The hour had come-come like a glorious beam of sunshine to bid them to cast aside their sloth, luxury, and pleasures; to nerve their arms, to rouse their every energy to the coming struggle, and never to cease their activity until Europe, the world at large, beheld the tri-coloured flag, the emblem of their nationality, floating in peace, protected by their arms, from the walls of every city in Italy! Yes, the hour of retribution had come ! the hour of action had arrived!

The Count Pompeo Litta, one amongst the number of those assembled there, rose from his seat, and, unfolding a paper he held in his hands, exclaimed

"Nobles and friends!-According to the agreement we made on the last occasion we met together, we are once more assembled, I trust in spirit and in unity, to carry out the noble object of creating a nationality of our own. That the difficulties to arrive at this end are great, the obstacles many, I need not conceal from you; but circumstances of a most favourable aspect seem to favour our bold and hazardous undertaking. The secret committee formed by your consent, and of which I have the honour of being secretary,

has entrusted me with the document I hold in my hand, to communicate to you its contents. They are as follows

"The mission entrusted to our hands has been satisfactorily completed. From every part hope smiles upon the efforts we have all jointly made. The majesty of Piedmont has formed the alliance on the terms understood, and has entered into a solemn engagement. The Pontiff has accorded to us his blessing on our enterprise. These facts are entrusted to the honour of the members of the Lombarda Consulta to hold as sacred trusts, divulged only to inspire them with confidence in the success of their mission. The committee has also been assured of immediate assistance from various quarters, directly the manifestations have become openly demonstrated, and have fixed the eighteenth day March of this year as the signal agreed on. The different duties in directing the signals

"Gentlemen, from the document I have read to you, you will perceive the hopes of our members in attaining their most holy end is far from being so difficult of realisation, when we have the positive assurance, if we rise this day to vindicate our rights, to claim what we have been robbed of, within four or five days hence the brave army of Sardinia will enter Milan, to assist our cause of justice and of patriotism, and to witness our triumph. May God in his mercy will it to be so. This moment, whilst I am speaking, the work of independence has already commenced; for not until last night was I informed by a friend present, a member of our Consulta, but whose name I cannot divulge, of the existence of a society, whose ramifications have spread with an extraordinary rapidity throughout the whole of Italy, and whose objects are similar to our own--the independence of country-and whose members are at the present hour hurrying from every part to join the work of justice, which they have determined shall commence this day. On the certainty of this fact, the committee of the Lombarda Consulta, not without due caution, determined to aid in the holy effort, conjointly with the members of the society I have named. But another most important fact I must not omit to communicate to you, which is amongst the members of the society, of which my friend is president, there are no less than some four hundred who are at the present time in the Austrian service, and who, the instant we rise, will immediately desert the ranks of slavery and of shame to join those of freedom and virtue. That you will receive them as brothers I cannot doubt, who, for a time, have forgotten the duty they owe their country only to awaken from

their dream, dictated by an honourable sense of feeling, to fly to combat with their brothers in the battle of national independence. The importance of this fact, joined with others communicated to you by your commit. tee, must tend to inspire you not merely with hope, but with the certainty of success. At noon, therefore, this day, I call upon you, each and all, by the solemn pledges you have entered intoby your hopes of in future enjoying the real liberties appertaining to manby the sacred duties you owe to country, to home, to family, and religion, to meet at the Broletto,* there to enter upon the commencement and end of the glorious consummation of liberty to Italy. The Viceroy, the Governor, and other members of the Austrian

Government, have already fled-fled without a shot being fired. Their flight is the signal for your rise-the token of the certainty of your triumph. Let your motto be the same as used in the days of Peter the Hermit, when it spread from mouth to mouth, and reechoed through every part of Europe, calling forth an enthusiasm bordering on frenzy-It is the will of God!it is the will of God!'"

Loud applause followed the speech of the Count Pompeo Litta, and the soul-inspiring cry of It is the will of God!" resounded in the room. The

hour had come, the die was cast: in that startling cry echoed the feelings long controlled, but now impossible to be subdued-Retribution!-Justice! -Freedom!

