able share in the cause of his election, as fuch a temper feemed the moft proper to conciliate the differences between the fee of Rome, and the princes of the house of Bourbon. The choice accordingly gave univerfal fatisfaction, and all ranks of people feemed to vie in testifying their approbation of it.

The first act of the new pontiff, an act always extremely popular, was to lower the price of bread, oil, and every species of provifion. He alfo ordered the city of Rome to be purged of vagabonds of every fort, and appointed houses for their reception, where they were divided into claffes, and thofe who were able, compelled to work for their fubfiftence, while the aged and infirm were provided with all neceffaries. He alfo fuppreffed the cuftom of kiffing the toe, a ceremony which was practiced by the generals of the ecclefiaftical orders, when they felicitated a new pope upon his election. The pontiff, instead of receiving this teftimony of his exaltation, embraced them all, except the general of the Jefuits, to whom he only gave his bleffing. This peculiar mark of coolness or indifference, was looked upon as ominous to that order, and to forefhew its speedy and final diffolution; an indication however not yet juftified by the event.

Part of the pope's answer to a very flattering and elaborate fpeech that was made to him by the tribunal of the fupreme inquifition, in which his merit and great qualities were exalted to the highest degree, may not be unworthy the attention of other princes on their acceffion to a throne. "The Saviour of the world, faid the pontiff, was loaded with praises on

his entrance into Jerufalem, by the fame people, who foon after heaped reproaches on him, and demanded his death."

Repeated follicitations were immediately made to the new pontiff, by the courts of Paris, Madrid, Naples and Lisbon, for the fuppreffion and total extinction of the order of Jefuits. Requifitions were at the fame time made, and strongly enforced, for the entire ceffion of Avignon and the territory of the Venaifin in France, and the dutchy of Benevento in the kingdom of Naples.

Thefe demands were received with a firmness, which probably was not expected from the moderation and facility of the new pope's character. To prevent feparate and continual difcuffions with the minifters of fo many different powers, the pontiff wrote a letter to the French king, wherein he declared the fentiments by which he would abide. To fhew that his non-compliance did not proceed from a diflike or oppofition to the houfe of Bourbon, he first premised the marks of attention that he had given to the duke of Parma; that he had readily fent the difpenfations which he requested for his marriage; that he had fufpended the effects of the brief which he complained of, as well as of the bulls relative thereto; and that he cordially gave him his apoftolic benediction.

In regard to the Jefuits, he faid, he could neither blame nor annihilate an inftitute which had been applauded and confirmed by nineteen of his predeceffors; that he could the lefs do it, because it had been authentically confirmed by the council of Trent, and that by [D 3]

the

the French maxims, the general council is above the pope. That if it was defired, he would call a council, in which every thing fhould be difcuffed with juftice and equity, and the Jefuits heard in their own defence: that he owed to the Jefuits, as to all the religious orders, juftice and protection; that befides Germany, the king of Sardinia, and even the king of Pruffia, had written to him in their behalf; and that he could not, by their deftruction, content fome princes without difpleafing others.

As to the territorial claims, he obferved, that he was not proprietor, that he was only adminiftrator of the domains of the holy fee; that he could neither cede nor fell the county of Avignon, nor the dutchy of Benevento; that fuch an' aft would in itself be null and void, and would accordingly be condemned as an abuse by his fucceffors, and the territories reclaimed. That as for the reft, he would give way to force, and would not repel it if he was able; and that he would not fpill a fingle drop of blood for any temporal concern. He concluded with a compliment to the uprightness of the king's heart, and a wish to labour with him only, in the adjuling and fettling all matter of bufinefs relative to the difputes in question.

Whatever effect this firmnefs in the pontiff has hitherto had, in preventing the final extinction of the Jefuits, it did not avail for the prefervation of Avignon, and the territory belonging to it called the Venaifin. The French king has irrevocably annexed thefe territories to his dominions, and they are

now declared to be members of, and under the fame government as Provence. As a compenfation to the fee of Rome, though much inadequate in value, the court of France has agreed to pay fix millions of livres to the pope. The French are gainers by this purchafe, even fuppofing fix millions of livres to have been a fair price for the country, the fum of 240,000 livres annually, which they used to pay to the court of Rome, as a confideration for its not fuffering its fubjects to raise any tobacco within thefe territories. In the mean time the king of Naples continues in poffeffion of the dutchy of Benevento, without any formal ceffion having been made, or a purchafe being agreed upon for it.

Notwithstanding the protection which the pontiff continues to the Jefuits, he does not in general feem violently bigotted to particu lar forms, where they appear either to be of no great confequence, or that their inutility pleads against the fanction of prefcription. We accordingly find that he readily concurred with the great duke of Tufcany, in depriving the churches of that dutchy of the privilege which they had, of being fanctuaries and places of refuge for criminals. Thofe who had hitherto eluded juftice under that protection, were dragged out of the churches by force, and for the future they can only afford refuge to unfortunate debtors. He alfo feems difpofed to liften to the requifition that has been made by feveral of the German princes, for retrenching the number of feftivals that are obferved in their refpective dominions, and will probably concur in that measure.

