3^2 Stephensiana, 



granted a constifufion from Bologna ; 

 and that his majesty announced the 

 intention of preferring the persecuted 

 patriots to the first employments in 

 the state, in order to reconcile to his . 

 government at once this party, and the 

 nation at large, against a restoration 

 of King Ferdinand. Mankes accord- 

 ingly entreated Capobianco, as there 

 was no more cause for his armed op- 

 position to the government, to put an 

 end to civil commotions in the king- 

 dom, whilst a war with Austria was 

 daily expected. He invited him more- 

 over to come with some of iiis friends 

 to Cosenza, the capital of the pro- 

 vince, where ti;ey might assure them- 

 selves of the truth ; and pledged both 

 liis own word and that of the king for 

 their safety. Capobianco, a man of 

 bold and open character, easily foil 

 into the snare. It did not appear very 

 improbable that Murat should have 

 been etiectualiy compelled, by his 

 approaching dangers, to strengthen 

 his throne with the national favour. 

 Capobianco went, with a few of his 

 dependents, to Cosenza, where he v/as 

 welcomed by Mankes with public de- 

 monstrations of friendship and joy. 

 Capobianco was lodged in his house, 

 and all around him spoke or breathed 



No. XIX. [May 1, 



notiiing but of the obtained Consti- 

 tution. The following day a magni- 

 ficent dinner was given to the patriotic 

 guest, to celebrate, said Mankes, the 

 new national liberties. During the 

 banquet, Capobianco was requested to 

 give a toast. It may be easily ima- 

 gined tlie tirsthe gave was " the liberty 

 of the nation." But, whilst rejoicing 

 at the political regeneration of his 

 country, some satellites of Mankes, 

 wlio were concealed in the adjacent 

 room, dressed a procis verbal o\' what- 

 ever fell from the unwiiry patriot ; as 

 if Mankes, like Tiberius, wished by 

 such iniquitous formalities to commit 

 a double crime, to observe the letter of 

 the law. When the dinner was over, 

 Capobianco went out and found the 

 gallows raised before the house of his 

 host; and, suddenly seized by his en- 

 tertainers, he was executed. 



Thus miserably perished this illus- 

 trions victim of patriotism. The re- 

 membrance of tliis daiiii;!; art of |>cr- 

 lidy remains, to the present moment, 

 deeply engraved in the minds of tlie 

 Neapolitans ; who, when they want to 

 denote an odious crime of despotism, 

 use as a proverb — La cena diCupobianco, 

 (the banquet of Capobianco.) 



STEPHENSIANA. 



The late Alexander Stephens, Esq. of Park House, Chelsea, devoted nn active and 

 weU-.spt7it life in the collccliun of Anecdntes of his contemporaries, and ncnerally aiteied in a 

 book the collections of the pussing day ; — these colledious ire hare purcltosed , and propose to 

 presml asclccliiinfruni them to our readers. As Editnr of the Annual Ohituanj, und many 

 other biographical u-orks, the Anthm- may prohnbty hare incorporated some of these sci'ajts ; 

 but the greater part are unpublished, ami a'l stand alone as cabinet-pictttris if mtn and 

 manners, worthy of a place in a literary misallany. 



LETTERS OF PROFESSOR ANDERSON, OF 

 GLASGOW, TO THE EARL OF BL'CHAN. 



Y Lord,— By Mr. Grorge Cran- 

 ston I received the honour of 

 your lordship's letter, which is dated 

 on the 15th of October last ; and I will 

 not forget that it reconnnends him to 

 me in a particular mannei-. He dined 

 with me yesterday, and tlie whole 

 company Mas pleased with tlie ele- 

 gance and propriety of his behaviour. 



I would have sent your lordship, by 

 the bearer, a drawing of Dr. Simson, 

 from the original portrait of him in my 

 possession : but my friend Mr. Coch- 

 rane, the only painter in the place, 

 has lately gone the way of all flesh. 



1 fear it will be soniw time before I 



shall be able to answer the demands 

 whici) jour lordship makes upon me 

 for the Antiquarian Society. The in- 

 closed printed paper will be my 

 apology. None are so mad as literary 

 men v.hen a frenzy seizes them ; as 

 the best locksmiths arc the most dan- 

 gerous picklocks. 



A^ hen I had the honour of waiting 

 upon Lady Buehan and your lordship, 

 I .showed you a curious eiiitaph, 

 which I happened to observe in the 

 church ot Convent Garden, o^er a 

 cadet of your lordship's family. Over 

 another of them, I discovered, a few 

 weeks ago, the inscription that is on 

 the next |iage. There had been ou 

 the top of it a vase, or a co.al of arms, 



3 which 



