We again repeat that the work before us is interefting, but it is at the fame time loofely written, deftitute of arrangement, and in many places, exhibits evident marks of prejudice.

ART. XV. A Journal of the most remarkable Occurrences that took place in Rome, upon the Subverfion of the Ecclefiaftical Government, in 1798. By Richard Duppa. 8vo. 149 pages. Price 2s. 6d. Robinfons. 1799.

WE learn, from the preface, that Mr. D. is an artist, who, being animated with a commendable defire, of obtaining excellence in his profeffion, repaired to Italy, in Auguft 1796, and remained there, as long as confiftent with his perfonal fafety.

Mr. D. feems to confider the pope as ruined by the peace of Tolentino; the city of Rome, however, maintained it's ufual tranquillity, during the miffion of citizen Cacault,' the French minifter, who, inftead of fomenting jealoufies, actually made difcovery of a plot against the government, in confequence of which, the principal confpirators were committed to prifon. His fucceffor, citizen Jofeph Buonaparte,' commenced his diplomatic career by an act of grace, which was extended to all those confined on account of their political opinions. The ambaflador's palace, which was fituated among the Trafteverini, became the rendezvous of all who had been liberated, and he himself patronized and affifted at a public fete, called the feaft of liberty,' fet on foot by the moft worthlefs characters in Rome,' in express oppofition to the wishes of the government.

Notwithstanding this, Mr. D. does not confider himself as poffeffing fufficient information, to implicate the ambaffador in the disturbance which took place within his jurifdiction, and which he defcribes in the following manner:

*

P. 8. An hour or two before it was dark, in the afternoon ofthe 27th of December, fome perfons began to affemble together in the Lungara, oppofite to the + Corfini palace, where French cockades were diftributed, and a Frenchman, particularly known to the perfon who gave me this information, was feen by him diftributing fix-paul-pieces amongst the Trafteverini, many of whom after receiving this bounty-money, went to enjoy themfelves with wine at the expence of his liberality.

The mob foon increased, and as the fituation was within the jurifdiction of the French ambaffador, the faction thought themselves the more fecure; and therefore, from at first only murmuring their difcontents to each other, about the dearnefs of provifions and the like topics of the day, they proceeded to make public harangues, and fhowed clearly, from feveral texts of fcriptures, that the time was at hand to overthrow the existing government. An abbot, well known, but whofe name I do not at prefent recollect, took upon + The refidence

* The name of a treet in the Traftevere. of Buonaparte.

About three fhillings English.

himfelf

himself the office of explaining the meaning of the many mifcellaneous quotations which he introduced as most appofite to the occafion, in order, if poffible, to make their pretenfions wear the appearance of being fanctioned by religion.

Thus protected, as they confidered themfelves, by their fituation, and being collected in force fufficiently strong, they began their operations, by taking poffeffion of one or two guard-houfes in the neighbourhood, and feizing the military arms. They next advanced to fecure the bridge called Ponte Sefto, but here they met with fuch oppofition from a patrole of horfe as obliged them to retire back into the Lungara, and many took refuge in the Cortile of the Corfini Palace, though not without being pursued by the military. In confequence of the great noife and confufion that neceffarily took place, Buonaparte and his friends haftened from their room to enquire into the cause, and came down into the midst of the crowd, without the leaft intention of hoftility, as it is faid, and which was very probably the cafe, notwithstanding their fwords were drawn, for general Duphot was feen pointing his to the ground, whilft he was calling out to the cavalry to fpeak with their commanding officer; but in this bustle and confufion, when the foldiers were galloping backwards and forwards to quel the riot, it is more than probable he was not heard, or understood by those to whom he addressed himself. In the promifcuous firing that took place, for the purpose of difperfing the mob, this general was unfortunately killed; an event, which, from every information I have been able to collect, was certainly the effect of chance and not of design.

Upon this cataftrophe, Buonaparte, and three French officers that were with him, retired back into the palace. Soon after the mob was dispersed; and upon the whole, it was thought that not more than ten or twelve lives were loft. At fix o'clock, next morning, Buonaparte with all his fuite left Rome.'

The dreadful paufe, before the appearance of the French army, was filled in a manner that confers but little credit, either on the prince or the people.

