Our author is very hard upon the poor English in this book. He attacks
them on all sides and with all weapons. Nelson and Lady Hamilton occupy a
prominent position in his pages. The execution of Admiral Carraciolo, an
undoubted blot on the character of our naval hero, is given in all its
details, and with some little decorations and embellishments, for which we
suspect that we have to thank our imaginative historian. Nelson's weakness,
the ascendency exercised over him by Lady Hamilton, or Emma Lyonna, as M.
Dumas prefers styling her, her intimacy with the Queen of Naples, and
subservient to the wishes and interests of the Neapolitan court, are all
set forth in the most glowing colours. This is the heavy artillery, the
round-shot and shell; but M. Dumas is too skilful a general to leave any
part of his forces unemployed, and does not omit to bring up his
sharpshooters, and open a pretty little fire of ridicule upon English
travellers in Italy, who, as it is well known, go thither to make the
fortunes of innkeepers and purchase antiquities manufactured in the
nineteenth century. Strange as it may appear, we should be heartily sorry
if M. Dumas were to exchange his evident dislike of us for a more kindly
feeling. We should then lose some of his best stories; for he is never
more rich and amusing than when he shows up the sons and daughters of _le
perfide Albion_. In support of our assertion, take the following sketch:--
"During my stay at Naples an Englishman arrived there, and took up his
quarters at the hotel at which I was stopping. He was one of those
phlegmatic, overbearing, obstinate Britons, who consider money the engine
with which every thing is to be moved and all things accomplished, the
argument in short which nothing can resist. Money was every thing in his
estimation of mankind; talent, fame, titles, mere feathers that kicked the
beam the moment a long rent-roll or inscription of three per cents were
placed in the opposite scale. In proportion as men were rich or poor, did
he esteem them much or little. Being very rich himself, he esteemed
himself much.
"He had come direct to Naples by steam, and during the voyage had made
this calculation: With money I shall say every thing, do every thing, and
have every thing I please. He had not long to wait to find out his mistake.
The steamer cast anchor in the port of Naples just half an hour too late
for the passengers to land. The Englishman, who had been very sea-sick,
and was particularly anxious to get on shore, sent to offer the captain of
the port a hundred guineas if he would let him land directly. The
quarantine laws of Naples are very strict; the captain of the port thought
the Englishman was mad, and only laughed at his offer. He was therefore
obliged to sleep on board in an excessively bad humour, cursing alike
those who made the regulations and those who enforced them.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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