The collected works of William Hazlitt, Vol. 03 (of 12)Hazlitt, William
General
The collected works of William Hazlitt, Vol. 03 (of 12)
Hazlitt, William
English essays -- 19th century
‘Having taken farewell of his children, he caused his hair, which he had
hitherto worn in long ringlets, to be cut short, and habited in a plain
grey suit, accompanied by his nephew, the colonel, he proceeded on foot
to the sea-shore, opposite to the island of Nisida. He there embarked in
a little boat, and proceeded to the neighbouring island of Ischia. There
he remained three days without being known, and on the fourth, as he was
walking on the sea-shore on the southern side of the island, in company
with the colonel, consulting about the means of effecting their escape
to France, they discovered a small vessel to the east, in full sail,
approaching the spot where they were standing.
‘The king immediately hailed the vessel, and getting into a fishing-boat
which was on the shore, ordered the crew to row towards it, and, as soon
as they were perceived, a boat was sent from the vessel to meet them.
The feelings of all parties may easily be imagined, when, in one of the
persons on board, the king recognized his attached and faithful servant
the Duke of Roccaromana, to whom the vessel belonged, and who, in
company with the Marquis Giuliano, the king’s aid-de-camp, had escaped
from Naples, and was proceeding in this vessel in search of the king,
under the greatest anxiety and apprehension, lest some accident might
have befallen him, although, previously to quitting the palace, the king
had divided with the duke and marquis a considerable sum in gold, and
acquainted them with his plan of going to Ischia, accompanied only by
his nephew, and of embarking from thence to France.
‘The duke could not succeed in effecting his escape from Naples until
three days after the departure of the king. The enemy’s flag had been
hoisted in Ischia; and it appeared highly improbable, under all
circumstances, that the king could have remained there concealed for
those three days. It was unsafe for the duke to attempt landing on the
island, and yet there appeared no other means of ascertaining whether
the king was there or had proceeded on his voyage. In this
embarrassment, it happened that the duke, who was most anxiously
examining the shore of the island with a glass, perceived and recognized
the king. The rest of their voyage proved most prosperous and
expeditious. They landed at Cannes the 27th or 28th of May.’—p. 30.
We shall in our next give the particulars of Mr. Macirone’s interviews
with the Duke of Wellington, relating to the convention of Paris; and we
shall be cautious what we say of his Grace’s observations and conduct on
that occasion; for if we were to say what we think of that noble person,
there might be some offence in it. But we cannot help having an opinion
of him, which all that we hear of him confirms.
INTERESTING FACTS _relating to the Fall of Murat, &c._
_By_ F. Macirone, _&c._
(CONCLUDED.)
Sta viator, heroem calcas.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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