MAZUNI, GIUSEPPE, one of the most remarkable men of modern Italy, was born in 1808 at Genoa, his father being a physician of note, of good private means. In youth Mazzini was noted for the warmth of his friendships, the fixity of his will, and the exaggerated susceptibility of his humane feelings. From birth sentiments of social equality were engendered in him by the example of his parents; and very early the degraded political condition of his country began to prey upon his mind, producing ardent aspirations for her national unity and deliverance from foreign domination, which seemed to him attainable only through ft return to the republican glories of ancient times. Mazzini's patriotic enthusiasm speedily gained absolute sway over his spirit, and led him to renounce his cherished idea of a life of literature and contemplative study for the action and strife of the political arena. In 1827 his maiden essay in literature, "Dell' Amor Patrio di Dante," appeared in the liberal journal, the Subalpino; and he subsequently contributed critical, literary, and political papers to the Antologia of Florence and the Indicators Genovese. In the pages of this latter originally appeared the essay subsequently republished under the title of Sr.ritti, d'an Vivente. Litera ture, according to Mazzini's own assertion, having bun employed by the liberal party solely as a means for the great end of liberal propagandism, the journals were suppressed, and the writers disbanded. In 1830, the affiliation of Mazzini to the secret society of the carbonari was the huroductory step to his practical political career; and the young member was speedily invested with a preponderating influence in the counsels and mis sions of the body. Insnared aud betrayed by a Piedinontese spy .Mazzini was arrested, detained for 6 months in the fcirtress of Savona, and finally liberated on condition of his departure front Italy-. After short residences in several places, he took up his abode in Marseille.s, and thence he addressed to Charles Albert his famous letter, which drew down on the daring young writer a decree of perpetual banishment. The organization of a new liberal leag-ue, " Young Italy," was Mazzini's next work. Republic,an and unionist to tin; core, the tendencies of this great body were more humanitarian and universal than its extinct predecessor, carbonarism. In addition to the paramount aim of Italy's repub lican union under one common law, and the extinction of foreign rule, the general principles of this new association enforced the universal obligation to labor for a common moral regeneration, and the establishment of political equality over the world. Liberty, equality, and humanity were the watchwords of the body; "God and the people" their motto; white, red, and green their tricolored banner; education and insurrection the great agencies of their operations; assassination was era.sed from their statutes, and the symbolic dagger of the carbonari was replaced by the more humane emblems of a book and the cypress. Mazzini was the animating spirit of this formidable league, which speedily inclosed all Europe in a network of similar associations, modified to meet the individual requirements of the various European nationalities. Banishment from Mar seilles in consequence of the extensive opemtions of the society having been revealed to the authorities compelled Mazzini to resort to conceahnent for a period of several months. About this time a charge was brought against him of advocating assassination as a legithnate weapon in the warfare of liberalism; but the charge was proved in the public tribunals of France to be false; and in the I3ritish parliament (1845) sir James Graham made an apology to Mazzini for having re-echoed the calumny. The first-fruits of La Giovine Italia was the revolutionary expedition of Savoy, organized by Mazzini at Geneva, but which was defeated by the royal troops. Sentence of death, par coatunuice,
was recorded against Mazzini in the Sardinian courts for his participation in the affair; but he soon recommenced with increased vigor his revolutionary operations. A new association entitled, "New Europe," and based on principles of European rights aud enfranchisement, was inaugurated by the exertions of Mazzini in Switzerland. In 1837 Mazzini quitted Switzerland for England, and finally took up his abode in London. From thence his labors in the Italian revolutionary cause have been incessant. To trace the part enacted by Mazzini in the great crisis of 1848 would be to record the history of that period, so intimately were his individual acts connected with the course of events. The resolute combatant of partial union and monarchical leadership at Milan, Mazzini retired to Switzerland on the capitulation of Milan to the Austrians, to reappear in Florence on the rising of Tuscany, and finally at Rome, where lie was elected triumvir amidst the triumphant rejoicings of the capital of Italy. His tenure of supreme author ity was marked by such wisdom, moderation, and success, as to elicit a public tribute of approbation from lord Palmerston. On the surrender of Rome by Mazzini's advice, he quitted the city, and proceeded to Lausanne via Marseilles. The conduct of France he bitterly attacked in public letters to De Tocqueville and others. He subsequently returned to London, and at his instigation risings in Milan (1853) and in Piedmont (1857) were attempted. In 1859 while lending the whole weight of his influence to the revolutionary movements going on in Italy, he cornbated with vigilant foresight the threatened French predominance, and refused to accord faith to the liberal programme of Louis Napoleon. The Sicilian expedition of 1860 owed as much to the organization of 3Iazzini as to the heroic command of Garibaldi (q.v.). In 1864 he was expelled from Switzerland, and nturned again to England. Next year he was elected by Messina deputy to the Italian Arliament; but the election, to which he himself as a republican would ha'Ve declined to ccede, was canceled by the parliament. Mazzini is said to have founded in 1865 the Universal Republican Alliance." In 1868 he fell into a dangerous illness, from the (fleets of which his health never recovered, though his zeal remained as ardent as ever. Alter an ineffective scheme for a republican rising, 3Iazzini ventured to enter Italy, and was arrested at Gaeta, where he remained a prisoner till Rome was taken by the Italian army. He condemned the Parisian commune of March, 1871. On his death at Pisa, Mar. 11, 1872, the Italian governnaent honored him with a public funeral.
Mazzini's writings are various and extensive, and include dissertations on art, litera ture, and music. A complete edition (Scritti, Editi e Inediti) was published in 1861 and following years. Whatever may be thought of Mazzini's political views, few will refuse to admire the ardent sincerity of his patriotism, or the inflexibility with which he, has pursued his aim, unchecked by persecution, calumny, and defeat. 'Mazzini possessed in the highest degree that personal fascination by which friends are converted into ardent partisans. In his private life he is allowed to have been a model of purity and frugal simplicity, as in his public career he was conspicuous for disinterestedness and self-abne gation; and to these personal virtues of Mazzini, aided by his extraordinary influence and eloquence, those who know Italy best ascribe a great share at least in inspiring that higher tone of life manifest in recent years among the Italian youth, without which the volitical regeneration of the country would have been impossible., See Memoir, by E. H. V. (London, 1874).