AZE'GLIO, MAs'srmo Marquis d', famous as an artist, a publicist, a romance-writer, and a statesman, was the descendant of an ancient and noble family of Piedmont. lie was b. in 1798 at Turin, where his father held a high military position. In his fifteenth year. A. followed his father to Rome, where lie had been appointed ambas sador, and there contracted a love for the fine arts; but his study of music and painting was cut short by his father procuring him an appointment in a Piedmontese cavalry regiment. Here A. devoted his leisure with such intensity to scientific pursuits, that he brought on an illness which forced him to quit the service. A journey to Rome, from which lie returned to Turin in 1820, restored his health, but deepened his passion for painting. After some difficulty, he got his father's permission to devote himself entirely to this art. A year had hardly elapsed ere A. had made himself a name in Rome as an artist. In landscape-painting he soon attained complete artistic skill. After a residence of eight years at Rome, during which he had pursued the study of history along with painting, he returned to Turin. On the death of his father in 1830, lie went to Milan, where painting was then flourishing. In Milan he made the friendship of Alexander Manzoni, whose daughter he married. A. now began to make himself favorably known also in literature, his novels, Ettore Pieramosco (1833) and Nie,cola di Lapi (1841), having done much to fan the national spirit of the Italians. The political affairs of Italy soon occupied him.exclusively; lie traversed the provinces, cities, and villages, seeking to stir up the spirit of patriotism, and to conciliate the unhappy party divisions, and was everywhere received with rejoicing and acclamation. A. never belonged to a secret political society, but opposed conspiracies as mischievous, and exhorted the impatient to moderation. While in Florence, he wrote his famous piece, Degli ultimi Casi di
1?omagna, in which he lashed the miserable papal government, denounced the vain attempts at insurrection. and proved to the Italian princes the necessity of a national policy. After the election of Pius IX. as pope, A. returned to Rome, and to his influ ence were ascribed the reforms with which Pius began his government. He was intensely active at this time, and wrote much on public questions. (An edition of his political writings, collected in one volume, appeared at Turin 1851.) When Charles Albert, after the rising of Lombardy, crossed the Ticino, A. left Rome with the papal troops destined to support the Italian contest. In the battle of Vicenza, where he com manded a legion, he was severely wounded in the leg while fighting at the head of his troops. Scarcely was he recovered, when with his pen lie courageously opposed the republican party, now intoxicated with victory. On the opening of the Sardinian par liament, he was chosen a member of the chamber of deputies. After the unfortunate event of the battle of Novara, the young king, Victor Emanuel II., appointed him (1849) president of the cabinet, an office which he undertook solely out of love to his king and country. His influence in this high position was most beneficial. -M the close of the war in 1859, A. was appointed pro tenipore genera] and commissioner extraordinary, purely military, for the Roman states. On his retirement, be issued a proclamation to the people, which greatly tended to strengthen their resolution by its noble yet temperate advice. He died on the 15th of Jan., 1866. Since his death, Political Correspondence, and other writings from his pen, have been given to the world; and his Autobiography has been published by his daughter,