. 4801.) 
harély twenty years of age, he received a 
challenge from an able and gallant officer, 
Count Pilaftrelli. His friends confidered 
the rifk of his life to be imminent, as he 
was a young man juft entered into the 
world, and his antagonift acknowledged 
to be one of the belt fwordfmen in the 
army. This inequality, however, was the 
. fafety of the Prince, and the deftruétion of 
his antagonift. Count Pilaftrelli, accord- 
ing to every report, too fenfible oF his own 
fuperiority, treated the young man with 
sreat-cohtempt in thefight, infomuch that 
he negle&ted the ufe of “his weapon on a 
neceflary guard, and feemed to defpife the 
leffons taught in the fencing-fchool. This 
infulting prefumption proved fatal to him: 
he lay open to a thruft which his adverfary 
did not fail to make at him, and that fo 
promptly, that he bad not time to parry it 
—Prince Pignatelli’s {word paffed through 
his body, and left him dead on the {pot. 
The Prince was, in confequence of the 
duel, degraded from his rank, and fent to 
the Caftle of St. Elmo, where he remained 
‘ ‘confined for feveral years. RefleCtion on 
the committed homicide, with its confe- 
quent repentance, added to regret for the 
fruftration of his hopes and ambition, to- 
gether with the effects of a long confine- 
‘ment, produced in him that religions turn 
of mind, which has been fo confpicuous 
in the fubfequent part of his life. 
Juftice obliges us to ftate, to the greatet 
honour of the Italians, that, although 
flaughters, murders, and affaffinations are 
‘more frequently perpetrated in their coun- 
try than any where elfe, there is, perhaps, 
no people in Europe, who theoretically 
thave more abhorrence than they have to 
taking a man’s life. A perfon, who has 
happened to killa man, even in the mot 
gallant and honourable way, infpires a dif- 
like in ajJl people, gives embarraffment by 
his prefence, and very feldom can gain ad- 
anittance into focieties of cordial friends, 
The moft unaccountable point in this na- 
tional habitude is that the very fame indi- 
viduals who are ready to own, that, in 
fome part of their Ives, and on fome 
- Rrange occurrences, they were in danger of 
committing fimilar excefies, are difturbed 
upon fuch occafions, and uneafy at the 
converfation of others, who have been 
‘ynore unfortunate than they, ‘This is, 
perhaps, the contraft whic nature has 
put in the temper of the Italians between 
delicacy of fenfibility, and violence of paf 
fions. But, be itas it may, it was necef- 
fary.to notice it here for. the purpole of 
ftating, that, owing to that unfortunate 
event, Prince Pignatelli, even when he 
“ MontTuyry Mac. No. 79 
Memoirs of Prince Picnatelli. 
of 2 
921 
was delivered from prifon, and re-adinitted 
into the ariny, {pent upwards of fifteen of 
the beft years of his life in the greateft of- 
fcurity, and in the utmoft infianificaney. 
He was preferred by degrees to the rank 
of lieutenant, captain, and lieuterant-co'as 
nel, by very flow fteps ; nor was any more 
notice taken of him than of the leaft officer 
in the royal fervice. 
His greateft &rides to rable the eminent 
dignities began about the year 1770. His. 
Sicilian Majefty, at that time in the bloom 
of his youth, was extremely fond of mi+ 
litary parade and exercifes. He project- 
ed, among other things, the ereSion of a 
hew regiment, which fhould be campofed 
only of young gentlemen and noblemen 
from the two “kingdoms. They vate to 
be from fifteen to twenty- five years of age, 
fupported by montaly appointments from 
their families, befides the large wages of 
the court, and brought up in {ciénces and | 
tactics, in one large college, or rather 
quarters, in the capital. They were to be 
confidered as the fole candidates for any 
vacant place of officer in the inferior re- 
giments, to live in their corps under the 
command of none who fhonld not be a no- 
bleman, and intitled to the peculiar honour 
of attending his Majefty in all public cere~ 
monies, and in his country-feats and di- 
verfions. Whether M. Pignatelli was 
ihe firft to give fome hints of this new 
eftablifhment to,the King, or he found 
himfelf occafionally in the way, it is more 
than we know: this is-certain, that he 
was appointed director of the collese, and 
commander of the new raifed regiment, to 
which the name was given of Battaghoue, 
Brigata, and fometimes of Cadetti. 
The purpofes of his Majefty were ex- 
ceedingly well anfwered by the young gen« 
tlemen of the Battagiione, with refpeét te 
the military fhew—A body of'about 1500 
young men, finely equipped, rivalling éach - 
other in elegance and martial air, the 
greateft part of them tall, ftout, and hand- 
fome, and officered by individuals of the 
firft nobility in the kingdom, made fuch a 
fhining figurein the royal and religious ce- 
remonies as-to overjoy the natives, and to 
aftonifh and charm every foreigner. But no 
worfe eftablifhment was ever feen for the 
purpofe of promoting moralsand fetences ! 
Thefe Gadetti foon proved the mof ignco= 
rant and vicious body of young mei in 
the kingdom. They were as wicked tox 
wards each other within their quarters, as 
towards all the people of the town. Cheats, 
violences, injuries, infults, gaming, clan- 
dettine marriages, elopements, ftabbing, 
and muiders, became almolt their exclu- 
eli five 