The

The monks in Italy, as well as in other parts of Europe, feem at prefent to be in a very precarious fituation. Though the houfe of Auftria has not adopted the violent measures, that were pursued by the Bourbon princes against the Jefuits; yet the ftates of Milan have feized upon the celebrated monaftery of the Chartreufe de Buccia, one of the richest in Italy, and fequeftered all its effects, allowing the monks an annual penfion of one hundred pifloles each. An edict has also been iffued, by which all the ecclefiaftics in the Auftrian Lombardy, are forbid to alienate their eftates without the confent of the fovereign. These however are but trifling incidents, if compared with the danger which the whole order of the Dominicans was lately in, who were peremptorily threatened by the courts of France and Spain, that they fhould meet with the immediate fate of the Jefuits, if father Mamachi, one of their order, did not retract fome tenets he had lately published, that had given offence to thofe courts. This was the more embarraffing, as they were left entirely to themfelves, the pope having refufed to intermeddle in the affair; fo that there is little room to doubt but they will give the fatisfaction required, though the book in queftion was published with the approbation of the holy fee.

Upon the arrival of the Ruffian fleet in the Mediterranean, orders were iffued by most of the Italian ftates, prefcribing the treatment and reception which the fhips of that nation were to meet with in their respective ports. The court of Naples gave directions, that no more than three Ruffian fhips fhould

It is

be received at one time, in any one port; that they fhould be fupplied with neceffary provifions, not to exceed the quantity, that would be requifite for a month, upon their paying punctually for them; but abfolutely forbid the fupplying them with any kind of military ftores, upon any pretence whatfoever. Moft of the other ftates alfo forbid their being fupplied with powder or warlike ftores. faid that the republic of Venice has been fingular upon this occafion, by iffuing orders, that the Ruffian fleet fhould not be admitted into any of its numerous ports or iflands; an order, which, confidering their number and vicinity, must be attended with great inconvenience, as well as prejudice to the Ruffians. As this conduct in the republic does not indicate a favourable countenance to Ruffia, the great naval preparations fhe has fince continued to make, would appear the more alarming. however probable, that the republic only intends to be in fuch a fituation, as may enable her to preferve and even command a refpectable neutrality, during the continuance of a war which has been kindled up at her doors, and in which he has no concern. Without this preventive care, the intermingled nature of the Venetian frontier, both by fea and land, would render it liable to continual infults; and the poffible ufes to which this fituation might be converted in the courfe of the war, may involve the republic in a quarrel with the Turks, to which, from the pacific maxims he has long adopted, it is probable fhe is not at all difpofed. It is alfo much to be doubted, whether any of the [D4]

It is

Medi

difficulties, before it could have compleated the conqueft of that iland. The determined refolution fhewn by the natives, the violent averfion they bore to a foreign yoke, together with the natural defences of a mountainous impracticable country, and the peculiar unhealthiness of the climate, feemed in fome degree to counterbalance the great fuperiority of power in the invader.

This fpirit and difpofition in the people, could not however be kept in action by any other means, than the hope of foreign fupport and affiftance. While this continued, they forgot the fuperiority of their enemies, and gave repeated proofs that they were not unworthy of protection. The fuppofed profpect of a diftant fecurity made their -prefent fufferings light, and the war was fuftained in fuch a manner, as to give fufficient opportunity to any defign that might have been formed in their favour, to have operated to its full extent.

But when a hard fought campaign, and a long winter had elapfed, and that the brave ftruggle they maintained had not produced the most remote appearance of fupport or protection, it is no wonder they fhould then reflect on the fruitlessness of the efforts they were making, and the danger as well as abfurdity of attempting fingly to refift the force of one of the most powerful nations in the world. The landed chiefs naturally regretted the lofs of their rents, and the destruction brought upon their eftates by an unavailing conteft, in a cause which they now faw was totally defperate; and the peafant lamented, that tho' rocks and mountains could occafionally

afford a temporary fecurity to his perfon, they were by no means fufficient for the protection of his property. This defpondency could not be unknown to the French, nor were they likely to neglect making the proper ufe of a temper fo much in their favour. It is probable that money was not spared upon this occafion, and there is but little doubt of its having its ufual effect. The new employments confequent of a change of government, and the honours and emoluments to be acquired under a great monarchy, were no doubt held out to others of the chiefs, and had their weight with them. However this was, the affairs of the Corficans continually declined, and the fame vigour and fpirit no longer appeared in their actions.

These effects did not however immediately take place. In the beginning of the year the Jan. 2. Corficans made an attempt to furprize San Fiorenzo, and to cover their defign fent detachments to make falfe attacks on Biguglia, and Oletta. These detachments, as it was expected, were repulfed; but having produced the defired effect, and drawn the attention of the French that way, the main body quitted their camp, and marched under cover of the night to St. Fiorenzo, where they immediately attempted to fcale the walls. Unfortunately their ladders proved too fhort, which fruftrated this, otherwife, well conducted defign; the garrison were alarmed before this mistake could be remedied, and they were obliged to retire with confiderable lofs. They foon afterwards Jan. 25. made an attempt upon Biguglia, which mifcarried; but they