and property should be respected. Having passed the frontiers of the kingdom, the French advanced in three divisions. The right commanded by Regnier, marched to Gaeta without opposition, and summoned the prince of Hesse Philipsthadt, the governor of that place to surrender, offering him honourable terms of capitulation, and warning him of the inefficacy of resistance. The answer of the prince of Hesse was a determinate refusal to capitulate; on which the French attacked and carried the redoubt of St. André, defended by ten pieces of cannon, but lost in the attack general Gigny, an excellent officer, much lamented by their army. The centre division, under the command of Massena, met with no resistance in its march to Naples. Capua surrendered on the 12th of February, and on the 15th, Joseph Bonaparte entered Naples, the garrison left in that city and in the neighbouring forts having previously capitulated. Next day, he went publicly to mass, which was celebrated by cardinal Ruffo, archbishop of Naples; and to display his devotion in a manner more gratifying to the populace, he presented a diamond necklace, as an offering to Saint Januarius, the tutelary saint of Naples.

The unfortunate king of Naples had left his capital on the 23d of January, to seek refuge, a second time, at Palermo; and the queen had followed his example. Part of the Neapolitan army accompanied the king and queen in their flight, and a number of persons, connect ed with the court, or obnoxious to the French, made their escape along with them. Though the king had been always a favourite with the

populace, no effort was made to detain him, nor disposition shewn, as on a former occasion, to arm in his defence. The queen was detested by all ranks of people, and no sentiment, but exultation, attended her flight. Her meddling, intriguing, character must ever have prevented her from acquiring popularity; but to have drawn upon her the universal abhorrence of her subjects, it was necessary that she should have displayed such a vindictive temper, and shed such a profusion of blood, as had marked her return from her former exile. There was hardly a noble or respectable family in Naples, which had not to lament some victim sacrificed on that occasion to her resentment; and such was the impression left in their minds, of her cruel, unrelenting character, that, when she sailed from Naples, there was but one wish in the city, that she might never return to it.

The duke of Calabria, heir apparent of Naples, to whom the king his father, before his departure, had delegated the regency of the kingdom, during his own absence, remained at Naples till the 7th of February. But, having tried in vain to open a negociation with the French, he abandoned the city on their approach, and setired, with a body of troops, to Calabria, where general Damas, a French emigrant in the Neapolitan service, was at the head of a considerable force, endeavouring to organize a levy en masse, for the defence of that part of the kingdom. The activity of the French, however, 'left the Neapolitan generals but a short time to complete their preparations. General Regnier was called from before Gaeta, and sent after the fugitives with part of the army

which had entered Naples. No stand seems to have been made by the Neapolitan generals, till they reached the frontiers of Calabria; but having taken a strong position at Lago Negro, they, determined to wait there the approach of the enemy. An action ensued, in which the Neapolitans, after attempting in vain to defend the passage of a small rivulet, were driven with great loss from their position. This action, which seems to have been obstinately disputed on the part of the Neapolitans, was fought on the 6th of March. On the two follow ing days Regnier continued to advance, driving small parties of the Neapolitans before him, and on the 9th he attacked their army in its entrenched position at Campo Te nese. According to the French accounts, the Neapolitans behaved most shamefully on this occasion. They are said to have fled at the first onset, abandoning their cannon and baggage, and about 2000 prisoners to the enemy; and to have dispersed after the battle so completely, that general Damas was unable, in his flight, to collect together more than 900 infantry and 50 horse. This account of the action at Campo Terese, we have no particular grounds for calling in question; but we have understood, in general, that the disasters of the Neapolitan army in Calabria, were owing more to the want of skill and courage in their leaders, than to any misconduct in the troops.The battle of Campo Tenese, if it deserves the name, put an end for the present to the war in Calabria. Regnier advanced to Neggis at the extremity of the peninsula, and placed a French garrison in the fort of Scylla. Another division

of the French army marched, without opposition, to Tarento, and took possession of that important city, the most conveniently situated of any in the kingdom, for menacing at once both Sicily and Greece.

