the " Engineer Ofiicer's Note-book " ? 
 
 ^ Caroline Pauline de Klinglin, Countess de Menthon; born 1822, 
 died 1871. 
 
 2 A General of Engineers, and member of the Chamber of Peers; 
 friend of Soult : died 1840. 
 
28 CAVOUB'S LETTERS. 
 
 Would you be kind enough to recall it to his memory, 
 and at the same time to ask, if it can be done with- 
 out indiscretion, for the memoranda which have been 
 drawn up in order to form an estimate of the works 
 undertaken bj^ the engineer service ? 
 
 You see how bold one single recollection makes me, 
 since I take leave to require from you the performance 
 of a troublesome service. Perhaps I am wrong in being 
 so outspoken. But if it be so, be kind enough not to 
 punish me by depriving me in future of such proof of 
 your interest as you have given me through Eora, to 
 which, as you know, I attach an incalculable value. 
 
 Kindly give my best regards to M. de Circourt, 
 and accept the assurance of my respect and devotion. 
 
 C. DE Cavour. 
 
 III. 
 
 [Turin], May 27, ]841. 
 
 Madam, — I take the liberty of recalling myself to 
 your recollection through the medium of a book of 
 high metaphysics, presenting you in my brother's name 
 with a work which he has just published on this serious 
 subject/ 
 
 If the intimacy into which I have had the happi- 
 
 1 Fragments Philosophiques par le Marquis Gustave de Cavour, 
 Turin, 1841. 
 
COUNT GAVOUR TO MADAME BE CIBGOUIIT. 29 
 
 ness of being admitted had not disclosed to me all the 
 depth and solidity of intellect which in you is overlaid 
 by a varnish of the utmost good nature, I should not 
 have ventured to forward to you a book in which the 
 stiffest philosophical questions are treated in a purely 
 scientific manner. The exalted opinion of your under- 
 standing which you have made me conceive causes me 
 to hope that my brother's work, which is destined to 
 find its readers almost exclusively in the dusty studies 
 of philosophers, will receive a kindly greeting in your 
 pretty drawing-room. 
 
 I had spoken many times to my brother of the 
 indulgent kindness with which I was treated by your 
 learned friend, M. le Baron d' Eckstein.^ He has bidden 
 me present him with a copy of his work. Would 
 you be kind enough to give me your assistance in 
 fulfilling this commission, which is very delightful to 
 me, since it gives me an opportunity of recalling myself 
 to the valued recollection of a person no less distin- 
 guished by the loftiness of his intellect than by the 
 kindliness of his disposition ? 
 
 In the course of his work, my brother has been led 
 to examine the doctrines of the eclectic school, and, 
 
 1 Baron Ferdinand Frederick d'Eckstein was born in 1790, and died 
 in 1861. He was born a Protestant, but became a Catholic, and settled 
 at Paris. Lamartine, in his Cours de Litterature, i. 14, speaks of him 
 as follows:— "Philosopher, poet, publicist, Orientalist, a Brahmin of 
 the west, misunderstood by his contemporaries, living in one century, 
 but actually present in another." 
 
 UMiVE'^SlTY 
 
 OF 
 
30 CAVOUR'S LETTERS. 
 
 consequently, to speak of one of its most distinguished 
 professors, your friend, M. Jouffroy, for whose know- 
 ledge he expresses the highest regard. Starting, how- 
 ever, from a principle, if not superior, at least different 
 from that which forms the basis of Jouffroy*s philo- 
 sophy, he has been obliged to combat some of the 
 consequences of his teaching. If he had dared, he 
 would have sent him his work, begging him frankly 
 to state his opinion as to the validity of the objections 
 which he brings against his theories. But it would 
 have been audacious, and perhaps indelicate, for a 
 novice in the art of writing to challenge a direct 
 controversy with so formidable an athlete. Neverthe- 
 less, as he desires much to know the judgment which 
 M. Jouffroy will pass on his book, at the risk of com- 
 mitting an indiscretion, I will ask you to lend him the 
 copy which I have the honour to send you, requesting 
 him to give a detailed opinion. If this opinion were 
 of a nature to be made public, my brother will be 
 proud to see his work judged before the tribunal of 
 public opinion by such a man as M. Jouffroy. But 
 this would be asking too much of your kindness, so 
 that I am rather forming a wish than addressing a 
 request to you. 
 
 Your friend, M. de Eora, is well ; his stay at Nice 
 has been repaid to him by several months of health 
 untroubled for an instant by the gout. His daughter, 
 
COUNT GAVOTTR TO MADAME BE GIBGOUBT. 31 
 
 whom you saw at Paris, has left Turin to settle at 
 Bologna, where, I hear, she is very happy. 
 
 Are you likely to go this summer to Franche 
 Comte? If it were so I should have the hope of 
 seeing you when I go to Epinal, whither I am sum- 
 moned by business, for I quite hope you would allow 
 me to ask your hospitality on my way. 
 
 Kindly remember me to M. de Circourt, and believe 
 
 in my respectful attachment. 
 
 C. DE Cavour. 
 
 IV. 
 
 Decemhei' 24, [1841]. 
 
 Madam, — Shall I be presuming too much on the 
 rights which your kindness gives me, and on the pri- 
 vilege of the approaching New Year, if I offer you one 
 of these newl}^ invented pens which still hold the rank 
 of a novelty, and which, I understand, never wear out. 
 If this pen has really the merits which are assigned to 
 it, pray think now and again when you are making 
 use of it, that it is not destined to last so long as the 
 feelings of respect, devotion, and I venture to say, 
 friendship in him who begs you to accept the gift of it. 
 
 C. DE Cavour. 
 
CAVOUB'S LETTERS. 
 
 V. 
 
 [Turin, 1843]. 
 
 Madam, — I have taken the liberty of sending you 
 by my cousin, M. de la Eive, an article, which I have 
 contributed to the Bibliotlieque Universelle of Geneva, 
 upon the posthumous work of M. de Chateauvieux.^ 
 The subject of which I have treated is not likely to 
 be of any interest to you. Nevertheless, I hope that 
 you will receive kindly the tribute of my little paper 
 for the sake of the amiable and clever author whose 
 eminent qualities I have tried to recall, no less as a 
 man of the world than as a didactic writer. 
 
 / Fro m the nature of what I am writing you may 
 imagine that since my return to Piedmont my atten- 
 tion has been chiefly devoted to the study and the 
 work of agriculture. This is, indeed, the only one to 
 which one can with perfect safety devote oneself in this 
 country, where we are enjoying in all its fulness that 
 liberty of the intellect with which the clergy would 
 endow France. If one would live peaceably in Pied- 
 mont, one must occupy oneself with the fields and 
 the meadows ; and one has need to love peace when 
 one is living in the bosom of a numerous family, 
 
 ^ Tlie book by F. Lullin de Chateauvieux, published after his death, 
 is entitled Voyages Agronomiques en France. Count Cavour's article 
 appeared in the Bibliothi que Universelle, dated Santena, Sept. 11, 1843. 
 
COUNT GAVOUR TO MADAME DE CIRCOUBT. 33 
 
 who decidedly object to conflicts of opinions and ideaa J 
 This necessity, of which I am continually under the 
 influence, makes me often regret the movement and 
 the freedom which up till now you still enjoy on the 
 banks of the Seine in spite of the evangelising efforts 
 of my Lord of Chartres^ and of Cardinal de Bonald. 
 My regret becomes keener in proportion as I see the 
 time of year approach when everybody in Paris resumes 
 his old habits, and the privileged visitors at the Eue 
 des Saussaies are sure of finding again in the intimacy 
 of four o'clock all that can satisfy the heart and charm 
 the mind. In spite of the deprivation of which I feel 
 the full bitterness, I cannot think of Paris for this 
 year. The health of my mother and that of my aunt, 
 Mme de Tonnerre, which, though not endangered, is 
 growing feeble, keeps me near them. I must, there- 
 fore, madam, bid you a new farewell, sadder than that 
 which I addressed to you last spring, for the hope of 
 seeing you again is now more remote than it was then. 
 It is a farewell for at least a year, and it may be more. 
 During this long estrangement from the focus of light, 
 it is probable that my mind will become entirely rusted, 
 especially if I continue to make agriculture my exclusive 
 occupation; but I venture to assure you that, far 
 from weakening, my feelings will acquire fresh vigour. 
 I entreat you, therefore, whatever may befall me 
 
 1 Mgr Clausel de Montals. 
 D 
 
34 CAVOUB^S LETTERS. 
 
 from an intellectual point of view, to reserve for me a 
 small sliare of your regard. Be kind enough, among 
 the ever renewed interests of Paris life, sometimes to 
 remember one of your most devoted friends. 
 
 If last year's circle has formed itself again around 
 you, I beg you will remember me to all who have not 
 wholly forgotten me ; and especiallj^ to M. de Belleveze.^ 
 In spite of the divergence of our opinions on more than 
 one essential point, I venture to reckon on a little of 
 his good will ; since, for my part, I confess that he is 
 one of the men whose conversation has most charm for 
 me; and I should be glad to be able to enjoy it 
 occasionally, even if I had to listen to him, in his 
 anti-university zeal, setting the prose of the Abbe 
 Desgenettes above that of M. Cousin, and the intellect 
 of the Bishop of Chalons^ above that of M. Villemain. 
 
 Can you tell me what has become of Princess 
 Belgiojoso since the Pope launched his anathema 
 against her ecclesiastical labours ? ^ ' Does she make 
 submission ? If so, it would be a fine triumph for 
 the Boman power. " I doubt, however, if she will bend 
 completely. The future will probably show us a fresh 
 transformation of her mind. I suppose that the 
 
 ^ Rightly " Belveze," Legitimist Deputy for the Aude. 
 
 2 Mgr de Prissy. 
 
 3 Cristina Trivulzio, Princess Belgiojoso, was born 1808, died 1871. 
 She published (Paris, 1843) four volumes, under a title which the 
 work hardly justified, Essai sur la formation du Dogme Catholique. 
 
- COUNT GAVOUR TO MADAME DE CIBGOUBT. 35 
 
 Dachesse de Rosan \_sic] will have resumed her winter 
 quarters. If it were not for the fear of being indis- 
 creet, I would ask you to give her my respects.^ 
 
 Can you give me any news of poor Prince Dolgo- 
 rouki ? ^ Since he has fallen again into the claws of the 
 terrible autocrat, I can only recollect his wit, without 
 thinking any more of the touch of spite in his character. 
 The Czar is not likely to be in an indulgent mood 
 toward foreigners who write about Russia, or Russians 
 who publish abroad their opinions on their country. 
 M. de Custine's work^ must have wounded his self- 
 esteem deeply ; and it will take many tears and many 
 sufferings to allay his irritation against men of letters. 
 
 I am come to the end of my paper without saying 
 anything about your own health ; and yet that is the 
 subject which interests me most. Of all the news that 
 you could give me, the pleasantest to me would be to 
 learn that the mild climate of the Isle of Wight, and 
 the rest which you enjoyed there, have already restored 
 your nerves, which, when I left you, were so over- 
 wrought. Pray husband the strength which you will 
 have gained. Deprive your friends now and then of 
 
 ^ Claire de Durforfc de Duras, daughter of the last Duke, married 
 in 1819 to Henri de Chastellux, Due de Rauzan. 
 
 2 Prince Peter Yladimirovitch Dolgorouki (1816—1868), author of some 
 Memoires on Russia (Geneva, 1869). See Mme de Circourt's letter of 
 September 8, 1859, to Cavour (Chiala, Letter e di Cavour, vi. 438). 
 
 3 La Bussie en 1839 (Paris, 18 1;}). 
 
 D 2 
 
36 GAVOUR'S LETTERS. 
 
 the pleasure of seeing you in society, in order that you 
 may not lose the means of sparing those who chiefly 
 seek you in the intimacy of home from a hard privation. 
 Please remember me most kindly to M. de Circourt, 
 and believe me, with much respect, your devoted friend, 
 
 C. DE Cavour. 
 
 [Paris, 1843.] 
 
 Madam,— W am glad that the Due de Broglie has 
 anticipated the request I was intending to make to 
 him on your account, and has enabled me to present 
 you with a copy of his report^ on the state of the 
 French colonies and the abolition of slavery, I venture 
 to recommend strongly to you the perusal of this 
 voluminous report, not only because I believe that 
 your superior intelligence will be interested by the 
 immense quantity of facts and profound thoughts 
 which it contains, but more especially because 1 hope 
 that your generous heart will feel, as you read, a true 
 
 ^ A German translation of this letter has been published by Mr. J. 
 H. Geffcken in his Politische Federzeichnungen, p. 365 (Berlin, 1888). 
 
 2 This report on the colonies and slavery had been made in the name 
 of a commission, of whicli the Due de Broglie was chairman. It occupies 
 360 pp. of a volume, called Ministere de la Marine et dea Colonies 
 Commission institueepar Decision Roy ale, du 26 Mai, 1840, pour Vexamen 
 des questions relatives ci Vesclavage et d, la constitution politique des 
 Colonies, etc. (Paris, March, 1843). 
 
COUNT GAYOUR TO MADAME BE CIBGOUBT. 37 
 
 sympathy for the illustrious statesman who has risen 
 above the miserable interests of popularity and political 
 ambition and without allowing himself to be discouraged 
 by the delays and frequent miscalculations which civil- 
 isation experiences in its forward march, continues to 
 work with do less steadiness than prudence in spread- 
 ing throughout the whole universe, without regard to 
 latitude or race, the great principles of equality and 
 perfectibilityTl 
 
 I wish I could mate you share my opinion of the 
 Due de Broglie in order that, whenever a fresh example 
 of the disgraceful shiftiness of our politicians chances 
 to distress you, you may be able, by the thought of his 
 unconquerable consistency, to obliterate from your mind 
 the mischievous traces of their melancholy fickleness. 
 
 Pray forgive my declamatory and provincial tone, 
 
 and do not deride me too much when you reflect upon 
 
 the disagreement between my letter and my precepts. 
 
 It is true that it has not yet struck twelve, and that 
 
 for me you are something more than the kindest of 
 
 fashionable ladies. ' ^ ^ 
 
 C. DE Cavour. 
 
 VII 
 
 [Turin, Jan. 1, 1844.] 
 
 Madam, — I would begin this new year by drawing 
 near to you in thought, not that I think I need inflict 
 
38 CAVOUR'S LETTERS. 
 
 upon you tlie commonplace phrases which in that case 
 are employed by people of fashion with a view to the 
 exchange of false sentiments and most insincere wishes. 
 Such phrases are a paper coinage, more depreciated than 
 any of those of which M. Michel Chevalier has, I 
 presume, been treating in his lessons on exchange ; 
 they can have no real currency among persons who 
 still believe in true attachment and lasting friendship. 
 If I choose this day for writing to you, it is because, 
 in order to make a good beginning of the new period 
 which we are about to face, I cannot do better than 
 call up the most agreeable recollections of the past and 
 make them the basis of dreams and hopes for the future. 
 When will these hopes be realised ? When shall I be 
 permitted to resume those habits of intimacy which 
 you are able to make so binding and so precious ? I 
 have no idea. I cannot at this moment form any 
 plans nor make projects extending into the distant 
 future. So many ties keep me in Piedmont, so many 
 reasons prevent rhe from leaving home that, in truth, 
 I cannot foresee the moment when I shall be able to 
 return to Paris. I much fear that I shall for a long 
 time have to invoke your indulgent recollection before 
 I am able to go in person and beg for the continuance 
 of the good- will which you have accorded to me. It is 
 a sad thought, and would be still more so if I did 
 not know that one may reckon upon the memory of 
 
COUNT CAVOUB TO MADAME DE GIBGOUET. 39 
 
 your heart, as well as upon the charm of your friend- 
 ship. 
 
 You will have this winter, I think, a visit from my 
 friend Casanova. After having passed six months in 
 the country, deep in the theory and practice of 
 agriculture, he is going to recover his tone in the 
 drawing-rooms of Paris. I suspect that he has a secret 
 desire to find there a help meet for himself; you will 
 be able to give him powerful assistance in his search. 
 He has no exaggerated aims in regard to fortune, an 
 ordinary dowry, 200,000 or 300,000 francs, would be 
 quite enough for him. What he is most particular 
 about is the character, that is to say, the intellect of 
 her with whom he will have to pass his life. My 
 friend has one of those exceptional hearts which err 
 through excess of delicacy, which ask much because 
 they can give without limit. Like all generous -minded 
 Italians he is sincerely liberal ; a wife with too much of 
 the faubourg would not suit him. Equally I think that 
 a frivolous young person, crazy for pleasure and fashion, 
 would be little suited to him, for his tastes are serious 
 and his habits lead him to prefer the sweets of private 
 life to the enjoyments of fashionable society. He can 
 offer the lady to whom he may pay his addresses an 
 income of 40,000 francs from a fine and fertile estate; 
 the certainty of inheriting about as much again from 
 two uncles who are indeed not advanced in years, one 
 
40 CAVOUB'S LETTERS. 
 
 of the great names of Italy, good looks, and above all, 
 and better than all, an elevated, noble, and generous 
 character, and a spirit in which the good qualities of 
 the old nobility are reconciled with the enlightenment 
 of modern times. If a man like that cannot make a 
 woman, who is worthy of him, happy, one must con- 
 clude that marriage, is as detestable an institution as 
 Georges Sand asserts.-^ 
 
 Speaking of Greorges Sand, what do you say about 
 the shameful association which M. de Lamartine has 
 formed with her? How could the singer of Elvira 
 attune his lyre to the voice of the bacchanal Lelia? I 
 was only too right last year when a secret presenti- 
 ment kept me at a distance from the man who was 
 formerly as great by character as by talent. 
 
 I do not know if I am deluded by my own im- 
 pressions, but I cannot help thinking that the comedy 
 which has lately been played in Belgrave Square will 
 have distressed you.^ I do not know what the partisans 
 of the elder branch expected from these empty demon- 
 strations, nor do I know what effect they have produced 
 in France. "What is certain is that in foreign countries 
 there is not a single man of good sense, whatever may 
 be the shade of his opinions, who has not vigorously 
 
 ^ Count Alessandro di Casanova died unmarried. 
 
 '^ In November, 1843, the Comte de Chambord went from Frohsdorf 
 to London to meet his partisans. More than 300 French Legitimists 
 were present at the gathering in Belgrave Square. 
 
COUNT CAVOUB TO MADAME DE GIliGOUBT. 41 
 
 blamed them. I regret the consequences which they 
 may have in Parisian society, but I doubt not that 
 your privileged circle is sheltered from dissensions and 
 from petty social hatreds transfigured into political 
 passions. I saw with pleasure that hardly any of your 
 liegemen went on pilgrimage to London. Happy are 
 they who, living near you, feel the influence of your 
 lofty good sense and of your beneficent enlightenment. 
 My brother joins with me in expressing the same 
 feelings of respect and devotion. Accept them kindly, 
 and believe me, with unchangeable attachment, 
 
 C. DE C. 
 
 YIII. 
 
 Turin, Feh. 15, 1844. 
 
 Madam, — I would not answer your last letter till 
 I had read Father Eavignan's pamphlet.^ You were 
 quite right in calling my attention to its appearance 
 as a great event. Like you, I admired its eloquent 
 pleading, its courageous justification of a body which 
 reckons so many powerful and determined foes.il_The 
 reading of it has convinced me that the Order of 
 Jesuits may boast the possession of great talents and 
 great virtues ; that its iron rule, if it is stifling to 
 
 ^ De VExistence et de VInstitut des Jesuites. Par le R. P. Ravignan 
 (Paris, 1844). 
 
42 CAYOUR'S LETTERS. 
 
 average natures, redoubles the energy of vigorous 
 minds. But granting this, M. de Eavignan's book 
 has only confirmed the opinion which, in Italy, all 
 enlightened men, all true lovers of their country, hold 
 with regard to the Jesuits. I find set forth in it, 
 more powerfully than anywhere else, the immense 
 resources which the Company of Jesus has at its 
 disposal in religious conflicts. These resources, says 
 Father Eavignan, are placed at the sole service of 
 religion. That may be true, if one only considers the 
 ultimate aim, the final cause of the efforts of the Order. 
 But it is beyond doubt — our country is a sad example 
 of it — that in order to arrive at spiritual and religious 
 ascendency, the Jesuits seek, in the first place, temporal 
 and political ascendency. I do not doubt the good 
 faith of the eminent preacher. But when he speaks 
 of the disinterestedness of his Order, of its love of 
 progress, civilisation, science, even liberty, I have only 
 to look around me to recognise the hollowness of his 
 words. I wish I could take you for a moment into 
 one of the colleges managed by the Jesuits in this 
 country; give you a glimpse into their methods and 
 the results of them. This simple inspection would 
 certainly suffice to destroy in your mind the magical 
 effect of the sometime Solicitor-Generars^ pleadings. 
 
 ^ The famous Jesuit preacher began his career as a barrister, and was 
 rising rapidly in that profession. In 1821 he acted as counsel for the 
 
COUNT GAVOUB TO MADAME DE GIRGOUBT. 43 
 
 They are less mischievous in France and Switzerland 
 than with us. But why ? Because in those countries, 
 which are not under their yoke, they have to take 
 precautions, to employ care in handling Grovernment 
 and people. Being with us all-powerful, they can give 
 free scope to their tendency, and let the spirit of the 
 Order develop itself. If you wish to know the inner- 
 most nature of the Order, you must not study them 
 where they have to fight their way, and where 
 their position is precarious. You will never form a 
 complete estimate of them save where, with no 
 obstacles to encounter, they apply their rules in a 
 consistent and logical manner. They have learnt 
 nothing, forgotten nothing ; their spirit and their 
 methods are the same as ever. Woe to the country, 
 woe to the class which shall entrust them exclusively 
 with the education of its youth. In default of such 
 fortunate conditions as may obliterate in the man the 
 lessons received in childhood, they will, in the course 
 of a century, produce a bastard and degenerate race : 
 Spanish grandees, Neapolitan signori; that is, some- 
 thing midway between men and brutes. The opinion 
 that I express here is shared by the most distinguished 
 among our clergy, and by the immense majority of 
 
 Crown in an important trial, and was subsequently appointed deputy to 
 the procureur du roi, an office which was regarded as a certain road to 
 that of avocat-general, the nearest French analogue to our Solicitor- 
 General. 
 
44 CAVOUE'S LETTERS. 
 
 sincere CatholicsD Therefore, before admitting M. de 
 Eavignan's conclusions, before yielding to the impetus 
 of his burning eloquence, deign to reflect on the actual 
 facts, on the positive and incontestable result of their 
 revival in the countries which they rule; and oppose 
 to the splendour of rhetoric the stern logic of events. 
 But in truth it is a case of much cry and little 
 wool. The Jesuits are not dangerous in France. In 
 a land of freedom, in a land of science and enlighten- 
 ment, they will always be compelled to modify and 
 transform themselves ; they will never obtain a real 
 or lasting empire, either in the political or in the 
 intellectual world. In the interests of mankind, I 
 should like to come to terms with the Jesuits, and 
 concede to them in the countries whence they are at 
 present excluded three, four, ten times more liberty 
 than they would allow to the people whom they rule. 
 
