114

LIFE OF COLONEL MACERONI.

fled from Naples , Lady Hamilton embarked in the samevessel with the Queen ; she bestowed her most anxious careto the sick infant of Her Majesty, Alberto, who actuallyexpired in her arms.

Such were the relations existing between Lady Hamiltonand the tiger-suckled Queen Caroline , and the cause of theunhappy influence exercised by the latter on the counsels ofLord Nelson .

The King and Queen of Naples having abandoned thekingdom, despoiled, distracted, invaded, without oneeffort to make a stand, in any of the almost impregnablepositions over an extent of six hundred miles, shortly aftersent some ships and emissaries from Sicily , the chief of whichone Count Thurn, a pestilent German creature of theQueen ’s, who without assigning any reason, set fire to one-hundred and twenty beautiful gunboats and bomb vessels,enclosed in one of those immense grottos in the Tuffo rocksunder the promontory of Posilipo. He also burnt at anchorin the bay, two line of battle ships, and three frigates ! Asad spectacle to the afflicted Neapolitans, who could by nomeans comprehend the reason for such wanton destruction,as the whole of that valuable national property might havebeen taken away to Sicily without any obstacle what-ever.

Upon the occupation of Home and Naples by the victori-ous arms of France , both those communities were con-stituted into republics. Every man of intellect and virtue,and lover of his country, hailed the happy deliverance andchange, with rapture. But on this subject, however inter-esting, I cannot dwell. Short, alas! was the dream of libertyand social dignity ; but in that brief space, innumerable andmost cheering to the philanthropist, were the examples ofpublic virtue, disinterestedness, and courage. No less worthyof our admiration, was the legislatorial wisdom and ability