ORSINI, FELICE, an Italian revolutionist, who is destined to be remembered for his= atrocious attempt on the life of the French emperor, Napoleon III., was b. at Meldola„ in the states of the church, in 1819. The son of a conspirator, Orsini at an early age was initiated into secret societies, and before he had reached his twentieth year lie Wag: thrown into condemned to the galleys for life. The amnesty of Pius IX. (1846) restored him to liberty, but he was soon after again imprisoned for participation hi political plots. When the revolution of 1848 broke out Orsini was elected as a deputy to the Roman constituent assembly. He was invested with extraordinary powers, and sent to Ancona and Ascoli to suppress brigandage. He signalized himself by the violence with which he executed his commission. He also' took part in the defense of Home and Venice; agitated in Genoa and the duchy of 3Iodena; and in 1853 was shipped for Eng land by the Sardinian government, where he formed close relations with \lazzini. Fur nished with money by the leaders-of the revolutionary party, he appeared at Parma in 1854, and afterwards at 31ilan, Vienna, everywhere agitating iu the interest of insurrection; until at last he was arrested and confined in the fortress of Mantua. In
1850 he,succeeded in making his escape, and 'found refuge in England, where he sup ported himself by public lecturing, and wrote a book entitled The .,lustrion Dungeons In Italy (Lund. 1850). Towards the end of 1857 he repaired to Paris, with the intention of assassinating Louis Napoleon, whom he reckoned the great obstacle to the progress of revolution in Italy. His associates in this diabolical design were persons named Pieri, Rubio, and Gomez. Providing themselves with bombs, they took up their station in a house close by the opera, and on the evening of Jan. 14, 1858, just as the carriage con taining the emperor and empress was drawing up, they threw three of the deadlymissiles under the carriage. An exp.osion took place, and several people were wounded, one or two mortally, but their majesties remained unhurt. The assassins were ir•rested, tried, and sentenced; Orsini, Pieri. and Rubio to capital punishment, Gomez to hard labor for life. Rubio's life was spared at the intercession of the empress, but Pieri and Orsini -were beheaded on March 13.