ADDRESSEE COUNTESS ELEONORA CRIVELLI Count
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
ADDRESSEE COUNTESS ELEONORA CRIVELLI Count Alfonso was the son of Count Ottavio, who died of smallpox at the age of 34 in 1760 and of Teresa , daughter of Count Gabriele Verri. He was made a Count, together with his descendants in 1774, by the Empress Maria Teresa and was conferred with many other honours. In 1791, he was a deputy of the State of Milan in Vienna at the imperial Court of Leopoldo. In 1819 he became a great Squire of the kingdom of Lombardy and Veneto. He was considered the most famous representative of the people who agreed with the Austrian government, without conspiring against it. Although he was the head of the Austrian party, he agreed with Count Federico Confalonieri and cooperated with the first deeds of the Milanese revolution in April 1814, among which was the petition requesting the reunion of the electoral colleges and the demonstration at the palace of the Senate. Surprised and worried to see the tumult heading towards a shameful massacre, he tried in vain together with his brother-in-law, Count Antonio Durini, to control the savage populace. He married the Countess Eleonora Crivelli from Burate and had seven children. The last of them was Francesca, who married Marquis Bonifacio of Canossa, Magdalene‟s brother, in 1803. (Cf. “Carteggio Confalonieri” edited by Gallavresi). TO COUNTESS ELEONORA CRIVELLI 369(Milano#1802.07.15) Both Magdalene of Canossa and Durini know that the Emperor is passing through Monza and is a guest at the Villa Reale. They want to meet him in order to get help for those who have asked for their mediation. Magdalene writes to her cousin, Countess Castiglioni Crivelli, mother of Bonifacio’s future wife, so that she may ask her husband how she can get a private audience. The Marquis sends the letter back, giving a negative answer as a foot note. But Durini does not give up, and on the top margin of the same letter she adds in her own hand that they will go all the same and will try to do what they can. V. G. and M. My dearest cousin and friend, Since I noted from your dearest answer that it is almost impossible to get an audience with His Imperial Majesty1, and on the other hand, since I want to pacify those scrupulous people I have already talked to you about, with my friend Durini I am thinking of going to Monza2 tomorrow, in order to try to speak to our good Prince. Since neither my friend nor myself are familiar with the Court3, I am sorry to bother you but can you ask the Count, your husband4, if, by going, we could have the audience and how we can obtain it, once we are in Monza. Forgive me for troubling you, but Our Lord wants you too to share in the reward for the Institute of the Daughters of Charity. I embrace you heartily, begging you to present my usual compliments. I am very grateful. I am, my dearest cousin and friend Milan, 15 July Your very affectionate cousin Magdalene, Daughter of Charity NB. The Marquis‟ answer follows at once at the foot of the letter. Lady Marchioness, I answer for my wife, who reveres you so much, but it is impossible to have an audience in Monza, at least, neither for me, nor for anybody else. This is certain. Very humble and devoted Alfonso Castiglioni NB. Nevertheless, Countess Durini writes at the beginning of the same letter, and in her own hand: 1 Prince Ranieri (Ep. I, lett. 299, n. 4, pg. 459). 2 In the province of Milan at the southern end of Brianza. 3 They were not familiar with the environment of the Villa Reale of Monza, a masterpiece of Piermarini, a neoclassical architect (1734-1808). 4 Count Alfonso Castiglioni (Ep. I, lett. 124, n. 3, pg. 208). Since we have already arranged everything, we shall try. In case we are not able to have the audience, at least we can pacify the two Ursulines and calm poor Vittoria. Your friend Durini Her excellence Lady Countess Castiglioni nee Crivelli S.O.M. ADDRESSEE COUNTESS CAVRIANI MARIA TERESA She belonged to one of the noblest families of Mantua. A branch of the family had moved to Austria and one of them, the chamberlain Count Cavriani had been presented to the Emperor Napoleon by the Ambassador of Austria. In 1801, Maria Teresa, a cousin of Magdalene of Canossa, and daughter of the Marquis Odoardo Guerrieri Gonzaga, married Count Giuseppe Cavriani, son of Ferdinando, Knight of St. Stephen P.M. who was born in 