The Life of General Garibaldi: Translated from his private papers; with the history of his splendid exploits in Rome, Lombardy, Sicily and Naples, to the present time.Garibaldi, Giuseppe
History
The Life of General Garibaldi: Translated from his private papers; with the history of his splendid exploits in Rome, Lombardy, Sicily and Naples, to the present time.
Garibaldi, Giuseppe
Garibaldi, Giuseppe, 1807-1882
From Vado I went to Genoa, and thence to Nice, whence I commenced a
series of voyages to the Levant, in vessels belonging to the house of
Givan. In one of these, in the brig Centesi, Captain Carlo Seneria, I
was left sick in Constantinople. The vessel sailed; and, as my sickness
continued, I found myself in somewhat straitened circumstances. In cases
of difficulty or danger, I have never, in all my life, been
disheartened. I then had the fortune to meet with persons kindly
disposed to assist me, and, among others, I can never forget Signora
Luigia Saiyuraiga, of Nice, whom I have ever since regarded as one of
the most accomplished of women, in the virtues which distinguish the
best and most admirable of her sex.
As mother and wife, she formed the happiness of her husband, who was an
excellent man, and of their young and interesting children, whose
education she conducted with the greatest care and skill. What
contributed to prolong my abode in the capital of Turkey, was the war
which at that time commenced between that power and Russia; and I then,
for the first time, engaged as a teacher of children. That employment
was offered me by Signor Diego, a doctor in medicine, who introduced me
to the widow Temoin, who wanted an instructor for her family. I took up
my residence in the house, and was placed in charge of her three sons,
with a sufficient salary.
I afterwards resumed the nautical life, embarking in the brig Nostra
Signora della Grazia, Captain Casabana; and that vessel was the first I
ever commanded, being made Captain of it on a subsequent voyage to Mahon
and Gibraltar, returning to Constantinople.
Being an ardent lover of Italy from my childhood, I felt a strong desire
to become initiated in the mysteries of her restoration; and I sought
everywhere for books and writings which might enlighten me on the
subject, and for persons animated with feelings corresponding with my
own. On a voyage which I made to Tagangog, in Russia, with a young
Ligurian, I was first made acquainted with a few things connected with
the intentions and plans of the Italian patriots; and surely Columbus
did not enjoy so much satisfaction on the discovery of America, as I
experienced on hearing that the redemption of our country was meditated.
From that time I became entirely devoted to that object, which has since
been appropriately my own element for so long a time.
The speedy consequence of my entire devotion to the cause of Italy was,
that on the fifth of February, 1834, I was passing out of the gate of
Linterna, of Genoa, at seven o'clock in the evening, in the disguise of
a peasant—_a proscript_. At that time my public life commenced; and, a
few days after, I saw my name, for the first time, in a newspaper: but
it was in _a sentence of death_!
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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