Grateful acknowledgments are due for the valuable assistance received from Mr. Charles Cannon of the Foreign Office, Mr. Richard Garnett of the British Museum, Mr. C. E. Fagan and from Mr. C. M. Tyndall, to whom I am deeply indebted. Certainly in no less degree must I record, with sincere thanks, the cheerful and graceful aid rendered me by Madame Arditi, who has, throughout my labours, proved a most encouraging and able coadjutrix.
The respectful expression of my gratitude to the Duke D’Aumale and to the Right Honourable W. E. Gladstone is an honourable duty, since to them as well as to Mrs. Franklin, Sir Gilbert Lewis, Sir James Lacaita, Mr. C. T. Newton, Mr. Andrew Rutherfurd and the late Mr. Edward Ellice I am indebted for the loan of letters, etc., without which my work could never have attained the degree of completeness of which it may fairly boast. Finally, in the list should also be named those who have helped me to present these volumes in their finished state—MM. Durand, Pilotell, Sem and F. Gusman, to whose courtesy I owe six of the portraits interspersed within these pages.
To men of letters throughout the civilized world I can scarcely doubt that a biography of one so well-known in his particular and important sphere as was the earnest worker of whom I have written should be otherwise than acceptable. Nevertheless, it is with some anxiety that I lay my venture before the public, though trusting at the same time that no serious drawback in the accomplishment of my labours may prevent a just appreciation of them by all considerate readers.
Louis Fagan.
2a, Granville Place,
Portman Square, W.
September, 1880.
CONTENTS.
| CHAPTER I. | |
| Introduction—History of Brescello—Birth—Parentage—Education—Carbonaro—Piedmontese and Neapolitan Revolutions, 1820—“I Processi di Rubiera” | [3 to 38]. |
| CHAPTER II. | |
| Flight—Lugano—Arrival in London—Santa-Rosa—Sentence of Death—At Liverpool—Roscoe—Shepherd—Haywood—Linati—Pecchio—Letter to the Tax-Gatherer and Inspector of Finances—Miss Martin—Lectures | [39 to 62]. |
| CHAPTER III. | |
| Foscolo—At Holkham—First Article—Departure from Liverpool—Brougham—Miss Turner—London University—Botta—Lady Dacre—“Orlando Innamorato”—W. S. Rose—Keightley—Moore’s Verses—Correspondence with Mr. Grenville—Appointed to the British Museum | [63 to 101]. |
| CHAPTER IV. | |
| The British Museum—Appointment Discussed—First Duties—The Royal Society—Promotion—Cary—Hallam’s Letter—Official Residence | [102 to 141]. |
| CHAPTER V. | |
| Sir Henry Ellis—Parliamentary Committee, 1835-6—Keepership—Removal of the Library from Montague House—“Temporary Assistants”—Superintendence of Catalogue—Rev. R. Garnett—J. Winter Jones—Thomas Watts—J. H. Parry—Additions to Library, 1838, and Deficiencies—Annual Grant | [142 to 175]. |
| CHAPTER VI. | |
| Bridport Election—Desire to Visit Modena—Mazzini—Post Office Espionage—Biographer’s Personal Reminiscences—Portland Vase—Psalter, 1457—Interview with Francis IV.—Libri | [176 to 198]. |
| CHAPTER VII. | |
| Thiers—“Spanish Marriages”—Downfall of Lord Melbourne’s Administration—Corn Laws—Coolness between Panizzi and Thiers | [199 to 254]. |
| CHAPTER VIII. | |
| The Royal Commission, 1847-49 | [255 to 265]. |
| CHAPTER IX. | |
| Mr. Grenville—Bequest—A Portrait by Manzini—Chartist Demonstration—Copyright Act—Mr. Bohn | [266 to 293]. |
| CHAPTER X. | |
| Lord Vernon’s Dante—Sir G. Cornewall Lewis on Milton and Dante—“Chi era Francesco da Bologna?”—John Harris | [294 to 312]. |
| CHAPTER XI. | |
| Minor Incidents—Holland House—Sydney Smith—Ecclesiastical Commission Act (1836)—Joseph Parkes—Count d’Orsay—Lord Melbourne—Mrs. Norton—Dr. Hampden’s Case—Watt’s Portrait of Panizzi—Lord Holland—Sir T. D. Hardy’s Life of Lord Langdale | [313 to 329]. |
| CHAPTER XII. | |
| Panizzi and Austria—Policy of Lord Palmerston Discussed—Mr. E. Ellice—Scotch Sabbath—Mr. Gladstone on Tasso—Panizzi and Thomas Carlyle | [330 to 337]. |
| CHAPTER XIII. | |
| The New Reading-Room—Sir C. Barry’s Plans—Completion and Breakfast—Mr. Hosking’s Plans—Controversy—Bust by Baron Marochetti—Austria applies for Plans of Reading-Room | [338 to 390]. |