At length the enemy approached, fummoned and obtained poffeffion of the caftle of St. Angelo, planted the tree of liberty, on the capitol, and became mafters of the city. The funeral obfequies of the murdered general, were then folemnized with great fplendor, a Roman federation was proclaimed, and a Jacobin club eftablished in the hall of the duke d'Altem's palace.

It appears, from this narrative, that fome acts of violence and plunder were committed by the victors, and that a confiderable change of manners took place, on this occafion, among the vanquished. We felect the following paffage :

P. 80. As foon as the public fquares of Rome began to be adorned with trees of liberty, fo foon was there a decided difference in the air, manners, and deportment of the people. The abbots' drefs was immediately laid afide by command, except by fuch as were ecclefiaftics, and fucceeded by another black coat, but with the addition of fcarlet cape and cuffs, a large military hat, with a cockade in it of the national colours; and the ftiff round curl was

converted

converted into a queue. But thofe who looked forward to promotion, recommended themselves, in addition to the black coat trimmed with fcarclet, by wearing their hair without powder, cut round and made ornamental with an infinity of small curls, faid to be after the manner of Brutus; on the head was worn a cap of liberty, richly and elegantly embroidered, and fometimes bearing in the front this motto, in gold letters, LIBERTA' O MORTE; and in order to give the face a becoming fiercenefs, the beard upon the upper lip was permitted to grow, and the fide whiskers to extend towards the corners of the mouth: this, with the addition of a leather belt fastened round the middle, to which was fufpended a heavy sword that trailed upon the ground, made up the complete modern Roman republican.

The ladies wore plumes of feathers of the national colours on their heads, either in their hair, or in caps of liberty, and dressed themselves more or lefs in flesh-coloured filk (maglia), in proportion to their fenfe of delicacy or decorum.

The French themselves appeared to me to be in nothing different from what they were under their old government. There was the fame gaiety, the fame fondness for fplendor and fhow; and the cloaths of the fuperior officers were particularly elegantly gilded and embroidered: to keep pace with which the carriages of the cardinals and princes feemed well adapted to correfpond to their republican magnificence.

With refpect to their deportment, as individuals, it must be acknowledged, with juftice, that they generally behaved with the greatest attention and politenefs: but as amongst many officers, of whom fome doubtless were raised to their preferment from fituations not favourable to elegance of manners, fo there were not wanting fome examples to difgrace their military rank. Thofe quartered in the palace Maffimi and Villa Negroni, merit the highest cenfure for their unjuftifiable conduct *.

It was not till fome months after the ingrefs of the French, that the Directory sent an order to Rome, that the officers fhould fupport themfelves at their own expence, who had, till then, been extravagantly entertained by the proprietors of the refpective houfes in which they were lodged; but fire and candle were yet to be found them, in addition to their quarters. At this time wood was not to be obtained for money, and fortunately enough, the climate and feafon began to make this want lefs neceffary than it had been; however, thefe gentlemen would feel no inconvenience; and to add to that, which they had been the cause of, they cut up the chairs and tables with their fwords for fuel, and to mark more ftrongly their malevolent difrefpect, they put the wax-candles on the hearth to melt before the fire, that they might have a pretext fooner to call for others. On the other hand, the chef du brigade, who was quartered at the palace of prince Brafchi, deferves the highest praise for his humanity, politenefs and attention to the unfortunate princess, who was indebted to him for her life, and allo for the prefervation of what little private property was faved from the hands of rapacious commiflaries, and edicts of confifcation.'

I particularize thefe two because they happened to come more immediately within my own knowledge.'

Upon the whole, the little tract before us is valuable, as containing the only account hitherto publifhed relative to the pro.ceedings of the French at Rome, except the fhort and unfatisfactory statements in the newspapers.

ART. XVI. The Subftance of a Speech made by Lord Auckland, in the House of Peers, on Tuesday, the 8th Day of January, 1799, on the third reading of the "Bill for granting certain duties upon Income." 8vo. 36 pa. Pr. Is. Wright. 1799.

THE plan of affeffment upon expenditure, having been found ineffectual, in refpect to the fupplies for carrying on the war, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, towards the latter end of 1798, had recourfe to the project of a levy upon income. In the Houfe of Peers, the bill for that purpose was oppofed by one * Nobleman, on the ground of its principle, and by another †, on that of it's provifions.

