FERDINAND  LASSALLE.

47

In  1859  he  published  a  pamphlet  entitled  “The  Italian  War
and  the  Mission  of  Prussia.”  In  it  he  exhibited  to  the
democracy  of  Germany  the  very  plan  of  campaign  that  Prince
Bismarck  submitted  to  the  King  of  Prussia,  and,  as  Chancellor,
put  into  execution  seven  years  afterwards.
Alarmed  by  the  victories  of  the  French  arms  in  Lombardy,
the  King  of  Prussia,  it  may  be  remembered,  was  on  the  point
of  marching  an  army  on  the  Rhine  in  response  to  the  urgent
appeals  of  the  Emperor  of  Austria.  “Absurd  policy  !  ”  exclaimed
Lassalle.  “  Let  not  our  hatred  of  despotism  blind  us.  Napoleon ­
  III.  is  fighting  the  battle  of  democracy  and  of  Germany.
In  favouring  the  construction  of  Italian  unity  he  is  hastening  the
birth  of  German  unity.  Austria  is  the  deadly  and  irreconcilable
foe  of  a  united  Germany.  Prussia  should  therefore  ally  herself
with  France  against  Austria,  and  should  profit  by  this  alliance
to  gather  all  the  German  nations  together  under  her  hegemony.”
Lassalle  even  made  a  journey  to  Italy,  in  company  with
the  Countess  Hatzfeld,  in  order  to  see  Garibaldi  and  to  urge
him  to  march  on  Vienna,  so  that  Italian  and  German  unity
might  both  arise  on  the  ruins  of  Austria.  The  King  of  Prussia,
faithful  to  his  ally  of  the  Confederation,  did  not  relish  these
ideas,  although  they  were  urged  upon  him  by  Bismarck  ;  and
Napoleon  III.  was  forced  to  make  the  peace  of  Villafranca.  In
1866,  however.  Lassaile's  programme  was  realized  step  by  step.
His  friends  the  democrats  opposed  him,  understanding  him  no
better  than  King  William  understood  Bismarck  in  1859.
About  this  time  he  left  Dusseldorf  for  Berlin.  As,  however
by  reason  of  his  condemnation,  he  was  forbidden  to  live  there
he  entered  the  town  disguised  as  a  carter.  Subsequently,
through  Humboldt,  he  obtained  from  the  king  permission  to
reside  there,  in  spite  of  Manteuffel’s  opposition.  His  devoted
friend.  Countess  Hatzfeld,  followed  him  there,  and  they  both
set  themselves  seriously  to  work,  while  enjoying  at  the  same
time  the  society  of  scholars,  men  of  letters,  and  philosophers.
Lassalle  was  elected  member  of  the  Society  of  Philosophy  on
account  of  the  merits  of  his  work  on  Heraclitus  of  Ephesus,  and
to  him  was  assigned  the  duty  of  delivering  an  address  on  the
occasion  of  the  fêtes  given  in  honour  of  Fichte.  He  drew  a