422 
imputations; as it will appear from 
them collectively, it was not so much 
the nation that was wanting to her. 
guides, as those guides who were 
wanting to their trust: nevertheless, 
the name of Borrelli was renowned 
during the revolution throughout Italy. 
Borrelli was born of a respectable 
family in Abbruzzo Citra. His youth 
was passed in the study of medicige, 
though by no means to the exclusion 
of politics, nor the worship of the 
Muses. He early embraced the tenets 
of liberty, as all literary characters 
are wont to do on the Continent, until 
interest leads them to the opposite 
side. Young Borrelli’s prospects pro- 
mised well, and high expectations 
both of his genius and public qualities 
were entertained by his friends, which 
were not wholly disappointed as to 
the first. His juvenile years were 
passed in obscurity, wholly devoted 
to his studious purposes. But when 
the French returned to Naples in 
1806, no longer bearing with them a 
fallacious liberty, but a real military 
despotism, Borrelli obtained a supe- 
rior office in the police. This execra- 
ble state-inquisition, which, under the 
appearance of preventing crimes, is 
only established to secure the despot 
(if possible) from continual fear, be- 
came at Naples, as in France, the 
superior law of the state; and soon 
proved, in the hands of the cruel Sa- 
liceti, a most terrible instrument of 
power. Political calumnies, and con- 
trived plots, were fabricated in thisforge 
of despotism; and endless imprison- 
ment, arbitrary transportation, and 
often poison and the poignard, were its 
means. That ambitious minister omit- 
ted nothing to terrify the subject with 
frequent executions, whilst he con- 
stantly awakened in the timid prince 
those suspicions he was by himself so 
much inclined to. By such arts Sa- 
liceti reigned absolute under the name 
of Joseph Bonaparte. To have held 
an office, therefore, in a department 
like that of the Police, did no service 
to Borrelli in the estimation of the 
virtuous; though, when he obtained 
this situation, the throne of Naples 
was already filled by Murat, a military 
prince, who trusted chiefly to the 
sword for his safety. The Police 
had then considerably abated its vio- 
lence, and its last act of wicked re- 
nown is generally believed to have 
been the poisoning of Saliceti himself, 
who had incurred the displeasure of 
The Neapolitan Patriots. 
(Dec. 1, 
his new master, both on account of his 
arrogance, and his being the spy of 
Napoleon. 
When the judicial system was re- 
formed at Naples, after the French 
manner, Borrelli was transferred to 
the magistracy, and appointed one of 
the judges in the first Court of Appeal. 
In this capacity, far more dignified 
than his former, he distinguished him- 
self both by the clearness of his judg- 
ment in the perplexing questions of 
law, and by his oratory. The elo- 
quence of Borrelli is not impetuous, 
but insinuating, like his character; he 
derives most of his figures and compa- 
risons from natural philosophy and 
mathematics. Hisstyle is blemished by 
French mannerism, and his delivery is 
smooth and winning, like his counte- 
nance. Borrelli held that appoint- 
ment till the restoration of 1818, when 
a suit at law having taken place in his 
court, in which he appeared both as 
judge and party, he was deprived of 
his dignity. This misfortune he sup- 
ported with constancy, and applied 
himself to the bar, where, partly by his 
own talents, and partly by the favour 
he met with in pleading before magis- 
trates heretofore his colleagues, he 
made rapid advances in that profes- 
sion. In this stage of his fortunes, the: 
revolution of 1820 took place. Bor- 
relli contributed nothing to that event, 
as it became a cautious character like 
him to attend to bis private interest 
rather than that of the public. How- 
ever, by the interest of some friends. 
among the liberal party, he was recom- 
mended to the Regent as a man fit to 
direct the Police, which had now 
changed this invidious name for that 
of Pubblica Sicuregga, or the Public 
Safety. This commission was at first 
conferred upon six magistrates, with 
equal right of suffrage; but this extra- 
ordinary power not admitting the slow- 
ness of debate, was wholly entrusted 
to a president. Borrelli discharged 
that office at first with some benefit 
to the new order of things. He de- 
tected and disappointed the machina- 
tions of foreign and domestic enemies 
of the state; and especially a counter- 
revolutionary plot, under the appear- 
ance of republicanism. A famous 
agent for such tricks had come from 
Milan to Naples, before the meeting 
of the’ Parliament, with a commission 
to kindle anarchy, and set the patriots 
by the ears. The new government 
created by the revolution was to be 
undermined 
