_Senator of Italy; Correspondence; Illness; Priests; Athenæum Club, Knighthood; Friends; Death; Etching; The End._ Our book approaches the end. Such materials as we have deemed it expedient to use in recording the events of a laborious life are almost exhausted, and it is necessary to look around and see that nothing has been omitted which may tend to illustrate Panizzi’s unaspiring yet truly estimable character. Had he sought worldly distinctions he might have had more than his share of such unenduring and too often unmerited tokens of flattery. Those that he did accept were for the most part received with extreme shyness, if not with genuine reluctance. They were forced upon him, nor did he assume them until he was out of office. In the autumn of 1865, Panizzi received a letter from Signor Nicomede Bianchi, announcing that the King of Italy desired to create him a Senator of the Kingdom. Conscious of his official position, he felt great difficulty and delicacy in accepting the high honour intended to be conferred upon him, and applied to Mr. Gladstone, as was his almost invariable custom, for guidance and advice. He received the following answer:— “September 30, 1865. “Upon reading your very interesting letter, I, like you, feel myself in a strait. I am loth to say anything that may tend to even your partial removal from among us; yet I cannot doubt that if a fair regard to your health and personal comfort will permit, you should accept the offer of the King of Italy. I know not what will be the precise effect on the convenience of the existing Administration, or even on the Museum. But without stopping—for I must not stop—to ask, I think that, considering the difficulty and importance of constituting a Second Chamber or Senate and of doing it in the best manner, and the advantage to it of your character, prowess, long English experience, and thorough knowledge of our constitution, I feel that you have before you a door opened for rendering great services to your _other_ country in the hour of her need, and that such an opportunity cannot be generously refused, though I hope acceptance will not practically remove you from us. I rather blush while writing thus. Perhaps you will consult some other friend. On my own responsibility I mentioned the matter recently to my host. He agrees with me. “The great Italian question needs all the strength that can be applied to it ... I must not omit to say that while I have written the first part of this letter with very mixed feelings, I dwell with unmingled pleasure on the high and honourable and most just tribute which this offer pays to your character, abilities, and distinctions.