1898.] on ''Marled Unexplored." 671 



purpose of carrying out that policy. That does not strike one as 

 being conspicuously straightforward or honourable conduct. 



" The negotiations having failed," he wound up, " I return to-day 

 to Leghorn." I think it would have been more in accordance witli 

 Bentinck's "known frankness," if lie had written "in spite of every 

 possible concession on the part of the Austrians and the court of 

 Naples, I have contrived to make the negotiations fail.'' 



He betook himself to Palermo, gathered up his forces, despatched 

 a small expedition under Colonel Montresor to reduce Corsica, landed 

 on the Riviera on his own account, and on the 18th of Aj)ril, Genoa 

 surrendered to the British army. 



If forgiveness be a kingly virtue, there have been few monarchs 

 of more truly royal nature than Joachim Murat, King of Naples. 



Beutinck had been Murat's evil genius from first to last. He had 

 thwarted his grand design of unifying Italy, and condescended even 

 to such petty impertinences as wearing the violet cockade of the 

 Keajiolitan Bourbons in Murat's presence, and punctiliously calling 

 him Monseigneur instead of Sire or your Majesty. How did Miirat 

 revenge himself? Five days after the capture of Genoa, Murat 

 wrote to Bentinck congratulating him on his success. He could 

 never, he said, forget the wounding expression that Bentinck had 

 permitted himself to use towards himself as King, but as one soldier 

 to another he begged Bentinck's acceptance of a sword, in com- 

 memoration of the capture of Genoa. As there was not time to have 

 one of suitable magnilicence prepared, he begged Bentinck's accept- 

 ance of his own. The sword of Murat, the greatest cavalry leader 

 that ever lived, was a present that monarchs might have coveted, a 

 most gracious gift, most graciously bestowed. How did Bentinck 

 receive it ? I think there is no doubt that if he had not been roundly 

 rebuked by Lord Castlereagh for his misbehaviour, he would have 

 declined it. This is what he wrote home : 



" It is a severe violence to my feelings to incur any degree of 

 obligation to an individual whom I so entirely despise. But having 

 hitherto adoj^ted, according to the best of my humble judgment, a 

 line of conduct towards that personage which your lordshijj has not 

 approved, I feel it to be my duty not to betray any appearance of a 

 spirit of animosity which can do no good, and may perhaps be inter- 

 2)ieted by so suspicious a mind to higher authority." Suspicious is 

 the last thing that Murat was ; and as to " higher authority," Ben- 

 tinck need not have been alarmed : nobody supposed that there were 

 two men in England so rude as Lord William Bentinck. 



He concluded his despatch by hoping that the Prince Eegent 

 would allow him to present him with Murat's sword as a curiosity. 



I have said hard things of Lord William Bentinck. What did 

 the Austrians say of him ? 



Bellegarde looked on him as a kind of lunatic, hurrying up and 

 down Italy, for ever active and never achieving anything. Count 

 Mier said the most damaging thing ever said of him, damaging in 



