marvellous perseverance, courage, and skill, the Italian people, guided by the genius of the great Cavour and the patriotic ardour of Garibaldi, followed up that blow, is known to all. It does not fall within the scope of this article to relate that part of Italy's modern story; suffice it to say, that within eighteen months Victor Emmanuel was proclaimed King of Italy, and immediately conferred upon her citizens the rich blessing of constitutional liberty and a really national life. To those, then, who ask the reason why the Italians-when the occasion presented itself -selected the King of Piedmont as their sovereign, and annexed themselves to his dominions, the simple reply (obvious enough to all but those who will not see) is, that the cause of such a choice sprung from the admirable and patriotic policy pursued by Victor Emmanuel and his government from 1849 to 1859. That policy, despite innumerable obstacles, was initiated and carried out with a firmness, consistency, and wisdom which will reflect eternal honour upon Piedmont's courageous and honest king, upon her gifted statesmen, upon her free parliament, upon her brave and loyal people. Turning now from other portions of Italian soil, let the reader fix his attention upon Venetia, whose lot was left unchanged by the events of 1859, and which to-day (May 1866) demands justice in tones that cannot be silenced, re-echoed as they are by the millions of armed and united Italy. Nor will the old pleas of her German taskmaster in favour of his leaden rule avail him any more, for they are now met by this crushing reply-Schleswig-Holstein! Since the formation of the Italian kingdom Europe has had presented to it a remarkable contrast in the condition of two well-known cities situated in the north of Italy. On the one hand, Venice has continued, after as before 1859, beneath the rule of Austria, that great German power to whom she was handed over, despite all her remonstrances, by the acts of Campo-Formio and of Vienna; on the other hand, Milan has been released from that same German rule, and become an integral portion of the Italian constitutional monarchy. It is interesting to examine, by the aid of facts, the respective condition of these two cities during the few years which have elapsed since 1859. [The contrast offered by the progress and freedom, alike moral and material, of Milan under the rule of the Italian national government; as compared with the commercial decay, the servitude, and the discontent of Venice under Austrian rule, has been fully set forth in the preceding essay on "Milan and Venice since the war of 1859." The writer begs to refer the reader to that essay, instead of again repeating here those same facts and statistics, taken from it and inserted in the article on "Italy, Venice, and Austria," as contained in the Westminster Review of 1st July 1866.] Yet not from Milan alone come proofs in support of Italy's righteous cause, to the confusion of her calumniators. A brief glance shall now be given at what is going on in Naples, the beautiful capital of Southern Italy. There the education of the people was in the grossest state of neglect previous to 1860. Since that date both the municipality and individuals have striven earnestly to amend a state of things so hurtful and dangerous to the public welfare. In 1862 there were already in operation 263 elementary schools, comprising day schools for boys and girls, and 19 evening schools for boys, lads, and men. The total number of pupils amounted to 10,500. In 1865 the total number of schools was— Boys' day schools Girls' day schools Evening schools Infant schools Schools on Sundays and fêtes for girls and women Private schools, not under the care of the muni- Total, 251 202 129 22 16 620 } 370 990 The number of pupils amounted to 39,611. In 1865 the municipality expended 510,216 francs on popular education. Besides these elementary schools, there have been established superior ones in which some 800 pupils obtain a more complete education. Two normal schools have also been established, in which at present 40 young men and 160 young women are being trained up as teachers. In March of this year (1866) the correspondent of the Journal des Debats says: "The distribution of prizes among the pupils of the elementary schools in the Theatre del Fondo, by the heir to the throne, Prince Humbert, was one of the ceremonies by which was celebrated on the 14th of this month the king's fête. Here more than elsewhere the instruction of the people is a question of capital importance; its progress is therefore followed with the liveliest interest. This year it has surpassed all expectations. Amongst the pupils who had most distinguished themselves were men of the people of from forty to fifty years of age, mingled with children of eight years old.” The writer of this article himself visited the schools of Naples some eighteen months back. Nothing could surpass the eagerness with which boys, lads, and men were then flocking to the evening schools after a hard day's work. Little fellows of nine to fourteen years old were to be seen sitting beside their own fathers, or mingled with grown men of their own family and friends, all diligently at work, reading, writing, learning arithmetic, or the rudiments of geography. The quickness with which they learn is marvellous, and is only outdone by their desire to acquire knowledge. Naples is to-day as remarkable for the absence of beggars as it used to be famous for the swarms of them. The formation of a good police, the introduction of gas, of various sanitary measures, and other good municipal arrangements, have greatly improved the condition of the city. Much, however, remains to be done, for it must take years to civilise and to bring into thorough order the towns and country of the Neapolitan provinces, which long years of Bourbon misrule had converted into an Augean stable of ignorance, pauperism, brigandage, and vice. In Palermo had been established 27 schools in 1861; there are now 78. Those of Bologna have also increased considerably. Indeed, throughout Italy, the government, the municipalities, and individuals have done their utmost to push on the all-important work of popular education, and still continue to do so. The general result is thus given by Signor Galeotti in his interesting volume entitled “La Prima Legislatura del Regno d'Italia," published in 1865: Boys' and girls' elementary schools 30,321 Pupils 939,234 Infant schools 3,576 1,774 123,581 80,819 The government, the municipalities, and individuals are spending annually, says Signor Galeotti, 12,122,515 francs on elementary popular instruction. The Italian government has, during the six years of its existence, spared neither labour nor money in promoting the material interests of the country. A well-planned network of railways has been formed, and is being rapidly executed. Turin is now united by a continuous line, viâ Milan, Bologna, and Ancona, to the port of Brindisi, in the extreme south-east of the Peninsula. Other important lines-such as that which crosses the Apennines, connecting Bologna and Florence, and that between Naples and Romeare now in operation; while others of great importance are being constructed as quickly as possible. Not less diligence is being shown in the matter of ordinary roads, chiefly in the southern provinces, |