1765. She was very devoted to charitable works, on account of which Magdalene herself, in a letter dated 18 February 1805, had asked for financial help to start her work. The Lady from Mantua had heartily consented, even though afterwards, the reason for Magdalene‟s request was resolved in another way. The Cavriani‟s palace is on Via Trento in Mantua. (Cf. Genealogia Cavriani, illustrated by G. Zucchetti, Milan, P. Ripamonti Carpano, 1856, pg. 33). TO THE COUNTESS CAVRIANI MARIA TERESA 370(Verona#1805.02.18) Magdalene of Canossa has already programmed, in her soul, the plan of the work she would like to establish for the spiritual and social rehabilitation of many people, victims both of wars and poverty. But to start this, she needs a companion. Fr. De Vecchi has found a helper, a German lady. But, Magdalene has to guarantee her economic support. The greatest obstacle for the moment is the lack of finance, on account of which Magdalene turns to her cousin. She informs her about her charitable plan and asks her if she could see to the lady’s yearly maintenance, in case she died, until the pending business is settled. My very esteemed Marchioness, Verona, 18 February 1805 I realise, very esteemed Marchioness, that your goodness alone can forgive the liberty I am taking to bother you with this letter of mine and, in addition, to address myself with such frankness, not only to ask you for a great favour, but also to reveal my heart entirely to you in a way I have done with few people in this world. To tell you the truth with all sincerity, it is only the knowledge I have of both your virtue and prudence, that has been the cause of my thinking of this. Now I have the courage to start, urged on by the highly esteemed Fr. Felice De Vecchi from Milan1, who is well known to you. He is convinced as I am, about your zeal for the Divine Glory and for the spiritual good of our neighbour. These are the two reasons for which I feel certain you will accept the dutiful apologies I present to you for all this trouble. I am convinced that if Our Lord wants me to turn to you to realize the plan that divine Providence has for me, I am sure that your heart will pose no obstacle to prevent it. I am sorry that I may not be able to describe the situation as clearly as I ought, in writing. Reflecting on this and knowing that you were in Mantua, last week, I requested a holy and learned religious of ours, who was coming to preach a triduum not very far from there, to come and offer you my compliments together with a personal letter of mine. I requested him to inform you personally about everything in detail. But he did not have a chance to meet you since you had already left for Milan. Since the same religious will not have the chance to preach and to make the same journey until after Easter, I thought, first of all to trust in Our Lord and then in your goodness, and to send this letter of mine to one of my closest friends2 of Milan, who is acquainted with the business and will do me the favour to give it to you or to have it delivered. I will have the joy afterwards, if you wish to see the Rules, or want to be informed about any of the circumstances I have not mentioned now, to satisfy you in everything, if you can just let me know. Therefore, here is the problem. It has been many years since the Lord, who usually chooses the weakest instruments to serve Him, called me to serve him in the poor through holy works of charity, but the obligations I had towards my family allowed me to follow my vocation only in a partial way. Seeing on the one hand that evil is increasing day by day, and the need I have to begin to work for my sanctification, and on the other hand because of my limitations and lack of experience, I was going to decide and wish for the moment that we could have an Institution in which it would be possible to live a spirit of union with God and detachment from everything, carrying out at the same time, all the works of charity, adapted to the present circumstances. Therefore, I would need a companion who was holy, had a vocation and experience, to be my guide and helper. For a long time I did not find neither one nor the other. Only six or eight months ago, 1 Father Felice De Vecchi (Ep. I, lett. 22, n. 5, pg. 56). 2 Countess Carolina Durini (Cf. Ep. I, lett. 2, pg. 6). Our Lord, through Fr. De Vecchi, brought to my knowledge both the Institution and the companion.