During all the misunderstandings and waverings, the famished, imperial army of barbarians, headed by the Constable of Bourbon, was advancing rapidly. No means now existed to ward off the storm. If we open the letters addressed by Charles V. to his generals, we see that Rome was condemned by him to be sacked, and that his subsequent protestations were all falsehood and hypocrisy. He writes to Lannoy, that he will get nothing from these people (the Court of Rome) without thrashing them well. He urges Bourbon to hasten on-to spare no one-and, once for all, to put an end to every thing. The Constable and his 35,000 men fell on the Eternal City like a fearful combination of avalanches. The defence hastily prepared, is vividly related by Benvenuto Cellini. The Spaniards and Germans, greedy of plunder, rushed on the walls; they had no artillery, and must either perish or succeed in a sudden storming of the city. The besieged fought valiantly; but a thick fog falling on the scene of slaughter, rendered the Roman artillery useless and favoured the barbarians, who penetrated, from different quarters, into the Eternal City. And then commenced the long work of murder and of refined cruelties-hideous, bloody scenes of an unheard-of duration, and that have no parallel in history.

The fourth and last of those episodes in Italian history we have alluded to, is the insurrection of Masaniello in 1648-49, contemporary with the Fronde and the execution of Charles I. The Duke of Rivas having discovered some very remarkable documents on that period, has made a most judicious use of them in the work he has published on the subject. Here, again, romances, dramatic scenes, operas, and hasty historians, writing without a sufficient knowledge of the original sources, had singularly disfigured the coarse, ignorant but generous fisherman, and the events that caused his apparition as well as those that followed it. Masaniello, as well as Rienzi, was an enthusiast, but without mysticism, idealism, and aspirations. His enthusiasm was purely patriotic. Being roused from his peaceful occupation of fisherman by the Spanish persecutions, he found himself suddenly and unexpectedly master of Naples. His

energy and uprightness proved sufficient for mere physical contentions and struggles, but he became powerless when arose the necessity of checking the revolutionary multitude, and insure, at the same time, to his country, the fruits of victory. As soon as his position became complicated, his total want of experience and common sense became evident. He then, like Rienzi, but from a very different cause, commenced a series of vengeance and cruelties. Every difficulty appeared to him a treason. All pure enthusiasm had fled from him, and his heart failing, he lost his reason.

There appeared, some fifteen years ago, in Italy, a little book entitled, "Narrative of the Twenty-seven Insurrections of the very faithful city of Naples." If the great number of these revolts, is a testimony of the petulant, explosive nature of the Neapolitan population, it is, undoubt edly, an equal testimony of the misconduct and of the excesses of the governments that succeeded each other. The Duke of Arcos had been appointed Spanish Viceroy of Naples in 1646. The Spanish treasury was exhausted in consequence of the war with France. Naples was already subjected to enormous imposts and extortions. Threatening murmurs and groans could be heard from every class of the population; nevertheless, a new tax on fruit was proclaimed on the 1st January, 1647. The people manifested their discontent in various street scenes, by vociferations and pasquinades, in which the fisherman, Thomas Aniello, was a leader. He was notorious among all by his handsome person, his constant merriness, and jokes; but his wife, having endeavoured to smuggle some flour into the town, she was roughly treated, thrown into prison, and condemned to a fine of a hundred ducats. Masaniello sold all he possessed to redeem her. The young couple were ruined. From that day the fisherman underwent a complete transformation. He became sombre, mysterious, bitter, and threatening in his language. His wrath and hatred exploded day and night among the motley groups of the people. He became the head and soul of the malcontents. He soon put himself in communication, indiscriminately, with every faction of nobles, clergy, even banditti.

The Neapolitans, naturally indolent, do not seem to require more for existence than their splendid sun, the deep blue vault of heaven, along with the fruits of the earth for their food. When the burning summer came, they found themselves almost deprived of the latter by the new tax. The Sunday, 7th of July, was a popular festival. The heat was intense. The poor people were yearning for fruits, but they were too dear. Some peasants coming up with baskets filled with the freshest supply, the temptation was too great. Several efforts were made to purchase them; but the tax-gatherers were present. An altercation ensued. The crowd was soon in a ferment. The fiscal agents were threatened on all sides, when Masaniello, appearing at the head of his band, he struck down the government agent, mounted on a table, and addressed the populace in a powerful voice, proelaiming himself their chief, comparing his mission to that of Moses and St. Peter. The insurrection spread like lightning. The Duke signed the abolition of the odious tax, but too late. He escaped by a secret issue, and Masaniello occupied the palace. A massacre of the Spaniards followed. All the government offices were burnt, and the fisherman was proclaimed Captain-General of the people. In the meantime, the Viceroy succeeded in reaching the strong fortress of Castel Nuovo, after many dangers. He now had recourse to means of conciliation, and endeavoured also to disunite the partisans of the insurrection. He vainly tried every treasonable process and subterfuge. Their discovery rendered every conciliation impossible, whilst they exasperated Masaniello. The latter soon organized regular military bands, all in rags, but full of spirit. He marched at their head bravely, and put to flight the Spanish troops that were approaching to the assistance of the Duke, and took possession of the depôt of Spanish arms. In fine, the victory became complete. Masaniello passed a review of 115,000 men, mostly half naked, but armed and ready to obey him. Now, daily from a window, still in his fisherman's dress, he pronounced orders and decrees; fixed the price of bread; ordered the burning of some palace or other. The exigencies of the people