 Forgive me for having dealt at such length with a 
 disagreeable subject. If you were to stay among us 
 for six months, you would no longer be surprised at 
 the degree of warmth, at the excited tone, which I 
 bring to the discussion of this question. 
 
 I ought to express my condolence for the ill-success 
 of your protege's candidature.^ In truth, I cannot 
 conceive how anyone could put M. Yatout before him. 
 
 1 Alfred de Yigny. He was elected to the Academy in the following 
 year. 
 
\ B 
 
 SITY 
 
 COUNT GAVOUE TO MADAME DE CIEOOURT. 45 
 
 What has M. Vatout done as good as St.-Mars [sic] ? 
 It is true though that M. de Vigny's last poems were 
 not of a kind to increase his fame, or to smooth his 
 path to the Academy. If you have any influence over 
 him, try to send him back into the field of journalism ; 
 he will surely obtain successes there which will earn 
 him the laurels of a fame worth all that of the Academic 
 armchair. 
 
 I will ask you to let me know from time to time 
 what works are producing most effect in the world of 
 Paris ; in thought one is always in the midst of it, 
 even when tyrannous circumstances keep at a distance 
 from it those who have shared its inner life. 
 
 Eora has had a bad attack of gout; he is better, 
 
 but still in pain. Casanova is in mourning for his 
 
 sister, and has a lawsuit on with his cousins ; he hardly 
 
 knows which way to turn, and is out of heart and 
 
 unsettled. The letter which you were good enough 
 
 to write him has shed balm into his heart. It was an 
 
 act of charity, for which I, too, on my own account, 
 
 am deeply grateful. My brother, who has read M. de 
 
 Ravignan's work with more profit than I, thanks you 
 
 for your kind remembrance of him, and desires his 
 
 respects. Please accept once more those of your sincere 
 
 friend, 
 
 C. DE Cavour. 
 
46 CAVOUB\S LETTERS. 
 
 IX. 
 
 Turin, Feb. 23, 1844 
 MADAM,-t:J am not going to resume my dissertation 
 npon the Jesuits, though I am far from having ex- 
 hausted the subject. For our sins, they every day 
 supply good Italians with fresh reasons for looking 
 upon them as one of the most deadly among the 
 scourges which ravage their fair land. You are quite 
 right to admire M. de Eavignan. I share your feeling ; 
 but it only increases my antipathy for an institution 
 which renders such fine talent, such grand devotion, 
 fruitless, if not dangerojus^J^ 
 
 Many thanks for the witty and interesting biblio- 
 graphical chronicle which you send me. I shall profit 
 greatly by it, if I avoid what displeases you, and if, 
 according to your advice, I read M. Saint-Marc Grirardin 
 and Miss Prescott. [I was already acquainted with the 
 Edinhurgli Review article on Ireland^ which you notice. 
 It is by a friend of mine, Mr. Senior; the most en- 
 lightened thinker in Grreat Britain. He is the econo- 
 mist par excellence on that side of the Channel. M. 
 Chevalier will, no doubt, know him, but is not likely 
 to love him much ; for Mr. Senior treats political 
 economy like a man of learning, M. Chevalier like a 
 romantic man of letters. I had for my sins put 
 
 1 By Nassau Senior. Edinburgh Review for April, 1844. 
 
COUNT GAVOUE TO MADAME BE CIBGOUBT. 47 
 
 together in my corner here an article on Ireland, with 
 no suspicion that so much better a man as Mr. Senior 
 was preparing a paper on the same subject from a point 
 of view absolutely similar to my own. When I read 
 it, it was too late to stop the publication of my work, 
 which was already being printed in my too indulgent 
 cousin's review.^ It comes at a bad moment, for I 
 may be accused of having copied Senior, which would 
 distress me vastly. I know none more worthy of 
 contempt than commonplace men who try to deck 
 themselves in the thoughts of superior intellectsT? 
 Whatever merit, real or occasional, my article may 
 have, I shall take the liberty of offering you a copy 
 of it. Do you think I may lay one at the feet of the 
 Duchess?^ Her opinions are not mine; might she 
 not be displeased at my serving her a dish flavoured 
 with dangerous views? If I do it, it will only be 
 on 3^our authority, and after you have obtained her 
 promise to consider not the work itself, but the homage 
 paid to her by the author. 
 
 My aunt, Mme de Tonnerre, has had news from 
 Paris of M. Scipion de Breze's^ health, which make 
 her very anxious. They tell her that the doctors are 
 sending him to Italy alone, without wife, relations, or 
 
 1 The Bihliotheque de Geneve. Edited by M. de la Rive. 
 
 2 De Rauzan. 
 
 ^ The Marquis Scipion de Dreux-Breze, one of the heads of the 
 Legitimist party in Paris. He died November, 1845. 
 
48 GAVOUR'8 LETTERS. 
 
 friends; that he is even forbidden to take his valet. 
 Is his brain affected, and is it thought essential to a 
 cure that he be kept away from whatever may call up 
 memories of his past life ? It would be very sad to 
 see so lofty an intellect perish so young, and so fine a 
 character fall into a condition which is not beyond 
 the reach of the corroding action of ridicule. The 
 Legitimist party must be deeply distressed at M. de 
 Breze's condition, for he was indubitably the finest 
 thing it had produced, the only man who could manage 
 to combine in a dignified and noble fashion a reverence 
 for the antiquated recollections and sentiments of 
 a nobleman with the progressive ideas of the new 
 generation. 
 
 I have not said anything about M. de Salvandy's 
 resignation,^ because I should have been obliged to 
 confess that at Turin he was not very much regretted. 
 Wrongly, no doubt, a severe estimate was formed of 
 him. Our society, which is essentially aristocratic, 
 found a want of distinction in his manners. Excep- 
 tional efforts failed to improve them, and only trans- 
 formed them to affectation. I did not share this 
 opinion, at least, if at the bottom of my heart I 
 recognised a certain blend of vulgarity and self- 
 
 1 Count Narcisse de Salvandy, member of the French Academy, 
 Minister for Education in the Cabinet of which Count Mole was the head 
 (1837), and Ambassador first in Spain, then in Piedmont. He resigned 
 the Turin Embassy in February, 1844. 
 
COUNT GAVOUB TO MADAME BE GIBGOUET. 49 
 
 importance in the late ambassador, I took no heed of 
 it, preferring to occupy myself solely with the charm 
 of one of the most conspicuous intellects of our day. 
 The great thing for success among us is simplicity, 
 and a certain external elegance. Both one and the other 
 were lacking in the academic diplomatist. Time would 
 have been needed, enough to let his really remarkable 
 wit display its most brilliant side, if our ladies were 
 to forget his theatrical fashion of entering a drawing- 
 room, and a certain sweep of the arm which is peculiar 
 to him. I am very much afraid that we shall lose 
 little by the change. While waiting for the arrival 
 of M. de Mortier^ to let us know if our fears are well 
 founded, we are enjoying a young lion of the Jockey 
 Club, who is a perfect representative of France among 
 our fair ladies and our whist players. With all M. de 
 Salvandy's abilities I much doubt if he would have 
 obtained in our drawing-rooms half the success which 
 M. de MareuiP owes to his good looks, his elegant 
 manners, and his position as tame lion. 
 
 I trust most sincerely that your health is improving, 
 and that it allows you to emerge from the retreat in 
 
 1 Count Mortier succeeded Count Salvandy as French Ambassador 
 at Turin .in February, 1844. 
 
 2 Joseph Durand, Yicomte de Mareuil, first secretary of embassy 
 and interim charge d'affaires of France at Turin, in February, 1844, was 
 son of Comte de Mareuil, a member of the Chamber of Peers in the 
 Monarchy of July. 
 
50 OAVOUWS LETTERS. 
 
 which you are living. I ardently desire to hear that 
 you are again launched into the world; in the first 
 place, because your sufferings distress me as much as 
 if I felt them myself, and, then, from a little jealousy 
 of the lucky liegemen who can surround you more 
 completely and enjoy the pleasure of your intimacy 
 more fully than it was permitted me to do when I 
 was wathin sight of you. Please keep a small indis- 
 position for me, and in the meantime, until I can join 
 with your elect in tending you, try to he extremely 
 well, if it be only in order not to add the torments 
 of anxiety to the regrets of absence, which of them- 
 selves are quite sufficiently cruel to endure. Believe 
 me, madam, yours with unchanged and respectful 
 
 attachment, 
 
 C. DE Cavour. 
 
 X. 
 
 [Turin], March 15, [1844]. 
 
 Madam, — I hope that this letter will find you 
 completely recovered from the fever and its effects. 
 I wish to persuade myself that I have to ofier you 
 nothing but congratulations on your return to health, 
 and on your reappearance in the midst of the select 
 circle to whom your presence is a daily need. 
 
 While you were laid up I was engaged on my side 
 in tending some very dear invalids, whose state of 
 
COUNT GAVOUB TO MADAME DE GIBCOUET. 51 
 
 health was causing us much anxiety. . I had my 
 mother and my grandmother seriously ill at the same 
 time. My mother has got pretty well again ; my 
 grandmother is much better, but her great 'age gives 
 us some anxiety as to the result of an illness which 
 has lasted nearly forty days. 
 
 LI have begged my cousin, De la Rive,^ to send you 
 three copies of my article. One of them you will 
 kindly accept, and lay the second at the feet of the fair 
 Duchess.^ The third is intended for M. Chevalier, if 
 he will deign to accept it. It is a tribute of my esteem 
 for many of his works, and a mark of sympathy with 
 mamr of his opinions. As it is possible that I may 
 hereafter take leave to combat some of the latter, I 
 wish to show that this partial disagreement is combined 
 in me with a keen sense of the far-reaching quality of 
 his mind and the extent of his talents."? Besides, since 
 you told me that he was very intimate with my friend 
 Mr. Senior, I have no longer had the same feeling of 
 estrangement from him which certain ill-sounding ex- 
 pressions in his speeches and his lectures had aroused. 
 
 When next you meet our ex-ambassador^ you can 
 tell him that his stay at Turin has not been barren, 
 but that he may claim to have influenced in the most 
 
 ^ Auguste (le la Rive and Camillo di Cavour were second cousins, 
 
 their maternal grandmothers, Mme T. Boissier and Mme de Sellou, 
 having been sisters. 
 
 2 De Rauzan. ^ Count de Salvandy. 
 
 E 2 
 
52 GAVOUB'S LETTERS. 
 
 fortunate manner the fate of a young and brilliant 
 singer. The Cross which he sent her, the advice which 
 he gave her, while he was still under the spell of her 
 divine voice, have acted upon her as an irresistible 
 charm, and made her prefer a young and handsome 
 husband to the fabulous terms offered by the directors 
 of the principal theatres in Europe. Do not tell him 
 that the young and handsome husband has two thou- 
 sand a year, for that would destroy all the poetry of 
 the story, and do away with the virtue of the senti- 
 mental diplomat's charm. If M. de Salvandy desires 
 to continue inspiring the married woman as he inspired 
 the young beginner, there is a good opportunity, for at 
 this moment she is in Paris, changed from Mile Branca, 
 as she was, to Mme Juva.-^ 
 
 /it distresses me to be unable to share any of your 
 opinions on M. de Lamartine ; but I must admit to you 
 that his speech on the fortifications seemed to me to be 
 beneath his abilities.^ It consists of a mass of declama- 
 tion and a string of commonplaces, such as a man of 
 the deputy for Macon's grasp should not employ. 
 
 The zeal of the Bishops for freedom of instruction 
 is curious to one who knows the true instincts of the 
 
 1 Mile Branca married M. Juva, of Turin, in 1844. 
 
 2 Lamartine delivered two speeches in the Chamber of Deputies on 
 the subject of the fortifications of Paris : one at the sitting of January 
 21, 1842, when the Bill was introduced, the second at the sitting of May 
 
 and 7, 1845, when the armament was under discussion. 
 
COUNT CAVOUE TO MADAME BE GIBCOUBT. 53 
 
 higher clergy thoroughly. While in France they are 
 keeping up such an ardent controversy in the name of 
 the most liberal principles, their brethren here are, in 
 circulars and speeches, attacking all liberties, from that 
 of speech to that of thought, with redoubled virulence. 
 
 God grant that France be not the dupe of these 
 recent converts to the great principles of the free 
 development of the intelligence of which they are at 
 bottom the irreconcilable foesT] 
 
 Please believe me as ever your most devoted friend, 
 
 C. DE Cavour. 
 
 XL 
 
 Santena, Oct 14, 1844. 
 
 Madam, — If I had not ever present in my remem- 
 brance a thousand irrefragable proofs of your indulgent 
 friendship towards me I should not, in truth, venture 
 to resume a correspondence which has been so long 
 interrupted through my fault. I shall not seek to 
 excuse my silence by commonplace reasons ; I prefer, 
 after the English fashion, to admit that I am to blame, 
 {'' to plead guilty ")> and to owe my pardon only to your 
 affection and kindness. The inhabitants of my country 
 are subject to attacks of moodiness, phases of taciturnity. 
 It is the sole extenuating circumstance which I allow 
 myself to put forward, and I avow, moreover, that I 
 
54 GAVOXmS LETTERS. 
 
 recognise that before a severe judge it will have no 
 weight. 
 
 AVhile you were enjoying the sweets of country- 
 house life, first with a brilliant duchess, and then with 
 the quondam singer of Elvira,^ I was travelling about 
 Switzerland with one of my friends to get rid of the 
 remains of a touch of fever which I caught in the rice- 
 fields. I revisited with interest and pleasure that 
 beautiful Swiss scenery, so picturesque and attractive 
 in its grandeur. I did not occupy myself much wdth 
 deep researches into the politics of the country. From 
 the tourist's point of view at which I was placed, I 
 could not have formed a good estimate of itJ Tables 
 d'hote and hotel salons, in. Switzerland particularly, are 
 not very faithful mirrors of the national spirit ; more- 
 over, the moral spectacle which that fair country 
 presented at the time was too melancholy for one not 
 to wish to look away from it during a journey of 
 pleasure. 
 
 On the road I met M. and Mme de Barante, who 
 were staying at the dull Chateau de Villar. Their 
 conversation brought me back to the drawing-rooms 
 of Paris and the intellectual activity which is only 
 found there. Mme de Barante seems to me to have 
 definitively exchanged the part of fashionable beauty 
 for that of pious woman. The cavernous sighs drawn 
 
 * Lamartine. 
 
COUNT GAVOUR TO MADAME BE GIBGOURT. 55 
 
 from lier by the witty account which, her amiable 
 husband gave us of the compulsory withdrawal of 
 the sons of Loyola prove to me that she is fallen for 
 good and all into the Jesuit mysticism, that melan- 
 choly fanaticism which nothing redeems and nothing 
 beautifies, which is beggared of poetry and of love, 
 and sacrifices the reason without raising the feelings 
 towards the regions of the sublime. 
 
 M. Michel Chevalier married! I confess that I 
 liked him better as a bachelor; that suited better his 
 present state and still more his past career. I hope 
 that conjugal love will not do any harm to the science 
 of which he is one of the principal experts, and that he 
 will not altogether forget political economy in order to 
 surrender himself exclusively to the charms of its 
 domestic branch. 
 
 I have no plans for this winter. To be away for 
 long is impossible to me, and I should hate to go to 
 Paris for a short time only. I am meditating a journey 
 to England for next spring, but that is a very vague 
 plan, the realisation of which is subject to sundry 
 eventualities, which I cannot foresee. In any case, 
 if it be not Paris, at any rate the Eue des Saussaies 
 will turn out to be on my way ; it will be the most 
 agreeable halting place of my journey. 
 
 Signor di Castellengo^ takes charge of this letter. 
 
 ^ Count Adolfo Frichignono di Castellengo. 
 
56 GAVOUB'8 LETTERS. 
 
 I am delighted that you should have appreciated his 
 intelligence and enlightenment. He is a good speci- 
 men of what the upper class in Piedmont can become 
 when it is transplanted to an intellectual soil, and when 
 it issues from the narrow circle in which on its own 
 soil it is forced to vegetate. I assure you that for you 
 he has a feeling very different from indulgence ; he is 
 quite clever enough, I assure you, to be able to judge 
 you at your true worth. All that he has said to me 
 proves that he has been able to discover the treasures, 
 both of intellect and of feeling, contained in that 
 drawing-room of the Eue des Saussaies, of which I 
 so feel the loss. Kindly thank M. de Circourt and 
 the Duke and Duchess of Eauzan for their friendly 
 remembrance of me, and offer them my kindest regards. 
 I hope that in spite of my sins you will believe in my 
 sincere friendship, and will allow me always to call 
 
 myself yours most devotedly, 
 
 C. DE Cavouk. 
 
 XII. 
 
 [Turin,] Feb. 4, [1845.] 
 
 Madam, — You will not think it amiss, I venture 
 to hope, that I have given one of my friends, who is 
 about to pass some months at Paris, a letter of intro- 
 duction to you. Full as I am of confidence in the 
 
COUNT GAVOUE TO MADAME DE GIEGOURT. 57 
 
 indulgence of your friendship, I thought I might 
 appeal to your kindness on behalf of a young man of 
 distinction. The person whom I introduce belongs to 
 the family of Berton, well-known in France, since it 
 is the stock from which the Crillons sprang.^ He has 
 served for some time in the cavalry, and now he has 
 retired into private life to give free play to his turn 
 for serious and independent thinking. He is going to 
 Paris filled with desire to see and to learn. If you 
 receive him with kindness, his desire will be satisfied, 
 for your salon will initiate him into all the charms of 
 the French mind, and in your society he will attain to 
 a knowledge of the pitch to which the atmosphere of 
 Paris can develop the graces of the intellect without 
 injuring a lofty heart and strong feelings. 
 
 I will not ask you for news of the political worlds 
 (jThe Parliamentary drama which at this moment is 
 being played in Paris seems to me to be stripped of 
 all grandeur, and offers only a moderate interest. In 
 all that passes I see but one living and real feeling, 
 the envy and hatred which the oratorical eminence of 
 M. Guizot inspires in all the politicians. I could have 
 wished that that illustrious statesman had withdrawn, 
 for while I believe his policy to be better than that of 
 his rivals, I think that his sacrifice is necessary to allay 
 the irritation which 1840 produced in France, and 
 
 1 This was Count Auguste Balbis Bertone di Sambuy. 
 
58 GAVOUB'S LETTERS. 
 
 which all the extreme parties, all the mean passions 
 are taking so much pains to maintain. I keenly 
 regretted that M. de Lamartine did not take part in 
 the debate on the address. He would have turned it 
 into a political struggle instead of a regular vestry 
 squabble. I do not know whether a morose spirit is 
 disturbing my judgment, but I do assure you that 
 MM. Mole, Thiers, and Guizot quarrelling on the 
 Pritchard question^ produce on me the effect of canons 
 disputing about the administration of Chapter property77 
 
 On your recommendation I have read " Hellen [sic] 
 Middleton."^ Without wholly sharing the enthusiasm 
 with which it inspired you, I found great beauties in 
 the novel ; what specially interested me was the picture 
 which it contains of the Catholic tendencies in the 
 more fervent portion of the Anglican Church. As for 
 the heroine, I confess to my shame that I find her 
 very little to be liked and deserving, up to a certain 
 point, of the fate which overtook her. If any book of 
 any merit has appeared since the last letter you wrote 
 me, it will be kind in you to let me know of it, so that 
 I may not remain altogether a stranger to the ideas 
 
 1 Mr. Pritchard, the British consul in Tahiti, had been arrested on 
 March 5 in this year by the French authorities, on a charge of fomenting 
 local disturbances. The matter was the subject of Parliamentary debates 
 in both countries ; but in the end an indemnity was paid by the French 
 Government. 
 
 2 Ellen Middletorif a Tale, by Lady Georgina Fullerton. London, 
 1844. 
 
COUNT CAVOUB TO MADAME'^ Tm-lJlEGOTJET, 59 
 
 which are current in the circle of society in which you 
 move. 
 
 In lieu of Parliamentary debates we have had the 
 incomparable Taglioni.^ This year, at any rate, we 
 have no occasion to complain of our lot. Taglioni has 
 not only been the charm of our evening parties, but 
 she has supplied Turin society with an inexhaustible 
 subject for comment and discussion ; an inestimable 
 blessing for a town where, in spite of the proverb, the 
 days follow and do resemble each other. On her first 
 appearance the grand dancer was coldly received. The 
 somewhat uncultivated public of the pit did not at once 
 grasp the full perfection and grace of her dancing. 
 Local persons of taste were keenly alarmed ; they feared 
 lest the city of Turin should render itself guilty of the 
 unpardonable fault of not applauding Taglioni. One 
 of them with some emotion expressed his fear to a 
 charming Eussian prince, who follows, or leads, as you 
 may please to put it, the car of the divine dancer.^ 
 The prince, unperturbed, reassured him with this pro- 
 found saying : " Do not be astonished with what is 
 taking place, it is quite natural that at the first moment 
 
 1 Maria Taglioni apj)cared in the Theatre Royal at Turin on January 
 21, 1845, in the ballet L'Allieva d'Amore, composed by Monticini. She 
 was then thirty-six years old, having been born at Stockholm in 1809, 
 In 1832 she had married Count Gilbert des Yoisins. 
 
 2 Prince Alexander Yladimirovitch Troubetskoi, who afterwards 
 married Taglioni's daughter, and died in 1889. 
 
60 GAVOUKS LETTERS. 
 
 they should not appreciate all the sublimity that there 
 is in Taglioni. It is just as when one first enters the 
 basilica of St. Peter. Works of genius at the first 
 view appear simple and natural/' The Eussian prince 
 was right ; at her second appearance Taglioni was 
 loudly applauded, and on the third she kindled the 
 same enthusiasm that one feels at St. Peter's on 
 Good Friday when the church is lighted up. 
 
 LMy brother bids me remember him to you. If you 
 did forget him you would commit a great injustice, 
 for in him you have a most devoted friend. He has 
 recently been writing some philosophic and religious 
 works, and although they are strictly orthodox, the 
 censorship has not allowed him to publish them; a 
 happy result of absolute government, an encouraging 
 example of the way in which the party that in France 
 is claiming freedom of education with such frenzied 
 ardour makes use of its power. "^ 
 
 I hope that the next newspapers will bring us the 
 news of M. Michel Chevalier's election. If he is 
 successful, kindly give him my congratulations. Pray 
 believe me your respectful and devoted friend, 
 
 Camille de Cavour. 
 
COUNT GAVOUB TO MADAME BE GIROOURT. 61 
 
 XIII. 
 
 [TuHn], Ajwil 11, [1845.] 
 
 Madam, — If I have been so slow in thanking you 
 for the kindly interest which you have been good 
 enough to take in the poor still-born article which 
 could find no hospitality with the scornful Parisian 
 press, it was neither owing to ingratitude nor forgetful- 
 ness. I have been for the last two months, and I still 
 am, exclusively occupied with the sad state of health 
 of some of the people who are most dear to me. First, 
 Madame de Tonnerre^ has been at death's door. She 
 is now nearly well, but still suffering from the remains 
 of an inflammatory disorder which the doctors cannot 
 succeed in wholly eradicating. While my aunt was 
 slowly advancing towards recovery, my mother was 
 suffering more and more from a heart affection, the 
 germs of which she has had about her for two years. ^ 
 It is now a month since the doctors declared her to be 
 in danger, and more than once she has become so much 
 worse that we had no hope left. Nevertheless, after a 
 painful crisis she has each time recovered sufficiently 
 to allow us to take a cheerful view in regard to the 
 dangers which threaten her. Last Sunday she was so 
 ill that she asked for the last Sacrament. Since then 
 
 ^ The Duchess o£ Clermont Tonnerre, born de Sellon of Geneva, was 
 sister to Cavour's mother. 
 
