ent, which
represents prodigies of valour, and the oblation of as noble blood as
ever watered the earth of Rome. Melara, Masina, Daverio, Dandolo,
Mameli: every schoolboy would know these names if they belonged to
ancient, not to modern, history. Bright careers, full of promise, cut
short; lives renounced, not only voluntarily, but with joy, and to
what end? Not for interest or fame--not even in the hope of winning;
but that, erect and crowned with the roses of martyrdom, Rome might
send her dying salutation to the world.

At sunset the French had established their possession of all the
points outside the Gate of San Pancrazio, except the Vascello, a villa
which had been seized from their very teeth by Medici, who held it
against all comers. Monte Mario was also in their hands.

Mazzini, whose judgment was obscured by his attribution of the Italian
policy of France to Louis Napoleon alone, hoped for a revolution in
Paris, but Ledru Rollin's attempt at agitation completely failed, and
the country applauded its government now that the mask was thrown
away. The reasons for revolutions in Paris have always been the same;
they have to do with something else than the garrotting of
sister-republics.

Oudinot tightened his cordon; on the 12th of June he invited the city
to capitulate. The answer was a refusal; so, with the aid of his
excellent artillery, he crept on, his passage contested at each step,
but not arrested, till, on the 27th, the Villa Savorelli, Garibaldi's
headquarters, fell into the hands of the enemy, and, on the night of
the 29th, the French were within the city walls. St Peter's day is the
great feast of Rome, and this time, as usual, the cupola of St Peter's
was illuminated, the Italian flag flying from the highest point. The
thunderstorm, which proverbially accompanies the feast, raged during
the night; the French shells flew in all directions; the fight raged
fiercer than the storm; Medici held out among the crumbling walls of
the Vascello, which had been bombarded for a week; the heroic Manara
fell fighting at Villa Spada; Garibaldi, descending into the _melee_,
dealt blows right and left: he seemed possessed by some supernatural
power. Those around him say that it is impossible that he would have
much longer escaped death, but suddenly a message came summoning him
to the Assembly--it saved his life. When he appeared at the door of
the Chamber, the deputies rose and burst into wild applause. He seemed