2 thing that has been done, or that yet remains to be done, is the good of my subjects. The new arrangements that I have determined upon were indispensibly necessary: and I will maintain them with the greater firm"ness because not one of them affects, in the slightest degree, the doctrine "of the church. If your holiness wishes for a more ample explanation, you may deliver your objections in writing: my chancellor will answer "them officially, and in the fullest manner, and I will even have them "printed for the information of my subjects." 66 The pontiff, perceiving that his labours were unavailing, took his departure from Vienna; where he had received no gratification but that arising from the attentions paid him, the veneration with which the multitude were struck at his appearance, and the opportunity which it afforded him of making an ostentatious display of his person and dignity in the performance of his religious functions:* and he returned to Italy, with no other satisfaction than that arising from a reflection on the having performed what he conceived 66 66 me. End of April. The impressive nature of the Romish ceremonies, addressed to those who are indisposed or unaccustomed to reflection, was exemplified on this occasion. "The effect of the pope's presence at Vienna," said a spectator of the ceremony of benediction, "is wonderful; and I am not "astonished at its having formerly produced such strange revolutions. I have seen the pontiff "several times at the moment he was giving his benediction to the people of this capital. I am not a catholic, neither am I easily moved; but I do assure you that the sight drew tears from You cannot conceive how interesting it is to see more than 50,000 persons assembled in "the same place by the same sentiment, expressing in their looks and gestures the devotion and "enthusiasm with which they wait for a benediction that they conceive essential to their pros"perity on earth, and to their happiness in another world. Entirely occupied with that idea, "they were perfectly insensible to the inconvenience of their situation. Crowded one against "another, and scarcely breathing, they saw the head of the catholic church appear in all his pomp; the tiara on his head, dressed in pontifical robes, sacred in their eyes, and magnificent "in those of every person, surrounded by all the cardinals who happened to be at Vienna, and "by all the dignified clergy.. The pontiff bent down his body towards the earth, raised his arms # to heaven in the attitude of a person firmly persuaded that he is conveying thither the vows. "of a multitude of men, and expressing in his looks his ardent desire that they may be heard. "Let any one figure to himself these functions performed by an old man of a majestic person, and "of the most noble and pleasing countenance; and let him, if he can, help feeling a strong emo"tion when he sees this immense crowd fall upon their knees at the moment the benediction is "given, and receive it with the same enthusiasm that seems to animate him by whom it is "bestowed. For my part, I confess that the impression made upon me by this scene will not be effaced while I live. How strong and deep must it then be in the minds of those who are dis"posed to let themselves be led away by external acts of devotion!"-Life of Pius the Sixth.. 2. 245. 1782 1782 conceived to be his duty.-On his journey he was greeted with the homage of the pious in all the cities and towns through which he passed. At Munich he was received with signal honours by the electors of Bavaria and Treves. The citizens of Verona, Venice, and Padua, rivalled each other in demonstrations of respect. And at his own city of Bologna he was honoured with a visit from the duke of Parma, one of the most dutiful sons of the church. His approach to the Roman capital was announced by the discharge of artillery, the illumination of the principal hotels, and all those noisy testimonies of joy by which sovereign princes are too often deluded into false ideas respecting the sentiments of their subjects. When the ears of a sovereign are continually saluted with expressions of applause, we cannot be surprised that even the undeserving form false conceptions of their own merit; that they do not attend to the soft whispers of reason; telling them that nothing but the practice of the beneficent and patriotic virtues can really give them the affections of their people. 1782 GENEVA. THE jealousy of each other's power subsisting between the aristocratic and democratic partisans in Geneva, which had ever disturbed the peace of the city, now led to that loss of national independency which had been long apprehended by those moderate men who were the most sincere friends to the welfare of the state.-The negatives, or aristocrats, among other concessions made in the conciliatory edict of 1768, had consented to the publication of a code of the existing laws, which had been repeatedly demanded by the burghers; but they afterwards found means to evade the performance of their engagement.-This evasion excited such indignation in the popular party, and was clamoured against with so much vehemence, that it was thought expedient to call on the guaranteeing powers to interpose. At this instant, a tumult occasioned by a private quarrel threw the city again into disorder. The representants, or burghers, fearing or pretending to fear, a design against their liberties, took up arms and possessed themselves of the principal avenues of the city. And having caused an 1782 edict to be framed whereby various privileges were conferred on the natives and inhabitants, they procured the sanction of the three branches of the government, but without the concurrence of the negatives, most of whom had absented themselves from the assemblies wherein they had been sanctioned. A momentary tranquillity ensued. But this was followed by a more violent uproar when it was known that the negatives were determined not to abide by the edict. We have on this occasion an example of that artful policy which the court of Versailles was practising towards the Genevan state. The count de Vergennes, being desirous to gain his sovereign a complete ascendency in the republic, and apprehensive that the joint guarantee of Berne and Zuric would be a restraint upon the arbitrary measures which the French government meant to pursue in support of the aristocratic party, renounced the guarantee; adding, "that in so doing he would not withhold his