 2 Ad^le de Sellon, Marquise de Cavour, died in 1846. 
 
62 GAVOUmS LETTERS. 
 
 she has gained a little, the doctors even declare that 
 she is better. She is, however, still in such a state 
 that at any moment she may drop back to a lower 
 point than ever. To increase our troubles my honoured 
 grandmother is in bed with a severe catarrhal fever.-^ 
 In spite of her eighty-four years she bears her illness 
 with wonderful vigour, and on her sick bed she thinks 
 only of my mother, whom she has always cherished as 
 a beloved daughter. The sad picture which I have 
 been giving you will explain my silence. Even if my 
 mind had been calm enough to write to you I should 
 not have had the time, for for some time past I have 
 been the only individual of my family on his legs. 
 My brother and my father have had the gout, and my 
 nephew has twice been let blood. Happily they are 
 all three cured, and they are sharing with me the care 
 of our beloved invalids. 
 
 Your good friends Eora are not in any better con- 
 dition. Eora is suffering from a most violent attack of 
 gout. The young Marchioness^ is expecting shortly to 
 
 ^ FraiKjoise Philippine, daughter of the Marquis de Sales de Dningt, 
 sprang from that famous family in the Chablais which reckons St. 
 Francois de Sales among its members. At the date when this letter 
 was written she was widow of the Marquis Filippo Benso di Cavour, 
 grandfather of Camillo. She died August 5, 1849. Count Cavour was 
 sometimes fond of recalling with a smile that he was the saint's great- 
 great-nephew. 
 
 2 Giulia Yisconti d'Aragona, wife of Emanuele Luserna, Count of 
 Campiglione, afterwards Marquis of Rora, deputy-prefect of Romagna, 
 and syndic of Turin, 
 
COUNT GAVOUR TO MADAME BE GIBGOUBT. 63 
 
 be confined, which, exhausts all her strength ; and, lastly, 
 
 the whole family is enduring the most cruel anxiety 
 
 about the condition of Madame de Carrii, who seems on 
 
 the point of relapsing into the malady of which she was 
 
 with such difficulty cured three years ago. The doctors 
 
 here say that their Pisan colleagues are killing her by 
 
 the treatment which they have prescribed. Her parents 
 
 would like to make her come to Turin, but the journey 
 
 offers all kinds of difficulties, which have not yet been 
 
 overcome by the presence of her brother Emmanuel. 
 
 I am talking to you of nothing but sad things, 
 
 dear madam, for I could not entertain you with other 
 
 matters. So I leave you that I may not distress you 
 
 further, though I am quite sure that you sympathise 
 
 with our troubles and sorrows. Believe me yours with 
 
 respect and sincere devotion, 
 
 C. DE Cavour. 
 
 XIV. 
 
 [Turin, 1846]. 
 
 Madam, — I am about to require a conspicuous 
 favour from your indulgent friendship. This concerns 
 no less a matter than the obtaining from the manager 
 of the Revue des Deux Mondes the insertion of an article 
 composed by me. You see that it is no easy task. 
 J This article which, taking its text from the rail- 
 
64 GAVOUB'S LETTERS. 
 
 ways, discusses the question of Italian politics, aims 
 principally at acting upon the opinion of a highly 
 placed personage,^ who is very sensitive to what the 
 Parisian press says of him. Owing to certain special 
 circumstances, I have reason to believe that a manifesto 
 of the kind which I should wish to make would not be 
 without its value for my country. That is why my 
 heart is so much set on seeing my article published in 
 
 the Revue des Deux Mondes. 
 
 .---■^ 
 
 I sent it to M. Cousin, who has from time to time 
 shown me much kindness, but I should be very glad if 
 M. Michel Chevalier would use his influence to over- 
 come M. Buloz's objections. Ll do not disguise from 
 myself the importance of the favour which I am asking 
 from M. Chevalier, for my article, besides its other 
 sins, has that of having been written with a special 
 view to my own country, a point which will have only 
 a moderate interest for French readers.^ 
 
 [The chief plea which I beg you to urge with M. 
 Chevalier are the liberal and moderate opinions which 
 I am making an effort to propagate in a country where 
 hitherto extreme views have always had the upper 
 hand. Many of my friends, Count Balbo among 
 others,^ are making every effort to organise a party of 
 
 * King Charles Albert. 
 
 2 Count Cesare Balbo author of Speranze d'ltalia and La Vita di 
 Dante. 
 
COUNT GAVOUB TO MADAME BE GIBGOUBT. 65 
 
 peaceful reforms and measured progress /j Enlightened 
 and philanthropic men like M. Chevalier owe him their 
 support. M. Cousin will, I think, speak to M. Buloz, 
 I ask, therefore, of M. Chevalier only a word in support 
 of what M. Cousin may say. 
 
 There, madam, is a very indiscreet request, and I 
 offer my apologies for it. Only I beg you not to 
 attribute my indiscretion to excessive literary vanity, 
 an error into which I do not think I ever fell. I may 
 exaggerate the political range of my article, but I am 
 under no delusion as to its literary merit.^ 
 
 Since I learnt from the newspapers the illness and 
 death of Mme Delaroche,^ I have thought much of 
 you, although you never made me aware of the ties of 
 affection which bound you to that charming person. I 
 only knew that Mme Delaroche possessed an irresistible 
 charm; though I am little poetical by nature I was 
 conscious of its effect. Seeing her and hearing her talk, 
 I felt that I was in presence of one of those choice 
 natures which subjugate all who surround them; she 
 was too perfect for this world. Her death must have 
 left a great void in her surroundings. I grieve bitterly 
 for her unhappy husband whose inspiring genius she 
 was. 
 
 We have had at Turin for some days a person of 
 
 1 The article, on the " Railways in Italy," was published not in the 
 Revue des Deux Mondes, but in the Bevue Nouvelle, of May 1, 1846. 
 
 2 Madame Louise Delaroche, daughter of Horace Yemet, died in 1845. 
 
 ^V b R A R y- 
 OF THE 
 
 UNWERSITY 
 
66 ' GAVOUWS LETTERS. 
 
 your acquaintance, M. de Nieuwerkerke,^ the sculptor 
 of William the Silent. He came to return thanks 
 for a bit of riband the king had granted him, and also, 
 it is said, to beg an order for a statue of the famous 
 Prince Eugene. The king was disposed to receive 
 him very kindly, but as he did not wish to be intro- 
 duced by the French charge_ d'affaires, he has not been 
 received at Court, which has annoyed him a good deal. 
 I will not say anything about Lucca. Eora is sure 
 to give you the news of it in detail, for he has been 
 several times at the new court. Although I am little 
 inclined to Carlism, I wish most sincerely that marriage 
 may have changed the character of the young prince. 
 
 The session so far seems to me to be turning out 
 to the advantage of M. Guizot, and even to that of 
 Salvandy. Bitter enemy as I am of the Jesuits, I cannot 
 help approving his reform of the Eoyal Council. I 
 admire Cousin s talent, but I do not see the necessity 
 of making him a Father of the Faith in philosophy. 
 M. de Salvandy has shown great courage, and that is 
 an enormous merit in this age of compromise. 
 
 My brother begs you to accept his warmest regards. 
 He will send you a little article on Communism in a few 
 days. If I am not blinded by fraternal affection, I 
 think you will find in this paper some profound and 
 original ideas. 
 
 ^ Superintendent of Fine Arts under Ihe Second Empire ; died 1892. 
 
COUNT GAVOUR TO MADAME BE GIBCOUBT. 67 
 
 Farewell, madam, and believe me with sincere 
 
 respect your devoted 
 
 C. DE Cavour. 
 
 XV. 
 
 [1851]. 
 
 Madam, — T cannot let my niece ^ start for Paris 
 without expressing to you how much I regret my 
 inability to present her to you myself, introducing her 
 as the person whom my brother and I hold dearest in 
 the world. My niece, I venture to say, is, although 
 still very young, qualified to appreciate all the bril- 
 liance and solidity possessed by your salon. In ad- 
 mitting her into that select circle you will enable her 
 to taste whatever the French spirit has preserved of 
 the kindliness and the charm of old times, united to 
 the more solid acquirements which it has gained in 
 the present age. You already know her husband, the 
 Marquis Alfieri, and you will be, I hope, as good to 
 his wife as you were to him last year. 
 
 Spoilt as we have been by your indulgent friendship, 
 my brother and I count above all upon you to make 
 
 1 Giuseppina Benso di Cavour, daughter of the Marquis Gustavo, 
 married March 27, 1851, Marquis Carlo Alfieri of Sostegno, the last 
 inheritor of the name of that famous Piedmontese family. After having 
 been deputy in several Parliaments, he was nominated senator in 1870. 
 It is to him that Florence owes the foundation of her great institute of 
 social science. 
 
 F 2 
 
68 CAVOUB'8 LETTERS, 
 
 my niece's stay in Paris at once profitable and agreeable 
 to her. It is a piece of audacity on our part, I feel, 
 but you will pardon it in consideration of tbe lively 
 feeling which drives us to commit it. 
 
 The Marquis Alfieri being destined for political 
 life, I shall be infinitely obliged if you will bring him 
 into contact with some of the politicians in Paris. If 
 M. Chevalier has not bv chance forgotten the former 
 relations which I had tl^e honour of having with him, 
 I should be very glad if he would allow my nephew to 
 be introduced to him. 
 
 y^^l say nothing about our country and about our 
 politics. As Minister I am paid to speak well of them, 
 and you might suspect my opinions. I will confine 
 myself to assuring you, at the risk of passing for a 
 .dunce or a Utopian, that in spite of all the sorrow and 
 misfortune which have befallen France and Italy, I 
 preserve an unshaken faith in the future of Liberal 
 
 ideas. J 
 
 relieve me, madam, most sincerely your respectful 
 
 and devoted 
 
 C. DE Cavour. 
 
 XVI, 
 
 [Paris, August, 1852], Saturday. 
 
 Madam and dear Priend, — I was very happy to 
 receive your kind note bidding me come to see you at 
 
COUNT GAVOUR TO MADAME BE GIBGOUBT. 69 
 
 Les Bruyeres. I do not know by wliat chance this 
 note travelled over Grermany ia pursuit of M. de 
 Collegno before being delivered to me. I hasten in 
 the first place to thank you for your kind remembrance 
 and for the friendship which has survived so many 
 phases and so many revolutions, and then to inform 
 you that on Monday I will be at Les Bruyeres with 
 my nephew, in the desire of passing as much time as 
 possible with you, and putting off to the last extremity 
 my visit to M. Pescatore's greenhouses. 
 
 Permit me to shake your hand in virtue of our old 
 friendship, which I value so much. 
 
 C. DE Cavour. 
 
 XVII. 
 
 [Paris, 1852], Monday. 
 
 It seems clear that you will not receive me at your 
 house. You bid me farewell in writing, and you force 
 me to do the same. I bow to your good pleasure, 
 although I find it very severe of you to have kept 
 me at a distance from the circle of intimates that 
 you have formed around you. 
 
 I hope that on my return, more or less remote, you 
 will treat me with more indulgence, and that if at that 
 time you are not in the dear little drawing-room of the 
 Eue des Saussaies, you will extend your hospitality at 
 
70 CAVOUB'8 LETTERS. 
 
 Les Bruyeres to me just as mucli as to my friend 
 Huber.^ 
 
 I have not, like him, a story to read to you, I have 
 not even one to tell, for, as you know, I am too prosaic 
 to make them. But I assure you that the matter-of-fact 
 of life has not invaded my heart so far as to render me 
 insensible to the charms of a mind so amiable as yours, 
 or to leave me incapable of appreciating the value of 
 friendship. 
 
 I go the day after to-morrow, taking away from 
 Paris sad enough impressions. I do not see the future 
 in rose-colour, and it is not without grave apprehen- 
 sions that I am about to plunge afresh into the whirl- 
 pool of politics. It is pleasant to think that your 
 thoughts will follow me in that rough career where 
 one meets with more reverses than successes. I thank 
 you for it beforehand, awaiting the time when I may 
 return and lay at your feet the expression of my keenest 
 and deepest feelings. 
 
 XYIII. 
 
 [Paris, March, 1856]. 
 
 I AM happy to know that you are in Paris, and 
 shall be still more so when I am able to see you. 
 To-day, being free, I shall present myself at your door 
 
 ^ Colonel Huber Saladin. 
 
COUNT GAVOUB TO MADAME I)E GIRGOUBT. 71 
 
 between four and five. Kindly let me be told when I 
 may come upstairs without fatiguing you. 
 
 C. DE Cavour. 
 
 XIX. 
 
 [Turin, April 7, 1857]. 
 
 Madam and dear Friend, — I have never had any 
 doubt as to your taking an interest in our strife with 
 Austria. Noble and generous hearts like ours must 
 sympathise with the weak who are offering a brave 
 resistance to the unjust claims of the strong and 
 powerful. Q[ do not think that the actual quarrel will 
 for the present pass out of the pacific sphere of diplomacy. 
 We are fully decided to be energetic and firm, but in 
 no way imprudent. Europe desires peace ; we shall 
 not be the first to disturb it, ready as we are for all 
 sacrifices if the honour and dignity of the nation 
 require it.J 
 
 Q[ venture to hope that you have succeeded in 
 making the select circle which surrounds you share 
 your feeling in our favour. Composed though it is of 
 diverse elements, it numbers none but persons of feeling 
 and intelligence who w^ould not be able to sympathise 
 with those who wish to accomplish the ruin of poor 
 Italy. In any case, I depend upon you to start a 
 propaganda in our favour, for we have a great need of 
 the moral support of France, and, consequently, of 
 
72 GAVOUB'S LETTERS. 
 
 finding in the salons of Paris defenders of such influ- 
 ence as are your friends of all shades. --7 
 
 S In spite of the threats of Austria, we are seriously 
 considering the plan of piercing Mont Cenis, and I hope 
 that within a few months we shall undertake this 
 gigantic work with the help of entirely new methods. 
 You see that we are no less bold in industrial than in 
 political matters. I While awaiting the accomplishment 
 of this work, wEich will bring us infinitely nearer to 
 our friends in Paris, we are about to enter, on May 1, 
 upon the enjoyment of the railway which goes up to 
 our frontier. Thanks to it, the distance which separates 
 our two cities will be covered in thirty hours. Will 
 not this near approach tempt you ? Cannot you steal 
 a few days from j^our lieges of the Eue des Saussaies 
 and Les Bruyeres in favour of your Piedmontese friends ? 
 Our country will not be without attraction for you. 
 The sight of a people which has known how to reconcile 
 a great mass of franchises with perfect order seems to 
 me sufficiently interesting at the current time. 
 
 My brother thanks you for your kind remembrance. 
 He is ill in health, his nerve has been shaken; he 
 will need to live in the peaceable regions of Catholic 
 philosophy into which you have brought him. Please 
 remember me to M. de Circourt, and believe me, with 
 
 unchanging devotion, yours, 
 
 C. Cavour. 
 
OF 
 
 COUNT CAVOUB TO MADAME DEUTEVSUBT, 
 
 XX. 
 
 June 21, [1857]. 
 
 Your kind and friendly letter of the 8tli inst. 
 reached me very late, after many days' delay. In reply, 
 I hasten to assure yon that business and the cares of 
 Ministerial life have not effaced or even weakened the 
 recollections which I bore away from Paris of your 
 much valued friendship. On the contrary, I feel each 
 day the worth of it. The political tempests amid which 
 I have for nine years past been struggling have made 
 me feel more than I ever did the charm of intimacy with 
 you, of that fireside where one can forget one's most 
 weighty preoccupations, and surrender oneself to the 
 delights of friendly and no less intelligent conversation. 
 (Many thanks for the interest with which you have 
 followed the Parliamentary contests which I have had 
 to maintain since my return to Piedmont. They have 
 not been either laborious or dangerous. In presence of 
 Austria's declared enmity, honest men of all parties 
 have united around the Government ; and I have only 
 had individuals to fight, parties having vanished from 
 the Parliament:^ 
 
 //Events have led Piedmont to take a clearly marked 
 and decided position in Italy. That position is, I feel, 
 not free from danger, and I am conscious of the full 
 weight of the responsibility which it lays on me. But 
 it was imposed upon us both by honour and by duty. 
 
74 . CAVOUR'S LETTERS. 
 
 Since Providence has ordained that Piedmont alone in 
 Italy should be free and independent, Piedmont must 
 use her freedom and independence to plead before 
 Europe the cause of the unhappy peninsula. We shall 
 not shrink back from this perilous task. The King 
 and the country are determined to carry it out to 
 
 the end J 
 
 Our friends the doctrinaires, those Liberals who 
 weep the loss of liberty in France after having assisted 
 to stifle her in Italy, will, perhaps, think our policy 
 absurd and romantic. I am resigned to their hard 
 words and censures, being certain that generous hearts 
 like yours, whatever judgment they may pass on my 
 political principles, wdll sympathise with my efforts to 
 recall to life a nation which for ages has been shut 
 up in a hideous tomb. If I go down, you, I feel sure, 
 will not cast me out; but will grant me an asylum 
 amid the defeated men of distinction who cluster round 
 you. Do not interpret this outburst as a sign that war 
 is imminent. Nothing is further from my thoughts. 
 Take it solely as a declaration that all my strength, all 
 my life, are consecrated to one task only — the emanci- 
 pation of my country. 
 
 My brother thanks you for your remembrance. 
 Like me, he is sincerely devoted to you. Believe me, 
 with unchanging friendship, yours, 
 
 C. Cavour. 
 
COUNT GAVOUR TO MADAME BE GIBCOURT. 75 
 
 XXI. 
 
 [Turin'], July 7, 1858. 
 
 If I were free to guide my steps as my feelings 
 and wishes prompt, I would surely profit by my holi- 
 day to claim your hospitality at Bougival. But yoked 
 as I am to the car of European politics, I cannot 
 wander from certain paths traced out by the position 
 which I hold. If I were to go to France at this 
 moment, when the diplomatists are struggling to find 
 a fitting solution for a problem which they have 
 beforehand rendered insoluble, my journey would give 
 rise to all kinds of comments ; which, though devoid of 
 any basis, would be none the less fertile of vexatious 
 annoyances to my country. 
 
 I must, therefore, my dear friend, make once more 
 the sacrifice of my wishes to the melancholy goddess to 
 whose service I have made the mistake of devoting 
 myself, namely, politics. But if, as I hope, I regain 
 my liberty, the first use I shall make of it will be to 
 go and grasp the hands of the faithful friends who are 
 willing to take an interest in me, even though, in the 
 whirlwind of affairs, I cannot take the notice of them 
 which I should, and would. 
 
 As soon as the session is over, which will be in a 
 few days, I shall go to Switzerland to breathe the fresh 
 air of the mountains, far away from men who think 
 only of politics. I think of staying a few days at 
 
76 CAVOUB'S LETTERS. 
 
 Presinge, being certain that no one will suppose that I 
 am conspiring with our good De la Eive friends against 
 the peace of the world. We shall often talk of jou, 
 and shall transport ourselves more than once in spirit 
 to the delightful hermitage which you know how to 
 turn into a little earthly paradise for your friends. 
 
 I will send you the book for which you ask. Al- 
 though written in very bad French, it offers some 
 interest to persons who know something of Piedmont 
 and of the persons who have played a part on the 
 Parliamentary stage. Only, as the author has chosen 
 to handle all parties, and all those of whom he speaks, 
 tenderly, it is necessary, in order to approximate to the 
 truth, to strike off three-quarters of the eulogies which 
 he distributes right and left with lavish hand. 
 
 Thanks once more for your kind remembrance. 
 The disillusions of public life render genuine feelings 
 ever more precious ; most of all, those friendships which 
 time and absence strengthen and develop. 
 
 C. Cavour. 
 
 XXII. 
 
 [Paris, March, 1859], Saturday. 
 
 My dear Lady and Friend, — Although I am at 
 Paris only for a very short time, I should like to come 
 and shake hands with you. But I dread finding in 
 
COUNT GAVOUB 'TO MADAME BE GIRGOURT. 77 
 
 your drawing-room some frantic partisans of peace, to 
 
 whom my presence would be supremely displeasing. 
 
 Seeing, therefore, that in spite of my bellicose humour, 
 
 I do not at all care to make war on your friends, I 
 
 will not call upon you unless you can promise to 
 
 receive me alone, or in presence of such persons as will 
 
 not tear out my eyes for love of peace. - 
 
 Your devoted 
 
 C. Cavour. 
 
 . XXTIL 
 
 [Paris, March, 1859.] 
 
 My dear Lady and Friend, — If you have no objec- 
 tion, I will be at your door this evening at a quarter 
 
 before eight. 
 
 C. Caa^our. 
 
 XXIV. 
 
 [Turin], July 22, [1859.] 
 
 If Bougival, instead of being at the gates of Paris, 
 were to be found in some obscure corner of France, I 
 would eagerly and gratefully accept the hospitality 
 which you so cordially offer me. In my present frame 
 of mind no abode would appear to me comparable to 
 the hermitage where I should be certain of finding 
 true friendship and sympathy, at once lively and sincere, 
 for the fate of my country. You, my dear Countess, 
 
78 GAV0UW8 LETTERS, 
 
 would, I am certain, help me not to despair of its 
 future, and I should leave you after a while in better 
 condition than I was in to recommence the struggle 
 for her independence and freedom. But what am I to 
 do? I could not go to the gates of Paris and not 
 enter. That would look like sulking, and there is 
 nothing in the world so ridiculous as a fallen Minister 
 who sulks ; especially if he thinks fit to be sulky with 
 that city of all the world which cares least for mis- 
 fortune and is most given to raillery. My position 
 makes it my duty to keep as quiet as possible ; it is 
 the only service which I am for the moment able to 
 render my country. To this end I was on my way to 
 Switzerland, that hospital for the wounded of politics ; 
 but as the announcement of the Congress of Zurich 
 might have given a suspicious air to my innocent plan, 
 I shall beat a retreat upon Savoy, and go and settle 
 myself at the foot of Mont Blanc, there to forget, amid 
 the wonders of Nature, the pettiness of the affairs 
 managed by men. 
 
 As soon as the hot weather is over, I shall go 
 back to Leri to wait till an opportunity offers of 
 working at the task of regeneration, which my friends 
 and I are far from having abandoned. I have under- 
 gone a stunning defeat, and it will be long before I 
 can return to the field as commander-in-chief; but I 
 am quite decided to fight as a private under new 
 
COUNT CAVOUB TO MADAME DE GIRGOUET. 79 
 
 commanders, who will, I hope, be more fortunate than 
 I was. 
 
 What you tell me as to the return of my old 
 friends entirely consoles me. I ought to regard my 
 fall as a lucky event, if it has made me regain the 
 esteem of that select circle which surrounds you, and 
 from which my policy, not rightly understood, had in 
 some sort excluded me. My bitterest enemy, the Times, 
 said the other day, " Poor Cavour ! he was honest and 
 zealous." I ask no other testimony or panegyric. The 
 two qualities which the journal that has so violently 
 opposed me ends by allowing me, are enough to 
 assure me of a good welcome from all those whose 
 welcome I value. 
 
