THE MISSION TO ROME. 17 



He had me accompanied by a detachment of his men 

 to the Via Condotti, where I alighted at the Hotel 

 d'Allemagne, thinking it advisable not to go just yet 

 to the French Embassy. 



After having several visits paid me, among the 

 visitors being Charles Bonaparte (Prince de Canino), 

 President of the Assembly, I forthwith wrote as under 

 to the general in command : 



" Having regard to the expectant attitude in which 

 we are placed, it seems to me of the utmost import- 

 ance to avoid any sort of engagement. I find a whole 

 city in arms, with the population apparently bent on 

 resistance, while, without any exaggeration, there 

 are 25,000 men ready to fight. If we entered Eome 

 by force, not only should we have to do so over the 

 bodies of a certain number of foreign adventurers, 

 but we should have to strike down a great many 

 shopkeepers and young men of good family, repre- 

 sentatives of the classes which defend social order in 

 Paris. We must, therefore, take account of this 

 situation, not act precipitately or implicate our Go- 

 vernment in anything opposed to the object which 

 it had in view at the beginning of the expedition 

 an object which it has just declared anew or to the 

 wishes of the National Assembly. I should, therefore,, 

 hold myself much to blame if I did not use my best 

 efforts to induce you to suspend all acts of hostility 

 or any demonstrations likely to bring them about 

 until I have seen you, and been able to give you an 



VOL. i. c 



