CHAP. XXVI.
Exhortation to deliver Italy from foreign Powers.
When I take a review of the subject matter treated of in this book, and examine if the circumstances in which we are now placed would be favouiable to the establishment of a new government, which would be as honourable to its author as advantageous to Italy, it appears to me that there never was nor ever will be a period more appropriate for the execution of so glorious an undertaking.
If it was necessary that the people of Israel should be slaves to Egypt, in order to evince the rare talents of Moses; that the Persians groaned under the oppression of the Medes, in order to display all the courage and magnanimity of Cyrus; finally, if the Athenians only deeply felt the great extent of the benefits of Theseus, from having experienced the evils attached to a wandering and vagabond life; it will also be necessary, in order to appreciate duly the tatents and merit of a deliverer of Italy, to shew that our unfortunate country has been more cruelly ill treated than Persia; that her inhabitants have been still more dispersed than the Athenians: in a word, that they have been without laws and without chiefs, pillaged, torn to pieces and enslaved by foreign powers.
It has sometimes, unquestionably happened that men have arisen, whom we thought were sent by Heaven for our deliverance; but jealous fortune seems to have determined to abandon them in the midst of their career; so that our unfartunate country still groans and pines away in the expectation of a deliverer, who might put an end to the devastations in Lambardy, Tuscany, and the kingdom of Naples. She supplicates Heaven to raise up a prince, who may free her from the odious and humiliating yoke of foreigners, who may close the numberless wounds with which she has been so long afflicted, and under whose standard she might march against her cruel oppressors.
But on whom can Italy cast her eyes except upon your illustrious house, which visibly favoured by heaven and the church, the government af which is confided to it, posesses also the wisdom and, the power necessary for the undertaking of so glorious an enterprise? and I cannot think that the execution of this project will seem to you to present insurmountable difficulties. If you consider that the great princes according to whose example you may regulate your conduct were but men, although their merit raised them above others, yet none of them certainly were placed in a situation so favourable as that in which you now stand. Need I add, that, justice being here on your side, their cause could not be more lawful than your's, nor God be for them, more than for you. Every war that is necessary, is just; and it is humanity to take up arms for the defence of a people to whom no other resource remains.
All circumstances concur to facilitate the execution of so noble a project, for the accomplishment of which it wil only be netessary to tread in the steps of those great men whom I have had an opportunity of mentioning in the course of this work. Is it necessary for Heaven to speak?—It has alteady manifested its will by wonderful signs. We have seen the sea afford a path through her abysses, a cloud trace the road to be followed, the water spout out from the rock, and manna fall from Heaven. It is for us to do the rest, since God has given us intelligence and will, only to take the portion of glory that is reserved for us.
If none of our princes have hitherto been able to effect what is now expected from your illustrious house, and if Italy has continually been unfortunate in her wars, it is because she has not known how to replace by new military institutions the ancient manner of fighting, which has so long been discontinued.
Nothing reflects so much honour on a new prince an the new laws and new institutions he establistes, provided they are good, and bear the character of grandeur, Now įt must be acknowledged that Italy soon accommodates herself to ņew forms. Her inhabitants are far from wanting courage, but they want chiefs; the proof is in duels and other individual combats in which the Italians shew great ability, whilst their valour in battles seems, almost extinguished; which can only be attributed to the weakness of the officers, who cannot make themselves obeyed by those who know, or think, they know, the trade of war. So that we have seen: the greatest generals of the present day, whose orders were never executed with exactness and celerity. These are the reasons why, in the wars in which we have been for the last twenty years engaged, the armies raised in Italy have been almost always beaten. Witness Tarus, Alexandria, Capua, Genoa, Vaila, Bologna, and Mestri.
If therefore your illustrious house is willing to regųlate its conduct by the example of our ancestors, who have delivered their country from the rule of foreigners, she ought above all to institute a national militia, the only one whose strength and fidelity can be guaranteed; and though each soldier of it be good, all will become still better when they see their own prince lead them on to battle, honour and reward them.
It is therefore absoļutely necessary to have troops raised in our country, if we wish to protect it from the invasion of foreign powers. The Swiss as well as the Spanish infantry are highly esteemed, but both have defects which may be avoided in the formation of our's, which would render it superior to that of both those powers. The Spaniards cannot support the shock of cavalry, and the Swiss cannot maintain their ground against infantry, as determined as themselves not to run away.
In fact it has been and will long be seen'that the Spanish battalions cannot resist the. French cavalry, and that the Swiss infantry may be beaten by the Spanish. If this point be denied, I beg them to recollect the battle of Ravenna, where the Spanish infantry came in contact with the German troops, who fought in the same order as the Swiss, Now the first having with their accustomed vivacity, and under the protection of their bucklers, thrown themselves across the pikes of the Germans, those were obliged to give ground, and had been entirely defeated, but for the cavalry which fell upon the Spaniards.
It is necessary therefore to institute a military force without the defects of either the Swiss or Spanish infantry, and which wil keep their ground against the French cavalry. Nothing is more likely to make a new prince esteemed, and to render his reign illustrious.
The opportunity which presents itself is too favourable to suffer it to escape, and it is high time that Italy should see her chains broken. With what demonstrations of joy and gratițude would not those unfortunate provinces, who have so long groaned under an odious yoke, receive their deliverer! What city would shut their gates against him, and what people would be so blind as to refuse to obey him? What rivals would he have to dread ? Is there one Italian who would not hasten to pay him homage? All are weary of the tyranny of these barbarians. May your illustrious house, strong in al the hopes which justice gives our cause, deign to form so noble an enterprise, so that, marching under your standards, our nation may resume its ancient splendor, and that, under your Kuspices, she may sing with Petrarch:
Virtu contr'al furore
Prendera l'arme et sia il combatter corto
Che l'antico valore
Ne gl' Italici vuor non è ancor morto.