VERDI Giuseppe (1813-1901)

L.A.S. "G. Verdi", Genoa 8 April 1871, to Count Opprandino ARRIVABENE; 2 pages and a quarter in-8; in Italian. Letter to his great friend, evoking the Paris Commune. He wishes him a good Easter, and to confess at least all the acts of impatience committed while Verdi was in Florence ("Buona Pasqua; e vatti a confessare almeno tutte gli atti d'impazienza commesi nel tempo che io sono a Firenze"). ...Has Verdi sinned enough? Poor Arrivabene ! Will he believe it : MAZZUCATO was here yesterday, and they worked again on their regulations. He hopes to have everything finished soon, and to be able to go to Sant'Agata. Why didn't Arrivabene say anything about France? It could be worse! Much worse than 93! It was then a question of winning a freedom that they had never had, and they had not suffered such defeats, nor had an enemy at home! ("Ben peggio del 93! Allora si trattava d'acquistare e rassodare una libertà che non avevano ancora avuto; en non avevano sofferto tanti desastri, nè avevano un nemico in casa!") One day, one will not be able to believe such an infamy ("questa nefandità")...