 At Turin I saw Huber-Saladin for an instant. He 
 seemed very well pleased with the military mission 
 which he had discharged. I think he was right, for 
 he is the only Federal officer who could, without 
 neglecting his duty, have handled delicately the sus- 
 ceptibilities and sympathies of the Ticinese. 
 
 Believe me, dear Countess, your sincere friend, 
 
 C. Cavour. 
 
 XXY. 
 
 Leri, Nov. 23, 1859. 
 
 I WISHED, before answering the friendly letter which 
 you wrote me on your return to Paris, to wait until I 
 
 \ 
 
80 GAVOUB'S LETTERS. 
 
 was in a position to let you know my plans for next 
 winter. Certain as I am of the interest whicli you are 
 good enough to take in me, I had no doubt as to your 
 learning with pleasure what I proposed doing. I 
 thought that the Treaty of Zurich, by allowing me 
 to emerge from my solitude, would leave me free to 
 make up my mind. Unluckily, it does nothing of" 
 the sort. I am more undecided now than I was a 
 week ago. Accordingly, I will delay not a moment 
 longer, thanking you for all the kind messages you 
 send me. 
 
 You will, perhaps, be surprised to see me in a state 
 of .utter uncertainty, for as a rule I do not hesitate at 
 all. But your surprise will cease if you reflect on the 
 position in which I find myself. ) My presence at Turin 
 is of no use to any one, and it is troublesome to many 
 people. Although I am much inclined to support the 
 Ministry, composed as it is of loyal men, animated with 
 the best intentions, I cannot make a movement without 
 shaking it. On the other hand, I shall do it harm if I 
 persist in remaining hidden in my rice -fields. People 
 might say that I was sulking ; and that would render 
 me ridiculous. My only remaining resource is to travel. 
 But where am I to go ? Italy is barred by politics, 
 France and England by decency. I have not the 
 courage to face the chill and heavy atmosphere of the 
 German capitals; and I sufier too much from sea- 
 
COUNT GAVOUB TO MADAME BE GIBCOUBT. 81 
 
 sickness to be tempted by a Transatlantic voyage. I 
 am, therefore, reduced to looking about for what I 
 can do, without being able to find a suitable solutionH 
 It is probable that in default of some good course 
 to take I shall not take any, and shall let myself be 
 guided by chance. If the Congress gets to business 
 quickly, I shall, before the end of the winter, make an 
 excursion to Paris, whither I feel drawn by the desire 
 of seeing you, and of peaceably enjoying the delights 
 of the social oasis which is to be found in your house 
 amid the deserts of luxury and vanity. 
 
 For some months I have been leading a perfectly 
 rustic life. I am diligently occupied with my fields 
 and my cows. Thank heaven, politics have not made 
 me too rusty. I am still a very tolerable agriculturist ; 
 one who does not ruin himself in improving his pro- 
 perty. I find my old occupation so agreeable that if 
 the Italian question had received a solution which 
 would permit me honourably to drop politics, I should 
 consecrate the remainder of my days to it. 
 
 The Marquis of Yillamarina has been recalled. In 
 his place they are sending M. Desambrois, a former 
 Minister of Charles Albert ; one of those who, by dis- 
 creetly liberal administration, prepared our country 
 for constitutional government. He is a most deserving 
 man, and I hope that he will succeed ; especially if he 
 contrives to overcome his shyness and taciturnity. 
 
 G 
 
82 CAVOUR'S LETTERS. 
 
 I have sent M. Beule two letters for Sardinia. He 
 
 must have received them long ago. 
 
 Believe me, dear Countess, yours with unchanging 
 
 attachment, 
 
 C. Cavour. 
 
 XXYI. 
 
 Turin, January 9, [I860]. 
 
 Deak Countess, — I had hoped to come and thank 
 you in person for your kind letter of the 1st inst., but 
 the adjournment of the Congress compels me to take 
 up my pen in order to tell you how sensible I am of all 
 the interest which you do not cease to take in the 
 affairs to which I have been, am, and am called to be a 
 more or less important party. 
 
 The only fault with which I have to charge the 
 famous pamphlet,^ is that it has prevented me from 
 coming to shake hands with you;^ other respects, I 
 think it has rendered a great service, not only to Italy, 
 but to the whole world, by bringing out a fact which 
 every one knows here, although they seem to be 
 ignorant of it elsewhere, namely, that the Temporal 
 Power, whatever be its advantages or its merits, has 
 the immense drawback of being no longer alive — of 
 being in very truth a corpse. There is no longer any 
 question of knowing whether the Pope is to be sovereign 
 
 1 Le Pape et le Congres. Paris, 1359. 
 
COUNT CAVOUR TO MADAME BE CIRGOUBT 83 
 
 of Eomagna, the Marches, and Umbria; but whether 
 those provinces are to be independent or governed in 
 the name of the Pope by Austrian, French, or Spanish 
 generals. Put thus, the question can admit of no doubt 
 even for an ardent Catholic, if he be honest. 1 The 
 singular expedient to which Antonelli has resorted, of 
 hiring the biggest scamps in Europe at the dirtiest 
 street corners of Switzerland and Germany,^ in order to 
 prop the throne of St. Peter's successor, even if it 
 might have succeeded in the fourteenth century after 
 the Popes had left Avignon, is no longer presentable at 
 this date. Even if, thanks to these new Landsknechts, 
 the Cardinal were to succeed in looting ten Perugias, 
 he would not add any solidity to the edifice, which is 
 crumbling on all sides. 
 
 /Besides, if we wish to convince honourable and 
 religious men of the effect which the limiting of the 
 Temporal Power will produce on religion, there is a 
 very simple method. It needs only to ascertain the 
 actual state of the Legations, and it will be recognised 
 that, strange to say, since the overthrow of clerical 
 government, priests are infinitely more respected, 
 churches better filled, the precepts of the Church 
 better kepfTI If by chance any of your friends wishes 
 
 ^ Pope Pius IX.'s army, of which General Lamoriciere took the 
 command in this year 1860, was composed in great part of men recruited 
 abroad — Swiss, G-ermans, Frenchmen, Spaniards, Irish. 
 
 g2 
 
84 GAVOUE'S LETTERS. 
 
 to establish the truth of this fact, I will furnish him 
 with the means of doing so, by giving him a letter to 
 my cousin Eork, who is now Exarch of Eavenna ; and 
 who fasts on Fridays, goes publicly to Mass, and in 
 spite of that is the most popular governor in Europe. 
 If the most Catholic of your friends does not return 
 from a journey to Eavenna converted to the cause of 
 the abolition of the Temporal Power, I will vote in 
 Congress for its maintenance. 
 
 Ju revoir, dear Countess. Keep me a little place 
 at your chimney-corner where I may tell you once more 
 how lively and sincere is my afEection for you. 
 
 C. Cavour. 
 
 P.S. — I may inform you that the Town Council, the 
 officers of the National Gruard, without exception all 
 the authorities of Faenza, came in a body to show 
 kindness to Eora. The reverend Prelate^ was so much 
 moved that he fell into my cousin's arms. I doubt if 
 the like will happen to Mgr Dupanloup. 
 
 XXVII. 
 
 {Turin, February 7, I860]. 
 
 My dear Countess, — M. Desambrois having failed 
 to recover on the banks of the Seine the use of his 
 
 ^ Mgr Folicaldi of Baguacavallo, Bishop of Faenza. 
 
COUNT GAVOUB TO MADAME DE GIBCOUBT. 85 
 
 tongue which he had for some time lost, I have had to 
 recall him to the Presidency of the Council of State, a 
 post which he fills with the utmost distinction. I have 
 placed provisionally at the head of the Legation Signor 
 Nigra, a young man of much talent, in whom I have 
 unbounded confidence. I commend him to you in the 
 most emphatic way. When you know him, he will 
 commend himself; meanwhile, please welcome him as 
 one of my best friends. 
 
 The turn which political events have taken makes 
 a journey to Paris very unlikely on my part, [jn Italy 
 matters will for the moment arrange themselves without 
 a Congress. Sooner or later, the supreme tribunal of 
 Europe will give a definite sanction to what is going 
 to happen ; but from that moment we are still very far. 
 The blindness of Austria and the obstinacy of the 
 Holy Father make me dread many a crisis before 
 diplomatists round a green table-cloth will be able to 
 regulate the destinies of Italy in a stable fashion. 
 
 You have not answered my last letter, in which I 
 begged you to send to Eomagna some honest Catholic 
 from among your friends. Rora is still awaiting him 
 at Ravenna. I should be tempted to call in the im- 
 partial judgment of the new Academician, Father 
 Lacordaire. See how accommodating I am. 
 
 Believe me, my dear Countess, your sincere friend, 
 
 C. Cavour. 
 
86 CAVOUR'S LETTERS. 
 
 XXVIII. 
 
 [Turin], July 16, [I860]. 
 
 My dear Countess, — I send you the first number 
 of a series of biographies which is being published at 
 Turin. Among others, you will find one of me. The 
 author of it is one of my political friends, so he has not 
 done badly with the flattery. At any rate, if he has 
 beautified some features in my physiognomy, he has 
 not distorted them; so that what he relates is correct 
 enough. I think that these little books may have a 
 momentary interest for you. 
 
 I say nothing to you of politics. It would take a 
 volume to sum up the perplexities among which I am 
 placed. Nigra might be able to do it, if he has time 
 to seek you in your hermitage; which I doubt, con- 
 sidering the innumerable quantity of letters and dis- 
 patches which I fire off at him every day. If I pull 
 through this time, I shall try to manage it so as not 
 to be caught again. I am like a sailor who, in the 
 midst of the sea which the storms have raised, swears 
 and vows never again to expose himseK to the perils of 
 the deep. 
 
 One of my friends, newly arrived from Paris, assures 
 me that Legitimist and Orleanist opinion is not much 
 improved in regard to us. He told me that he had 
 heard some pretty little mouths exclaim, " Why does 
 not some one hang that blackguard, M. de Cavour ? " 
 
COUNT GAVOUR TO MADAME BE GIECOURT. 87 
 
 It is terrible to have aroused so much hatred. I hope 
 that it will not make its way into your salon, or that, 
 at any rate, your friendship will neutralise it. Even if 
 I am wrong, I declare that I would rather brave all 
 the hatred than renounce the pleasure of seeing you. 
 If ever I can get away to Paris, I shall descend in the 
 middle of your drawing-room, even though I have 
 to run the risk of getting my eyes scratched out by the 
 old Marchioness with whom I quarrelled so in 1856. 
 
 My brother and my niece started this morning for 
 Ostend. They will, perhaps, return by Paris. I envy 
 them ! 
 
 I hope that the fine weather, and the quiet of your 
 beloved hermitage, have done you good. I fervently 
 desire it may be so. 
 
 Pray believe me, my dear Countess, though a bad 
 
 correspondent, none the less your sincere and devoted 
 
 friend, 
 
 C. Cavour. 
 
 XXIX. 
 
 [Turin, September 23, I860]. 
 
 I AM very sorry that I was unable to carry out your 
 request by seeing that Mme de Pimodan met with 
 nothing but attention and care upon her arrival in 
 Italy. Unhappily, as the newspapers will have told 
 you, her husband's wound was mortal; and he only 
 
M88^ CAVOUR'S LETTERS. 
 
 survived the action in which he fought so bravely a 
 few hours. ^ Our army paid its homage to his valour. 
 The regiments which had suffered most in the bloody 
 conflict of the previous day, those, namely, which 
 compose the Queen's Brigade, rendered the same 
 funeral honours to him as we do to our own generals. 
 Cialdini, knowing that he expressed a wish, to be 
 buried at Eome in the Church of St. Louis, ordered 
 his body to be placed in a leaden coffin, and put into 
 the charge of his aides-de-canip who were taken 
 prisoners with, him, MM. de Ligne and de Eenneville, 
 bidding them accompany it to its last resting-place. 
 All the French prisoners are treated as we treat our 
 own soldiers. They are sent to Leghorn and Genoa, 
 and thence back to France. Whatever be the cause 
 which has led them to take up arms against us, we 
 cannot forget that they belong to the nation which 
 came to fight for our deliverance. 
 
 I Italy is in a very critical position. On the one side 
 difTomacy, on the other. Garibaldi — that is not exactly 
 comfortable. I still hope that we shall pull through, 
 and succeed in establishing our country on solid prin- 
 ciples of order and liberty, in spite of the suspicions of 
 
 1 Auguste Marie Elie Georges de Rarecourt de la Vallee, Marquis de 
 Pimodan, was born in 1822. He had been a colonel in the Austrian army, 
 and served under General Lamorici^re at the battle of Castelfidardo, 
 September 18, 1860, where he was mortally wounded. In 1855 he 
 married Emma Charlotte Cecile, daughter of the Marquis Raoul de 
 Couronnel, who is here referred to. 
 
COUNT GAVOUR TO MADAME BE CIRGOUBT. 89 
 
 the Absolutists and the insanities of the EepublicansV^ 
 I doubt not that you follow with keen interest the ^ 
 various phases of the struggle which is about to open. 
 Your wishes will help us to issue from it with honour. 
 Believe me, my dear Countess, your devoted 
 
 C. Cavour. 
 
 XXX. 
 
 [Turin], October 24, [I860]. 
 
 My dear Countess, — Thanks for your kind letter. 
 I understand from what you say that you have had to 
 undergo many conflicts on behalf of Italy and the 
 friends whom you number in this country. T fear 
 that the opponents whom we have at Paris are harder 
 to convince than Garibaldi's partisans, who have been 
 so easily reduced to silence. 
 
 In any case, if I am not much mistaken, the French 
 people is for us. The surface of society has been 
 crystallised by passions good and bad, and rendered 
 ill-adapted to feel generous emotions ; but the masses 
 are generous as in the past, and they sympathise with 
 us. If it were otherwise, how could it happen that all 
 the newspapers which are addressed to the masses are 
 Italianissimi ? The divergence between the upper and 
 lower classes is distressing, especially when it is the 
 lower that is noble and disinterested, and the upper 
 
90 GAVOUWS LETTERS. 
 
 that is selfish and ill-natured. But I do not want to 
 speak evil of French society. I owe too much to it. 
 I resign myself to seeing Italy regenerated in spite of 
 the Paris drawing-rooms. We are, perhaps, about to 
 be put to a rough trial. Austria, it would appear, 
 thinks of profiting by the absence of the King and of 
 our best divisions to attack us. We are getting ready 
 to offer her a desperate resistance. If Cialdini and 
 Fanti are at Naples, we have here La Marmora and 
 Sonnaz, who are not going to be frightened by Benedek 
 and the Archduke Albert. We are ready to stake all 
 for all. The country is as calm as if the sky was cloud- 
 less. It knows the danger which threatens it ; but it is 
 in no way frightened, for it knows that the cause at 
 issue is great enough to justify the greatest sacrifices. 
 
 I have expressed to you my regret at having been 
 unable to do anything of what you asked me to do for 
 Mme de Pimodan. Now an opportunity offers for 
 showing that her misfortune kindles deep sympathy in 
 us, and that we respect valour even in our enemies. 
 Greneral Brignone has captured Greneral Pimodan's 
 sword and decorations on a fugitive from Castelfidardo. 
 He has sent them to me as a sort of trophy. I have 
 taken the King's instructions, and his Majesty has 
 decided that instead of being placed in his magnificent 
 armoury, I am to transmit them in his name to Mme 
 de Pimodan, as his tribute to her grief and to her 
 
COUNT GAVOUR TO MADAME BE GIRCOUBT. 91 
 
 husband's bravery. As I do not know where Mme de 
 Pimodan is, I take the liberty of sending them to you, 
 with a letter for her ; begging you to see that they 
 reach their destination. 
 
 Believe me, my dear Countess, your sincere friend, 
 
 C. Cavour. 
 
 XXXI. 
 
 [Tunn], December 29, [I860]. 
 
 I RECEIVED this morning in bed the kind note which 
 you wrote me, imparting the interesting letter which 
 General Filangieri addressed to you from Marseilles. 
 Many thanks for it, dear Countess; the pleasant 
 reminder of you came to charm away the tedium of 
 my convalescence from a little ailment of which, 
 thanks to two bleedings, I got rid in forty-eight hours. 
 I am much flattered by the opinion which your 
 illustrious friend expresses in regard to me; but I 
 cannot share it. He is too distrustful of liberty, and 
 he counts far too much upon the influence which I 
 possess. 
 
 <- For my own part I have no confidence in dictator- 
 ships, and least of all in civil dictatorships. I believe 
 that with a Parliament one can do many things which 
 would be impossible to absolute power. Thirteen years' 
 
92 CAVOUR'S LETTERS. 
 
 experience has convinced me that an upright and ener- 
 getic Ministry which has nothing to fear from revela- 
 tions in the tribune, and which has no disposition to 
 let itself be intimidated by party violence, has every- 
 thing to gain by Parliamentary contests. I have never 
 felt weak except when the Chambers were not sitting. 
 Besides, I cannot be a traitor to my bringing-up, nor 
 renounce the principles of my whole life. I am a son 
 of Liberty, and to her I owe all that I am. If it were 
 necessary to throw a veil over her statue, it would be 
 no business of mine to do it. If anyone were to 
 succeed in persuading the Italians that they wanted a 
 dictator, they would choose Garibaldi, not me ; and 
 they would be right. I 
 
 , [The Parliamentary road is longer, but surer. The 
 elections at Naples and in Sicily do not alarm me. 
 People assure us that they will be the wrong way ; let 
 them be. The Mazzinians are less to be dreaded in the 
 Chamber than in the clubs. The experience of Lom- 
 bardy reassures me. Last year it was in a bad temper 
 at the time of the elections, and the results were 
 detestable. Cattaneo, Ferrari, and Bertani were elected 
 by enormous majorities. These gentlemen came to the 
 Chamber with a menacing demeanour, with insults in 
 their mouths, almost with their lists up. Well, what 
 did they do ? Beaten hollow on two or three points, 
 they ended by becoming so harmless that in the last 
 
COUNT GAVOUB TO MADAME BE CIRGOUBT 93 
 
 big debate they voted with the majority. Do not be 
 afraid, the same thing will happen with regard to the 
 men from the South. The calm, I may say heavy, 
 atmosphere of Turin will soothe them, and they will 
 go back tamedj.^ 
 
 Great mistakes have been made at Naples. Farini 
 had not enough authority at the outset. Then he fell 
 ill ; lastly, a horrible drama took place under his eyes.^ 
 Farini, a large-hearted man, could not bear up against 
 this succession of shocks ; he broke down, and is in no 
 state to continue the rough task which he accepted 
 with the devotion that he bears into all matters. He 
 is begging with all the strength of his voice to be super- 
 seded. The day that an energetic man, not exhausted, 
 resumes power at Naples, everything will return to a 
 state of order. 
 
 \_The bulk of the nation is monarchical, the army is 
 free from any Garibaldian taint, the capital is ultra- 
 Conservative. If with these elements we cannot pull 
 through, we should be a very poor loTl 
 
 I am very sorry to learn that M. de Circourt is 
 unwell. Some time ago he wrote me a most interesting 
 letter ; please thank him on my account. 
 
 This letter will reach you on New Year's Eve. It 
 
 * Signor Farini had just then lost his son-in-law, a very promising 
 young man, who had been cut off in a few days by an attack of typhoid 
 fever. 
 
94 CAVOUE'S LETTERS. 
 
 brings very sincere wishes for the relief of your 
 sufferings and for the return of that health of which 
 you make so good use on your friends' behalf. Among 
 them I beg you to place me in the front rank. 
 
 C. Cavour. 
 
LETTERS OF COUNT CAVOUR TO 
 
 COUNT ADOLPHE DE CIRCOURT, 
 
 1850-1861. 
 
LETTERS OF COUNT CAVOUR TO COUNT 
 ADOLPHE DE CIRCOURT, 1850—1861. 
 
 To Count de Circourt, Paris. 
 
 I. 
 
 [Turin, October, 1850]. 
 
 My dear Sir, — I have read with extreme interest 
 the letter which you did me the honour to write to 
 me on the 18th instant. Your reflections on the state 
 of Piedmont, and especially on the possible consequences 
 of its disagreement with Eome, are certainly worthy to 
 be taken most seriously into consideration by the states- 
 men of our country.^ I do not deceive m3^self as to the 
 gravity of our position, and I feel deeply how much it 
 is complicated by our relations with Eome. My most 
 ardent desire, therefore, is to be able to conclude, if not 
 a peace, at least a truce with the Holy See^ 
 
 In spite of this admission on my part, I ought to 
 tell you frankly that in my judgment you seem to 
 exaggerate the dangers which threaten us. You think 
 that we are reduced to a choice between the example of 
 Henry VIII. and that of Louis XIY. after he fell 
 
 H 
 
98 CAVOUR'8 LETTERS. 
 
 under the yoke of Mme de Maintenon. The judg- 
 ment which you express is founded on an assumption 
 that CathoHcism in Piedmont is in an analogous 
 position to that which it occupies in France. It 
 is, however, hy no means so.S With us the court of 
 Eome has lost every sort of moral authority ; it 
 might launch against us all the thunderholts which it 
 keeps in reserve in the cellars of the Vatican and 
 would fail to produce any great agitation in these 
 parts. I have lived much in the country and know our 
 peasantry to the very bottom, better, indeed, than the 
 inhabitants of our towns. Well, I can assure you that, 
 even if, which is by no means probable, the Pope were 
 to immediately excommunicate us, not the slightest 
 disturbance would follow. The masses are religious, I 
 may say, very religious, but they no longer place any 
 trust in the Pope. The majority of the inferior 
 clergy partake these feelings, and the bishops are so 
 thoroughly aware of it that the greater part of them 
 are doing all they can to induce the Court of Eome to 
 yield. The conduct of Pius IX. has wounded national 
 sentiment so deeply that his wrath is no longer to 
 be feared. Besides this, the Siccardi laws are a bad 
 ground for the Court of Eome to fight upon. The 
 meanest of our peasants understands amazingly well that 
 those laws in no way touch dogma and discipline, and 
 that their only object is to suppress civil privileges 
 
COUNT CAVOUB TO COUNT ADOLPHE BE CIBGOUET. 99 
 
 which the clergy have strangely abused. I am certain 
 that if the people were put in a position to choose 
 between the preservation of the constitution and the 
 re-establishment of clerical privileges, they would re- 
 nounce their political liberties sooner than see the 
 
 ecclesiastical tribunals revive^. I 
 
 The behaviour of the people of Turin proves the 
 truth of what I have said. Never have the churches 
 been fuller, never have there been more communicants, 
 and, nevertheless, upon no question has there been 
 more perfect agreement than upon the dismissal of the 
 Archbishop.^ My parish is served by Franciscan friars ; 
 it numbers nearly 16,000 souls. Well, my parson, who 
 has just left me, assures me that he has never been 
 more surrounded with respect and sympathy, but that 
 religion would be lost if a hand was laid upon the laws 
 carried by Siccardi, whom he regards as the greatest 
 man in Italy. We know very well that our conduct 
 does not meet with approval in France, and that your 
 Eepublican statesmen sympathise much more with 
 Eome than with us. But I confess to you that, up till 
 now, we have not come to the point of believing that 
 they are disposed to lend the Church the support of 
 the secular arm. The idea of seeing Frenchmen put 
 into execution a Papal decree of excommunication, inter- 
 fering in Piedmont to re-establish the privileges of 
 
 1 Mgr Fransoni, Archbishop of Turin. ^^y^rs'^f.C' 
 
 H 2 I ^^ "^'^- 
 
 UNIVERSITV 
 
 OF 
 
100 GAVOUR'8 LETTERS. 
 
 which the clergy have been stripped in all European 
 countries, is one that has never come into my head. 
 I do not know if Austria will be more Roman than 
 France, and I doubt it very much, for in spite of 
 the apparent, and, in fact, very reasonable concessions 
 which she has made to the Holy See, she continues to 
 keep her clergy in a regular condition of servitude to 
 which they will never be reduced in Piedmont. 
 
