— 220 —
only as the means of moralizing, and raising the lower clas-ses by holding before them the prospect of a just improvementin the conditions of their life attainable by their own efforts , hefulfils the most glorious and the most holy mission which can hegranted to man. This is the mission, in the accomplishment ofwhich, Prince Torlonia has not ceased to exert himself withunequalled ardour and perseverance; he has a right to a placeamongst the most active apostles of civilization in its most perfectform, and the example which he has set, by devoting his wealthto the draining of lake Fucino , is one of those which societyought most to admire and to praise.
The Roman Prince of the XIX lh century has not onlynot hesitated to claim the onerous legacy , which the greatestman amongst the ancient Romans had bequeathed to his succes-sors , but he has also been able to give this legacy a muchmore elevated character than it had in the spirit of its testator;it was a grand but selfish political idea which animated Julius Caesar ; Prince Torlonia, on the contrary, was inspired by theChristian sentiment of love towards humanity, and under thisvivifying breath , the dream of nineteen centuries has becomea gigantic reality. All nations, uniting in the sentiment, whichdictated to Italy the words of gratitude that she has engravedon a golden page, in honour of her illustrious son, will sur-round with the purest halo of glory the name of AlexanderTorlonia.