Valerio, but he yielded to Garibaldi's wish and determined to
despatch Depretis, although Cavour declared him to be a
'weak man,' and one who would allow himself to be 'led.'
Garibaldi desired Depretis' immediate presence in Palermo,
but as he failed to arrive, and as the General could no longer
postpone his own departure for Milazzo, he decided to appoint
a temporary Pro-Dictator in the person of the Chief of Staff,
Sirtori.

The following letter from Asproni is interesting in that it
bears upon the personality of the man who was to be the first
Pro-Dictator of Sicily.

GENOA, 9 July, 1860.

MY DEAR CRISPI,--This morning your much
longed-for letter of the third came to hand. I will
not tell you how deeply grieved I am by this devia-
tion from the true revolutionary movement. I
foresaw this as soon as Signor La Farina started for
Sicily. My heart sank when I heard that Garibaldi
was tolerating his presence. Nurse a viper in your
bosom, and only the Almighty Himself can save
you, for vipers can do nothing but bite and poison.
For several days Cavour was greatly disconcerted
by the chilling reception his emissary had received,
and was on the point of recalling him and flinging
him aside as a worn out and useless tool. Torrearsa
was finally despatched to support him, and Cavour's
spirits rose at news of the demonstrations in favour
of annexation. The splendid response to the Muni-
cipal Body of Palermo once more disheartened him,
and for a time they contemplated sending Farini.
Then they thought of Lorenzo Valerio, who was
eager to go, and who, it was believed, would exert a
powerful influence over Garibaldi. I am not sure
they have, even now, entirely abandoned this idea.
You can guess what my opinion of this scheme is.
Depretis made an indirect tender of his services, and

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