 It is impossible to foresee the future of Europe. 
 Almost everywhere the extreme men are face to face, 
 and the moderate party has almost disappeared from 
 the theatre of events, which is by no means of good 
 omen for the destiny of nations. In Piedmont, on the 
 contrary, that poor party still holds the balance be- 
 tween the extremists of all shades. Will it succeed 
 for long in maintaining equilibrium while causing the 
 country to advance in the regular paths of progress? 
 This is, I confess, very doubtful; but even if it suc- 
 cumb in consequence of the movement which is sweep- 
 ing Europe along, it will succumb with honour, and 
 will carry with it in its fall the sympathy of all 
 feeling and good men. For this reason I venture to look 
 for such a feeling on your part, whatever be the issue 
 of the thorny career to which I have committed myself. 
 
 Please give my respects to Mme de Circourt, and 
 
 believe me sincerely yours, 
 
 C. DE Cavour. 
 
COUNT GAVOUB TO COUNT ADOLPHE BE GIBCOUBT. 101 
 
 II. 
 
 [Turin], 18th January, [1851]. 
 
 My dear Count, — Many thanks for the interesting 
 information about the Due de Guiche ^ contained in your 
 letter of the 12th. Considering all things, the French 
 Grovernment could not have made a choice more agree- 
 able to us. The Due de Guiche will find himself at 
 home here. A cousin of his is married to one of my 
 oldest friends at Turin, M. de Salmour,^ and many of 
 the club friends of his youth are settled there. I 
 hope that we shall have none but good relations with 
 him, and this will certainly be the case so long as he 
 does not get mixed up with the religious question, 
 upon which we can have no compromise. 
 
 ^^ur internal position is much improved. The ex- 
 treme parties are keeping quiet for the moment, while 
 the great mass of the country frankly supports the 
 Government. Even the clerical party is not agitating 
 openly, having been compelled to recognise its weak- 
 ness. If difficulties do not come upon us from abroad, 
 we have nothing to fear from within. There is in our 
 country a great reserve of upright feeling which makes 
 
 1 Agenor, Duke de Guiche, afterwards de Gramont, was French 
 Envoy at Turin in 1853, Ambassador to the Holy See in 1857, to Vienna 
 in 1861, Minister of Foreign Affairs, from May 15 to August 10, 1870 (in 
 which capacity his share in bringing about the war of that year will be 
 remembered), and died in 1880. 
 
 2 Count Ruggiero Gabaleone di Salmour, Senator, died in 1878. 
 
102 . GAVOUWS LETTERS. 
 
 government easy. In the Chambers there is hardly any 
 opposition. The Eight does not love the Ministry, but 
 its real head, Count Eevel, having declared that as he 
 is not in a position to form a Ministry he deemed him- 
 self bound to support the one which is in power, the 
 Eight votes with us. As for the Left, it is divided ; 
 two-thirds of it have declared frankly for the Grovern- 
 ment, the remainder opposes, but without violence, j^ 
 
 The only real difficulty with which we have to con- 
 tend is the Eoman question. Thank Heaven, the vio- 
 lence and the bad faith of our adversaries make our 
 game a pretty good one. If the Pope regales us with 
 an encyclical of the same sort as that which he has 
 launched at the head of the Eepublic of New Grenada, 
 he will do us an immense service. I should very 
 much like you to come and study our country on 
 the spot. You would see that I am under no delusion, 
 and that in spite of all the stories retailed against 
 our poor parliamentary system, it does not work 
 badly so long as those who are called upon to set it 
 going, instead of intriguing and finessing, employ no 
 means of government but firmness, good faith, and 
 perfect honesty. 
 
 I shall be much obliged to you whenever you will 
 kindly keep me informed of what is going on at 
 Paris. 
 
 Please remember me to Madame de Circourt, and 
 
COUNT OAVOUB TO COUNT ADOLPHE BE GIRCOUET. 103 
 
 entreat her pardon if I have not yet had time to answer 
 
 the letter which she was good enough to write me. 
 
 Believe me most sincerely yours, 
 
 C. DE Cavour. 
 
 III. 
 
 [Paris, February, 1856 
 {Hotel de Londres, Rue Castiglione).~\ 
 
 My dear Count, — If you had not informed me of 
 Mme de Circourt's speedy arrival in Paris I should 
 have taken advantage of my first free day to go and 
 see her at Bougival. Please express to her, in antici- 
 pation of the time when I can do it myself, all my 
 sympathy with her in regard to the accident which has 
 detained her so long out of Paris. 
 
 I greatly desire to have a talk with you ; and I 
 
 shall be better able to do so at your house than at 
 
 mine, where someone disturbs me every moment. 
 
 Please tell me, therefore, up to what o'clock one is 
 
 safe to find you in. 
 
 Believe me yours most sincerely, 
 
 C. Cavour. 
 
 IV. 
 
 [Received from Turin, on May 5, 1859.] 
 
 My dear Count, — In view of the great number of 
 
104 CAVOUE'S LETTERS. 
 
 officers from other parts of Italy who have been attached 
 to the staffs of our army, the King has decided not to 
 accept any offers of service from foreign officers. I am 
 sorry that this decision forbids me to comply with the 
 recommendation which you address to me in your letter 
 of the 24th inst. It has been a long time on the 
 road, for it only reached me yesterday evening. 
 
 I doubt not that you give me your good wishes. 
 The final y&sue of the struggle does not seem to me 
 doubtful ;'^but we shall have some rough times to go 
 through, for the Austrians are better prepared than we^ 
 
 My affectionate regards to Mme de Circourt. 
 
 C. Cavour. 
 
 V. 
 
 [Turin, February 12, 1861.] 
 
 My dear Count, — In reply to yours of the 7th 
 inst., I hasten to inform you that the Viscount de 
 Noe^ and his two accomplices were on board the 
 steamer which takes the Sicilian deputies and senators 
 to Genoa. Their entire punishment will consist in 
 being condemned to travel with members of the Parlia- 
 
 ' The Yiscount de Noe, MM. de la Pierre, de St. Martin, and a 
 Colonel de Lagrange, were taken m flagrante delicto conspiring on 
 behalf of the Bourbons at Messina. They were arrested and sent on 
 board the Plehiscito to Genoa, where they were set at liberty and sent 
 home. At Messina the National Guard had to defend them vigorously 
 against a threatening mob. 
 
COUNT GAVOUR TO COUNT ADOLPHE DE CIRGOUBT. 105 
 
 ment which they had sworn to overthrow. " What an 
 infamy ! What an abominable man is M. de Cavour ! " 
 the dowagers of the noble faiibourg will exclaim. I 
 leave to you the task of justifying me. 
 
 Yours devotedly, 
 
 C. Cavour. 
 
 YI. 
 
 {Received April 4, 1861, from Turin.'] 
 
 My dear Count, yJ^6ii<1 J^^ ^Y speeches on the 
 Eoman Question. I have spoken without reticence and 
 keeping nothing back. The Temporal Power is dead; 
 no one can revive it. The Pope needs other guarantees 
 than foreign bayonets. Liberty alone can give him 
 these ; and that liberty we are ready to grant him. 
 Sincere Catholics must recognise that he will be the 
 gainer by the change^ Please make the disciples of 
 Father Lacordaire and M. de Montalembert read my 
 speeches ; adding that in Italy we wish for nothing 
 better than to throw, all Concordats into the fire, to 
 repeal Leopoldine, Tannuccian, and all similar laws, to 
 condemn the Fabbronian doctrines ; in one word, to 
 put in practice the separation of Church and State. 
 
 This plan will raise immense difficulties for us; 
 but we accept them beforehand, convinced as we are 
 that, once the antagonism which has existed for 
 
106 GAVOUR'S LETTERS. 
 
 centuries between the Temporal Power and the national 
 spirit is at an end, the Pope and the Cardinals will 
 gradually come under the influence of the liberal prin- 
 ciples which prevail in Italy. 
 
 Please remember me to Mme de Circourt, and 
 believe me yours most sincerely, 
 
 C. Cavour. 
 
APPENDIX. 
 
APPENDIX. 
 
 LETTERS OF THE COUNTESS DE CIRCOUET 
 TO COUNT NIGEA, 1860 to 1863. 
 I. 
 
 [Paris\ 11, J2ite des Saussayes, 
 
 March 7, [I860]. 
 
 SiRj — I venture to entrust this letter to you. When you 
 have read — if you have time to do so — Le Siecle, containing- 
 the article by Daniel Stern on M. de Cavour, kindly return it 
 to me ; I have to send it to London, where it will be trans- 
 lated. Certain of our friends^ features are caught with a 
 truly feminine cleverness.^ But you must be overwhelmed with 
 business, and we should so much like to have the honour of 
 seeing you. If you take in the Norcly do not omit to read the 
 first article in the number of March 4 ; I am assured on good 
 authority that it comes from the chancery of the Emperor 
 Alexander II. Pray accept my warmest thanks. 
 
 K. C®®^ DE CmcouRT. 
 
 II. 
 
 11, Rue des Saussayes, March 23rd, 1860. 
 
 SlE,, — You must be well satisfied and very busy withal. 
 How much I should like to have a little talk with you for 
 
 ^ Maria de Flavigny, Comtesse d'Agoult, who wrote under the name 
 of Daniel Stern, was bom at Frankfort in 1805, and died 1876. 
 
110 APPENDIX, 
 
 a few minutes about it. As I do not suppose that you are 
 dining to-morrow with the deputation from Savoy^ I venture 
 to ask if you will give us, if possible, a few minutes at the 
 beginning of your evening : I should like to introduce to you 
 Mr. Oliphant, an Englishman of very great mark;^ he is only 
 staying one day here. He has been with Lord Elgin on all his 
 expeditions, and has compiled the account of that remarkable 
 journey. He is going to Italy — we must no longer, it appears, 
 say ^^ to Piedmont '' ; he will halt at Turin and Milan. 
 
 My husband has been confined to the house by a horrible 
 ^npj)e ; that is why he has not even tried to find you at home, 
 if, indeed, such a thing is ever possible. 
 
 I have just been reading the last Parliamentary publication 
 upon Italian affairs. The manner in which M. de Cavour^s 
 return to office was announced is a tribute seldom seen. I 
 might say a thousand things to him upon all that I learn, 
 but during such important events the most devoted friendships 
 must keep themselves in reserve for less serious moments. 
 
 To-morrow, then, if you can. You can guess that I under- 
 stand all the difficulties in your way. 
 
 K. C^^^ DE CiRCOURT. 
 
 III. 
 
 11, Bue des Saussayes, April 2, [I860]. 
 
 Sir, — You have no idea of the pleasure which your new title 
 
 1 Mr. Laurence Oliphant, the well-known Scotch visionary, the disciple 
 of Harris and the correspondent of the Times, who died in 1888, had 
 served as secretary under Lord Elgin in his missions to the United States, 
 1854, to Canada, and afterwards to China and Japan, 1857-59. Mme 
 de Circourt here alludes to the book which Mr. Oliphant had published 
 some months before the date of this letter under the title of A Narrative 
 of the Earl of Elgin's Mission to China in 1857-59. (Edinburgh and 
 London, 1860). 
 
APPENDIX. Ill 
 
 has caused me, for it has made no change in the importance of 
 your post and in the high confidence which is reposed in you.^ 
 During this week you will perhaps have more leisure, not for 
 the important affairs with which you deal, but for your social 
 duties. You will find me at the chimney corner as usual, 
 except on Good Friday and Easter Eve. 
 
 I venture to entrust the enclosed letter to your kindness. 
 The first time that I have the great pleasure of seeing you 
 again I will tell you of the request which the most select part 
 of the Faubourg St. Germain bids me make of our friend. He 
 is generous and will grant this favour to a young lieutenant 
 connected with all those among us who are most worthy of con- 
 sideration. My dread of importuning him has had a regular 
 struggle to undergo. But you must know the fashionable 
 society of Paris well enough to have learnt that nothing in the 
 world is so intrepid, so audacious, as a fair lady. You can judge 
 then what it is when all my family takes a hand. Au revoir, 
 then. The fever has left me, and I have resumed my regular 
 habits. I venture to repeat my desire of telling you the same 
 
 viva voce. 
 
 Klustine C^®^ de Cikcouet, 
 
 If my letter can go this evening I shall be grateful to you. 
 
 IV. 
 
 11, Bue des Saussayes, May 3, [I860]. 
 
 Sir, — I am going to the country in a week's time ; I should 
 
 much like to see you before those long months of farewell. I 
 
 want to commend myself to your friendly recollection, and to tell 
 
 you with what sympathy I shall follow your important conflicts 
 
 * I had just been appointed Minister Resident, March 25, 18^0. 
 
112 APPENDIX. 
 
 in my retirement, and offer my vows that you may not be too 
 much invaded. 
 
 Please grant me a few moments before the lOtb of this 
 month, and believe that I shall be very grateful for it. 
 
 K. C®^^ DE CmcouRT. 
 
 V. 
 
 Rue des Saussayes, May 12, 1860. 
 Sir, — At the moment of my departure for the country I 
 must tell you what a grateful remembrance I take with me 
 for all the moments which you have been good enough to grant 
 me, and I am very grateful to our common friend for having 
 prepared you to be charitable and indulgent towards my se- 
 cluded state. 
 
 The discussions of your Parliament are going to be of the 
 most interesting kind, and you know what an inaccurate and 
 curtailed account our newspapers give of them. I venture 
 therefore to beg you whenever the Italian papers publish any 
 remarkable speech to be so extremely kind as to put them in 
 the post, addressed Les BruyereSy near Bougivaly Seine-et-Olse. 
 
 M. de Cavour and his brother also came several times to 
 visit our rustic cottage, and I should be proud to receive you 
 there whenever your numerous occupations allow you a few 
 hours of leisure. Up till June 13 I am, by the doctor's orders, 
 going to try silence and complete repose. After that you will 
 find us in our quarters every day except Friday and Saturday. 
 Our hermit-like repasts at eleven and six are a necessary part 
 of this long excursion. 
 
 Please keep a little place for me in your friendly recollection. 
 
 K. C^^^ DE CiRCOUllT. 
 
 I have several times seen Mr. Cobden, who interests me 
 keenly. He understands liberty in all its forms. 
 
/ OP THE ^ 
 
 / UNIVERSITY j 
 
 APPENDIX. 113 
 
 VI. 
 
 Les Bruyeres, near Bougival, May 30, 1860. 
 
 Sir, — The Moniteur gives very incompletely M. de Cavour's 
 speech of May 26.^ I cari divine, nevertheless, that strong 
 internal conviction, that logic based upon the sentiment o£ 
 patriotism and honour. I shall be very grateful to you if 
 you can forward to me the Opinione of May 27. Please send 
 it to the Hue des Saussayes ; my husband is still there, and he 
 will see that it reaches me. 
 
 It seems to me that you must be much worried, and indeed 
 overdone, with the questions which all Paris will be addressing 
 to you about Garibaldi. It needs your perfect tact, your ex- 
 quisite circumspection to prevent this subject of conversation 
 from being unendurable. It seems to me now that in regard 
 to the great question of the Treaty the triumph of our friend 
 is complete, and his place in history marked yet once more. 
 Messrs. Guerrazzi and Fantoni may comfort themselves therewith. 
 
 Here I am, in an abode encumbered with workmen, in the 
 most noisy solitude. My husband is staying at Paris so long 
 as our hermitage, usually so peaceful, remains inaccessible. In 
 a fortnight I venture to flatter myself that it will not 
 show, and that our friends will resume their habits of many 
 years. Fever is added to my miseries, and I scarcely leave my 
 bed, which does not prevent me from following the outside 
 movements with an intentness which continual suffering renders 
 more lively and more penetrating. Please do not forget a poor 
 invalid who has every sympathy for you and with you. 
 
 K. C^^® DE CiRCOURT. 
 
 If the report of the debate on the Treaty in the Italian 
 Parliament is separately printed, I venture to ask you to think 
 
 1 The speech delivered by Count Cavour on the treaty ceding Savoy 
 and Nice to France, at the sitting of the Chamber of Deputies at Turin 
 of May 26, 1860. 
 
114 APPENDIX. 
 
 of me. M. de Cavour gave me one such of the Congress at 
 Paris. It is already bounds and this sequel would be of im- 
 mense value to me ; my name is written on the first page. At 
 this moment my old standing and deep friendship dares not 
 write directly to him, and you, I feel certain, will approve. 
 
 VII. 
 
 Les Bruyeres, near Bougival, June 15, 1860. 
 
 My husband dined yesterday with Mme Pescatore, and met 
 Count Pollone.^ He has often the honour of seeing you, and 
 has almost promised to come and visit the poor invalid here. 
 If you could undertake with him so long an excursion, and 
 allow yourself a few hours' rest, how kind it would be of you not 
 to shrink from our hermit's dinner at six o'clock. One word 
 posted the day before would make it easy for us to postpone it 
 to seven. 
 
 Very many thanks for the speeches in the original ; it is 
 quite a different thing from the French translation ; that in the 
 Times, indeed, is a good deal better. I have been asked for 
 Count Cavour's speech by Mme de Goyon,^ she has lent it to 
 her brother-in-law, Flavigny, and it has not yet come back to 
 me. I can see it passing from hand to hand at the Corps 
 Legislatif. Doubtless that was what M. de Cavour intended; 
 but I am in a hurry to get back what belongs to me and comes 
 from you. However, I await a separately printed report of that 
 
 1 Count Antonio Nomis di PoUone, an ItaUan senator, had been sent 
 to Paris charged with the duty of settling certain questions reserved by 
 the Treaty of March 24, 1860, ceding Savoy and Nice. He died 1866. 
 
 2 Oriane Henriette de Montesquiou-Fezensac, Countess de Goyou, 
 wife of the general who was aide-de-camp to the Emperor Napoleon III., 
 and commanded the French garrison at Rome in 1860, was, like the 
 Countess de Flavigny, daughter of the Due de Fezensac. Count de 
 Flavigny had been colleague of Count Adolphe de Circourt iu the Foreign 
 Office when Prince Polignac was Minister in 1829. 
 
APPENDIX, 115 
 
 remarkable discussion. M. de Cavour is master o£ the situation 
 there by virtue of all the authority which forms the statesman for 
 the present and the future of Italy. His eloquence is business- 
 like, quite different from the elegant oratorical phrases of his 
 opponents. If I am not mistaken, Rattazzi is a very dangerous 
 enemy. My hermitage has beheld M. de Cavour more than 
 once, and I have been near to hoping to have him here many 
 other times ; even in the heart of winter, during the Congress, 
 he would come here from Paris. He found here installed after 
 years of absence several friends whom he had left at my chimney 
 corner in Paris. This poor little abode has become a common 
 fatherland for my friends of all times and of all countries. 
 Yesterday I saw the Archbishop of Rouen,^ one of our most 
 distinguished prelates. He seemed to me much less bitter than 
 formerly against Italy. M. de Butenval announces himself to 
 dinner here on Monday with MM. de Boislecomte and Vieil- 
 •castel.^ He makes a great merit of leaving the Council of 
 State for me. I am grateful for every token of remembrance. 
 If I could hope for you one day I will let the charming Mar- 
 quise de Saint Vallier — the sister of the Marquise Biscaretti ^ — 
 know beforehand. She will be delighted to see you again. 
 
 Forgive me if I venture to recall all the delightful charm in 
 the recollection of the moments which you kindly granted to 
 my seclusion. 
 
 K. C^®^ DE ClECOURT. 
 
 1 Mgr de Bonnechose, Cardinal A.rdibishop of Rouen, had been with 
 M. de Circourt at the School of Law in Paris, and remained on friendly 
 terms with him throughout his life. 
 
 2 These gentlemen were also former colleagues of M. de Circourt at 
 the Foreign Office. 
 
 3 Elizabeth Le Tonnellier de Breteuil, daughter of Count ^mile de 
 Breteuil, a former peer of France and senator, had married as her second 
 husband, in 1849, Paul Gabriel de la Croix-Chevrieres, Marquis de Saint 
 Yallier. Her sister Laure married in Piedmont Count Charles Biscaretti, 
 afterwards lieutenant-general in the Italian army, who died in 1889. 
 
 I 2 
 
lie APPENDIX. 
 
 YIII. 
 
 Les Bruyeres, July 9, 1860. 
 Sir, — Michel Chevalier has just been spending a Sunday 
 with us ; he told me that he would dine here on Tuesday week, 
 17th. I venture to let you know in order that if you can give 
 us a few moments you may come to us at six o'clock. You 
 will be perfectly free to leave us directly after our friendly 
 dinner. If M. Albert Blanc were good enough to accompany 
 you he would show you the way to our rustic hermitage. We 
 have never seen him again in spite of this fine weather, which 
 makes our wooded horizon so fresh and green. For you rest is 
 a chim^era, but you will forgive me for telling you once 
 more how charmed we shall be to see you again, and to chat 
 about the thousand subjects of sympathy of which I think 
 every day afresh in regard to you. 
 
 K. C^^^ DE CiRCOURT. 
 
 IX. 
 
 Les Bruyeres, July 14, 1860. 
 
 Sir, — A violent fever has seized me, and here I am obeying 
 the doctor, who requires a whole week of absolute quiet in bed in 
 order to calm the renewal of acute pain. Judge of my profound 
 regret at not seeing my friends, which has become my sole 
 enjoyment. I hope that my obedience will bring me a little 
 relief, and that in spite of all your engagements my hermitage 
 will have the great pleasure of seeing you later. 
 
 K. C^^^ DE CiRCOURT. 
 
 X. 
 
 Les Bruyeres, July 26, 1860. 
 Sir, — I venture to ask you to transmit my reply to the 
 precious missive which you have been good enough to send me. 
 
APPENDIX. 117 
 
 Surrounded by the weight of business M. de Cavour remains a 
 most faithful and devoted friend. His biographers, perhaps, do 
 not know this most rare quaUty. He tells me that he keeps 
 you loaded with business, and that you alone can give me 
 information of what I should wish to know fully about him. 
 He quite divines my regret at not having the great pleasure 
 of seeing you. The Marquis de Cavour is just now going with 
 his daughter to Ostend, and assuredly if Paris is on his route 
 I shall see him here ; then, perhaps, as a great exception he will 
 draw you as far as our wild retreat. I thank you very much 
 for thinking of my wretchedness. The fever has left me, and 
 here I am restored to my regular habits and happy to see my 
 indulgent friends again. M. de Pourtales and Mme de Seebach^ 
 came the other day when I was at my worst, and I was very 
 much put out. M. de Pourtales' leave will, perhaps, not be for 
 two months as he flattered himself. Au revoivj I follow you in 
 thought and wish you all success. Great firmness of soul amid 
 such complicated circumstances is the sole stay. The rain has 
 prematurely spoiled the beautiful rose called Le Comte de 
 Cavour ; I wanted to have sent it you and made you admire it. 
 
