Beatrice Cenci:  A Historical Novel of the Sixteenth Century, by F.D.  GUERRAZZI.  Translated from the Italian by Luigi Monti, A.M., Instructor of Italian at Harvard University, Cambridge.  New York:  Rudd & Carleton, 310 Broadway. 1858.  Two vols. in one. pp. 270 and 202.

Three contemporary Italians, Mariotti, (Gallenga,) Mazzini, and Ruffini, have afforded extraordinary examples of entire mastery over the English language in original composition, and Mr. Monti has attained an almost equal success in the translation before us.  We have remarked, in reading it, a few solecisms and one or two trifling mistranslations,—­but none of them such as either to affect the essential integrity of the version or to render it difficult for the least intelligent reader to make out clearly the sense of the original.  We should not have alluded to them at all, had we not thought that they redounded rather to the credit of the translator; for they seem to prove that the work is entirely his own, and has not been subjected to that supervision which any one of Mr. Monti’s numerous friends would have been glad to offer.

Guerrazzi, the author of the book, played a conspicuous part during the Italian Revolution of 1848-9.  An advocate, we believe, by profession, he was one of the chiefs of the moderate liberal party in Tuscany, who, after the breaking out of the Revolution, wished to avoid any sudden overturn by carrying out such reforms as public sentiment demanded by means of the existing powers and forms of government.  As head of the ministry called to inaugurate and administer the new Constitution granted and sworn to by the Grand Duke, he became involuntarily the Regent and in fact the Dictator of Tuscany, after the Grand Duke’s treacherous flight to Santo Stefano.  There is no evidence that he abused his power, or that he assumed any responsibilities not forced upon him by the necessities of his position.  Indeed, the best proof that he did not is, that, after the Grand Duke had been forced again on his unwilling subjects by the bayonets of his Austrian cousins, it was found impossible to obtain Guerrazzi’s conviction on a charge of high treason, and that in a city garrisoned by Austrian soldiers and still under martial law.  He was, however, incarcerated for several years before being brought to trial, and finally sentenced to fifteen years’ imprisonment.  But even this was such an outrage on public opinion that it was commuted to banishment.  He is now living in exile near Genoa, and enjoying those blessings of constitutional government which he had desired to confer on his own country, and which we fervently hope may survive the misguided assaults of a fanatic liberalism, and continue to make Sardinia the centre of Italian hope, as it is the van of Italian progress.