X. at the head of it; entirely forgetting
how incompatible a theocracy or government by priests ever must be with
all progress and with liberal institutions. Their hopes were soon
blighted, and after all the well-known events of 1848 and 1849, a
reaction set in all over Italy, except in gallant little Piedmont, where
the constitution was maintained, thanks to Victor Emmanuel, and
especially to that great genius, Camillo Cavour, and in spite of the
disastrous reverses at Novara. Once more in 1859 Piedmont went to war
with Austria, this time with success, and with the not disinterested
help of France. One province after another joined her, and Italy, freed
from all the little petty princes, and last, not least, from the
Bourbons, has become that one great kingdom which was the dream of some
of her greatest men in times of old.

We went to Bologna for a short time, and there the enthusiasm for the
new Pope was absolutely intolerable. "Viva Pio Nono!" was shouted night
and day. There was no repose; bands of music went about the streets,
playing airs composed for the occasion, and in the theatres it was even
worse, for the acting was interrupted, and the orchestra called upon to
play the national tunes in vogue, and repeat them again and again, amid
the deafening shouts and applause of the excited audience. We found the
Bolognese very sociable, and it was by far the most musical society I
ever was in. Rossini was living in Bologna, and received in the evening,
and there was always music, amateur and professional, at his house.
Frequently there was part-singing or choruses, and after the music was
over the evening ended with a dance. We frequently saw Rossini some
years later, when we resided at Florence. He was clever and amusing in
conversation, but satirical. He was very bitter against the modern style
of opera-singing, and considered the singers of the present day, with
some exceptions, as wanting in study and finish. He objected to much of
the modern music, as dwelling too constantly on the highest notes of the
voice, whereby it is very soon deteriorated, and the singer forced to
scream; besides which, he considered the orchestral accompaniments too
loud. I, who recollected Pasta, Malibran, Grisi, Rubini, and others of
that epoch, could not help agreeing with him when I compared them to the
singers I heard at the Pergola and elsewhere. The theatre, too, was
good at Bologna, and we frequently went to it.

One evening we