THROUGH the streets of Milan pour a countless multitude of people, the greatest part of whom directed their steps towards the Town Hall of Milan. Gloriously grand and noble was the spectacle they offered-one sole feeling, one sole hope, one sole thought animating their hearts-the love of country. In them was awoke once more the ancient spirit of nationality, starting again from the grave of centuries, the bound of years forgotten in the spell animating each arm, each heartheaven-born Liberty. Lovely is that feeling when sincerely felt, for there neither ambition places its gory hand, nor passion, with any of its sinful sensations, but all is pure, bright, and true in its golden rays of love. Brother unites with brother, class with class, animosities, prejudices, all forgotten alike the spirit of true Christianity claiming them as her children, worthy of the intellectuality of mind. Unarmed as they were, still their thoughts were freely given loose to,

and from voice to voice was echoed the cries of" Long live the independence of Italy!" "Down with the police!" "Away with the Tedeschi !" In a mass of confusion along the streets pour that wild multitude, till they arrive before the municipal palace. Here they were met by the Podesta of Milan, the Count Hasati, and the various municipal authorities, who placing themselves at their head, moved onward towards the palace of the Governor, the Count Spucer. As they approached their destination, the two Austrian soldiers who stood guarding the large entrance - door of the palace took alarm, and long accustomed to act upon their own authority to insult the people with impunity, at once fired upon the crowd advancing towards them. For a moment the people paused, and then rushed upon their minds the bitter memories of a thousand injuries, and loud broke from their lips the cry of "Death to the Tedeschi!" And on

ward, like a mighty stream, poured the multitude, strong in their might, in the justness of their cause, and in an instant the two soldiers fell dead before the fifty arms that struck them to the ground-the first offering at the shrine of Justice! The first blood was shed the first charm broken — the spell of fear of long years crushed. Before them stood Hope, beckoning with her inspired hand towards freedom!-behind chains, slavery, torture, and death! Could they pause? No! a thousand times no! And onward they rush, and in a few moments more the entire guard of the palace was disarmed, and stood helpless before the infuriate multitude. Death they deserved; but still that maddened crowd, even in the first triumph of the moment, burning with the oppression of long years, respected the helpless state of their prisoners, and remembering that blood but sullied their holy cause, they paused in their path of revenge, and spared the lives of the Germans! Noble revenge! true spirit of liberty! that in the hour of power spares the hand that injures! Still their task was but commenced, and they must wring from the hands of their oppressors what was refused to their prayers and entreaties. Up again resounded through the air the cry of "Arms and a civic guard!” and in the absence of the other Austrian authorities the Vice-President, the Conte O'Donnell, tremblingly signed the decrees authorising the police to surrender their arms, and the municipality to form a civic guard.* With loud shouts of " Viva la libertà!" the crowd, still headed by the municipal authorities, retraced their steps towards the Broletto. In an instant more, and from the highest summit of the building suddenly floated in the breeze, like a glorious ray of light, the long lost and cherished banner, the national tri-coloured flag of Italy. Could the feelings of a suppressed race be any

longer contained, when again, after many a year, waved on high the dear emblem of their nationality? No, it is only those who have ever felt the galling feeling of slavery, the spectacle of child, wife, and sister existing and living merely at the arbitrary will of a fearful power-to-morrow perhaps the lash torturing their delicate limbs, the iron chain covering their arms, the rude grip of the soldier insulting their virtue who can imagine the wild joy of exultation that fills the heart at the very sight of a tattered flag that promises them a release from scenes disgraceful to humanity, to civilisation, and religion. And with eyes wet with tears, and with frantic expressions of joy, was again and again that banner of freedom greeted by the Milanese. The poor exile, torn from his home, wandering in the land of strangers, feeling no warm heart beating responsive to his own, and capable of understanding the various sensations which momentarily govern his heart, never recalls the memory of that moment without a feeling of burning and proud joy. He will yet live to see again the day when once more that flag, that flag of love, will float triumphantly in the van of battle, and never rest till it covers and for ever the blood-stained banner of the House of Hapsburg!

