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LIFE OF COLONEL MACERON1.

hundred pounds from England which enabled me to refundall that had been so kindly advanced me by Messrs. Valentineand Routh, without any kind of security. Mr. Bottalinmost generously offered me the command of his purse, toany extent ; but I declined it in consequence of thedifference that had occurred between us, and the assistanceof Messrs. Routh and Valentine, who are, I hope, well atthis moment, and will again receive my thanks reiteratedin these pages. I must not forget to mention, that invirtue of the Napoleon decree of Berlin very justly issuedin reprisal for the British system of piratically seizingupon the ships and crews of those with whom they intendto go to war — performing the kidnapping operationduring profound peace—all the British subjects residingwithin the limits of French dominion were declared prisonersof war; and I having been born in England, was informedby the police, that I must consider myself in that capacityon parole as long as I remained at Naples unexchanged.I felt no inconvenience from this arrangement, other thanthe inability to return to England, as my father wished;and being very much attached to him, I grieved at theprolonged separation. I had lost my mother when onlytwelve years old and all my strong filial feelings were con-centred on my father, who certainly was as generous,indulgent, affectionate and worthy a parent, as any humanbeing was ever blessed with. In 1810 I obtained myexchange with a son of Monsieur Daure, a Senator ofFrance , and nephew to the General of that name, Ministerof War to the King of Naples. But at the moment of theexchange, I was short of money, and moreover hamperedby an amour with a lady of celebrated beauty, who wouldhave broken out into some frantic excess if I had left her.I really felt great anxiety to spare her exposure, and,whether it be called weakness or prudence, I could notresolve upon an abrupt departure. Of extraordinary and