842 
STATE AGIRICULTUEAL SOCIETY. 
that the government has stopped short of the demands of the Kadical party, 
and, indeed, of its own desire, the case of Italy is, nevertheless, full of en¬ 
couragement to all who patiently wait for the complete unification of the 
Italian States and their final subordination to one grand liberal government. 
Menotti Garabaldi said to me, in confidence, not long in advance of the 
recent outward demonstrations, “ There can be no permanent peace yet 
awhile. Rome is the natural capital of Italy. Florence was only accepted 
as the half-w'ay-house. Victor Emanuel feels this almost as strongly as we 
do, and multitudes of the more intelligent, thinking people, though they 
may not all have the courage to join us, are decidedly of this opinion.” And 
he spoke truly. Victor Emanuel had no idea of establishing the permanent 
throne of Italy short of the old imperial capital. Vrhether he has the state- 
manship to accomplish this result without violence remains to be seen. 
Though a brave and heroic soldier, he is regarded by his most intelligent 
subjects as wanting in some of those high qualities essential to a great ruler. 
His tastes and inclinations are for active military service in time of need, 
and for the sports of the field and wood in time of peace, rather than for the 
sometimes more difiicult work of diplomacy and that profound study of 
political philosophy so essential to the highest success of a sovreign situated 
as he is. He is said by those who know him most intimately at Florence, to 
be strongly averse to the exacting demands of royal life, and to be never so 
happy as when in hunter’s dress or other free and easy garb, he forgets that 
he is King Victor Emanuel and gives himself up to the rude and simple en- 
•* 
enjoyments of the million. Not given to study when a youth, he has hardly 
improved in that particular during the years of his manhood, and still more 
on this account seeks to avoid occasions that would test his intellectual cul¬ 
ture and attainments. 
The man who should have risen to take the place of Cavour has not yet 
appeared. Still there are many wise and noble men connected with the 
government, from whom the world may confidently expect much. Senator 
Matteucei will not have to labor alone in the noble enterprise of reforming 
the educational system in such manner as to make it the safeguard and glory 
of the future empire. There are other clear and powerful minds that also 
appreciate the importance of intelligence on the part of the whole people. 
The common schools are to be multiplied in number and improved in char¬ 
acter. The scientific and technical schools are to have a wider range. The 
seventeen government universities—many of them interiorly equipped and 
poorly sustained—are to be reduced to about seven for the whole kingdom, 
their funds being consolidated and their faculties sifted. Should this work 
go on, according to the plan projected, the time will soon no longer be when 
four-fifths of the whole people—a people who are natural lovers of learning, 
and from among whom have sprung many of the finest scholars the world 
has produced—will be found unable to read and write. 
The industry of Italy, though in a backward condition, as compared with 
that of some other countries, owing to the ignorance of the masses and the 
