George Ticknor, Life, letters and journals of George Ticknor
George Hillard, Ed.

Pellico is a small, commonplace-looking man, about fifty years old, gentle, modest, and quiet in his manners; his health still feeble, but not bad, from his long confinement; and with a subdued air, which shows that the spirit within him has been much bruised and crushed, and probably his very talent and mind reduced in its tone. He spoke with great pleasure of the American translation of his Prigioni, which we brought him, and said that he is now quite happy in his position, that he had found kindness everywhere among his countrymen, and that his wants are very few, and that they are much more than supplied. He is, I understand, extremely religious, perhaps somewhat bigoted. . . . . . After Balbo was gone out he said,—with more fervor than he put into anything else,—that he was the first friend he found after he came out of prison,—‘the first, I mean,’ said he, ‘that I added to those I had before I was confined; and he has been an excellent and kind one to me ever since. He is a good man; I owe him much.’

The facts of his history since his release, I learn, are as follows. When he reached Turin, Italy was full of trouble in consequence of the French revolution of 1830, and all liberal men were suspected and watched; among the rest Count Balbo, whose name was on a list of those to be sent to Alessandria, if he should express his opinions in favor of any change. Pellico, therefore, remained most quietly with his family, going out hardly at all, and in every possible way avoiding suspicion. Count Balbo sent him word, through Pellico's brother, that he wished to know him, but it was best for both of them not to meet until the times were more settled, as an acquaintance between them now might injure both. At the same time he advised him to live quite retired, at least for a few months. In the spring things were more settled, and Pellico was introduced by his brother to Count Balbo, who at once became interested in him.

But it was not easy to interest others in him. Some were afraid of the consequences of intercourse with one who had been so obnoxious to the legitimacy of Europe, and others were unwilling to receive into their society one who had worn the dress of a Galerien. Balbo, however, continued to walk with him in public, and otherwise make known his interest in him, and as the summer advanced, invited him to pass some time at a villa he had somewhat remote from Turin. He in fact spent several months there, and besides writing a good