Lord Auckland, one of it's warmeft fupporters, attempted to repel an attack on his confiftency,' and obferved, that, after an interval of twenty moft eventful years, an opinion of the kind alluded to (See Letters to the Earl of Carlisle, from William Eden, Efq; p. 111, to p. 118, 3d edit.) might be changed, or abandoned, without any caufe of felf-reproach.'

He then recurred to the fubject under difcuffion, and feems to have seized that opportunity to fhow, that he had altered his ideas not only of measures, but of men; for he compliments the Premier in language very different from what he once made ufe of, in refpect to that Gentleman.

P. 6. It now appears', fays he, that the difficulties, which we feared, were not infurmountable. The fuccefsful attempt to furmount them, was well worthy of that great and energetic mind which directs our councils. It was well worthy of that mind, which feems to have been created, by a beneficent Providence, for the prefervation of this kingdom;-for the prefervation of an adjoining kingdom, whofe permanent profperity and fecurity (in despite of her ill-judged jealoufies) we cordially feek to equalize with our own profperity and fecurity;-and perhaps alfo for the restoration of Europe. Nothing inferior to the force of fuch a mind, could have accomplished a project, which in its actual effect and probable confequences is of a nature fo gigantic, that it is well calculated to rank with the other events of 1798. I annex no epithet to thofe events, for no language can do justice to their glory, or to their importance.'

Lord A., after praising the large and falutary plan' then before the House, and recurring as ufual to the infernal views and tendency of Jacobinifm,' mentions the negotiation at Lifle. Instead of regretting that a peace did not enfue, he observes,

• Lord Holland.

+ Earl of Suffolk.

that

that Almighty God was pleafed, for our preservation, to detroy our fhort-fighted hopes.'

He confiders the fum of ten millions (the fuppofed produce of the new meafure of finance,) as a moderate calculation, and after a comparative ftatement of this, and the ufual mode of railing money, his Lordfhip afferts that the nation faves twelve millions by it; for, fays he, the refult will be, that inftead of creating an annuity in taxes, bearing heavily on the people in general, the value of which would be thirty-two millions, you pay twenty millions in two years, and gain the difference.'

In the courfe of his fpeech, Lord A. concedes a painful truth, that must fhock the feelings of every good fubject, and ought to infpire all men with a decided abhorrence of national contefts, viz. that from the experience of this century, there have been wars during nearly fixteen years in every forty years.' r. 21.

ART. XVII.

The Trial of James O'Coigly, A. O'Connor, Efq; John Binns, John Allen, and Jeremiah Leary, for High Treafon, at Maidstone, the 21st and 22d of May, 1798. Taken in Short-Hand by Jofeph Gurney. 8vo. Pr. 7s. 6d. Gurney. WE can do little more than announce this publication; for how is it poffible to review a TRIAL? We are not permitted to enter into the nature of the charges, to examine the weight of the evidence, or pronounce upon the juftnefs of the verdict. What a jury has determined must be law with us, for it forms a tribunal fuperior to ours. It has been indeed faid that one man (perhaps more than one man have been thus accufed) has, in a PRIVILEGED PLACE, been rafh enough to arraign the conduct of British juries, and to pronounce thofe FELONS, whom they have declared to be INNOCENT. Although we do not efteem the judgment of any fet of men infallible, although we do not join in the cenfure to which thofe are expofed who exprefs their diffent even from a British jury, although we deem the liberty of examination the beft guard against the corruption of even JURIES, yet we ought to recollect, and we do recollect, that we enjoy not the fecurity attached to that PRIVILEGED PLAC in which this liberty has been thus exercifed, and therefore we can exprefs no diffent from, we can hurl no cenfure upon a BRITISH JURY.

It is fcarcely needful for us to fay, that the jury found O'Coigly GUILTY, and acquitted all the reft of the charge of high treafon; for this fact is known in every part of the King's dominions.

Perhaps it may be expected that we fhould give an opinion, as to the fairness of this report; but, in order to do this with an exactnefs intitled to refpect, is it not neceffary that we

fhould