198

LIFE OF COLONEL MACERONI.

some, and the case so well understood, that the number ofbushels of them collected was too great for me to venture toname it from vague recollection. However, the good resultingfrom this regulation was soon apparent. The reward becamepermanent, and ever after no plough was seen at work, with-out the accompaniment of numerous children, in search forlarvse, with which, it was also found, that poultry could befattened with surprising rapidity. The larvse of the cock-chafer, a great destroyer of the foliage of trees, especiallymulberries, and which also remain in the earth till the thirdyear, shared the fate of those of the locusts, helped to fattenthe poultry, and to put money into the pockets of the pea-santry.

But, to proceed with my history, I must introduce JosephBuonaparte to the throne of Naples, first beginning with ahasty sketch of the bad faith, bad policy, bad fighting, throughwhich the blood-thirsty Bourbon lost it for the second time.

Violence and disorders of the most atrocious descrip-tions continued to reign in Naples. The king became ambi-tious of again figuring as a warrior and invader. Therepublic of Rome still subsisted, under the protection of a 'small force of French , commanded by General Gamier. TheBourbon king encouraged his motley army, and the zealous \champions of “the holy faith,” in the contemplated attack iupon Rome , by promising the spoils of the holy city! Oneex-freebooter lawyer, named Rodio, was named commanderof the regular forces, and he styled himself “ general of thearmy of the holy faith, and doctor of the one and of the otherlaw.” Whether he alluded to the divine law of extermi-nation, whilome imposed upon the Jews , I know not,—buthis character and conduct would lead us to think so. FraDiavolo, Pronio, Sciarpa, Salamone, the celebrated banditassassins, together with Nunziante, whose name I wouldhave my readers bear in mind when they come to the mur-