 K. C^^ DE CiRCOURT. 
 
 Michel Chevalier, whom I have seen twice this week, 
 bids me tell you that it is through discretion that he does not 
 go to call on you. He comes back to us on Sunday to dinner. 
 
 XI. 
 
 Les Bruyeres, August 5, 1860. 
 
 SiE, — Nothing but my consciousness of all the importance 
 of your occupation at the present moment could have prevented 
 
 1 Count Albert de Pourtales, born 1812, died at Paris 1861, was 
 Prussian Envoy to the Emperor Napoleon III. Marie de Nesselrode, 
 wife of Baron, afterwards Count, Seebach, Saxon Envoy, was daughter 
 of the former Russian Chancellor, Count Nesselrode. 
 
118 APPENDIX. 
 
 me from askiug you to be of our party at dinner to-day 
 Michel Chevalier and Mr. Cobden will be here, and they would 
 have been so glad to see you. M. Auguste de la Rive, the 
 cousin and friend of M. de Cavour, writes from London that he 
 will be in Paris at the Hotel Mirabeau on Monday evening, 
 to-morrow that is. He will only stay Tuesday and Wednesday, 
 and is extremely desirous to have the honour of speaking to you 
 on important matters as soon as possible. He comes to dinner 
 with us the day after to-morrow, which I tell you without any 
 hope of bringing you. Kindly leave word for him, therefore, 
 at the Hotel Mirabeau at what hour on Tuesday or Wednesday 
 you can see him. He has a very short leave of absence, and 
 lias just had a long interview with Lord Palmerston. 
 
 I have had a real piece of bad luck with M. de Cavour. 
 A young friend of mine, Herr Geffcken,^ Minister for Hamburg 
 at Berlin, a person full of talents and wit and intelligence, and 
 perfectly familiar with German politics, is travelling, and asked 
 me to send him to Poste Restante, Genoa, a letter of introduc- 
 tion to M. de Cavour. I did so with all possible willingness, 
 and the letter was lost. Herr Geffcken presented himself to 
 M. de Cavour in my name, and was most kindly received. 
 To-morrow evening he arrives here to stay a fortnight. Every 
 year he asks leave of absence in order to rest under our roof* 
 He is bringing his young wife, married only a fortnight ago. 
 All the enchantment of the honeymoon will be necessary ta 
 make them tolerate me in my present state of infirmity. 
 
 Au revoir ; I dare not say till Tuesday at six o'clock. 
 
 Please be grateful to me, therefore, and imagine in your turn 
 
 how much I regret it. 
 
 Klustine QP'^^ de Ciecourt. 
 
 It was on August 2 that M. de Cavour was good enough 
 
 ^ Dr. Heinricli Geffcken, the Tvell-known publicist, represented the 
 Hanse Towns at Berlin in 1860. 
 
APPENDIX. 119 
 
 to receive my diplomat, so to-morrow I shall have very recent 
 news of him. 
 
 XII. 
 
 Les Bruyeres, August 9, 1860. 
 
 SiK, — ^You have quite captivated M. de la Kive, which 
 seems to me quite natural. He dined with us yesterday and 
 interested us keenly by what he said of opinion m England. 
 What storms there are in every quarter of the political horizon ! 
 Our friend, M. de Cavour, has need of all his energy to 
 make head against the tempest in which Europe looks upon 
 him as the sole pilot. I understand how busy you are, and I 
 regret so much that you cannot come here to take a little rest. 
 Nevertheless, I venture to ask a favour of you. Our young 
 friend, Herr Geffcken, has the greatest desire for the honour of 
 seeing you. He remains here another fortnight, and does not 
 go at all to Paris. He asks what are the days and the hours 
 when he could hope to find you and be able to have some talk 
 with you. He would go to Paris expressly for that. He saw 
 M. de Cavour a week ago. From here he will return to Berlin, 
 and he gives us all his leave of absence. He will interest you, 
 I am sure, and therefore I shall be very grateful to you if you 
 will allow him, when you can, to come and call upon you. 
 
 All revoir. I hope to see the Marquis de Cavour when he 
 is passing through Paris, and I am delighting in the prospect. 
 Pray do not forget the poor invalid. 
 
 K, DE ClRCOURT. 
 
 XIII. 
 
 Lea Bruyeres, August 22, 1860. 
 
 Sir, — Let me venture to entrust to your kindness this little 
 word for the Marquis de Cavour. M. de la Rive is expecting 
 
120 4PPENBIX. 
 
 him at Presinge on the 26th of this month, and I hope, from 
 the message which our common friend has sent me, that Paris 
 is on the way from Ostend to Geneva. I feel certain of the 
 old friendship of the Marquis de Cavour, and I much wish to 
 see him again. I am sure that he will come here, and that you 
 will do the like if you can leave your business, which becomes 
 every day more entangled. Last Sunday Michel Chevalier 
 came to tell me about a long conversation which he had had 
 with Signer Manna.^ The wish of Naples to be allied with Pied- 
 mont is a great gain for the Italian cause, but I understand all 
 the obstacles, and I wait with anxiety the issue of this new 
 crisis. Believe that my thoughts go with you. Our young 
 German couple leave us on September 1, and if between now 
 and then the political sky has a gleam of serenity, we shall be 
 happy to see you. Herr Geffcken wishes to do so, and M. de la 
 E/ive has increased his wish. 
 
 A thousand apologies made from my heart. 
 
 K. C^^^ DE CiRCOURT. 
 
 XIV. 
 
 Les Bruyeres, September 1, [I860]. 
 
 Sir, — Allow me to introduce to you, although from a 
 
 distance, our young friend, Herr Geffcken. He has just spent 
 
 several weeks with us, and is returning to his post at Berlin. 
 
 He is thoroughly acquainted with politics, and intimate with 
 
 the most eminent men in Germany. He will be most happy 
 
 to make your acquaintance, and I venture to ask you to grant 
 
 him a few moments. I shall be for my part very grateful 
 
 to you. Very many thanks to you for having forwarded my 
 
 little note to the Marquis de^Cavour. He gave us a good day^s 
 
 visit, which passed too quickly after five years' separation. He 
 
 ^ Signer Giovanni Manna, of Naples, Italian deputy minister, and 
 senator. He died in 1865. 
 
APPENDIX. 121 
 
 will tell his brother how many old friendships know nothing of 
 absence. Please believe me most sincerely yours, 
 
 K. DE CiRCOURT* 
 
 XV. 
 
 Les Bruyeres, September 20, 1860. 
 SiRj — Allow me to beg you to forward this letter as quickly 
 as you possibly can. It relates to a very important matter, of 
 which I will tell you when these serious events permit you to 
 spare us a few moments. 
 
 Every day brings news always of such important events. 
 May Italy come out of them triumphantly ! Please accept my 
 best thanks in advance. 
 
 Klustine C®^^ de Circourt. 
 
 Mr. Cobden said to me yesterday, speaking of M. de 
 Cavour : '' When I saw him in 1847 I thought him the ablest 
 man I ever knew, and he proved it.'^ 
 
 Mr. Senior was also of our party. 
 
 J XVI. 
 
 Les Bruyeres, September 29, [I860]. 
 Sir, — We are very grateful for a token of your friendly 
 remembrance at a moment when the preparations for your de- 
 parture must be taking up all your time. Believe me, that we 
 hope for your speedy return, and fully reckon on it. You 
 alone can worthily represent the policy of the new Italy, you 
 will bring back to us news of M. de Cavour more recent and 
 more detailed than his brother had. I hope that it may be as 
 soon as possible. How much I thank you for having so 
 faithfully forwarded my letter. Alas ! it contained an urgent 
 recommendation of M. and still more of Mme de Pimodan, 
 
122 APPENDIX, 
 
 whom I believed to be in Italy. Will you believe that in the 
 midst of such a serious state of things M. de Cavour answered 
 me immediately ? If anything in the world could increase my 
 admiration for his grand character, it would be this new proof 
 of friendship. Mme de Pimodan is full of determination and 
 of remarkable beauty ; she is twenty-six years old. It was she 
 and those about her who urged that young and brilliant soldier 
 to go upon this absurd expedition. 
 
 I have a right to concern myself specially with the wounded ; 
 I have passed all my summer in awaiting a very painful and 
 very long operation which my shoulder was to undergo next 
 month. Only yesterday, the celebrated surgeon who attends me. 
 Doctor Maisonneuve, declared that it was better to put it off 
 yet longer, for the mischief has not yet reached its height. In 
 November we shall return to Paris, and it will be seen what the 
 final verdict of the faculty will be. No effort, no torture will 
 be too dear if I have at the end of it the hope of even a partial 
 relief. May I venture to ask you to allow me to send my 
 letters for M. de Cavour to your charge (V affaires ? A recom- 
 mendation on your part will spare me the uncertainties of the 
 post. You know that I shall not make an improper use of such 
 a valuable permission. 
 
 A most painful thing in the middle of the very serious 
 events which are developing is the having to experience cruel 
 deceptions. M. de la Rive, the friend and cousin of M. de 
 Cavour, has been quite carried away by his ultra-Genevese 
 patriotism, and he writes to me, his friend of thirty years, that 
 he cannot in the least understand any longer my persistent 
 fanaticism for M. de Cavour, and that his own ardent 
 sympathies are for Garibaldi.^ Michel Chevalier was saying 
 
 1 Everybody knows with what vehemence Garibaldi opposed the 
 treaty of cession of the 24th of March, 1860. On the other side the 
 annexation of Savoy to France called forth a protest from Switzerland, of 
 
APPENDIX. 123 
 
 here the other day that M. de Cavour would have been the 
 greatest man of his time if he had had Garibaldi shot before 
 the Sicilian expedition. Mr. Cobden replied to him with an 
 amount of good sense and authority which delighted me. 
 That mind, so determined, so lofty, is a solid and true ally to 
 M. de Cavour. 
 
 An revoir, I will beg you to send me a photograph of 
 M. de Cavour which is like him, selected by yourself, to have 
 bound in his biography. A second part to that will be required, 
 and it will not be the least remarkable. 
 
 Herr Geffcken was very grateful for your reception of him, 
 and he deserved it in all respects. May God guide you and 
 bring you back to us. 
 
 K. C^^^ DE CiRCOURT. 
 
 Please take the last Corresponclant to the Marquis de 
 Cavour ; he will see there a piece by M. de Falloux which is 
 very likely to be seized. 
 
 XVII. 
 
 Les Bruyeres, July 24, 1861. 
 Sir, — How much I thank you for this precious portrait. 
 It is an excellent likeness, but I can look at it only through 
 my tears. It will be on the same page with yours — for ever 
 united in my thoughts. I am glad to have from your hand 
 the report for which I ventured to ask.^ We have read it 
 with the greatest interest in consideration of yourself no less 
 
 which M. de la Rive was the convinced interpreter to the St. James's 
 Cabinet. On this question, but on this only, the opinions of M. de la 
 Rive were found to be momentarily in accordance with the feelings of 
 Garibaldi. 
 
 1 The report of May 20, 1861, in which I gave Cavour an account of 
 the administration of the Neapolitan provinces during the government of 
 H.R.H. the Prince of Carignan. 
 
124 APPENDIX. 
 
 than of him who then was at the head of King Victor 
 EmmanueFs Government, and who will be the abiding and 
 eternal honour of Italy. I doubt not that this piece of work 
 earned for you the approbation which was most flattering to 
 your deserts and dearest to your heart; a reward which for 
 you no other can replace, not even the brilliant meed of justice 
 which has been rendered to you, even outside of Italy, by people 
 of an upright spirit and generous intention. The report gives 
 a complete idea of the prodigious efforts which the reorganisa- 
 tion of Southern Italy must cost, of the difficulties which 
 you had to overcome, and of the wholesome precedents which 
 you have bequeathed to your successors. 
 
 Our congratulations on your return to Paris are mingled 
 with so much bitterness that it has cost me both time and 
 trouble to find the courage I needed to write to you to-day. 
 Still, I cannot deny myself the consolation of recurring with 
 you to this irreparable loss, and of assuring you of the profound 
 sympathy with which those who have been worthy to share 
 M. de Cavour^s friendship, not limiting themselves to participa- 
 tion in your regret, will continue to stand by you with their good 
 wishes in the great task which has been laid upon you. Amid 
 the licence of party spirit and the blindness of prejudices, you 
 will find out at Paris some minds in unison with your own ; they 
 will remind you every instant how sacred a duty is yours, with- 
 out flinching under so rude a trial, to continue the work with 
 which, at so early a stage, when its realisation seemed more a 
 dazzling dream than an historical possibility, you so persever- 
 ingly and so energetically associated yourself. I hope that you 
 noticed the appropriateness and precision of the terms employed 
 quite recently by one of my London friends on an important 
 occasion respecting the recognition of Italy. 
 
 Before you are wholly swept away in the whirlwind of 
 business, I should really very much enjoy seeing you a-t our 
 
yNlVERSi 
 
 Of 
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 modest hermitage, near as it is to Paris. For me, and I hope 
 for you, it would be a solace of our common sorrow, rather 
 than an aggravation of it, to express it to each other, and to 
 repeat that Count Cavour is not entirely lost to Italy since 
 his spirit survives him, and tried friends are devoting their 
 existence to the completion of his work. Up to the present 
 Signor Ricasoli^s actions and words are such as to make one 
 think that he will worthily take up, so far as it can be taken 
 up, an inheritance of such magnanimity. 
 
 My husband unites with me in saying that our little dinner- 
 table will be happy to claim you at six o^clock precisely. 
 Believe me yours most sincerely, 
 
 Klustine C®^^ de Ciecourt. 
 
 XVIII. 
 
 (Two sprigs of heath stuck at the head of the page.) 
 
 Par Bougivalj August 28, 1861. 
 
 Sir, — Your loyal remembrance in the midst of your business 
 has made me very grateful. I understand how you are invaded 
 every hour, and my regret at not seeing you increases every day. 
 My husband nev er goes to Paris without trying to snatch a few 
 moments of you ; but he seldom goes there, for our friends 
 succeed each other here even when our Paris is deserted. We 
 enjoy them as they pass on their way back from watering-places, 
 and these interesting appearances charm my seclusion. We 
 have a neighbour who is an implacable enemy of Italy, although 
 he was a friend of M. de Cavour, I mean M. Thiers. All the 
 inexhaustible raciness of his charming wit becomes mere twaddle 
 when he talks about that great resurrection and disputes the 
 scope of it. 
 
 You will permit me in two words to introduce to you 
 
126 APPENDIX. 
 
 M. Tchihatclieff, who has been recently elected to the Academy 
 of Sciences. He is a man full of talent, a publicist, an intrepid 
 traveller, a diligent explorer of Asia Minor. He has written 
 some remarkable political tracts, " The Peace of Zurich '^ among 
 others. He is going to pass the winter in Italy in order to 
 observe her in her regenerate state, and much desires to have the 
 honour of seeing you in the short time before his departure. 
 He is truly on the side of that which we admire. 
 
 Au revoir, sir. Do not forget us, and doubt not of the value 
 which we shall attach to those deep-seated memories which bind 
 us in one with yours. 
 
 K. DE CiRCOURT. 
 
 P.S. — You will have read Michel Chevalier's speech at 
 Dublin. When he pronounced the name of Cavour frantic 
 applause filled the hall. He bid me tell you this. 
 
 XIX. 
 
 Les Bruyeres, August 31, 1861. 
 Sir, — From my heart a thousand thanks for these precious 
 lines, which increase still further, if possible, my desire to see 
 you again. I have so much to tell you about M. Thiers. He is 
 not to be reconciled to the noble cause which you serve, and on 
 this point only I fail to find in him the moderation which to 
 me appears the special charm of that vast and comprehensive 
 intelligence, actively enlightened as it is. He recognises in our 
 friend all that for which Europe has done him honour, but he 
 talks nonsense about the possibility of' an Italy such as you 
 understand her, and such as we, I firmly hope, shall see her. I 
 understand your excess of reserve towards friends and enemies, 
 and it is only with the utmost discretion that I shall venture 
 to introduce an unknown person to you, you may be quite 
 assured. Nevertheless, there is a manner of serving Italy 
 
APPENDIX. 127 
 
 in action which is to animate and enlighten the zeal of those 
 who can by various means co-operate in that grand work, and 
 the least are not to be disdained. If you could, if it were 
 possible, you would make me really grateful if you could come 
 and dine with us at six o'clock precisely on Monday, the day 
 after to-morrow. You will find here M. Poujade, who is going 
 to start shortly for Florence, quite radiant with that post which 
 suits him to perfection. You can guess that the title of consul, 
 general does not prevent it from being a diplomatic position, and 
 M. Poujade will be highly flattered by being introduced to you. 
 He is very intelligent, very hard working, courageous, capable of 
 understanding everything, and of making himself useful. We 
 shall not venture to wait for you, but you know how much 
 easier it is to carry on a conversation here in the shade than 
 through all the interruptions of Paris. 
 
 The Marquis Incoutri will be of our party. I shall never 
 forget the * kindnesses which his grandfather ^ heaped upon 
 us. Count Cavour had a high appreciation for M. de Poujade, 
 whom he often saw at Lady Holland's.^ What bonds all these 
 recollections become ! 
 
 Till Monday then. A few hours of peaceful chat would do 
 you so much good. After certain trials, the heart does not 
 recover its full strength. The loss which we mourn is one of 
 those which each day seems to increase and render more irrepar- 
 able. M. Thiers was relating to me the other day a conversation 
 which he had had with M. Cousin. It is a revelation. 
 
 ^ The Marquis Gino Capponi. 
 
 2 Lady Mary Augusta, daughter of tlie eighth Earl of Coventry, had 
 married, in 1833, the last Lord Holland. Lady Holland became a widow 
 in 1859, and thenceforward was accustomed to distribute her time between 
 Holland House, in Kensington, St. Ann's Hill, in Surrey, and Naples. 
 She was an old friend of Count Cavour's. Her residence, Holland House, 
 where I last saw her in 1885, was for a long time the meeting place of the 
 eminent men of the time both of England and of the Continent. She 
 died at St. Ann's Hill, September 21, 1889. 
 
128 APPENDIX. 
 
 Many thanks for your remembrance of me, you know how I 
 value it from my heart. 
 
 K. DE CiRCOURT. 
 
 XX. 
 
 Les Bruyeres, September 22, 1861. 
 
 Sir, — May T hope that you have been kind enough to keep 
 me one of those photographs, of which the Ilhistratioii offers 
 me a doubtless imperfect reproduction ? In exchange, I venture 
 to offer you a book-marker; it is thoroughly rustic, and will 
 make you think of a place which desires and hopes to see you. 
 All these days your name has been mentioned. M. Thiers, 
 in bidding me farewell, regretted much that he had not met 
 you, and I fancy that his chances of doing so are not easy, 
 considering the irreconcilable hostility of his present opinions. 
 M. Cousin was staying with him, whom I have seen every 
 day. His admiration for our illustrious friend is profound, but 
 his obstinacy on other points relating to that great memory has 
 always been no less fanatical. Herr Ranke asked me for news 
 of you. He was here lately with his translator, Mrs. Austin.^ 
 She has just given us a week on her way to M. Guizot. Under 
 my humble roof she was able to enjoy the neighbourhood of two 
 of her most intimate friends — M. Cousin and M. Barthelemy St. 
 Hilaire. I strongly advised the famous historian to go and see 
 you, but so long as Prussia does not recognise the kingdom of 
 Italy, German susceptibilities will not allow him to take so bold 
 a step in spite of all the desire that he has for talk with you. 
 
 This morning I got a letter from the Marquis de Cavour. 
 He has been vainly awaiting Mgr de Bonnechose, the Arch- 
 
 1 Mrs. Sarah Austin, bom Taylor, of Norwich, published among other 
 things English translations of E-anke's History of the Reformation in 
 Germany, and History of the Popes. 
 
C 
 
 APPENDIX. -i^CaufO^^ ^29 
 
 bishop of Rouen. When the Archbishop came to bid me fare- 
 well on going to Rome, I urged and persuaded him to go by 
 way of Turin. At his request I informed the Marquis de 
 Cavour, but it is clear that the prelate changed his mind on 
 the way, I am very sorry for it, for he would thus have found 
 a unique opportunity of enlightening himself. He is by nature 
 conciliatory and highly politic, and therefore moderate and 
 prudent. Have you read Layard's very interesting article in 
 the (Quarterly Review ? * The portrait to be found in it is much 
 more life-like than usual, and the letters and conversations have 
 an immense interest. 
 
 Au revoir. Forgive me for breaking in upon your thousand 
 occupations, and believe me yours very sincerely, 
 
 K. DE CmcouRT. 
 
 My husband has just lost his cousin, Admiral de Suin.^ 
 It is a real grief for us, and one noble nature the less. 
 
 XXI. 
 
 Xes Bruyeres, October 12, 1861. 
 
 Sir, — Although I have only a small portion of my corre- 
 spondence here, I confide to you certain precious letters of our 
 friend's. They will make you acquainted with him at a time 
 when you were still a child, and did not foresee that your name 
 and your affection would be so intimately bound up with that 
 great memory. How grateful I shall ever be to him for having 
 given me the advantage of knowing you, and of estimating for 
 myself the charm and the remarkable talents of which he so 
 often spoke to me ! Without that direct intervention, a poor 
 
 ^ Sir Henry Layard's article appeared in the Quarterly Review for 
 October, 1861, nnder the title of " Count de Cavour.'* 
 
 2 Yice- Admiral Marie Alfred de Suin, born 1796, died 1861. He was 
 a member of the Board of Admiralty. 
 
 J 
 
130 APPENDIX. 
 
 invalid shut up for so many years would never have been able 
 to meet so brilliant a young diplomatist with so crowded a 
 future unfolding itself before his eyes. As you read these 
 pages, written so long ago, you will be struck with that mature 
 reflection which was but awaiting the hour for action. I send 
 you some lines from Count A. de Pourtales^ to whom I had lent 
 ten letters belonging to the most divers epochs, but no one in 
 the world will understand like you the value which I attach to 
 them. It seems to me that you will take more pleasure in them 
 at the present season than when the whirl of the winter has 
 multiplied your engagements. 
 
 How much I thank you for having been able to grant me a 
 few moments ! You sat in the very same place where, in 1852 
 I had some long conversations with the friend whom we are 
 mourning. Alas ! my little abode, which was then full to its 
 smallest corner, was not able to offer him the hospitality of 
 which I should to-day have been so proud. 
 
 May I hope that you will preserve a little sympathy for 
 me in return for my sincere friendship ? 
 
 Klustine C^^^ de Circourt. 
 
 XXII. 
 
 [Les Bruyeres]j October 25, 1861. 
 
