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MODERN BIOGRAPHY. 
Ee 
THE NEAPOLITAN PATRIOTS. 
HE kingdom of Naples must un- 
doubtedly have excited, by its 
continual political changes, some cu- 
riosity among other nations. Never- 
theless, it has been hitherto almost as 
little known to them, as if separated 
from the rest of Europe by extensive 
seas or deserts. But would it not 
prove useful to the unhappy Neapo- 
litan people to be brought into greater 
notice? We think it may. Naples has 
never for many ages been free, nor yet 
absolutely enslaved. Though in past 
times the Neapolitans, whenever too 
cruelly aggrieved in their persons, and 
in their property, have mutinied, the 
ignorance of the times only allowed 
them to seek by force a temporary alle- 
viation from oppression, and a change 
of governors. Sometimes they went 
even so far as to seek the re-establish- 
ment of certain franchises, which, 
according to the ideas of those times, 
were considered as privileges rather 
than as imprescriptible rights. 'These 
franchises, in themselves of small im- 
portance, were quickly again violated, 
for want of any political liberty which 
might have guaranteed their posses- 
sion. ‘The people endured for a while, 
then rose anew, and committed the 
same political errors. Under the vice- 
regal government, the Neapolitans 
were unacquainted with any other cry 
of liberty but this,—Perish the bad go- 
vernment ; and conscientiously believed 
that they remained faithful to the 
prince, while they drove away his cor- 
rupt ministers. This is shown by a 
curious document in the Neapolitan 
archives, entitled, “ Thirty-six revolu- 
tions of the most faithful city of Naples.” 
Now that the change of times has re- 
vealed to every one the only true re- 
medy against bad government, even 
the Neapolitans have learned to ex- 
claim, “ Live the Constitution.” Re- 
bels! (answer the Holy Alliance,) 
know ye not that this new species of 
revolution is so much the more crimi- 
nal, as its effects are of longer dura- 
tion? It is already more than thirty 
years that the Neapolitans have aspired 
to, without being able to obtain, a free 
government. And it seems that their 
rapid transitions from dejection to 
fury, and from lethargic submission to 
the most unexpected and generous in- 
dignation, leave Europe still in doubt 
3 
whether they do or do not as yet de- 
serve the blessings of freedom, This 
people, however, is ripe for liberty, 
but it eannot by its single effort make 
all Italy independant; and only from 
the want of this independance, after 
having destroyed domestic despotism, 
it has sunk under a double and far 
severcr yoke than before. The same 
destiny threatens every othcr Italian 
state which does not unite these two 
inseparable objects. 
The patriots, who for thirty years 
have laboured to establish liberty in 
Naples, are little known. These men, 
not inferior to any set of patriots in 
the wish to make their country by their 
endeavours free, happy, and respect- 
ed, have experienced the fate of all 
who are unsuccessful. Sometimes 
they have remained unnoticed; some- 
times they have been spoken of merely 
to be reviled; and sometimes, finding 
themselves alike unfortunate and ca- 
lumniated, they have become diflident 
of their own powers, and have sunk 
into discouragement and despair. All 
things yield to fortune; not only the 
opinion of others, but even the opinion 
we entertain of ourselves. Yet these 
meu had infinite difficulties to over- 
come, and experienced nothing but 
ill-fortune. We shall give a brief ac- 
count of the life of those who, as publie 
men, or as men of letters, are least 
known, and most deserving of notice. 
MATTEO GALDI. 
Matteo Gatpi was president for 
the first month of the parliament of 
the two Sicilies, during the last reyo- 
lution. He was born at Coperchia, a 
village of the province of Salerno, the 
8th of October, 1766, of respectable 
but not wealthy parents. Having 
completed his first studies, he adopted 
the profession of an advocate, which, 
in consequence of the immense farrago 
of laws, of Roman, Norman, Ange- 
vine, and vice-regal origin, with which 
the kingdom was overwhelmed, has 
always at Naples been of more im- 
portance than it deserved, until the 
period when the French system of 
legislation was introduced there in 
1809. Galdi by his tmcommon learn- 
ing and severe probity gave lustre to 
a career, which at Naples has too often 
perverted the heart and contracted the 
understanding. But the young Galdi 
had 
