[300] "Instead of passing their time at the feet of women, the young Italians now frequented the riding and fencing schools, and fields of exercise. In the comedies and street farces, there had always been an Italian, represented as a very cowardly though witty fellow, and a kind of bullying captain,--sometimes a Frenchman, but more frequently a German--a very powerful, brave, and brutal character, who never failed to conclude with caning the Italian to the great satisfaction of the applauding spectators. But such allusions were now no longer endured by the populace; authors now brought brave Italians on the stage, putting foreigners to flight, and defending their honour and their rights."--NAPOLEON, _Montholon_, tom. iv., p. 185. [301] "Count Cobentzel was a native of Brussels; a very agreeable man in company, and distinguished by studied politeness; but positive and intractable in business. There was a want of propriety and precision in his mode of expressing himself, of which he was sensible; and he endeavoured to compensate for this by talking loud and using imperious gestures."--NAPOLEON, _Montholon_, tom. iv., p. 239. [302] Montholon, tom. iv., p. 251. [303] Spiegò quel crudo il seno, e'l manto scosse, Ed a guerra mortal, disse, vi sfido: E'l disse in atto si feroce ed empio Che parve aprir di Giano il chiuso tempio. _La Gerusalemme Liberata, Canto II._--S. His lap he open'd and spread forth his cloke, To mortal wars, he saies, I you defie-- And this he uttered with fell rage and hate And seem'd of Janus' church t' undoe the gate. FAIRFAX. [304] See this remonstrance in Thibaudeau, tom. iii., p. 393. [305] The language of injustice is alike in similar instances. When Edward I., in the course of over-running Scotland, was reminded of the claims of the candidate for the throne, in whose cause he had pretended to take arms, he answered in the very words of Buonaparte,--"Have we nothing else to do but to conquer kingdoms for other people?"--S. [306] Daru, tom. vi., p. 60; Thibaudeau, tom. iii., p. 394. [307] "Soldiers! I set out to-morrow for Rastadt. Separated from the army, I shall sigh for the moment of my rejoining it, and braving fresh dangers. Whatever post government may assign to the soldiers of the army of Italy, they will always be the worthy supporters of liberty, and of the glory of the French name. Soldiers! when you talk of the princes you have conquered, of the nations you have set free, and the battles you have fought in two campaigns, say, 'in the next two campaigns we shall do still more!'" [308] Montholon, tom. iv., p. 258. CHAPTER XI.