 Sir, — It was only yesterday that the precious packet, with 
 which I could not have parted save to feel that it was in your 
 bands, reached me. A thousand thanks for having let me see that 
 admirable letter.^ It is the living portrait of the friend whom we 
 shall always regret. It seems to me that it makes it your duty 
 some day to write that noble life which no one knew better than 
 
 * The letter addressed to me at Zurich from Count Cavour at Geneva, 
 August 21, 1859. See Cbiala, " Lettere del Conte di Cavour," iii., 123. 
 
APPENDIX. 131 
 
 you^ and into which you entered with quite particular intimacy. 
 His nephew must require it of you with the most urgent insist- 
 ance. How many letters I still possess at Paris extending over 
 whole years ! My husband, too, preserved several that are very 
 remarkable, but as they are all political I thought that you would 
 care less for them than for those which came from the /ne?id. 
 Do you not think that a collection of Count Cavour's letters 
 would have a great success, and would throw light upon that 
 mighty intellect which only revealed itself to the world amid 
 strife and fierce conflict ? The success of M. de Tocqueville^s 
 correspondence has often made me think of it. It was at my 
 fireside that those two friends of my life met, and they never 
 saw each other but that one and only time. A thousand 
 thanks again for those two photographs, which we shall keep 
 as precious things, and once more do not forget that I shall 
 hope for yours. 
 
 You will have read M. Guizot^s book.^ It will do no wrong 
 to the noble cause which you serve and defend. It is addressed 
 to a public which has formed its opinions and does not wish to 
 be enlightened, having taken its side beforehand. A Protestant 
 asserting in the name of liberty the necessity for the temporal 
 power of the Papacy does not seem to me very dangerous. 
 Mffr de Bonnechose has returned from Rome convinced that the 
 troops will stay there all the winter. It seems that Cardinal 
 Ant [onelli] has a formal promise to that efPect. We shall see 
 General de Goyon soon. I am very intimate with his wife, but 
 not at all with him. He expects to go back shortly. 
 
 During the first days of next month the surgeon's orders 
 condemn me to return to Paris. I shall regret our clear sky 
 and these horizons, admirable at all seasons ; but it will be 
 easier for my friends to reach me, and I shall be glad to spare 
 them a long journey. 
 
 ^ L'jSglise et la Societe Chretienne, published at Paris in 1861. 
 
 J 2 
 
132 APPENDIX. 
 
 I hope that you will be able to grant me a few moments, 
 and that you know how profoundly I sympathise with you. 
 
 Klustine C*^*^^ de Circouet. 
 
 Could you give me a copy of the official letter announcing 
 the death of Count Cavour ? I am keeping every announcement 
 of it in all countries which I can collect. 
 
 What prince is that whose letter the Count mentions at the 
 end of his own ? ^ 
 
 XXIII. 
 
 (A sprig of heath stuck at the top.) 
 
 November 1, 1861. 
 Yesterday an Englishman called upon me ; he told me that 
 his name was J. Devey, that he was a graduate of Cambridge 
 and a member of the English bar. He added that he had had 
 the honour of seeing you and of handing you a letter from Sir 
 J. Hudson.^ He said further that he had been directed to me 
 by M. Le Play, Councillor of State. He said that, being 
 engaged upon a work on the career and political history of 
 Count Cavour, he is collecting authentic documents from all 
 quarters, that Lord Clarendon had allowed him to see some very 
 valuable letters, and had even accepted the dedication of the 
 forthcoming work. He further asked if he might glance at the 
 letters which I have from Count Cavour. . . The first volume 
 of this work is to appear early in next month, and it is about 
 the years which preceded the political life of our friend that 
 the biographer asked me for precise information. Forgive me 
 for putting you to the trouble of writing me a couple of lines ; 
 you will understand my scruples, Mr. Devey stayed to dinner 
 here, and seemed quite a gentleman.^ 
 
 * Prince Napoleon. 
 
 - Sir James Hudson, British Envoy at Turin. 
 
 ' Mr. J. Devey's work was never published. 
 
APPENDIX, 133 
 
 I am returning to Paris in a few days, and hope to have your 
 answer here. I am afraid that this damp weather will have 
 brought back your throat trouble. 
 
 Yours most sincerely, 
 
 Klustine C^^® de Circourt. 
 
 XXIV. 
 
 11, Bue des SaussayeSj November, 1861. 
 
 Sir, — You have imagined the emotions with which I re- 
 turned to this abode, where I first knew our friend, where he 
 came so often, where his thoughts met the return of cordial 
 intimacy. Who could have told me last spring the grief with 
 which this year would be filled for me ? A thousand thanks 
 for that portrait; it is not at all flattered. On that noble 
 brow there is a look of care and preoccupation which I never 
 knew in him. The majestic serenity of the features struck me 
 in March, 1859, and I find no trace of it. I am very grateful 
 to you. All the portraits are put together, and will be placed 
 at the head of the publication which you know, Raccolta dei 
 migliori scritti e documentiy etc., but all that past, alas ! so 
 living, so cruelly cut short, is veiled to me by tears. In ex- 
 change I venture, without fear of wearying you, to let you see 
 the pages which my husband has written for me. I am certain 
 that you will read them with interest, and will divine that you 
 are the only person to whom I entrust them. To publish them 
 would be impossible. Read them at your leisure, and be assured 
 that I like to feel they are near you. 
 
 Your portrait, which I shall carefully preserve, lacks the 
 essential characteristic of likeness ; it does not give your age. 
 What is remarkable in you is the complete harmony of youth 
 with the eye of maturer age. Mr. Devey said to us that you had 
 
134 APPENDIX. 
 
 a profile which recalled the Greek marbles; it is perfectly true. 
 He is persecuting me with requests on behalf of his book^ which 
 he is carryiDg on passionately. 
 
 I sent lately to M. de Falloux a copy from a letter to M. de 
 Cavourin 1838, asking- me to introduce him to Mme SwetcKine, 
 making all due reserves. M. de Falloux was delighted with these 
 lines, and will publish them, I believe, in the two volumes of 
 correspondence which are about to appear, and which will still 
 further increase the admiration which Mme Swetchine inspires. 
 
 The journey has tried me cruelly ; I cannot stir from my 
 bed. I am going to begin a new treatment which will last all 
 this month, and will make me invisible. As soon as I am able 
 to see my friends again you will allow me to let you know, so 
 certain am I that, in spite of your engagements and your duties, 
 you keep a few moments for me. 
 
 Yours most sincerely, 
 
 K. DE ClECOUET. 
 
 This little seal was given me by M. de Cavour in 1841, 
 engraved as you see. 
 
 XXV. 
 
 [Paris'], Nov. 27, 1861. 
 
 Sir, — You cannot doubt the readiness with which I shall 
 attend to the person whom Prince Carignan so cordially com- 
 mends to you j but Paris is the worst possible centre for such 
 inquiries. External luxury has broken in upon all traditions. 
 Can you believe tha;t in the most ancient mansions which sur- 
 round you they have daily governesses and ladies to read by the 
 hour ? Many times have I attempted similar inquiries, and it 
 is in Italy that I have got places for people who could not find 
 any place here. 
 
 Next Sunday I hope to resume my usual habits, and. to 
 
APPENDIX. 135 
 
 receive on Thursday and Sunday from three to fivej all the other 
 days in the early evening from half -past eight to ten. If you 
 come to see me towards five o^clock, whenever your numerous 
 engagements allow you, you will be almost sure to find me free 
 from visitors, and we shall be able to talk. I should be so glad 
 if my fireside could be to you a place of repose, for you must 
 feel the need of one, and in so important a situation the relaxa- 
 tions natural to your age are not possible. I feel all that, and I 
 should be glad if a deep and inexhaustible sympathy could be 
 something of a resource to you. 
 
 Since you occupied yourself with popular ballads before you 
 took to the higher politics, I venture to offer you the only copy 
 of those which I still have,^ and a sonnet by my friend. 
 Professor Rossini.^ You will thus see that when I was still 
 quite young I had some friendships in Italy. In return I ask 
 for your out-of-print volume whenever you can have it reprinted. 
 
 I have just been scolding M. de Falloux. I cannot allow 
 that a certain absurd note upon Italy should again strike my 
 eye in the second edition of Mme Swetchine^'s correspondence, 
 which is again being printed, and I shall have full satisfaction 
 Otherwise the book has an interest which will reach beyond the 
 circle of intimate friends.^ 
 
 Aic revoir. I shall be glad when the time comes. 
 
 Yours most sincerely, 
 
 K. DE CiRCOURT. 
 
 1 A collection of Roman popular songs {Saggio di Canti j^opolari 
 della provincia di Marittima e Camjxigna) published at Rome, 1830, by 
 P. E. Visconti, and dedicated to Mile Klustine. 
 
 2 A piece of Italian verse of three stanzas composed by Professor 
 Rossini for the wedding of Mile Klustine to Count de Circourt 
 in 1830. 
 
 3 The correspondence here referred to of Mme Swetchine, born 
 Soymonoff, Mme de Circourt's compatriot and friend, was brought out by 
 M. de Falloux in 1862. 
 
136 APPENDIX. 
 
 XXVI. 
 
 [Paris], November 28, 1861. 
 
 Sm, — M. de Falloux has this moment sent me these two 
 volumes for M. Albert Blanc, and I venture to beg you to be 
 so extremely kind as to forward them to him. According to 
 what you tell me, it will be an exchange, and thanks to these 
 two editors we shall be able to continue feeding our thoughts 
 with that which cannot die. It is with the keenest impatience 
 that I await the publication of these speeches.^ They will, I 
 believe, be the most useful monument that has been raised to 
 that memory, which will grow ever greater. I shall try to 
 obtain them as soon as possible. I have had each of our 
 friend's speeches separately bound, and these copies will remain 
 the most valuable to me. 
 
 I am charmed to learn that you are reading Mme Swetchine's 
 letters with interest. She was for twenty-six years my most 
 intimate friend, and I never noticed the difference of age. The 
 youth of her heart, the keenness of her tastes, the exquisite 
 sincerity of her impressions made intercourse with her an in- 
 exhaustible mine of enjoyments. The finest pages in her 
 treatise on resignation are taken from her letters to me. They 
 were too intimate to be published, and those you know are the 
 most precious. She came to Les Bruyeres, and had a great 
 fondness for our distant views, and every week I sent her 
 flowers. The first time that I introduced M. de Cavour to her 
 he made a remarkable impression on her, and a most lively dis- 
 cussion arose between them about Count de Maistre, both 
 maintaining their points of view with a mastery which charmed 
 me. That was in 1838. For a year and a half before her 
 death we were not able to meet again, but our intimacy did not 
 
 1 The publication here mentioned took place in 1862 under the title, 
 (Euvre Parlementaire du Comte de Cavour traduite et annotee 'par 
 MM. I. Artom et Albert Blanc. Paris^ 1862. 
 
APPENDIX. 137 
 
 suffer. She bequeathed me a vase which always stood near 
 her. M. de Falloux brought it to me at my hermitage the day 
 after her death. Her correspondence with Father Lacordaire 
 may perhaps appear, and it will be most interesting, for we 
 shall have the letters of both correspondents. She lent me, 
 as she received them, the letters of the Dominican father, 
 to whom she was devoted. 
 
 Alt' revoir. You know how glad I shall be to see you again. 
 
 K. DE ClllCOUET. 
 
 XXVII. 
 
 [Paris], December 28, 1861. ] 
 
 Sir, — M. Solvyns^ comes to-morrow (Sunday) at three 
 o^clock to bid me farewell, and if you were by chance in my 
 part of the town at that hour you can guess how happy I 
 should be to see you again. He starts for Turin on Monday. 
 
 Mind you read in the last Correspondant Montalembert's 
 article on Father Lacordaire. I have sent M. de Falloux a very 
 remarkable letter from A, Blanc. If the party spirit of his set 
 allowed him to be free, M. de Falloux would be on our side, just 
 as Mme Swetchine would have been, I am certain — she who 
 was superior to all prejudices. You will have noticed her 
 beautiful letters to Mme Craven,^ and the touching fragment 
 of that lady^s journal. 
 
 Hoping to see you soon, and to-morrow, if possible, 
 
 K. DE CiRCOURT. 
 
 Allow me to devote to you a seal which M. de Cavour 
 gave me in 1840,^ at the end of a ruby pen which is worn out. 
 
 ^ Baron Solvyns, Belgian Envoy at Turin. 
 
 2 Mme Pauline Craven, horn de la Ferronays, author of the Recit 
 d' une Sceur, and of many other works in literature, morals, and history. 
 
 3 It should he 1841. See Count Cavour's letter of December 24 in 
 that year. 
 
 OF THE 
 
 UNIVERSITY 
 
 OF 
 
138 APPENDIX. 
 
 He saw everything, and had noticed this letter on the handker- 
 chiefs which I generally use. 
 
 XXVIII. 
 
 11, Bue des SaussayeSj January 11, 1862. 
 
 Sir, — M. Thiers is coming to see me to-morrow (Sunday) 
 at four o'clock. I tell you of it thinking that if you were free 
 at that hour you would like to meet him. Without sharing any 
 of his ideas^ I find myself under the spell of that incomparable 
 talker. 
 
 Mr. Devey is here more absorbed than ever in his work, but 
 it grows so much under his hand that the first volume cannot 
 possibly appear till February. I have just lent him the two 
 very remarkable articles by Daniel Stern ; you probably know 
 them. 
 
 Farewell for a short time. I hope that you have not, like 
 me, an abominable cold. 
 
 Yours most sincerely, 
 
 K. DE CiRCOURT. 
 
 XXIX. 
 
 11, Bue des SaussayeSj Jan. 25, 1862. 
 
 Sir, — It has been many days since I have had the pleasure 
 of seeing you. I know that you have been unwell, and I have 
 keenly shared the disappointment of Michel Chevalier, and the 
 regret of my friend, M. de Kergorlay, who would have been so 
 happy to have had the honour of receiving you next Monday. 
 My faithful friends are kind enough to keep my place for me, 
 even when it is impossible for me to occupy it. 
 
 You do not guess that I want to importune you, and that I 
 
APPENDIX. 139 
 
 am really quite confused at the thought o£ it. Overwhelmed as 
 you are with important business, I must be under strong com- 
 pulsion to give you one minute of annoyance ; but I used to 
 behave in the same way to Count Cavour^ so forgive me as he 
 used to doj knowing as he did the horror I felt for all indiscreet 
 requests. 
 
 M. Barrot, French Ambassador at Madrid, has received the 
 Grand Cross of St. Maurice over the question of the Neapolitan 
 archives. Very proud as he is of this great riband, his dis- 
 cretion does not allow him to ask for anything on behalf of his 
 staff ; but he has let it be known semi-officially that those who 
 made overtures at Turin would have a good chance of obtaining 
 the Knight's Cross. Now there is on his staff a young attache 
 of considerable ability, who entered the diplomatic career upon a 
 brilliant examination. His name is the Viscount de Grouchy, 
 and he is the son of my intimate friend.^ She has lost her 
 husband, who was French charge cV affaires at Turin during the 
 Coalition. M. de Cavour showed him the greatest attention, 
 and he always remained his devoted friend. You see then the 
 cause of my solicitation. If you can and will support young de 
 Grouchy's request, you will probably be doing what M. de 
 Cavour would have done in the like case. He took a real 
 interest in the young man, and dissuaded his mother from 
 sending him to St. Cyr, saying that he ought to be a diplo- 
 matist. That charming mother has every ambition for her son, 
 and that will be my excuse with you. 
 
 Pity me for having to trouble you, and believe that whatever 
 
 you may do I shall be a thousand times grateful. Hoping for 
 
 an early meeting, I am yours, 
 
 Klustine C^^^ de Circourt. 
 
 ^ Augusta Yirginie Serre, Yiscountess de Grouchy, died in 1889. 
 Her son Emmanuel was French Secretary of Legation at Madrid during 
 the last three months of 1861, and was then transferred to the legation at 
 Turin in January, 1862. 
 
140 APPENDIX. 
 
 P.S. — Do not forget that I am very desirous of knowing 
 Signor Scialoja.^ You know that I cannot meet him anywhere. 
 
 XXX. 
 
 [ II, Rue des Saussayes, Feb. 7, 1862. 
 
 Sir, — You will have received directly from Geneva W. de la 
 Rivers remarkable article on M. de Cavour/ so I did not 
 send you a copy immediately. It is going the round of Paris, 
 and gains unanimous approval. Your opinion, however, is that 
 to which I attach most value. The author stayed here two days, 
 and I should have liked to introduce him to you. 
 (Unsigned, on a visiting card.) 
 
 XXXI. 
 
 [Paris], February 22, 1862. 
 
 Dear Sir, — It seems to me that these lines about Count 
 Cavour's correspondence will interest you. They reach me from 
 London, and have been much read ; but I maintain that it was 
 unpardonable of Rattazzi to print those letters which were really 
 confidential.3 William de la Rivers work has had no success at 
 
 ^ Bignor Antonio Scialoja, of Naples, economist and statesman, who 
 was Professor of Political Economy at the University of Turin, deputy, 
 minister and senator, had been attached to me as second plenipotentiary 
 to negotiate the navigation convention and the treaty of commerce between 
 Italy and France, which were signed at Paris, the first June 15, 1862, the 
 second January 17, 1863. He died in 1877. 
 
 ^ The first part of M. William de la Rive's work, Le Comte de Cavour, 
 recits et souvenirs (Paris, 1862). 
 
 ^ Mme de Circourt here alludes to some letters of Count Cavour to 
 Signor Rattazzi, published by Signor Berti in January, 1862, in the 
 JRivista Contemporanea of Turin. These letters, being reproduced by the 
 English press, gave rise to certain declarations on the part of Lord 
 Clarendon at the sitting of the House of Lords on February 17, 1862, 
 
APPENDIX. 141 
 
 Geneva ; hardly anyone will read it outside of the circle of our 
 friend's closest intimates. The young author writes to me in 
 great discouragement, and I answer him that its success here is 
 such as to oblige him to continue it, and without delay. lie 
 alone can give us the minute portrait formed of the recollections 
 of family and friends. I have already been asking permission 
 to translate into German and English those pages which I 
 should like to make generally known. 
 
 When you learnt the recognition by Prussia of the kingdom 
 of Italy, you will have thought like me of Count Pourtal^s, who 
 so strongly advised it. But is not that a tribute worthy of his 
 memory ? 
 
 Michel Chevalier was telling me yesterday, after dining 
 with Prince Napoleon, that your treaty progresses. You know 
 how impatient I am to see its negotiator once more. Signor 
 Scialoja perhaps has not the patience to bear with a poor 
 invalid. Please tell him so from me with my compliments. 
 
 Hoping for an early meeting, I am, yours most sincerely, 
 
 K. DE CiRCOURT. 
 
 XXXII. 
 
 \_PaYis\ March 21, 1862. 
 
 Dear Sir, — It seems very melancholy to me to pass so 
 many days and weeks without having the consolation of seeing 
 you again. I cannot meet you anywhere, and it will need a 
 direct act of friendly recollection on your part to enable me to 
 shake your hand. Accordingly, the account of the popular songs 
 which you have published has been delightful to my heart. I 
 admire that truly poetical disposition which attracted you to 
 
 which were afterwards replied to by Signer Berti at the sitting of the 
 Italian Chamber of Deputies on the following July 8, by the Marquis 
 Aynard de Cavour in a letter to the Journal des Dehats of October 20, 
 and by M. William de la Rive in his book on Cavour. 
 
142 APPENDIX. 
 
 these expressions of simple feeling before the serious duties of so 
 noble a political career had filled your life and inspired your 
 intelligence with the desire of carrying on to a triumphant issue 
 the grand cause which cost our friend his life. 
 
 I am expecting from Turin a little work disclosing the nego- 
 tiations with Cardinal Antonelli/ and I am, above all, awaiting 
 the volume upon which M. Artom is at work.^ I much regret that 
 he has left the ministry. If ever he comes to Paris I beg you 
 to make me acquainted with him, for Count Cavour often spoke 
 to me of him in the days when he used to speak of you, and 
 promise that I should understand you some day. 
 
 At the end of next month I hope to be able to return to Les 
 Bruyeres. A horribly painful treatment has so far done nothing 
 but cause fever and redouble my pain. I shall want much 
 repose to recover from it, and I ask you for a few moments 
 whenever your numerous interruptions will let you grant them 
 to my solitude. I lately defended Italian unity for two hours 
 long against M. Thiers so warmly that he came and said to me 
 some days afterwards, "Nobody deserves the Grand Cross of 
 St. Maurice so much as you.'^ However, he seems to me to 
 be a little shaken in his prejudices. I hope we shall meet soon. 
 
 K. DE CiRCOURT. 
 
 XXXIII. 
 
 \_Fari8, March, 1862], Sunday. 
 
 Dear Sir, — You may perhaps be interested to hear, from a 
 witness who is worthy of all confidence, what is going on in 
 Greece at the present moment. A young friend of ours has just 
 
 ^ The work in question was published at Turin in 1862 with the title 
 Negoziato tra il Conte di Cavour e it Cardinale AntonelU conchiuso per 
 la cessione del potere temporale del Papa : di D. Antonino Isaia. 
 
 2 This is the work already mentioned by MM. Artom and Blanc 
 (Euvre parlementaire du Comte de Cavour. 
 
APPENDIX. 143 
 
 come thence, and, with your permission, I should be glad to hear 
 from you if you would be kind enough to have a talk with him. 
 M. Baltazzi, whom we have known for some years, is able, young 
 as he is, to observe, understand, hope. He has a nice fortune, and 
 relations of the most honourable kind in his own country. The 
 national awakening brings Greece naturally near to Italy. 
 M. Baltazzi thinks that he cannot protract his stay here very 
 long, and therefore I venture to let you know of the very great 
 wish which he attaches to the honour of seeing you. 
 
 Many thanks for the pleasant moment, which I was unable 
 to enjoy as I should have liked. You can believe that it is 
 not every evening that I am favoured by the marquises from 
 your part of the town. Yesterday you would have found me 
 with everything young and sympathetic. The little book^ has 
 been devoured, and this morning my husband is going to read 
 it to the chancellor.^ You will have read in the Times of the 
 18th Lord John Russell's reply to Lord Normanby. Aic revoir, 
 as I hope. 
 
 K. DE ClECOURT. 
 
 XXXIV. 
 
 [Paris], March 28, 1862. 
 
 Sir, — Several copies of newspapers which I do not take in 
 have reached me through my friends, for there is talk of your 
 entry into the ministry, and you can guess how much we are 
 concerned with it. And yet it seems to me that no post in 
 Italy can be so influential as that which you occupy here, or so 
 important for the future of Italy. Those who are most opposed 
 to the triumph of your cause agree in saying that you represent 
 
 1 The first part, already mentioned, of M. W. de la Rive's book. 
 
 2 Chancellor Pasquier. 
 
144 APPENDIX. 
 
 it with all the best qualities of a negotiator, and with that 
 personal charm which is an addition to everything-. Your 
 ambition is too high not to be enlightened, but you must allow 
 me a certain uneasiness. You must stay here; later on you will 
 not fail to be the guiding minister of your country. 
 