But, though

The whole kingdom of Naples had now submitted to the French arms, except Gaeta and Civitelle del Tranto, in the farther Abruzzo.— Gaeta, which is situated on the point of a rocky promontory, washed on three sides by the sea, and on the fourth joined to the continent by a narrow isthmus, strongly fortified, was still held by the prince of Hesse-Philipsthal; and such was the strength of the place and resolution of the governor, that the French had no chance of becoming masters of it, without a regular siege ; which, for want of battering cannon, they were unable for some time to commence. no enemy appeared against them in the field, the country they had subdued was far from being tranquil. Assassinations, robberies, and other disorders, inseparable from a dissolution of government, broke out at Naples and in other parts of the kingdom, and required for their suppression, the most rigorous and vigilant police. These disorders, which filled the better sort of Neapolitans with the most dismal apprehensions, were fomented by the partizans and emissaries of the old government, who thought to distress the French, by exciting disturbances in the country. But, such wretched policy had no other effect than to alienate still farther from the exiled family, all persons of rank, property, or consideration at Naples, and to attach them more firmly to the French interest, from the predominance of which

only they could expect security and protection. The knowledge that such were the sentiments of the principal Neapolitans, determined Bonaparte to make known, without further delay, his ultimate intentions with respect to Naples. He had already declared, that the exiled family should never return to Occupy the throne which they had abandoned. He now issued a decree, conferring the crown of Naples on his brother Joseph and his legitimate heirs-male; without prejudice to their eventual claim to the throne of France; but with a proviso, that the crown of France and that of Naples should never be u. nited on the same head. In pursuance of this decree, which was communicated to the French senate on the 30th of March, Joseph Bonaparte caused himself to be proclaimed king of Naples, and made all the constituted authorities of the kingdom, take an oath of fidelity to him. The city of Naples was illuminated on this occasion, with every demonstration of joy and satisfaction on the part of the nobles, who were eager to shew their attachment to their new king, and aecept of offices and distinctions in his service, in order to mark, not so much their devotion to him, as their aversion for the exiled family. That those, whose families had suffered in the former revolution, and who had since lived in banishment or retirement, should join heartily in support of the new government, is not to be wondered at, nor blamed. But there was a want of decency and propriety in the conduct of those, who having recently held employments under the late govern ment, and enjoyed its favours and confidence, took this early opportunity of renouncing all connection

with it, and of attaching themselves to the fortunes of their new king.The marquis di Gallo, for example, must have offended every man of honour, by the political profligacy he displayed, in accepting the office of minister of foreign affairs from Joseph Bonaparte, within three days after his return from Paris, where he had been ambassador of Naples, under the former go. vernment. Nor can the duke of St. Theodore, who accepted of a place in the household of the new king, be excused for his desertion of the exiled monarch, on account of his near relationship to Caraccioli, when it is considered, that, subsequent to the melancholy fate of his kinsman, he had been ambassador of Naples at the court of Madrid, and so much in the confidence of their Neapoli. tan majesties, as to have been selected for that post, to serve as a counsellor and director to their unfortunate daughter, married to the heir apparent of the Spanish monarchy. From cardinal Ruffo no person ever expected either honour or consistency; and his apostacy was received without the smallest surprise.

The assumption of the regal dignity in Naples by Joseph Bonaparte, and the defection of so many persons of distinction, excited the liveliest indignation at the court of Palermo. Instead of profiting by their past misfortunes, the queen and duke of Calabria listened to no counsels, but such as flattered their anger with plans of vengeance, or soothed their impatience with idle projects for regaining their lost dominions. Though driven from Naples by their inability to resist the French arms, they were now eager to attempt the recovery of that kingdom, and confident of ex

pelling

pelling from it an enemy. whose invasion they had not ventured to oppose, or even dared to await.No event had happened since their flight, to encourage them in so wild and unpromising an enterprize. They had no foreign succour to reckon upon, nor prospect of any diversion of importance in their favour. To the efforts of their Neapolitan subjects alone, could they look for assistance; but, to expect a prosperous issue to their attempts, without farther aid than their late subjects could afford, was to suppose, that Neapolitans fighting to subvert their government, were more formidable than Neapolitans fighting in its defence. Plans founded on such expectations, terminated as might have been foreseen. In some of the provinces of Naples, emissaries from the court of Palermo were successful in exciting insurrec. tions against the French, and in all they produced a spirit of restlessness and insubordination, which gave to the new government great disquietude. But no permanent good resulted from these disturbances, to compensate the present erils to which they led. Abruzzo and Calabria were delivered for a short time from the French yoke. But, though the insurgents fought with unparalleled courage and intrepidity, and were successful in many encounters, the numbers and discipline of the French prevailed in the end; so that after a fruitless waste of blood and perpetration of atrocities, on all sides, disgraceful to humanity, these provinces were again compelled to acknowledge Joseph Bonaparte for their sovereign. The provinces of Abruzzo, though naturally poor, are inhabited by a more respectable and less indigent peasantry, than the other