pro"tection from the republic, but still reserve to himself the power of controling the disturbers of public tranquillity, and of maintaining the "constitution."" On which the two cantons withdrew their guarantee also. In this state were the affairs of the republic with respect to the guaranteeing powers, when the sullen discontent which had rankled in the breast of the citizens, from an apprehension that their freedom would fall a sacrifice to the intrigues of the aristocrats with the French government, burst forth in acts of outrage: † and they proceeded to seize several of the magistrates and chief negatives, to remain as hostages against the coercive measures which they dreaded. Nothing could be more agreeable than these violences with the views of the French government and its partisans in Geneva. Relieved from the restraint of the joint guarantees, by the practice of the most refined craft in his ministry, the French monarch ordered a body of troops to advance towards Geneva, and prevailed on the king of Sardinia to do the same. A more interesting and mournful spectacle can scarcely be conceived than this city now presented. The patriots prepared to defend it to the last extremity; 1782 b extremity; and multitudes of brave citizens of both sexes flocked to the ramparts with this glorious resolution. Their desperate state, however, soon became evident, and inclined their chiefs to submit to their unhappy fate.* Rage at first filled the breasts of the people when the word surrender was heard among them. But they were soon obliged to submit to dire necessity. The keys of the city were surrendered to the syndics: the foreign troops were admitted within the walls: and the government was re-established upon a plan approved at Versailles, Turin, and Berne: | a plan which was notoriously inconsistent with the general principles of liberty, and which deprived them of several of the most valuable privileges for which they had been long contending, particularly in those articles which took from the people the privilege of remonstrating, and transferred it to thirty-six adjuncts, chosen from among the citizens, but restricted in their powers; that which abolished the city militia, and committed the guard of the city to 1000 foreign troops, commanded by foreigners; and that which declared that taxes should be imposed without the approbation of the general assembly.-Thus did the independency of Geneva fall a sacrifice November 21. to These expiring efforts of the Genevese in defence of their liberty are well described by Mr. Planta. "On the approach of those troops," says he, "all the Genevans of the popular party, whom their leaders had inspired with a dangerous confidence in their own strength, and "who were now joined by all the moderates who found themselves compelled to conform to the "spirit of the times, shewed a firm resolution to defend their ramparts to the last extremity; " and, if at length compelled to yield, to fall under the ruins of their demolished habitations. "They named a committee of public safety, consisting of eleven members, who were to direct "their operations; and displayed an appearance of serenity and fortitude which daunted the "negatives, who still remained among them. Aided by their women and children, they laboured "incessantly at their fortifications: a body of eighty of their amazons are said to have put on "uniforms, to have armed and demanded a post of danger: children tore up the pavements in "the streets, and conveyed the stones to the tops of the houses, in order to harass those who might attempt to force a passage into the town. They animated each other by exhortations, by "writings, and publications, among which, the Lettre écrite des Ramparts de Geneve breathed a "spirit of heroism and patriotic devotedness, of which instances in history are by no means "frequent. Many no doubt thought that their valour, and the rectitude of their cause, would "ultimately prevail: but the more moderate among them have acknowledged, that so far from "expecting to repel the united efforts of the three powers, each of which was more than com66 petent to crush their diminutive state, all they hoped for was, that, by a vigorous exertion of 66 a few days, they might recommend themselves to honourable terms and save themselves from "the imputation of rash audacity."-Planta's History of the Helvetic Confederacy. 2. 358. to those jealousies and feuds which are ever springing up in an ill constituted republic.-So sensible were many of the patriotic citizens of the reproach of being thus insidiously rendered dependent on the dictates of a foreign power and its partisans in the city, that they determined not to be witnesses of it; and abandoned a city where freedom could be no longer enjoyed. The count de Marmora, when he entered the city at the head of the foreign troops, "found in it only a small number of sullen and dejected inhabitants; a spectacle which could afford pleasure to none but the agent of a despotic government. с • 1782 GERMANY. ENCOURAGED by the successes which had attended his patronage of Ostend, and desirous to diffuse that spirit of industry and commercial enterprise through his widely extended dominions which alone could place them on an equality with other states in point of national prosperity, the emperor next carried his attention to the Mediterranean. Trieste, a small town at the upper extremity of the Adriatic, was the only port in the Austrian dominions which had a communication with that sea. His grandfather, Charles the Sixth, had improved the harbour, and conceived sanguine hopes of making it a place of considerable trade, but had met with small success. The late empress queen, prosecuting her father's design, caused a grand road to be made, at a vast expence, over the mountains of Istria and Friuli; by that means to afford all her states a communication with this fort. And his imperial majesty, that he might assist in overcoming the difficulties which attend the establishment of a trade where nature has provided few articles of export, where there are no manufactures, and where the people are poor and unenterprising, made a loan of 4,000,000 florins to the merchants of Trieste for the extension of their trade, accompanied with a promise of his protection, and such further aid as their circumstances might require. Nor was his beneficence unrewarded. It afforded the highest gratification to a prince who was desirous to diffuse prosperity 1782 |