TOPICS OF THE DAY.
PROMOTION OF THE ITALIAN PRINCES.
TREES is reason to hope that the sovereigns of Italy have not only yielded to the peaceful revolution which keeps the even tenour of its way among them, but that they have adopted it, and perceive how large an interest they have in its consumma- tion. It will virtually promote them from the rank of vassals to that of potentates. This is apparent from the facts.
Italy has never altogether lost her greatness. Her country is still blessed with the same sun that shone upon it when Rome emerged into the light of history, or when the city of Fiesole looked down upon the flooded Arno and saw no younger rival in Florence the Fair. From the earliest dawn of history, Italy has been a favoured seat of intellect and art, more than once of politi- cal power. Although hideous corruption destroyed the empire of Rome, the Romans still exist. Florence and the other Italian city-states first helped civilization to struggle out of the dark ages; and although their returning greatness bore in it the seeds of decay, from the very necessity of inexperience, which made them adopt imperfect political principles, it should never be for- gotten that they set Europe the example of civilization and self- government. Italians redeemed the lost learning of the ancients. Italians revived the arts, as they still lead in the youngest of the arts—music. Long as the Italians have been kept in bondage, they have never sunk so low as the other countries in the South of Europe. Spain, whose brightest history was that of her Arab rulers, has never rivalled Italy in intellect or art, but has always been in the comparison semibarbarous. Greece, the great teach- er and prototype of Italy, though possibly she may retain her natu- ral faculties, is but emerging from the dark ages, prolonged for her by Mussulman oppression even to our own day. Italy has been held down, but has never yielded—has never forgotten, has never ceased to vindicate her nationality ; and Mr. Cobden can tell whether her politicians are behind our own in knowledge. The accidents of their own priority in civilization, of their conse- quent dissensions, of the course of events in Europe, have contri- buted to split up the people of Italy into a number of petty states. The feeble sovereigns have sought a strength from without, and in return for Austrian protection have been the servants of Aus- tria. That fatal reliance has deprived them of internal strength : defended against their own people, they have aided Austria in oppressing and weakening their people ; their people have been an enemy, not a support; and thus the Princes have been content to be sovereigns over states which were stunted, feeble, and poor. But the government of a poor and feeble state is itself poor and feeble ; and the Princes of Italy have scarcely ranked with the private Peers of England or the Marshals of France. They have been of no account in the councils of Europe.
It is all altered now. Italy, even while divided, has been one of the great nations of Europe ; as intellectual as any; as replete with political information, as ripe for modern self-government, as most. But, divided among feeble Princes, possessing no unity, she has been a blank in the European system. At present, when any question arises in Europe, we talk of its being settled .by " the Five Powers "—Austria, France, Great Britain, Prussia, and Russia; the secondary powers, such as Holland and Bel- gium, occasionally take their share ; but Italy is a nullity. Let her be free and united, and, with her high intellect, she becomes a leading, a first-rate power: we shall henceforth speak of the Six Powers—Austria, France, Great Britain, Italy, Prussia, and Russia. When Austria or Russia seeks to keep back the progress of the world, France and England will look to the Princes of Italy to join them in maintaining the lead. Apart from all con- siderations of disinterested humanity, the Princes of Italy, if they are as wise as they seem inclined to be, will perceive that the emancipation of their land under Pius the Ninth will confer upon them an immense accession of political power and royal dignity.
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