So

parts of the kingdom of Naples.The late government, which stood in awe of the Abruzzese, had been careful not to violate their privileges, nor in any sort to oppress them; and had, on the contrary, relieved them from some local taxes unfavorable to their industry. easy is it for princes to gain the affections of their subjects, that these slight favours had kindled a lively spirit of loyalty and attachment to the exiled family in the breasts of the Abruzzese. When, therefore, a successful sally from Gaeta had enabled part of the garrison of that fortress to cut its way through the besieging army, and reach the mountains of Abruzzo, the flames of insurrection spread rapidly over the province. Little is known of the subsequent history of this war. appears, however, that Civitella del Tranto, in the further Abruzzo, was compelled, after a long resistance, to surrender to the French; and that an unsuccessful attempt was made by the English to open a communication with the insurgents.— But, though destitute of foreign succour, such is the natural strength of the country, which is mountainous, and full of defiles and strong positions, that the Abruzzese, who had taken up arms, defended themselves for many months against the French, and submitted at length on honourable terms of capitulation.

It

Calabria is a mountainous, woody and unhealthy region, well adapted for defensive war. Its proximity to Sicily affords frequent and casy means of communicating with that island; and, when the theatre of hostilities, its extensive coast assures incalculable advantages to the party, who are masters at sea. The Calabrians were, indeed, but little influenced by sentiments of loyalty or attachment

attachment to their late government but they were a warlike, ferocious people, easily excited to take up arms. Persons of property in Calabria, lived in towns, and were little inclined to engage in commotions. But, the peasants and villagers were a miserable, savage, and rapacious race, ready to embark in any service, which promised to gratify their thirst for plunder, or to afford them means of indulging their private animosities and resentments. Divided into separate communities or townships, among which there prevailed the most inveterate feuds, they were unaccustomed to order or repose, and engaged often in open hostilities with oue another, or with the inhabitants of the towns. So slight was the intercourse be. tween different parts of the country, that some Albanian refugees, having settled in the heart of Calabria, soon after the death of Scanderbeg, their descendants still used a Greek dialect, and, in some places, followed the ritual of the Greek church. Feudal institutions still prevailed in Calabria, and were enforced with rigour. But, as the nobles resided not on their estates, their authority over their vassals, was inconsiderable; and the peasants, who were strangers to their persons, and unacquainted with their existence, except through the rents and services exacted in their name, were under the direction of men of inferior condition, whom the money and promises of the court of Palermo had attached to its interests. The recollection of their former expedition to Naples, was fresh in the minds of the Calabrians; and the plunder they had made, and the licence they had enjoyed on that occasion, disposed

them to embark again willingly in the same cause. Assistance was also to be expected from the troops of banditti and free-booters, who had their haunts in Calabria, and who were but too ready in this, as they had been in the former war, to exercise their trade under the sanction of a lawful government. Disbanded galley slaves and malefactors escaped from justice, were employed as emissaries, to work upon these materials and stir them to insurrec tion. But, notwithstanding so many propitious circumstances, such was the universal dread of the French arms, that the court would hardly have attained its ends, had not an English army landed on the coast of Calabria, and begun its military operations by a most splendid and glorious victory.

With this force

About the middle of April, sir Sidney Smith had arrived at Palermo, in the Pompee of 84 guns, and taken the command of the English squadron, destined for the defence. of Sicily, consisting of five ships of the line, besides frigates, transports, and gun boats. under his command, sir Sidney sailed to the coast of Italy, and began his operations by introducing into Gaeta, supplies of stores and am. munition, of which its garrison had been greatly in want. Having performed this important service, and left at Gacta a flotilla of gun boats, under the protection of a frigate, to assist in the defence of the place, he proceeded to the bay of Naples, spreading such alarm along the coast, that the French conveyed in haste to Naples, part of their battering train from the trenches before Gaeta, in order to protect the capitał from insult, and secure it from attack. It happened, that at the

moment