 Forgive me this anxiety, due to a sympathy which is well 
 known to you, and which you give me leave to believe not 
 indiscreet. Yours most sincerely, 
 
 K. DE CiRCOURT. 
 
 Mr. Ffrench ^ has come back from Baden with keen 
 regret at not having seen you again. What a charming nature 
 is his ! He has had some battles in my house which he will not 
 forget. His ferocious adversaries are the ladies who live nearest 
 to you.2 M. de la Prade ^ threatens to address an epistle to him. 
 I hope he will do nothing of the sort. Everything has been 
 said on that sad subject. 
 
 XXXV. 
 
 [Paris], April 3, 1862. 
 
 Sir, — It seems to me that this third article,* after you have 
 
 read it, will particularly interest Signor Scialoja. If so, please 
 
 lend it to him, at all events, if he can read any other matter 
 
 than tariffs. How I find all my own advice in these living 
 
 pages. Observe that the author is discouraged, for he has no 
 
 success at Geneva, and I count on your approval to reanimate 
 
 him. 
 
 (Unsigned, on a visiting card.) 
 
 1 Robert Percy Ffrench, from the county of Galway, in Ireland, 
 H.B.M. Secretary of Legation. 
 
 2 That is, the dowagers of the Faubourg Saint-Germain. 
 
 3 Poet, and Member of the French Academy. 
 * The continuation of M, de la Rive's work. 
 
APPENDIX, 145 
 
 XXXVI. 
 
 11, Bv£ des Saussayes, April 11, 1862. 
 
 Deae Sir, — I think you will read with interest this pamphlet 
 of Herr von Thielau,^ a young publicist whom Count A. de 
 Pourtales had about him towards the end of his life. This little 
 piece is written with very remarkable talent, but with a meta- 
 physical obscurity which makes the reading of it laborious. 
 This difficulty must be got over, for few recent publications 
 give so just an idea of the present state of enlightened and even 
 moderate minds in Germany on questions of external and even 
 internal policy. The latter pages contain some attacks upon 
 Count Cavour and upon the political morality of certain actions 
 which have distressed more than they have surprised me. A 
 good deal of allowance must be made for the rooted prejudices 
 of the Germans. 
 
 I made a point of imparting your opinion to William de la 
 Rive ; it will flatter and encourage him. He is preparing two 
 more articles, and will publish them in a single volume. 
 
 I hope by the end of this month to get back to Les Bruyeres, 
 and to see you many times before the long months which will 
 separate me from my busy friends. The idle ones know the 
 road which leads to our wild retreat. 
 
 Yours most sincerely, 
 
 K. DE CiRCOURT. 
 
 XXXVII. 
 
 [Paris], April 21, 1862. 
 Dear Sir, — Do not forget me during my last week here. 
 Till Sunday next inclusive, I retain the hope of seeing my 
 
 1 Essay on Count Albert de Pourtales, published at Berlin by Herr 
 von Tliielau in 1862 under the title Graf Albert Pourtales. Politischer 
 Essay. 
 
146 APPENDIX. 
 
 friends. Signor Scialoja and his wife left me yesterday a 
 moment before M. Thiers came in ; he was more amusing and 
 more brilliant than I have ever seen him. Mr. Stanley has 
 given me his book of Moldavian and Wallachian popular songs ; 
 would you like to have it ? 
 I hope we may meet soon. 
 
 (Unsigned, on a visiting card.) 
 
 XXXVIII. 
 
 [Paris], May 5, 1862. 
 
 SiRj — You have procured me a great enjoyment, inseparably 
 linked with deep emotion. I have twice read over these pages, 
 which seem to contain a living and vibrating echo.* It is 
 seldom that one finds so many of the touches which depict a 
 character brought together without an imprudence or indis- 
 cretion being committed. The page about Rome is very remark- 
 able ; it seems to me that revelations of this kind become a 
 light to the most prejudiced minds. I could not finish the 
 reading without tears. M. de Kergorlay, finding these pages 
 by me yesterday, took possession of them, and left M. Thiers, 
 M. Beule, M. Vitet, M. Merimee, Prevost-Paradol, and — the 
 Duchess Colonna, to go and read them in a corner. He was 
 charmed with them. I did not venture to impart them to 
 M. Thiers without your permission, although I should much like 
 to do so. I shall send him the volume when it has appeared. 
 
 William de la Rive is passing through Paris, and I have 
 promised that you will see him if he calls on you. He will 
 publish in a volume the articles which he has just completed, 
 and will add many letters which have been forwarded to him 
 since his work came out. 
 
 ^ Signor I. Artom's introduction to his CEuvre parlementaire du Comte 
 de Cavour. 
 
APPENDIX. 147 
 
 Ranke has bidden me tell you that he had the greatest wish 
 to talk to you about the Papacy. He is so taken up with the 
 despatches of the reign of Louis XIV., which he is copying, 
 and which reveal mysteries to him, that he does not even go to 
 the meetings of the Institute. He is only free in the evening, 
 and he does not venture to go and look for you in the gloaming. 
 Yesterday he was at the breakfast party which Madame MohP 
 gave for the 'Queen of Holland; and I have heard from him 
 several amusing stories of it. 
 
 This heat torments me cruelly. I shall start for the country 
 next week ; please tell Signor Artom that I am venturing to 
 hope he will come and rest there when rest is possible for him. 
 How curious I shall be to ransack his recollections. Duchess 
 Colonna has been bringing me a Venetian, Signor Pasini,^ who 
 is enthusiastic about our friend. Do not you think that his 
 memory grows greater every day ? 
 
 Let us meet soon; and from my heart a thousand thanks. 
 
 K. DE CiRCOURT. 
 
 (Note to the last letter.) 
 
 Donna Adele Colonna, Duchess of Castiglione, bom Countess d'Affry, 
 was snatched away from the affection of her mother and her friends, and 
 from the art which she loved, by an untimely death in 1879. Count 
 Adolphe de Circourt, who with her mother had tended her up to the last, 
 communicated this sad news to me in the following letter : — 
 
 Freiburg in Switzerland, Aug. 4, 1879. 
 
 I have to discharge the saddest of commissions in aimomicing to you 
 
 the death of our illustrious and still more excellent friend, the Duchess of 
 
 Castiglione-Colonna. On July 16 she sank, at Castellamare, under the 
 
 attack of an old-standing chest ailment, which neither skill, nor the 
 
 > Mme Mohl, born Clark, of Scottish family, was wife of Julius Mohl, 
 the translator of the Shah-Nameh, who was Professor of Persian at the 
 College de France, and member of the Institute. The memoir of her by 
 Mrs. Simpson, daughter of Nassau Senior, is well known iu England. 
 
 2 Signor Ludovico Pasini, of Schio, Italian deputy, and afterwards 
 senator, died in 1870. 
 
 K 2 
 
148 APPENDIX. 
 
 climate, nor the assiduous care of the best of mothers, could overcome. 
 By her simple courage, her frank resignation, the persistency of her 
 affection, her death was rendered worthy of so beautiful and so short a 
 life. I was present at her last moments, the picture of which will not 
 leave me for an instant so long as I remain on this earth, the chief charm 
 of which, for her mother and for more than one friend, has vanished with 
 her. In Italy the Countess d'Affry received from her daughter's relations 
 and friends all the help which she could have hoped for, besides the most 
 touching evidences of sympathy. God is supporting this devoted mother 
 in a trial as unexpected as it is cruel, and you would admire the valiant 
 manner in which she is setting herself to the duties which she has yet to 
 fulfil. I hope her health will soon be restored. 
 
 We returned slowly from Castellamare to Freiburg, gathering up at 
 each stage the scattered relics of the Duchess ; and it was but yesterday 
 the Countess re-entered the desolate house. Her remaining daughter, her 
 excellent son-in-law, Ottenfels, and their little children alleviate her grief, 
 and give her new inducements to begin life again. She bids me tell you 
 of her sorrow, and to assure you that the Duchess retained till the last 
 moment the most delightful remembrance of your friendship, and counted 
 on your remembrance, as to-day her mother asks your faithful remem- 
 brance of her daughter. You know how she always loved Italy. " In 
 fine dilexit eam " ; her last looks were fixed on the incomparable beauty of 
 the land and sea of Campania, and one of her last prayers was for the 
 prosperity of your country. 
 
 A.. DE ClBCOURT. 
 
 XXXIX. 
 
 Les Bruyeres, June 5, 1862. 
 Dear Sie, — I venture to think that in spite of your many 
 engagements you will find a few moments for me to-morrow, 
 and that our deep regrets may be mingled. So a year has 
 almost passed since the world lost him, the recollection of whom 
 is for ever an imperishable bond between us. As one returns 
 in thought to the time which followed that cruel blow, as one 
 compares the condition into which that catastrophe brought 
 Italy and France with the present state of affairs, one discovers 
 that the most extraordinary, the most decisive successes which 
 M. de Cavour gained are the work of his genius surviving his 
 life on earth. It is by this sole standard that one can realise the 
 
APPENDIX. 149 
 
 dimensions of that grand historic figure. The work of common- 
 place men does not last so long as the}'" do ; a clever combina- 
 tion gives them a momentary triumph, while unfavourable 
 circumstances leave them in ruins. Count Cavour continues to 
 guide the destinies of the country which he recalled almost 
 miraculously into political existence. The impulse to political 
 movement given and maintained so vigorously and so appositely 
 still retains all its force. The nation draws inspiration from his 
 thought, and whenever its resolution falters, has recourse, as to an 
 oracle, to that lofty and steadfast mind which made itself 
 obeyed by all kinds of selfishness because disinterested ; by all 
 prejudices, because it was enlightened ; by all violence, because 
 it was just. The latest gains which that imperturbable and 
 patient policy has carried in Italy are at this moment solemnly 
 recognised, and what is more, are solidly united. The com- 
 promise which, after honestly weighing all rights and comparing 
 all duties, M. de Cavour suggested in order to put an 
 end to the antagonism which is rending Italy and alarming 
 the world, remains in all its essential features the only well- 
 grounded hope of permanency without abasement for one party, 
 of victory without remorse for the other. One year more, 
 probably, and the coping-stone of the building will be laid. 
 Cavour's work will take rank in the world as one of the con- 
 trolling powers of Europe, one of the highest organs of 
 civilisation. For our friend's memory it is the worthiest and 
 most enduring glory. For those who have seen him disappear 
 so prematurely it will be a high consolation ; the only one we 
 •can hope for when, after having shared the confidence and the 
 affection of such a man, we are condemned to a regret which 
 will only end with our lives. I find a certain comfort in 
 exchanging these thoughts with you. I can impart them to 
 but few people ; the time for justice and reparation has not yet 
 arrived. Even for minds of high distinction it will probably be 
 
150 APPENDIX. 
 
 long in coming ; but it is, I venture to say, a bond that I like 
 to think indissoluble to have met in so rare an intimacy, and to 
 have forestalled the verdict of posterity by associating ourselves, 
 each according to his ability, with so lofty and so misunder- 
 stood a work. No one is more worthy than you to recall 
 bygone days with emotion, and to face with confidence those 
 which Providence has in store for your land. 
 
 My husband is all the better for his treatment in Germany. 
 I am in a very poor way, but I hope next month to be better, 
 and to have the great joy of seeing you again. Do not forget 
 me, and speak of me to Signor Artom, whom I shall be happy 
 to meet once more. 
 
 K. DE CiRCOUET. 
 
 I venture to ask Signor Artom to send me his book 
 by post as soon as it appears. I shall read it again in my 
 complete solitude. 
 
 XL. 
 
 Les Bruyeres, June 11, 1862. 
 
 Deau Sir, — I have this morning received my young friend's 
 last bit ; ^ and I lose no time in sending it to you. I am sorry 
 that he has recurred to the letter which gave rise to Lord 
 Clarendon's contradiction, for this detail, unimportant for the 
 entire work, will damage the volume which is about to appear. 
 It seems to me that if those touching pages of Countess Alfieri's 
 had been read by the Archbisho'p of Paris, the authorisation for 
 prayers on June 6 would not have been withheld. I know, and 
 like well, the pai-son of the Madeleine, and I am sure that he 
 would have used all the persuasion of his speech to hinder so 
 strange a prohibition. 
 
 Make Signor Artom read these pages, and send them back 
 
 * The last portion of M. de la Rive's work on Count Cavour. 
 
APPENDIX. 151 
 
 to me. I do not want to lend 'them again to the charming 
 Mme Colonna, for she would keep them too long, and I wish 
 to read them once more. Do not you think that a literary 
 censorship would have forbidden them? M. Scherer corrects 
 the proofs ; and as he has received the author^s permission to 
 curtail, he makes no use of the right. 
 
 Thanks for the Opinionej which I shall keep and value, as 
 coming from you. 
 
 My husband has been since yesterday at Baden with Countess 
 Flemming,^ daughter of Bettina and wife of the Prussian 
 Minister. She stayed four months here the year before last. 
 I am provisionally established in my dining-room, while the 
 workmen are busy everywhere. It is now two years since I 
 have been able to sit at table. Last time I dined here, that 
 delightful Count Pourtales and his wife remained at our rustic 
 board till the last stroke of the bell. M. de Pourtales said : 
 '' I hope I shall find you here again some day with Count 
 Cavour. But look out for M. de Butenval : he would make a 
 fine face at you.'^ Alas! those two friends of my youth are 
 no more ; and Mme de Pourtales writes to me that she has 
 accepted the post of Grand Mistress with the future Queen of 
 Prussia. Your new colleague,^ in whom you find both talent 
 and ambition, is said to be the Queen^s man. My husband will 
 probably see her; and as soon as he comes back, he will be 
 eager to go and shake hands with you. 
 
 William de la Rive ventures to call on you during the only 
 day which he will pass at Paris on his way back from London ; 
 please receive him. It will be a just recompense for him. 
 
 M. Chevalier seems dissatisfied with the position which the 
 
 ^ Ennengarde, Countess von Flemming, who died in 1880, was the 
 daughter of Ludwig Achim von Arnim and Bettina Brentano, the friend 
 of Goethe. In 1862, Count von Flemming was Prussian Envoy to Baden. 
 He died at Florence 1884. 
 
 2 Count von Goltz, Prussian Ambassador at Paris. 
 
152 APPENDIX. 
 
 world assigns in England to the presidents of the jury.^ In- 
 dustry is one of the forces of the country; but it does not 
 reckon among the elections of the aristocracy. My friend 
 Cobden is much amused at these little disappointments. 
 
 An revoir — but when ? I am in such a poor way that it is 
 impossible for me to stir from my bed. Let your memory keep 
 faithful to me ; it has, I think, a bond of no common kind. 
 
 Yours most sincerely, 
 
 K. DE CiRCOURT. 
 
 XLI. 
 
 Les Bruyeres, Oct. 4, 1862. 
 
 Sir, — Your card is forwarded to me from Paris, and I must 
 thank you for this sign of your friendly remembrance. You know 
 how our thoughts have gone with you during these last weeks 
 of agitation, which seemed to have brought nearer a definitive 
 solution. What strength of soul you must need to remain 
 calm and serene amid so many perplexities ! The friend to 
 whom I owe your friendship for me was an example to follow 
 and admire. You will have been pleased with M. d^Haussonville's 
 article.^ It is very surprising — and the author in sending me a 
 copy speaks of a long illness during which M. de Cavour tended 
 him at Turin like a brother. Persons who are well informed 
 assure me that this article is a manifesto of the Orleanist party 
 in the matter of Italy, and that it was laid before the Duke of 
 Aumale previous to its appearance. 
 
 William de la Rive's book is truly successful. It astonishes 
 the enemy, and they are, above all, the people who need to be 
 enlightened. I have given it freely to persons who had not 
 read it; and I am sending my young friend a collection of 
 
 ^ At the International Exhibition. 
 
 2 An article by Count O. d'Haussonville in the Bevue des Deux Mondes, 
 of September 15, 1862, under the title, M. de Cavour et la Crise italienne. 
 
APPENDIX. 153 
 
 opinions which are well-deserved thanks. In this way one 
 ought to fix those impressions which still are the breath of life. 
 
 We shall spend the whole of November here. By this time 
 it is gloomy winter in Paris, and a splendid autumn here. The 
 sun rises facing my bed, and sets facing the drawing-room : 
 I am never tired of watching the horizon which for seven years 
 I have never been able to reach — and my eyes are better for it 
 than for the darkness of the city. 
 
 To-day M. Beul6 makes his first speech in public. I am 
 sorry not to be there to applaud ; he has sent me the proof of 
 it. His eulogy of Halevy is not an academic piece ; but it is 
 the tale of a life devoted to art and nobly judged. M. Beule 
 cherishes with care the letters of introduction in Sardinia given 
 him by our friend. 
 
 Au revoir. Do not forget us ; we shall be glad to see you 
 
 again. 
 
 Klustine C^^^ de Circourt. 
 
 XLII. 
 
 Les Bruyeres, Oct 17, 1862. 
 SiE, — You will have guessed with what anxiety we thought 
 of you and your dear Italy, when we heard of these Ministerial 
 variations. I am very anxious to learn your impressions of the 
 new Minister;^ he used often to talk much of you to me. He 
 came and spent here the whole of the day after his journey to 
 Chalons in the Imperial carriage ; and by some mistake could find 
 no place save on the top {imperial e) of the omnibus. This incog- 
 nito much amused the President of a Company. We profited by 
 the hours which he granted us in such friendly fashion to talk 
 to him about all those great questions which had passed into a 
 
 * M. Drouyn de Lhuys Lad for the fourth time resumed the portfolio 
 of Foreign Affairs on October 15. 
 
154 APPENDIX. 
 
 new phase. He seems to us to be possessed by an unconquerable 
 antipathy towards England and a decided partiality for Austria. 
 You will find in him pleasant manners, ceremonious courtesy, 
 the love of detail, and all the prejudices of the old routine. 
 His *' Excellency '' only knows and loves thoroughly one land, 
 namely, Spain. You will, therefore, have to conquer and take 
 captive his sympathy for your country ; and no one can do it 
 better than you — for the personal charm is already felt. I 
 understand all the addition to your cares which this new state 
 of things makes; and I venture to believe that you will not 
 think I am expressing it unseasonably. 
 
 Do you know that M. d^Hausonville's article has appeared 
 in pamphlet form ? You ought to send copies of it to Italy ; it 
 is unmistakably a party manifesto. The pages on the American 
 war seemed to us very solid and coming just at the right 
 moment. In this last Revue I was expecting an article by 
 Michel Chevalier, but the publication of the jury's report, which 
 he is carefully looking after, has delayed it. 
 
 Azc revoir. I am delighted to hear that you have been able 
 to breathe your native air and see your people again. I had 
 feared that new complications were hindering you. My husband 
 greets you. We have the sad occupation of a friend ill under 
 our roof, and grave anxiety on his account. 
 
 Yours most sincerely, 
 
 K. DE CiRCOURT. 
 
 XLIII. 
 
 11, BAie des Saussayes, Dec. 16, 1862. 
 Dear Sir, — A thousand thanks for these precious pages, 
 which I am going to relish at leisure.^ Do you know that I 
 
 ^ Mme de Circourt is speaking of a little collection of Piedmontese 
 popular songs which I published at this time, and among which was one 
 on Princess Caroline of Savoy, first wife of King Anthony of Saxony. 
 
APPENDIX. 155 
 
 have twice danced with Kiug Anthony, who married a 
 princess o£ Sardinia ? His cold and trembHng hand was in 
 those days a great terror of my youth. I lived on intimate 
 terms with that little Saxon Court, and it was through my own 
 fault that a correspondence with the present king ^ dropped. 
 He gave me his Dante, and quite lately sent his portrait for 
 Les Bruyeres. What an evidence these poetical works are of 
 your temper of mind in the midst of these successive storms 
 which go on about you ! I am very impatient to see you again. 
 A bad cold has combined with the inevitable jolting of the 
 carriage ; yet I have been up since yesterday, and you will find 
 me at the fireside Thursdays and Sundays after three. All 
 other days from eight till ten. Our dear Duchess Colonna does 
 not come back for two months. I have already seen her most 
 afflicted admirers, and I unite with them in keenly desiring her 
 return. In her you have a charming advocate of all that you 
 hold dear. 
 
 May we soon meet, and often. With whom will you replace 
 Signer Artom, who is going to fail us ? It seems to me that 
 the selection is very important for you. 
 
 Your sincere friend, 
 
 K. DE CiRCOUET. 
 
 XLIV. 
 
 [Paris], Jan. 30, 1863. 
 
 Sir, — Every time that you are so kind as to receive my 
 friends, I am certain of two results which cannot fail. You win 
 sympathy for yourself, and you earn true gratitude for us. 
 M. de la Villemarque ^ and M. Jules Bonnet have, like so many 
 others, experienced your charm, and I am happy to be able to 
 
 1 King John of Saxony. 
 
 2 Viscount Hersart de la Villemarque, author of " Barzaz Breiz.^' 
 
156 APPENDIX. 
 
 thank you for it. To hear your name spoken by my fireside is 
 a real enjoyment. 
 
 If you have any parcel to send to Turin outside of your 
 regular despatches, please entrust it to me. Emmanuel de 
 Grouchy has been appointed attache at Turin, and starts to- 
 morrow. He will be delighted to undertake anything which 
 you may have for the same destination. His father died charge 
 (V affaires at Turin during the coalition, watched and tended by 
 our illustrious friend. I am giving him introductions to Signor 
 Artom and Countess Alfieri ; he deserves a good welcome. 
 
 M. Drouyn de Lhuys gave me lately a proof of friendship, 
 which I will relate to you some day at Les Bruyeres. I am 
 overwhelming him with requests for invitations to the ball, and 
 I admire the way in which he does not refuse me ; still it is a great 
 loss to me never to see him now. Do not forget that I make a 
 pleasure of every moment that you grant me. Your hours are 
 too much filled up to allow me much hope ; but remembrance 
 has not these obstacles which paralyse the best intentions. 
 
 Yours most sincerely, 
 
 K. DE CiRCOURT. 
 
 Twenty days more and we shall have our fair Duchess 
 Colonna. 
 
 XLV. 
 
 [Paris], Jan. 27 [26], 1863. 
 
 Sir, — Would you have any curiosity to be present at the 
 meeting of the Academy which is arousing more curiosity than 
 ever?^ Here is a ticket. If you cannot use it, kindly send it 
 back to me, for I cannot resist the temptation of sending it to 
 you ; but it must be handed in before noon, which appears to 
 me incompatible with your engagements. 
 
 1 The reception of Prince Albert de Broglie. 
 
APPENDIX. 157 
 
 I am most impatient to see you again. The events in 
 Poland cause me great uneasiness. May we soon meet. 
 
 K. DE CiRCOUET. 
 
 Written out hy the Countess de Circourt, 
 
 Some thoughts of Vinet's which specially apply to Count Cavour. 
 
 " Everybody believes in the man who believes in himself ; 
 and his hopeful daring is often the best resource in a time 
 of general anxiety.^^ 
 
 " The memory of great men is the treasure of the nation 
 which has brought them forth.'' 
 
 '' Eminent men do one w^ork, and the memory of them does 
 another. Often indeed the remembrance of them is the best 
 and most lasting part of their work/' 
 
 '^ Freedom is perhaps less easy to organise than victory ; to 
 moralise it is yet more difficult." 
 
 " Tyranny is the supreme disorder." 
 
 *' Judgment without law is persecution." 
 
 ^' The protection of inoffensive minorities is the noblest 
 attribute and the mission of governments." 
 
 THE END. 
 
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