63 
ened from without, a formidable fac- 
tion of her own citizens were prepar- 
ing the overthrow of the Republic at Mi- 
Jan. The revolution broke at Bergamo: 
the French, in the year 1796, had taken 
pofleffion of the caltle, plaoted cannon en 
its walls, and conftru€ted military works 
around it; in-1797 cannon were pointed 
againitt the palace of the government, 
&c. &e. 
houfe to houle, and, auder patn of death, 
compelled the inhabitants to fubfcribe a 
national declaration in favour of liberty. 
This was truly “ Death or Liberty !” 
‘The Venetian Governor, in fhort, leaving 
all his property, was compelled to quit 
the, city, and refign his palace into the 
bands of the French. 
Brefcia, Crema, Salo, Laugier, and 
Verona, ail in rapid fucceffion, fhared the 
fate of Bergamo; and the fame fcene of 
defolation, ruin, aod wretchednefs, was 
every where prefented. After the fail of 
Verona, the troops which guarded Vicen- 
za, Padua, and Trevifo, were recalled 
to Venice, and thofe defencelefs places 
were, in their turn, revolutionized. To 
flattery, fubmiflion, and entreaties, Ve- 
nice now added bribery. The Directory, 
it was underfteod, were not unanimous 
refpecting the deftination of this Repub- 
lic : two ef its members fupported a re- 
volution, and two oppofed it. Barras 
was yct undecided, and the fum of 
709,000 livres tourn6is was the price 
agreed on for his cafting vote. The mo- 
ney was paid—he contraét broken.* 
_ After the Senate had abdicated for ever 
its own fovereignty, the Conferenza 
feized the reins of government with eager- 
nefs, and in the moment of more immi- 
nent peril were alike eager to part with 
thesr, With the exception of feven re- 
culants, this cowardly panic-ftriken body 
figned away the independence of the Re- 
public; refolving, among cther” matters 
of rival bafenefs, ** that a manifefto be 
circulated, announcing democracy, &c. 
that the infignia of the old’ government 
be burat under the tree of liberty; that 
‘4000 French be invited to enter the city, 
to guard thearfenal, caftie, &c. that the 
Venetian fieer be recalled, after the entry 
* Querini was the name of the Ambafia- 
dor fent to Paris to negotiate this bufinefs : 
he advanced the money out of his private 
fortune, and after the fall of the Republic, 
when gotes were prefented to him for reim- 
burfement, with a high feeling of honour, 
he r<fufed to accept them, as the conditions 
bad not been fulfilied Querini was worthy 
to have been Ambaffador on a better caufe. 
French officers went about from . 
Retrofpe of Domeftic Literature.—Hifiory. 
of the French, on whom it fhall depend 
withthe privity of the Municipality, for 
the command and difpofal thereof.”” The 
Conferenza, anxious to free themifelves 
from the dangerous refponfidility of their 
fituaticn, now convened, for the laft time, 
the Great Council, the fovereign of’ the 
nation, and the fource of all power. On 
the :2th of May, 1797, this Synod rati- 
fied the difgraceful articles, The mo- 
ment that the aét of abandonment pafled, 
the gates of the Great Council were 
thrown open, and the renegade members 
rufhed out in the utmoft ‘confufion ; 
** fome haftendd to throw off their gowns, 
left they fhould be infulted by the rebels, | 
others curfed and trampled under foot 
their hereditary patrician infignia.” 
The hiftorian from whom we have col- © 
lected thefe particulars, and who has writ- 
ten an animated and very interefling ac- 
count of the fall of Venice, remarks, that 
although the inhabitants of the. cities 
were for the moft part difaffected, the 
country people of the provinces, the 
mountaineers and inhabitants of the val- 
lies were zealous in the defence of their 
country and thelr ancient conftitution. 
Had the Venetian Government acted with 
firmnefs and courage, had they feconded 
the enthufiaftic patriotifm which difplayed 
itfelf on many occafions, Venice might 
have been faved, or would have fold her-_ 
felf moft dearly. The province of Ber- 
gamo, the inhabitants of its vallies and 
its mountains, precipitated themfelves 
under the walls of their city, and refolved 
to plant again the national flandard on the 
bodies of their invaders—but they had no 
leader. At Verona the citizens had 
armed almoft to a man: the national 
troops, under officers of eminence, were 
divided into three bodies, of from four to 
five thoufand each, and took the field. 
The Senate at firft feemed infpired with 
the enthufiafm of the people, and iffued 
orders torepel force by force, even fhould 
the latter be attacked by the troops of 
Bonaparte: this was on the 18th of 
March, 1797- By an ignominious de- 
cree, however, pafled within eight and 
foriy hours afterwards, they commanded 
them only to engage the rebels, provided 
the French troops fhould take no part in 
the aggreffion: this was foon followed by 
another, requi:ing all fubje&s ro.act with - 
the moft circum{peét moderation in the 
ufe of their arms, and not to expofe the 
lives of fo many farhful fubjeéts ulelefsly, 
and to behave with all regard to the 
French! * When the recreant members 
of the Great Council ratified the baie and 
traitorous 
