Such was the army’s sad condition, They had no clothes nor ammunition, Besides, a scarcity of food, And even that little, was not good. They had no money--may be said-- And why? The men were never paid. But his intentions wisely Nap hid, Whose methods were as strange as rapid. He promis’d, when he was appointed, To get them everything they wanted; And, what is more, too, their protector be, Without expense to the Directory. * * * * * * * * * * In his deceptions he succeeded, And now procur’d all that he needed. His troops which were with hunger nigh dead, Were with good victuals soon provided; They for new clothes exchang’d their rags, And then with Rhino fill’d their bags; While Nap, as you may well believe, These people laughed at in his sleeve. It is not within the province of this work to follow Napoleon in his victorious career in Italy, except the English caricaturist should notice him, and he had not yet attained to that questionable honour; but a very brief synopsis of his battles in 1796 may be acceptable. Montenotte, April 11; Millesino, April 14; Dégan, April 15; Mondovi, April 21; Lodi, May 10; Lonado, August 3; Castiglione, August 5; Roveredo, September 4; Bassano, September 8; San Giargo, September 13; Arcola, November 15. Barre says: ‘The campaign in Italy was extremely brilliant, and withal revolutionary. Buonaparte attributed all the glory almost exclusively to himself. His secretary, who wrote his despatches, did it so as to flatter the generals and the army, but still as if all the merit belonged to the commander-in-chief. It seems that General Berthier made a bargain with Buonaparte, to whom he sold his talents for the sake of becoming rich without any responsibility. When Buonaparte was raised by the mixed faction, he made Berthier Minister of War; and in that capacity he has shown himself more rapacious than any of his predecessors. Every contractor is obliged to give him _one hundred thousand livres_ as a present (_pot de vin_) without which there is no contract.’ He tells a story which bears somewhat on the above. ‘It happened once, that whilst he was playing at cards, having General Massena for his partner, that general made a mistake; when Buonaparte started, all of a sudden, in a violent passion, and exclaimed, _Sacré Dieu! General, you make me lose_. But General Massena instantly retorted with a happy sarcasm: _Be easy, General, remember that I often make you win_. Buonaparte could never forget nor forgive that _bon mot_.’ This story also figures in poetry:--