"
--GENERAL MENABREA, Circular to Italian Consuls.
When Count Menabrea was Prime Minister of Italy, he caused a
despatch to be prepared and issued to Italian Consuls in all
parts of the world, inviting them to collect and forward to him
"biographical notices respecting the Italians who have honourably
advanced themselves in foreign countries."
His object, in issuing the despatch, was to collect information
as to the lives of his compatriots living abroad, in order to
bring out a book similar to 'Self-help,' the examples cited in
which were to be drawn exclusively from the lives of Italian
citizens. Such a work, he intimated, "if it were once circulated
among the masses, could not fail to excite their emulation and
encourage them to follow the examples therein set forth," while
"in the course of time it might exercise a powerful influence on
the increased greatness of our country."
We are informed by Count Menabrea that, although no special work
has been published from the biographical notices collected in
answer to his despatch, yet that the Volere e Potere ('Will is
Power') of Professor Lessona, issued a few years ago,
sufficiently answers the purpose which he contemplated, and
furnishes many examples of the patient industry and untiring
perseverance of Italians in all parts of the world. Many
important illustrations of life and character are necessarily
omitted from Professor Lessona's interesting work.
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