Everybody _apparently_ wishes for the fusion with Piedmont, but a great many object to the idea of a single State. Nor do the Romans and the Tuscans, who are so different in character, in customs, and in aspirations, intend to hold together. The Duchies alone really wish for the union with Piedmont. The Romans would in reality like a separate government, and the Tuscans who reason closely, know that in the actual condition of affairs the fusion with Piedmont is impossible, but they pretend to want it (and voted _unanimously_ for it only yesterday), because it is for the present the only straightforward way of avoiding a relapse into the clutches of the Grand Duke and his myrmidons. In fact, when they had a chance of accomplishing the fusion, although they were advised to take advantage of it, they neither did so nor even desired it. Their own Ambassadors in Paris and London (Peruzzi and Lajatico) put it on one side, advancing instead a number of _schemes_ and solutions, commencing with a Prince of the House of Savoy and finishing with Prince Leuchtenberg. The _Times_ published the document, the _Augsburg Gazzette_ has repeated it with evident satisfaction, and they have not denied it. Lajatico (as you tell me) now writes in the same way as Marliani—that is, for the formation of a single Assembly which is to repeat the vote for annexation to Piedmont, forgetting that Parma has no Assembly, and on account of the unfortunate dissensions and paltry points of honour between the two rival cities of that nutshell, poor Manfredi has been obliged to have recourse to a _Plebiscite_; that, moreover, to escape from the machinations of an Armelonghi, who wanted to supplant him, he has been compelled to call upon Farini to act as Dictator, For my own part, I think that henceforth neither Marliani, nor Peruzzi, nor Lajatico, nor Linati will be able to persuade the people or obtain the one single Assembly as proposed by you. But even conceding that our respective friends fully approve, and supposing that everybody consents, also that there is an unanimous declaration of the desire to become Piedmontese, that Europe is called to witness it, and that a _sole_ Regent is appointed (a matter of considerable difficulty in view of the passions, and ambition, and rivalry, and suspicion aroused), and conceding, moreover, that everything should go on according to a preconceived idea, let us see what would in all probability occur in actual _practice_.