"Banks of Dora"—an Italian Song of 1846.
GARIBALDI WAITING HIS TIME—THE ISLAND OF CAPRERA—HIS CONFIDENCE IN THE APPROACH OF ITALIAN DELIVERANCE, EXPRESSED IN HIS PRECEDING AUTOBIOGRAPHY, AND AT NEW YORK—HIS PERSONAL APPEARANCE—INJUSTICE DONE TO HIS CHARACTER AND STYLE OF WRITING—M. DUMAS' BOOK—PREPARATION OF THE ITALIAN PEOPLE FOR UNION AND LIBERTY, BY SECRET SOCIETIES—CHANGES OF POLICY—THE PRINCIPLES OF THE ITALIAN PATRIOTS ADOPTED BY FRANCE AND ENGLAND—CONSEQUENCES.
The portion of Garibaldi's life recorded in the preceding pages, interesting and important as it was, now proves to have been but the prelude and preparation of the mighty and momentous scenes which Providence had in reserve for an extraordinary man like him, fitted by such a long, arduous, and perilous training as he had received, under the supervision of heaven. A war like that of Armageddon, so awfully depicted in the Book of Revelation, was now preparing; and all the effects of the persevering labors and pious prayers of Italian patriots, devoted to the liberation of their country, were now to be seen in the spirit of harmony and bravery which had been inculcated by the secret societies, fostered by the experience gained in the revolutions of 1820, '31, and '46, and many insurrections attempted; and now for the first time, under a leader long known for his unequalled, noble, pure, and exalted character, as well as for his incomparable skill and boldness, and his astonishing success in the field. And what unexpected changes in the situations of Europe, and especially of Italy, were brought about by events whose tendency was not discovered by human eyes, until war commenced between Sardinia and France on the one side, and Austria on the other.
Only a short time before, peace might have been expected to continue, and the oppression of Italians to be prolonged by Austria, the Pope, and the King of Naples. There were no uncommon signs of approaching disturbance; and Garibaldi, in his favorite island retreat, was quietly cultivating his farm, and seemed likely to reap in peace the little field which he was sowing.
THE ISLAND OF CAPRERA.
This little rocky island, near the northeastern coast of Sardinia, has now a peculiar interest, on account of its connection with Garibaldi. Its greatest length is five miles, and its greatest breadth three. Its name intimates the nature of its soil and surface, it being rough, rocky, and barren, and well fitted for goats.
It belonged to the government, and a portion of it was purchased by Garibaldi, it is believed, about the year 1856, when he made it his residence, took a number of his fellow-exiles thither, and founded a small colony, directing his attention to the cultivation of the ground. He afterward sent to New York for some American implements, and prosecuted his design with diligence, until a vessel, which he had loaded with necessaries, especially a quantity of lime, was lost on the voyage, and left him without requisite means to proceed with his buildings and other improvements. He still, however, regarded that little secluded island as his home, and has returned to it at every interval of peace and leisure.
There was Garibaldi, waiting for the day to arrive, which he had so many years anticipated, hoped and prepared for, and which he had endeavored to make as visible to the eyes of his countrymen as it seemed to be to his own. Yes, the day was near at hand which he had written down in his preceding autobiography, pages 112, 115, etc. On page 125 he said: "Be great, once more, O Italy, and then the powerful voice of the Almighty will be heard by all thy sons; and the hungry, cowardly vultures which destroy thee, will be stunned by its thundering sound."
Such, also, was the expectation which he expressed in 1850, in his note of courteous but decided refusal of the honors of a public reception in the city of New York, and which we here translate from his refined Italian original, addressed to the committee: