“But yesterday Mr. Gladstone sent me a long letter, in which he tells me how he deplores the conduct of the Imperial Government at Gaeta, at Viterbo, at Terracina, and, in fact, everywhere; and which almost confirms what he has constantly tried to make people disbelieve. He is much mortified. I answered him, but from a second letter received this morning, I feel I cannot conceal the sudden change in Mr. Gladstone’s convictions. And if so firm a partisan of the Emperor has changed, think what the effect must be on those who have always suspected the Emperor. “As His Majesty placed so much confidence, and justly so, in the sentiments of Mr. Gladstone, I have thought it right to inform him (H.M.) of this change and its cause, and this I do entirely at my own risk, hoping that something will be done, in order to restore to His Majesty the confidence of those who, here, are his real friends. As for myself, I am at your disposal.” The following letter to Count Cavour, the only one in our possession, will serve to show Panizzi’s opinions of the real intent of the policy of Louis Napoleon towards Italy—an opinion not, in our own judgment, destitute of considerable support from facts:— “British Museum, 7th of December, 1860. “My dear and distinguished Friend, You are already aware that I wrote to let the Emperor know of the bad impression which his conduct was producing here, and that Mr. Gladstone, who had always defended him, was beginning to feel it impossible to trust in him, especially after what he did at Gaeta. The Emperor has read my letter, and has given me to understand, in answer, that his feelings are the same as they were two years ago: that he still wishes to promote the independence of the Italian nation, and ever so many fine things of that sort, which amount to nothing. But there is in the answer a passage of considerable importance, which I copy:—'The Emperor replied to me that all that has been done was done in concert with the King’s Government, and that it would be wrong to hold him alone responsible for what has happened. The King is quite aware of the Emperor’s ideas on all that has taken place; and he knows, moreover, what the Emperor ardently desires above all.’ I know not what to think of this. Neither the King nor his Government can have approved either the conduct of Guyon or that of Barbier de Tinan, of which I specially complained. How is all this going on? I don’t know, and cannot stomach it.