Through the mists of Albion: The couple Ball-Parolini

Beyond the limits of an approach exclusively focused on the peninsula, this chapter deals with the issue of Italian identity at a critical time for the national unification process, investigating the life of John Ball (1818-1889) and his wife Elisa Parolini (1830-1867). After marrying in 1856, the couple moved from Bassano del Grappa (in Veneto, under Austrian rule until 1866) to London. During this period, until Elisa’s untimely death, both maintained regular contact with Italy through correspondence and frequent journeys. John’s literary production and scientific activity and Elisa’s remarkable and so far, largely unexplored epistolary allow for highlighting some of their relational modes with Italy and its identity. The chapter explores how husband and wife creatively moulded their relationship to the peninsula during significant years for the nation-building process and the professionalization of natural sciences at European level.