Will be for ever held in Grateful Remembrance
By the Italian Nation.
In speaking of Mazzini, mention has been made how the biographer undertook the delivery of a message which resulted in the departure of Garibaldi.
The reader’s forbearance must be solicited for the abruptness with which one subject succeeds another, but at present we are relating a succession of occurrences, not deeply important, yet too interesting and too deeply connected with our narrative to be altogether omitted before entering upon sterner topics. The following note of invitation to Mr. Gladstone is of an amusing character:—
“B. M., January 11th, 1865.
“My dear Sir,
‘Like a good fellow,’ I will certainly dine with you on Tuesday, the 25th instant.
There is an Italian opera buffa, in which a gentleman who wants to become a poet, and takes lessons as to the mechanism of verse from a poet, wishing to ask his master to dine with him, tries to convey his invitation in an hendecasyllable, and begins, Volete pranzare meco oggi? (Will you dine with me to-day?) but it would not do, so he changed, Volete pranzare meco domani? (Will you dine with me to-morrow?) it would not do either, and the poet suggested at once, Volete pranzare meco oggi e domani? (Will you dine with me to-day and to-morrow) a very good line, and so it was settled. Now I have made a line for our dinner here, of which you must approve. Pranzate meco il ventitre e quattro (Dine with me the 23rd and 24th.) The poetry is not good; have patience, and, ‘like a good fellow,’ come both days.
Yours ever,
A. Panizzi.”