The powers of reaction had only to catch hold of a perfectly modern sentiment, the doctrine that ecclesiastics should be men of peace, in order to dissipate the myth of a Pope liberator.  It was beside the question that, from the moment he accepted such a doctrine, the Pope condemned the institution of prince-bishoprics, of which he represented the last survival.  Nor was it material that, if he adopted it, consistency should have made him carry it to its logical consequence of non-resistance.  By aid of this theory of a peaceful Pontiff, with the threat, in reserve, of a schism, Austria felt confident that she could avoid the enormous moral inconvenience of a Pope in arms against her.

Either, however, the full force of the influence which caused Pius IX. to draw back was not brought to bear till somewhat late in the day, or the part acted by him during the months of March and April can be hardly acquitted of dissimulation.  War preparations were continued, with the warm co-operation of the Cardinal President of the Council, and when General Durando started for the frontier with 17,000 men, he would have been a bold man who had said openly in Rome that they were intended not to fight.

While the Pope was still supposed to favour the war, Ferdinand of Naples did not dare to oppose the enthusiasm of his subjects, and the demand that a Neapolitan contingent should be sent to Lombardy.  The first relay of troops actually started, but the generals had secret orders to take the longest route, and to lose as much time as possible.

Tuscany had a very small army, but such assistance as she could give was both promised and given.  The fate of the Tuscan corps of 6000 men will be related hereafter.  The Grand Duke Leopold identified himself with the Italian cause with more sincerity than was to be found at Rome or Naples; still, the material aid that he could offer counted as next to nothing.

There remained Piedmont and Charles Albert.  Now was the time for the army which he had created (for Charles Felix left no army worthy of the name) to assert upon the Lombard fields the reason of its existence.  War with Austria was declared on the 23rd of March.  It was midnight; a vast crowd waited in silence in Piazza Castello.  At last the windows of the palace were opened, a sudden flood of light from within illuminating the scene.  Charles Albert stepped upon the balcony between his two sons.  He was even paler than usual, but a smile such as no one had seen before was on his lips.  He waved the long proscribed tricolor slowly over the heads of the people.

The King said in his proclamation that ’God had placed Italy in a position to provide for herself (’in grado di fare da se’).  Hence the often repeated phrase:  ‘L’Italia fara da se.’  He told the Lombard delegates, who met him at Pavia that he would not enter their capital, which had shown such signal valour, till after he had won a victory.  He declared to all