increased with their sense of security in their triumph. They rejected the offers of conciliation of the Duke of Arcos, to the great dissatisfaction of Masaniello, who, simple-minded and sincere, was anxious to behold peace and harmony restored in Naples. At this conjuncture, commenced a series of tumultuous meetings; deputations with propositions and counter propositions; abortive treasons on the part of the Spaniards: finally, a treaty, establishing on a new basis, the relations between the Neapolitans and the crown was agreed upon. A splendid ceremony took place for its inauguration. It was the most glorious day in the life of the fisherman, who, for the first time, appeared magnificently attired, in obedience to the archbishop. We now possess all the authentic accounts of his meetings with the Duke; of the speeches, courtesies, pageantry, conversations, and final arrangements, signed by the Viceroy and Masaniello, who found himself recognised as Captain-General by the representative of the King of Spain. But here commenced his embarrassments, his hasty, violent measures and cruelties-finally, the testimony of his utter incapacity for his functions, which were those of Civil Governor. Novelists, and even historians, have stated that the Spaniards had poisoned him; however, no trace, not a shadow of a suspicion of the kind can be found anywhere. At the final ceremony of the oath, held in the cathedral, richly adorned for the purpose, the Viceroy arrived with a princely retinue. Masaniello appeared, clad in a garment richly embroidered with silver. A religious service was performed, and a solemn reading of the treaty took place. The Duke swore to abide by it. Deafening cries of joy burst from all. But an inner revolution had already taken place in Masaniello. Now, the poor fisherman, his eyes flashing, his face burning, came forward with extraordinary gesticulations; addressed incoherent words to the people; then burst into tears, tore his garments, and kneeling, he implored the archbishop to be restored to his former humble life and liberty; after which he fell in a state of prostration. All present withdrew in deep agitation. Evidently, the sudden change from obscurity to a high station; the sense of responsi

bility fallen upon him; his sense of incapacity for such a position, despite his ardour and heart-born gleams of genius, all gave rise to an inward struggle that broke down and shattered the poor fisherman's mind. It was totally gone. During the banquet, and the festivals of the evening of that solemn day, affecting scenes of his insanity took place again. He was burning with fever. We will not relate his extravagancies, insane measures, and incoherent speeches during the following days. It is easily conceived that he lost all credit in the eyes of the people. Still, they gazed upon him and his follies with tender emotions of pity; others, however, flung stones at him. The Duke considered his state as an admirable opportunity for striking a decisive blow, which would at once avenge him and annihilate the revolution. Scarcely a fortnight had elapsed when, on the great day of the fête of the Virgin, again a solemn general assembly took place in the Church of the Carmel. This time the multitude was silent and gloomy. The Duke appeared, but with armed troops. Masaniello rushed from his house into the church, rushed into the pulpit; and such was the incoherent vehemence of his speech that he soon fell exhausted. The Divine Service was performed whilst he lay prostrate in the cell of a monk close to the sacristy. As soon as it was over, the crowd was withdrawing slowly, silently, mournfully, when three armed men penetrated into the church, crying-"Death to Masaniello!" All present fled. Masaniello, ghastly pale, but smiling, appeared on the threshold of the sacristy. "Is it you, my beloved people?" he exclaimed; "I am coming to you." The assassins fired deliberately, and he fell dead. The impressionable Neapolitans shed floods of tears over the body of the unfortunate fisherman, whose funeral was on a regal scale. During one long day his body was exposed to the gaze of the people, who came once more to behold the beautiful head they had loved so deeply. The Duke of Arcos soon discovered that his crime could not be followed by any solution in his favour. The revolution continued, and assumed another phase under the Duke of Guise and his partisans, who, after many difficulties, sanguinary contests, and chi

valrous combats, fell, without exception, under the new Spanish forces, commanded by Don John of Austria. The city and kingdom of Naples made their submission; and although the tax upon fruits was not renewed, the government of the Spanish Viceroys resumed its former despotism.

From the various instances we have sketched, may be seen the nature of the knowledge obtained from original documents and state papers, and how much they facilitate verification in the attainment and appreciation of truth. The discriminate use of such materials for the investigation of historical facts will shed a new light, we repeat it, on the science of history, as well as on the labours of historians and professors of history. Let us add that the public owes a great debt of gratitude to those who devote themselves to such researches. Such men are the patient and indefatigable miners who derive but little popular influence and repute, if their labours are confined to such pursuits. In England, one of the most striking instances of the effects resulting from the publication of original documents was Mr. Carlyle's "Letters and Speeches of Cromwell." The British public beheld for the first time, the stern Puritan-the real Protector. Others will follow the example given by Mr. Carlyle. Subsequently appeared the late Mr. John Kemble's publication of invaluable state papers, with excellent biographical notices. Thus, the British public will now be in the legitimate expectation of the appearance of new sources of history. At Florence, under the auspices of the Minister, Baldasseroni, M. Bonaini has very recently arranged and classified the Tuscan Archives with infinite skill in the beautiful palace of the Uffizi ; and thus Florence possesses now, collected together and accessible to all, the state papers, correspondence, in short, all the documents relating to her history-sad remains of her antique liberties! It would be worthy of the British Government to assist in, and encourage the researches for state papers and valuable documents. It is well known that they abound in the British Museum and the Foreign Office, as well as in all the public offices and archives of Europe.