Margaret of France

Whilst the greatest effort has been made to ensure the quality of this text, due to the historical nature of this content, in some rare cases there may be minor issues with legibility. Noland has ever been the friend of Italy; and before Italy existed, save as a geographical expression, England was the friend of that royal house of Savoy which has rendered a united Italy possible. From early times down to those dark and more recent days when in Italy but to think was to be suspect, to speak was ruin and to act was death, the sympathy of England, expressed in manifold ways, alike by poets and novelists, by statesmen and diplomatists, has meant much to Italy. And, during the last sixty years, many a link has been forged in the golden chain which unites the two countries. To-day to utter the names of Lord John Russell, or of Mr. Gladstone, or of Mrs. Browning, is to make a patriotic Italian's heart thrill with joy.