Europe. The effect is, to keep twenty-four millions of human beings in a constant state of revolutionary ferment; who, desperate from want of hope, and seeing themselves the victims of a cruel policy, would at any time join Louis Napoleon, or any other adventurer, whose ambition might tempt him to venture on such an enterprize, and thus, perhaps, involve the whole of Europe in another war. Whereas, let the Austrian cross the Alps, where he has sufficient work to do at home, and his Holiness the Pope resign his temporal authority, and its other imbecile princes, instead of endeavouring to reign under the auspices of despotic Austria, follow the example set by the patriotic and constitutional King of Sardinia, and we shall at once have a united Italy throwing its sword in the scale of European power, should Gallic ambition again attempt to disturb the repose of the world. In the face of this simple reasoning, we pity the understanding of the man who insists on the necessity of upholding the old worn-out system recommended by the Holy Alliance, and so pertinaciously pursued towards

the inhabitants of this unfortunate country, as a means of preserving the equilibrium of European power a cowardly political murder, destined perhaps, when least expected, to complicate the whole European system, and involve mankind in a war of civil and religious principles.

CHAPTER XII.

Remarks on Turin-Piedmont contrasted with the other Italian States-Advantages of constitutional government-Liberal system of administration-Increasing prosperity of the country-Parallel between France and Sardinia-Practical good sense of the ItaliansLiberty of the press in Sardinia-In what manner appreciated-State of religion in Piedmont-Some account of the Valdesi, the primitive Christians of the Cottian Alps.

TURIN, independently of its beautiful situation, the romantic view of the Alps, and the cleanliness of its well-paved, large and airy streets, is, as a residence, the most attractive town of Italy in the present day. Besides

the advantages it possesses in a brilliant court,

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there is good private society, theatres, concerts, assembly rooms, and every species of public amusement; then the great influx of wealthy intelligent strangers from other parts of Italy, the élite of Italian genius and patriotism, in some measure compromised through their political opinions, whom you meet with in nearly every family circle, throw an additional charm over society.

The change was most refreshing to the traveller, who had been so long wandering through the towns and cities of the other states of Italy, where drilling and drumming, marching and countermarching of foreign troops, processions of lazy monks, with their beggarly population crying for bread, were the only signs of animation and public life. There is also an air of cheerfulness and gaiety about the manners and habits of the good citizens of Turin, in striking contrast with those of their brethren of the other states, subjected to the Reign of Terror, where the knitted brow and the compressed lip expressively show how deeply they feel their humiliated condition.

Thanks to the enlightened rule of the King, and the good sense of the people, this system of government is now driven from the states of the King of Sardinia, we hope never to return. Here you can wander from one family circle to another, frequent coffee-houses, restaurants, assembly rooms, club-houses, and express your opinions on political and religious subjects, as fearless of the consequences, as if you were sheltered under the wing of free England. That a mutual confidence exists between the government and the people, we cannot give a more * convincing proof than by mentioning the fact, that, while every despotic ruler on the continent is erecting fortifications around his capital, and pointing cannon on the inhabitants, orders have been given by the constitutional King of Sardinia to dismantle the citadel of Turin, and transport its cannon to one of the fortified towns on the frontier, to strengthen the defences of the country in the event of invasion.

The same liberal system of administration governs the press, notwithstanding the un