668 Mr. Walter Frewen Lord [March 11, 



Foreign Affairs, and mule Lis way to Geneva, the headquarters of 

 the Allies, ostensibly t > forward tlie plans of Murat, really to thwart 

 them. Thus Bentinck had managed to waste a fortnight, aud England 

 was still unpledged. 



On the 7th of January, i814, tlie treaty between Austria aiid 

 Naples was signed by the Duke of Gallo for Kiug Joachim and by 

 Adam, Count Neippcrg, fov the Emperor. The secret articles bound 

 Austria to obtain the rec ignition of Kiug Joachim by England, and 

 to compel King FerHnand of Sicily (by force if necessary) to 

 acknowledge that Naples had passed away from him for ever. The 

 next day Count Neipperg wrote to Bentinck and remonstrated at the 

 delay. He urged all the arguments that he could think of (and what 

 a strange notion of Knglish discipline he must have formed when he 

 found that he had to coax a lieutenant-general into obeying his 

 sovereign's orders), and wound up by reminding Bentinck of the 

 very serious nature of the Euroj)ean cris's. If it turned out badly, 

 he urged, the world would hold Neipperg and Bentinck to be 

 responsible. 



Three weeks later, on the 30tli of January, Bentinck gave some 

 signs of life. He wrote a despatch to Castlereagh, complaining with- 

 out the slightest grounds, so far as I have been able to discover, of an 

 " apparent want of good faith " on the part of Austria ; and adding, 

 " I am aware that Murat wishes to make every possible parade and 

 demonstration of a good understanding with Great Britain, as the 

 most effectual means of quieting the discontent existing both among his 

 subjects and his army." Note the discourteous expression " Murat," 

 instead of the " King of Naples." This is only an exaggerated 

 instance of Bentinck's habitual attitude towards those with whom 

 he was dealing. You would gather from his letters that he was the 

 only honest man in Italy. " Jn point of fair dealing, I consider 

 Prince Metternich and King Mxirat to be nearly on a level." 



Having pushed sheer inertia so far as it was possible to push it 

 without running the risk of being recalled, Bentinck now proceeded 

 in a leisurely way to take action ; with how much intention that it 

 should be effective we may suppose when he writes, " I feel consider- 

 able embarrassment in what manner I should act." Considerable 

 embarrassment ! With his instructions on the table in front of him ! 

 He began by saying that he could not possibly go to Naples except 

 incognito. AVhat an extraordinary condition for an ambassador to 

 make ; and added that he could not set foot in Naples until he was 

 definitely assured on that point, as he was in the embarrassing situa- 

 tion of being the ambassador of a government that so far had not 

 recognised the King of Naples. When the whole point of his 

 instructions was to recognise him, and that immediately ! 



What adds a touch of grim humour to the situation, is Bentinck's 

 habit of writing offtcially of his " straightforwardness," his " upright- 

 ness," on one occasion of his " known frankness." 



At last, on the 6th of February, this man of known frankness 



