AZEGLIO, MASSIMO TAPARELLI. 



49 



trary, tho array reorganization bill produced 



at, ( SM HUNGARY.) 

 Of thf many natioiuditirn inhabiting Austria, 

 .i.iro satistied with the policy of the 

 ustrian Government than the Poles of (lalicia. 

 Pole, Count Goluchowski, was 

 n October) appointed Governor-General of 

 . to the great delight of the Pole*, 

 ial Diet of Galicia was, for the first 

 1 in the Polish language. The Gov- 

 nmetit also discontinued the publication of 

 e otlicial papers, published in the German lan- 

 v, in Cracow and Lemberg. So well were 

 I Polos pleased with this policy, that many 

 to dream and talk of the restoration of 

 Poland under an Austrian archduke. But while 

 highly gratifying to tho Poles, this policy greatly 

 irritated the Ruthenians, another Slavic tribe in 

 (ialicia, constituting more than one-half of tho 

 population of that province, though the Poles are 

 the ruling and controlling class. The sittings of 

 the Galieian Diet were frequently the scene of 

 iolent discussions between the two races. The 

 uthenians were virtually placed by the Gov- 

 ment under Polish control, and, notwith- 

 ,ding their violent protestations, had their 

 hools and churches handed over to Polish 

 tion. The Polos, delighting in being able 

 repay, to a certain extent, to the Ruthenians 

 ir countrymen in Russia suffered at 

 in hands, have restricted the use of the 

 Ruthenian language in tho schools, and, in an 

 address of the Galieian Parliament to the em- 

 'or, asked for permission to continue, and even 

 further, in limiting the same. The cause 

 of the Ruthenians is espoused with great zeal 

 by the Russian Government and people, whose 

 disposition toward Austria was consequently 

 any thing but friendly. 



AZEGLIO, MASSIMO TAPABELLI, Marquis 

 D', an Italian statesman, author, and artist, 

 born at Turin in October, 1801 ; died at Turin, 

 January 15, 1866. He was descended from an 

 ancient and noble family of Piedmont, his 

 lather holding a high position under the gov- 

 ernment, and editing tho conservative paper 

 UAmico d 1 Italia. Young Massimo spent his 

 first seven years in Florence, where he learned 

 pure Italian speech and manners. In 1814, his 

 father bing appointed ambassador to Rome, 

 he accompanied him thither, and there con- 

 tracted a love for tho fine arts ; but his study 

 of music and painting was interrupted by his 

 father procuring him an appointment in aPied- 

 montese cavalry regiment. Hero he devoted 

 all his leisure with such intensity to scientific 

 pursuits, that he brought on an illness which 

 obliged him to retire from tho service. After 

 the embassy was concluded, he returned to 

 Turin with his father, and there entered upon 

 a course of severe and earnest study ; and be- 

 coming satisfied that it was his destiny to be 

 a painter, succeeded finally in obtaining parental 

 permission to return to Rome and lead his artist- 

 life, if he chose, on condition that he would ex- 

 pect for his full support no more than the pockct- 

 YOL. vi. 4 A 



money ho would receive in Tnrin ; and a year 

 had scarcely elapsed before he had made him- 

 self a name in Rome as an artist. After a resi- 

 dence of eight years in that city, during which 

 he added history to tho study of painting, ho 

 returned to Turin, and on the death of his 

 father, in 1830, went to Milan for the further 

 prosecution of his art. Here he formed an ac- 

 quaintance with Alessandro Manzoni, whose 

 daughter ho married, and from this time began 

 to make himself known in literature, his novels*, 

 Ettore Fieramosco (1833), and Niccolo di Lapi 

 (1841), having done much to fire the national 

 spirit of the Italians. The latter work has 

 been praised as tho best historical novel in any 

 language. The political affairs of Italy soon 

 occupied him exclusively; he traversed the 

 provinces, cities, and villages, seeking to stir up 

 the spirit of patriotism, and to conciliate the 

 unhappy party divisions, and was everywhere 

 received with rejoicing and acclamation. "While 

 in Florence he wrote his famous Degli Vltimi 

 Casi di Romagna ; in which he lashed the Pa- 

 pal Government, denounced the vain attempts 

 at insurrection, and proved to the Italian 

 princes the necessity of a national policy. 

 After the election of Pius IX. as pope, Azeglio 

 returned to Rome, and to his influence was as- 

 cribed the reforms with which Pius began his 

 government. During this time he wrote much 

 on public questions, and subsequently the whole 

 of his political writings, collected in one vol- 

 ume, appeared at Turin. "When Charles Al- 

 bert, after the rising of Lombardy, crossed the 

 Ticino, Azeglio left Rome with the papal troops 

 destined to support the Italian contest. In the 

 battle of Vicenza, where he commanded a le- 

 gion, he was severely wounded while fighting 

 at the head of his troops, and scarcely was he 

 recovered when with his pen he courageously 

 opposed the republican party, now intoxicated 

 with victory. Having fought for his country, 

 he was now called to the far more difficult task 

 of shaping the policy which was to preserve 

 life and liberty to Piedmont. On the opening 

 of the Sardinian Parliament, he was chosen a 

 member of the Chamber of Deputies, and in 

 1849 the young king, Victor Emannel II., ap- 

 pointed him President of the Cabinet, an office 

 lie undertook solely from love to his king and 

 his country. On the one hand, treaties were 

 to be made with Austria, and on the other the 

 republican elements of Piedmont most violent 

 in Genoa were to bo tranquillized. Azeglio 

 succeeded in not only quelling the Genoese, but 

 in persuading his countrymen to acquiesce in 

 the treaty ratifying tho defeat of Novara; and 

 by skilfully temporizing with the enemies of 

 peace without and within, he restored tho 

 kingdom to security and quiet. To him was 

 duo in a great measure the preservation of tho 

 only constitution of the many granted in 1848, 

 and his Fabian policy was the only real hope 

 of Italy. The press remained free in Pied- 

 mont, and the inviolability of political asylum 

 was maintained. Patriots were attracted from 



