1823 was the last year Mossotti spent in Italy. The history and the reasons
for his departure are the most obscure mystery in his whole life. The
Dictionary of Scientific Biography (X12) skips the fact altogether, saying
that Mossotti left Italy ``to seek a position in England". The obituaries
either just touch it (Codazza
and Ferrucci) or invent shamelessly (Bicchierai). According to the
latter, ``Invited by the Austrian police to be inquired, Mossotti, following
the advice of the famous Oriani, escaped from Lombardy to go to Novara: but
the Piedmont Government via indirect means let him know that the Austrian
police were after him and that he had to leave. [...] So Mossotti crossed the
Swiss border without passport". Codazza and Ferrucci just say that he escaped
to London. It is difficult to understand why the obituaries, which otherwise
would seem plainly copied from one another, differ so much over this matter.
Fortunately there are records of the Austrian Government about Mossotti, which explain
this point.