nor understood, any tongue except Spanish. Of course, my conversation with him was of a very limited nature, as I was but scantily acquainted with the idiom of that language; but Massaredo and Gravina were kind enough to explain to me the Prince's civilities.

In short, I quitted Spain with less regret than I ever quitted any country in Europe; since it had no post, but on horseback; no high roads but from one part of France. The arts and sciences were neglected; very little trade was going on; no agriculture but of the most ordinary kind was encouraged; few manufactories; and the whole country had nothing to recommend it, but its fine sky and its fruitful but scandalously-neglected soil.

ras.

In Spain, there are no public inns but such as are fit for Spaniards to enter; and no provisions are to be procured in any of them, except those on the road from Perpignan to Barcelona, and on the roads towards Madrid, and the EstremaduWhen a traveller arrives at one of these inns, and asks the landlord what he has to give his visitors for dinner, the fellow will answer, laconically, "nada;" that is to say, nothing. If, therefore, you happen to be on a road, at a distance from any town or village, and have not had the precaution to take a supply with you,

you must go without. To be sure, if the inn happen to be situated in a village or town, the landlord-standing at the door of his pig-stie, with a segar in his mouth, and his knowledgebox covered with an immensely large slouched, broad-brimmed hat, and a dirty long cloak, even in the month of July or August-will sometimes condescend to point out to you the dif ferent shops or stalls, at which are sold beef, mutton, bread, butter, and the other things necessary for your dinner; but, not a peg will he stir, either to procure them for you, or to dress them after you shall have purchased them.

And then, again, at night! if you are fortunate enough to obtain a little clean straw to sleep upon, to prevent your being covered with vermin, you will have procured a treasure, which few, very few, enjoy. But, notwithstanding all this, the unconscionable landlord will, in the morning, send you in a bill, which is often as exorbitant as that of an English hotel-keeper, on the Bath road, at the height of the season.

CHAPTER XXVII.

VENICE.

THE BUONAPARTE FAMILY IN THE VENETIAN TERRITORY.

Napoleon now visits Venice for the first time......Meets the Prefects at Vicenza......His conversation with the Marquis Solari respecting the Sette Communi......Napoleon at the Venetian Casinos......Appoints sundry Ladies dames d'honneur to the Empress......Account of the Vice Queen of Italy ......My interview with Barras......Napoleon's Character by Barras...... And by Augereau.

SOME idea of the naturally quiet and peaceable disposition of the Venetians, may be formed from the reply which General Miolis, when governor of Venice, made to Buonaparte, on being reprimanded for so frequently absenting himself from the city, and going to Mestre and Treviso-" General," said Miolis, "the Venetians are just as well governed in my absence, as they would be in my presence: they are by nature quiet, and want no force to controul them; for there is at Venice a considerable population, but no mob.”

Napoleon, after his coronation, thought for the first time, of visiting his Italian slaves, and determined to include Venice in the general tour. Orders were accordingly sent round to all the civil magistrates, to meet him within the limits of their several governments.

The prefects, as the heads of the different departments, with the sub-prefects, and their ladies, were all directed to appear en grand train. Milan was no longer the fashion, and Venice was become "ma bonne ville."

Vicenza was to be the rendezvous of the prefects and sub-prefects. The famous Olympic Theatre, built by the immortal Palladio, and to light up which requires no less than a but of oil, attracted the notice of the "altissimo imperatore." Observing which, the magistrate took the liberty of informing the mighty man, that from its dilapidated and neglected state, they were fearful they should shortly be deprived of this grand national monument. No sooner did he hear this, than, turning round and calling to his adopted son-for no mortal was allowed to approach the person of the "altissimo" called for-he said, "I authorize you, Eugene, to present the commissioners of the Olympic with a hundred thousand livres." And, that the admiring spectators might be struck with his

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munificence, this direction was given in an audible tone of voice. The prince bowed assent; but the money for the repairs was never forthcoming; and this beautiful specimen of architectural skill continues in the same dilapidated condition to this day.

As Buonaparte had always a list of the prefects and sub-prefects of the departments he was about to visit, he singled out such to converse with as were of noble birth. Seeing amongst them the name of the Marquis Antonio Solari-who was then governor of the Siberians of Italy, in the mountains called the Sette Communi, and in a small village of which, called La Mara, some of the inhabitants had oppo. sed themselves to the unusual taxation, and had shot several excise officers who had come to enforce the payment of the same-Buonaparte said to him, Marquis Solari, when you return to Asiago-" (the name of the capital of the Sette Communi)-" tell the people they must submit to be placed on the same footing with the rest of my subjects, and that if they again rebel, I will certainly exterminate them."

The Marquis replied-" I hope your Majesty will not confound a populace of nearly forty thousand peaceable souls, with a few misguided individuals."