cannot be disputed, as they notoriously occurred wherever Buonaparte made his appearance with his army of regenerators; and such conduct on his part was the more unpardonable, as some of the best writers of France had been employed by the Corsican in composing, and in circulating all over Italy, works containing the soundest principles, and enforcing the strictest order and discipline.

"Les Italiens," says Madame de Stael, whom I had the honour to be intimately acquainted with, in the years 1791 and 1792, as well as with Monsieur and Madame Neckar; "les Italiens sont plus remarquables par ce qu'ils ont été, et par ce qu'ils pourront être, que par ce qu'ils sont maintenant." The sentiment is a correct one; but, Madame de Stael saw the Italians at a time when it was almost impossible to give a decided opinion respecting them; and, though I entertain the greatest respect for the talents of that extraordinary woman, as well as for her private virtues, I cannot help differing with her, as to the general character of that people, and of thinking them still capable of shewing themselves worthy descendants of the conquerors of the world.

Strike off the head of a man, and the body becomes a useless trunk. The head of the Italians, considered as a nation, has long since

been struck off by their foreign oppressors, who have most unwisely and impolitically kept them divided; and which state of division has ever had, and must continue to have, a decided influence on the moral energies of a great people.

If it be absolutely necessary to divide a nation, in consequence of that nation having become the mistress of the world, why was France, after the dethronement of Napoleon, left in statu quo?

The present race of Italians exhibit the distressing spectacle of a body of nineteen millions of men, wanting the energies of a head. Who have been their sovereigns? And, what have those sovereigns done for them, during the space of seven centuries? They have been schooling them in the lessons of the ancient Greek masters, who, after the execrable Sylla had destroyed Greece, taught the people to forget their past condition, instead of improving their morals, and enlarging their virtues.

Buonaparte divided the Italians still more than their preceding yoke-masters had done. Take a lion, or any other savage animal, draw his teeth, pare the nails of his paws, and the creature becomes tame as a lady's lap-dog. So it is at present with the Italians. Misery, and division upon division, have annihilated their

former fierté of character; and I am sorry to add, that the conduct observed towards them by the successor of the exile of St. Helena, is little calculated to better their condition!

Spell-bound by the rapid ascension of that ambitious rocket, hurled from the revolutionary mortar, the several cabinets of Europe, not excepting that of St. James, appear to have imagined, that an imitation, on their part, of the conduct of that Scourge of the Universe must inevitably be attended with success; provided they took care to avoid those fatal errors which occasioned his overthrow. I allude to such extravagant projects as the invasion of Spain and of Russia; and more especially the latter, at such an advanced period of the year.

What a puerile imbecility do notions like these betray! As if an Omnipotent Maker of the Universe had but one mode of inflicting punishment on man! As if tyranny, and fraud, and corruption, did not carry in their train the very elements of retributive justice!

Another striking proof, if any were wanted, of the general fatuity, is to be discovered in the rage for imitating Napoleon. For scarcely is there a private individual of any weight in society, who does not endeavour to inspire

those around him with a sort of respect, by casting over his own actions that sort of doubt and perplexity, which the French Emperor uniformly practised, allowing no one to guess what the resolves of the mighty man were to be!

How silly, and at the same time how knavish this kind of conduct often is! In deeds, perpetuating his evil spirit; in words, decrying and execrating his foul actions! With one hand, begriming and pulling down the heraldic insignia of his rule-with the other, dispersing and sending about his image in every direction: the coin in circulation throughout France and Italy still bearing his image and superscription: one day tearing to pieces and vilifying that, which, on the next, they uphold and extol to the very skies; reminding one of the eternal toil to which poets have condemned the wicked after death, for the crimes they were guilty of while living

CHAPTER XII.

VENICE.

The Subject continued.-Buonaparte considered as a General ......The Napoleon Military System described...... His Mode of treating the Soldiers......Strict Discipline of his Armies ......Some of the leading Causes of his Overthrow pointed out......Origin of Revolutions in a State.

Now that Napoleon is gone the way of all flesh, it is the fashion to eulogize and puff him off as a great man; and, if the attempted palliation were not intended as an apology for the adoption of his despotic measures, I should not be unwilling, to a certain extent, to join in the

encomium.

As a general, in the hour of battle, he shewed himself a god of war-a very Mars. Possessing a consummate knowledge of the military science, he was, for quickness of intellect and promptitude of execution, altogether without a parallel.

But, the thing which stamped him a general of the first rate was his always commencing the battle, and striking the first blow. For while he thereby infused the confidence of hope into