The History of Twenty-Five Years Vol. I. 1856-1865 (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1904. Excerpt: ... help of Orsini. But, just as Waterloo was the decisive Chap. event which terminated the first French Empire, so _, . Orsini's bombs were the cause which precipitated the 1859. Franco-Austrian War and the independence of Italy. To the superficial observer, the cause of Italy Italy seemed almost hopeless after 1848. Marshal Radetzky's 1848. strategy had proved superior to Charles Albert's tactics, and the strength of the Austrian armies to the spirit of the Piedmontese. The little kingdom, which had dared to confront a great empire, was reduced to extremity; and no one foresaw that the cause which had been hopelessly defeated would gloriously triumph; that Novara would be reversed at Magenta and Solferino. Great nations, said Mr. Disraeli, are those which produce great men; and Piedmont, in the hours which succeeded her defeat, was saved by the greatness of her sons. In her new King and in her new Minister she found men. The one, when the decisive moment arrived, met a great crisis like a hero; the other, in the long hours of preparation and the shorter hours of trial, proved himself the greatest statesman of his age. Count Cavour, a younger son of the Marquis de The rise Cavour, was born in 1810-He was therefore five years older than Prince Bismarck, the only other statesman of the nineteenth century whose achievements can be compared with his own; and two years younger than the Emperor, who became the chief instrument of his policy. He began life with few advantages; his education was defective;1 a short military career was abruptly terminated; and from 1831 to 1846 he passed the life of a country gentleman, introducing new im 1 He used to pretend that he to create an Italy than to write a knew neither Greek nor Latin, sonnet. Mazade, La Vie de Cavour, and...