Mazzini in London: beyond the "storm of doubtfulness"

Historic studies on Mazzini have traditionally used the famous expression " storm of doubtfulness" often without investigating the true causes of the u neasiness that tormented the Genovese patriot between 1837 and 1839. Undoub tedly, the death of Jacopo Ruffini and the failure of many of Mazini's poli tical and insurrectional initiatives had a deep and negative effect on Mazz ini's state of mind. However, the impact of a big modern metropolis such as London also contributed to Mazzini's distress. This article, which complet es the first part of the author's previous essay on the Italian School in L ondon, proposes a different analytical perspective of the first years of Ma zzini's London experience, based on a thorough systematic investigation of Mazzini's correspondence.