But hark! what is that sound that suddenly booms in the distance, like the vibration of thunder? It is the signal gun of the Castle, calling twenty thousand troops to arms, and fired by the order of Marshal Radetzky. It acted like a spark of fire on the people, and instantly, awake to the danger of the moment, uprose high and clear the cry of "To arms! to arms!" and the multitude crowded to the narrow streets which intersect the Broletto from the Castle. Then was beheld one of those curious and strange spectacles, marking the energy, the spirit, and determination of a people. Like a light of inspiration, every one seemed

"CONTE O'DONNELL."

"CONTE O'DONNELL"

to understand the work he had to accomplish. The stones and pavement in the streets were instantly, as if by magic, torn from their foundation, and carried into the houses on either side of the streets. Large pieces of furniture, beds, pianofortes, chairs, tables, and fifty other miscellaneous articles, were thrown from the houses, and barricade after barricade sprung up with the rapidity of lightning. Women, and even children, assisted in the work of preparing to resist the foe. Noble matrons, wives, sisters, daughters, mingled in the thickest of the crowd, exhorting the men to remember they were slaves. "Work !" exclaimed a lady of the highest rank to one who paused to take breath, "work if you are worthy of manhood !” "Do not forget your brother in prison!" uttered a delicate young girl to another; "remember how joyful will be your meeting!" Little children of seven and eight years of age assisted to carry the stones into the houses, while quantities of boiling water were prepared to be cast upon the heads of their assailants. Such was the glorious animation inspiring the hearts of all, and making every infant a herowhat will not slaves do, to burst the bondage that chains them to mother earth the godlike spirit, the heroism of the true soul!

Before the large space of ground facing the Castle of Milan, a large, imposing body of Austrian troops formed in serried columns. Confident in their numbers, and despising the weakness of a people they had long been accustomed to look upon as devoid of courage and unity, they moved forward to the attack with the certainty of an easy victory. Little did they imagine that even a coward becomes a hero when driven and goaded to desperation by the exercise of a tyranny passing the bounds of human comprehension brutality, hatred, its passion; virtue, liberty, its bitterest foes. The sword of Justice was drawn -its glittering rays waved on high the children of her choice, stern, pale, and with throbbing hearts, awaited the Austrian, calling upon Heaven to aid their battle of righteous retributionto witness with what truth and sincerity their hearts beat with the love of country and independence. Yes; that cry, that earnest prayer of heart, embodying the eternal rights of hu

Loud through the air pealed forth the shrill sound of the trumpets, and onward advanced the Austrians to the attack, The first barricades are soon reached; and then commenced the deadly strife- the strife on which depended the hopes of an entire people. The first obstacles are soon removed; but the further the Austrians advance, the more earnest becomes the combat, the courage of the Milanese rising with each new triumph of their foe. Fight on, fight on, brave hearts! it is better to die as men than to live on as slaves. See how those delicate females aid you in the struggle-those females so dear to your heart;-the mother, the sister, the wife, cheering you on by their presence, dauntless in the midst of every danger. Unarmed as you are, still see how those terrible stones, those large masses of pavement, carry death and destruction in the ranks of your foes, often crushing to death both man and horse. Fight on! yes, fight on! fight for your liberties, for your manhood, for the dearest ties that make life sweet and dear to man, for the bold independence that courage itself can ever earn. Does not Justice stand by your side-does not heaven smile upon your efforts? Yes; your cause is one worthy of the brightest efforts of heroism; and without the means of insuring victory, nobly are you doing your duty. On, on again to the attack; throw stone upon stone on the enemy; pour the boiling water upon their heads-you may yet triumph in your despair. Hark to those frightful screams, to the shouts of command, the groans of the dying! and then see your brave countryman, Martina, who, in his last moments of life, still echoes the only wish of his heart, "Long live the independence of Italy." The enemy has paused; your desperation has startled him. But again he advances, no longer as formerly, in heavy columns, but now in long lines on either side of the streets, protecting himself as well as he can by the numerous balconies that project from your houses. Again