we should endeavour to give ourselves the aid of public opinion. In this manner I 'should not doubt of making a glorious cam'paign in Italy, and of forming such an ' establishment there as Bonaparte would not 'find it easy afterwards to overturn.' But the course of events on the Continent rendered all such plans impossible. Sir Sir Arthur Paget, on his passage to Constantinople, came to Sicily. After he had visited the court, Moore had a full communication with him; and it was settled that the troops at Alexandria should evacuate the town as soon as Sir Arthur, in the progress of his negotiation, judged it proper. Arthur then informed Moore that the Queen had complained to him of his having spoken in opprobrious terms of her. Moore assured Sir Arthur that this was not true; but that unfortunately the Queen employed spies, and credited their slanderous reports. He would, however, go to Palermo, and endeavour to convince her Majesty of the truth; and to arrange important matters. He set off for Palermo forthwith, and saw the Minister Circello, to whom he signified his desire to know precisely the numbers and the state of the Sicilian army. Circello said, that Brigadier Fardelli, the chief of the staff, should be ordered to give him every information he could wish. Moore then had an audience of the Queen; in which he assured her Majesty that the reports which had been propagated, of his having spoken of her in a disrespectful manner, were false; and those persons who had invented them were traitors to the government. In respect of political affairs, it was certain that the British fleet and army sent across the sea, were maintained there only for the preservation of Sicily, and the re-establishment of their Majesties on the throne of Naples. And he trusted she would do him the justice to believe, that he was most desirous of being the instrument of effecting those great designs. The Queen heard him patiently, expressed herself perfectly satisfied, and paid him some flattering compliments; after which he withdrew. Brigadier Fardelli next informed him, that the troops for the field amounted to four thousand four hundred. Moore inspected them, and found that six hundred of the cavalry were tolerable; but the greater part of the infantry bore marks of the grossest neglect; they were so illofficered, and so ill-trained as to be totally unfit to take the field. The whole numbers throughout the island were stated to approach to ten thousand men, but dispersed and undisciplined; and no attempts were being made to improve them. After this he had an audience of the King, to whom he represented the inefficient state of his army for any military operations; and that it was unwise and most dangerous, with troops so disorganized, to waste the resources of the government in fruitless operations in Calabria. The King answered him very graciously, and requested that he would put down in writing what he judged advisable to be done to improve the army. VOL. II. F Sir John sent in next day a paper, containing the heads of what he would propose for the improvement of the troops. He counselled that the whole should be assembled in the neighbourhood of Palermo; that they should be formed into brigades, proper officers commissioned, and full authority given to General Bourrand to discipline and organize them. This officer was capable of the business, if confided in, and had lately been appointed commander of the forces. News now came from the north of Europe, of the most melancholy tenor: Dantzic had capitulated, the Russian army had again been overthrown, and the Emperor Alexander and the King of Prussia forced to sign a most humiliating peace with France at Tilsit. The Bocca di Cattaro and the Ionian Islands being ceded to France, were articles in the treaty most alarming to the court of Palermo, and sunk the Queen absolutely into despair. She sent to Sir John Moore, requesting that he would see her. He found her dis solved in tears, with the Treaty of the Peace of Tilsit lying before her. She burst out in bitter reproaches against the sovereigns of Europe: she supposed they would oblige her to quit Sicily, and offer for her residence Dalmatia, or some miserable island, She longed to resign her crown, and become a simple individual. Certainly, had this Queen been born in a private station, she might have been much happier; for she possessed neither moderation nor fortitude to enable her to rule in prosperity, or to support adversity. Moore stayed with her Majesty nearly two hours, and did all in his power to console her. Her former dislike was now converted into warm regard. She concluded by saying, '* Great 'pains have been taken to prejudice me against you, and not without effect; but ✦ your plain, frank manners have removed every unfavourable impression, and nothing 'shall make me think ill of you again. * Journal, MS. |