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LIFE OF COLONEL MACERON1.

legislators or magistrates, or plead their subserviency to thepope, or to their bishops, peruse with attention the followingsketch of the administration of the papist minister Tanucci .Those who feel a lively interest in the welfare of mankindwill regard it as a valuable historical example, and probablypardon me for venturing on so long a digression from theline of my recital.

In the year 1733, Don Carlos, son of Phillip V.* of Spain and Elizabeth Farnese, was sent into Italy under the pre-tence of taking possession of his grand Dukedom of Tuscany and Parma. The covert intention of his “ royal ” parentswas, the conquest of the kingdom of Naples and Sicily ,then groaning under the dominion of the Emperor ofGermany, Charles VI.; France, Sardinia, and Spain , were onthis occasion, leagued together against the Emperor. TheGallohispano forces having entered Italy under the commandof the duke de Montemar, with whom were then servingthe duke of Berwick, the French Counts de Marsillacand Charny; many Grandees of Spain; the Neapolitan duke of Eboli; the Prince Caracciolo Torella; DonNiccolo di Sangro; the Roman Prince Corsini, nephew tothe pope, and many other men of distinction; while agreater number of the Neapolitan nobility were, of necessity,attached to the opposing party then in possession of thekingdom. In March, 1734, Don Carlos, having hishead-quarters at Perugia , and being surrounded incouncil by the above-named personages, an advocateand professor of civil law at the university of Pisa , wascalled upon by Don Carlos to assist his councils by thewell known efficiency of his intellectual and cultivatedfaculties. This advocate was Bernardo Tanucci , at that time

* The same who abdicated the throne, retired to the convent of St.Ildefonso, but subsequently, being tired of the solitude, resumed theSceptre.