REMUNERATION TO CARDINAL RUFFO. 133

sent into exile by their adversaries through secret denun-ciations. Common spies, servants, pretended friends, rela-tives, were encouraged and rewarded for their treacheries.Society became relaxed in all its bonds ; ideas of vice andvirtue were confounded and reversed in the minds of men.Virtue was seen to be ever stigmatised and punished, whilevice of every description was rewarded and exalted! Thushave we reproached the South Americans for their faults, asalso the Greeks ; centuries of despotic oppression and regalbad example, have made them what they are. Must wenot take the failings of such victims, cum grano salts f

The gratitude of the Neapolitan despots was evincedtowards Cardinal Ruffo, by the donation of the abbey ofSanta Sofia, worth £1,700 a-year; other lands producing£3,000 a-year ; and an annual pension for life of £5,000 !The Emperor of Russia, Paul I., bestowed upon him theorders of St. Andrew and of St. Alexander. Other ecclesi-astics of the “ army of the Holy Faith,” were also loadedwith riches. The notorious assassins and robbers, FraDiavolo, Pronio, Mammone, Sciarpa, created barons andgenerals in the army, with lands and pensions, from outthe spoils of their murdered illustrious victims. One DeCesare, ivho still lives , first a livery servant in Corsica, andthen a zealous member of the cut-throat “ Holy ” band ofRuffo, was created Duke of Sassonia, in Apulia ! CorporalNunziante was raised to the rank of colonel.*

The obligations of the court towards the Russian andTurkish forces, was evinced by double pay and valuablepresents. Still greater were the gifts bestowed upon SirWilliam Hamilton ; and as to Emma, the Queen tookespecial care to manifest towards her the tender -sentimentsof the Bourbons.

* Of this Nunziante, one of the comrades of Fra Diavolo, Mammone,&c., I shall have to speak on the occurrence of the death of Murat.