ant tony: he encouraged useful arts, and emelister as capital with harbours, aqueducts, mas ma joie maries. He was called from ne hrone of Nanies a hat of Spain on the death if is eatest imiter, and was succeeded by his youngest sum, Farinant de Fourth.

Lus young prince was not deficient in natural wines out his encation had been entirely Eis sie business and amusement

mussed in hunting and shooting; and his cor

spondence with his vai father, instead of emmeng communications and inquiries concerning he state of meir respective kingdoms, was devoted

be enumeration of the game he had killed. in ail state affairs he was governed by an Irish aventurer named Azzon, who had first come to Iny in ne capacity of a barber, and had gradually

sinacei aimseit into the confidence of both Kng and Queen of Naples. Such was the conicon of zie Neapolitan court at the period of the French revolucion.

THE GRAND DUKES OF FLORENCE

Arrss the re-establishment of the Medici on the ruins of the Florentine republic, we in vain 2006 fue any signal display of those virtues which

of his sovereign; Michael Angelo had shared in the patriot struggle of expiring Florence; but these glorious names now awoke no kindred energies, and only fostered an idle and useless vanity. The Spaniards had introduced into Italy a contempt for that commerce which had been considered no degradation to the noblest houses of Florence, Venice, Pisa, and Genoa. A new opera or a church procession became affairs of importance when glory and freedom were only empty names; and the indolence which stifled the breathings of virtue made way for vices as injurious to the moral character, if not so atrocious, as those which disfigured the annals of the dark ages.

To a nation so degraded, the gift of liberty could be of little value; and when at length, in the year 1748, the treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle secured the independence of Italy, her people had lost their own dignity too completely to be able to resume their former station among nations. Forty years of profound peace succeeded, unmarked by any event worthy of record. Naples was relieved from the oppression of viceroys, and governed by kings of the younger branches of the Spanish royal family. The first of these monarchs, Charles the Seventh, had a tranquil reign of twenty-one years. His chief object was to make his subjects peaceful

crystals, ambers, and all the softer gems, inlaying of marbles, limning of birds, beasts, and vegetables, embossing, and the like; in all which he drew to him from all parts the most exquisite artificers with a settled pension, and placed them in several compartments of his palace, where he would come oftentimes to see them work for his own delight. He was by nature more reserved than popular, and had virtues fitter to awake estimation than love; yet he would duly in his coach take almost every day a review of the city, and receive petitions willingly. Besides, I have been shown a strange device of state, namely, an outward hole, like a trunk, in a wall of one of his galleries, the bottom whereof was under lock and key, into which any one might let forth any secret intelligence, and convey it closely to the ears of the prince, enough to disquiet all the days of his life!" This duke, it also appears, had a favourite, whom he created Archbishop of Pisa, but whose favouritism does not seem to have been very enviable, since the duke made him “ a notable screen between him and his subjects, and would handsomely bestow on him all manner of complaint, which he would as willingly bear." Ferdinand died immensely rich, and was succeeded by his son, Cosmo the Second, who displayed great . prudence and virtue during his short reign. Fer

dinand the Second was remarkable only for in

had distinguished the immediate family of Cosmo, "the father of his country;" on the contrary, their crimes place them nearly on a level with the Romani, the Visconti, and the Sforza. Alexander de' Medici, the first Grand Duke of Milan, poisoned one of his cousins, and was himself assassinated by another. His successor Cosmo first revenged himself on his enemies, and then disgraced and banished his friends. The climax was finished by Cosmo's son and successor Francesco, who kept in pay regular assassins, who pursued into different countries those marked out for his vengeance. He married Bianca Capello, whose husband he had murdered; and having accepted an invitation to supper from his brother Ferdinando, he and his wife were poisoned during the entertainment, according to no unfrequent custom in their family. Ferdinando having thus treacherously obtained possession of his brother's throne displayed such abilities as a sovereign, that but for this one stain on his character he might have been accounted a worthy descendant of the great Cosmo. "He was reputed a wise and wary prince," says Sir Henry Wotton, who resided long at his court, "and maintained a fine composition between frugality and magnificence. A great cherisher of manual arts, especially such as tended to splendour and ornament; as pictures, sculpture, cutting of

of which King Alfaroute baffled plotters and disconcerted the measures of his enemies, but he often assumed disguises which enabled him to listen unsuspected to the free conversation of his subjects, to acquaint himself with their wants, and observe their sentiments and dispositions. He abolished torture and the inquisition, limited the number of monks and nuns, and made justice equal to all. The only fault (and that sprang from a virtue) which could be laid to his charge was a certain restlessness, and eagerness to see how his orders were executed; as a child who has planted a flowerroot in its garden must needs dig it up to see whether it is growing, instead of waiting patiently for its appearance above ground.

Leopold was afterwards summoned from the throne of Florence to that of the empire, and left his ducal dominions to the care of his son, Ferdinand Joseph.

EXPULSION OF THE AUSTRIANS FROM GENOA. A. D. 1746.

DURING a war which took place concerning the Austrian succession, the Genoese had been active allies of the French and Spaniards, who, as soon as