MISCELLANIAUES. 
rather in compliance with a feel- 
ing of national jealousy than of 
strict justice ; and, as actions are 
seldom placed to the account of 
the principal agents, the ardour 
of the English cabinet was attri- 
buted to the Under Secretary, 
Mr. Hamilton, a gentleman known 
in the literary world by his Tra- 
vels in Greece and Egypt, and 
highly interested in the progress 
of the arts. 
But however doubtful might 
have been the right of the French 
after the treaty of Tolentino had 
been broken, this reasoning could 
not be applied to the anterior 
treaty made with the Prince of 
Parma, which was the first treaty 
in which there was any article re- 
specting paintings. 
In answer to the note of Lord 
Castlereagh, a note was given in 
by M. de Nesselrode on the part 
of the Emperor Alexander. In 
this note, the justice or the in- 
justice of the measure was less in- 
sisted on than its expediency. It 
represented the painful situation 
in which it placed Louis XVIII. 
with regard to the public; and 
that if the allies forbore retaking, 
the last year, what they deemed 
their property in the Museum, 
from their respect for the king, 
this motive ought to operate with 
double force at the present period. 
It was for ashort time believed 
that the Russian note had pro- 
duced some effect ; but whether 
the Emperor Alexander relaxed in 
the energy of his representations, 
or because the Russian troops had 
withdrawn from the capital, this 
hope proved delusive. 
-. Further observations were made 
to the French government by 
Lord Castlereagh, and some irri- 
589 
tation excitedat first by the silence 
which attended them ; but still 
more by a severe note from M. 
Talleyrand. The dismission of a 
popular minister at this period 
had not, it was said, contributed 
to increase the cordiality of the 
Duke of Wellington with the 
Tuileries. 
The war of diplomacy now 
ceased ; sentence was passed upon 
the Gallery ; a decree of retalia- 
tion had gone forth, and the at- 
tack on the Museum began. 
The King gave orders to the 
Directors of the Museum to au- 
thenticate whatever violencemight 
be offered. The Museum was 
shut up. It was opened on the 
requisition of an English colonel, 
who demanded, with authority, 
the surrender of the objects which 
had belonged to the Belgic pro- 
vinces. English troops were 
placed on guard at the Louvre. 
The king ordered the gates to be 
opened, but that on no pretence 
any assistance should be given to 
the invaders. 
A kind of Custom-house was 
established at the gate to examine 
what should be taken. Sentinels 
were posted along the Gallery of 
the Museum at every twenty 
steps, but this did not entirely 
prevent fraud. The Belgic ama- 
teurs, aided by the English sol- 
diery, exercised in alliance their 
energies. The turn of the Aus- 
trians came next, who, though 
always slow in their operations, 
never swerve from their purpose. 
They had appeared to have limited 
their pretensions to the Horses of 
Corinth; but, encouraged by the 
large and liberal example of the 
Belgians in taking, they decided 
on removing the pictures which 
