portion à Venise, pour pouvoir aller en avant quelques mois

encore.

Il ne lui reste qu'une très petite quantité de tous les bijoux qu'il possédait; en ayant donné la meilleure partie pour satisfaire aux contributions (très connues) exigées par les Français nos usurpateurs. Quant aux revenus qu'il possédait après avoir perdu d'abord 48 mille écus Romains par la révolution de France, il perdit par l'invasion de Rome ce qu'il lui restait, c'est à dire le revenu annuel de 10 mille que lui assignait la Chambre Apostolique, et ce qu'il avait en particulier dans les Luoghi di Monti Romani.

Les seuls revenus qu'il posséde maintenant, ce sont les benefices d'Espagne, qui se montent à 14 mille écus; mais cette somme étant payée en papier, elle diminue de beaucoup par la perte considérable du change. Il y a d'ailleurs déjà plus d'un an qu'il n'a pas reçu cette somme, ce qui est peut-être causé par l'interruption de toute communication avec ce Royaume.

Il est nécessaire que j'ajoute ici, pour vous faire connaître à fond sa situation, qu'il se trouve chargé de la somme de 4000 écus pour la portion du veuvage de la Comtesse d'Albanie, sa belle-sœur ; de 3000 écus pour la mère de sa defunte nièce;1 et de 1500 pour differents legs du père et du frère, et qu'il ne posséde plus de fonds pour se procurer le crédit nécessaire pour s'acquitter de toutes ses charges.

Ce tableau que je présens à vôtre amitié est bien fait pour intéresser quiconque réfléchit à la haute naissance, au grade élévé, et à l'âge avancé de la personne qu'il représente à la clarté de la verité la plus pure, et dépouillé de tout enthousiasme de l'éloquence. Il ne me reste donc, qu'à vous prier de le montrer dans toute sa simplicité aux personnes élevées qui ont de l'influence dans le Gouvernement, étant bien persuadé que la magnanimité Anglaise ne souffrira pas qu'un

1 66

'Daughter of the Countess of Alberstorf, who was sister to the late Mrs. Walkenshaw, one of the women of the bedchamber to the late Princess of Wales."-Note by Sir J. C. Hippisley.

personnage si illustre de sa nation périsse dans l'indigence. Je m'arrête pour ne pas offenser la délicatesse Anglaise, qui aime d'agir par une impulsion libre, et non par les suggestions d'autrui.

Il y a ici, parmi les autres Cardinaux, les deux Doria, Caprara, et Civezzani, et peut-être bientôt s'assembleront-ils pour former le Conclave, qui selon toute apparence se tiendra ici, puisque le Seigneur complexit labores du digne et affligé Pie VI., qui avoit pour vous la plus tendre bienveillance, et qui voulut, dans le tems-même qu'il se trouvait dans la Chartreuse de Florence, me conférer la charge de Pro-Préfet de la Propaganda.

Le papier me manque, mais je ne laisserai pas de vous assurer que je serai toujours

Cardinal Borgia to Sir J. C. Hippisley.

Padua, September 14, 1799.

Monsieur le Chevalier-The friendship with which you have honoured me during your residence in Rome encourages me now to lay before you a case well worthy of your maturest reflections. It is this:

Among the Cardinals who have taken refuge at Padua is the Cardinal Duke, whose distressed situation gives me the greatest pain. One cannot, in fact, see without emotion so high a personage, the last descendant from royal blood, reduced to such straits by the French, who have cruelly plundered him of every thing that they could carry off: if they did not take his life, it is by the grace of the Lord, who has protected him in his flight as well by sea as by land. The fatigues which he has undergone, together with his great age, (75 years) have nevertheless contributed not a little to impair his health, by producing a painful sore in one leg.

Persons well acquainted with the private affairs of this worthy Cardinal assure me that, since his flight, which was speedily followed by the pillage of all his rich and sumptuous furniture at Rome and Frascati, he has subsisted entirely upon the slender resource of the plate which he carried with him, and part of which he sold at Messina; and I have heard say that he disposed of the last portion at Venice, that he might be able to get on for

a few months longer. He has nothing left but a very small quantity of all the jewels that he possessed, having given up the greater part in discharge of the contributions (too well known) exacted by the French, our

usurpers.

As for the revenues which he possessed, after having lost in the first place 48,000 Roman crowns by the Revolution of France, he lost by the invasion of Rome what he had left; that is to say, the annual revenue of 10,000 assigned to him by the Apostolic Chamber, and what he had in private in the Luoghi di Monti Romani.

The only revenues which he now possesses are the benefices in Spain, amounting to 14,000 crowns: but, that sum being paid in paper, it is greatly diminished by the considerable loss of the exchange. Besides, for above a year past, he has received nothing, owing, perhaps, to the interruption of all communication with that kingdom.

It is necessary that I should here add, in order to make you thoroughly acquainted with his situation, that he is burdened with the sum of 4000 crowns for the dower of his sister-in-law, the Countess of Albany; 3000 crowns for the mother of his deceased niece; and 1500 for various legacies of his father and brother; and that he no longer possesses funds for procuring the credit necessary to enable him to pay all these charges.

This picture which I present to your friendship is well fitted to interest any one who reflects on the high birth, the exalted rank, and the advanced age of the person whom it holds forth in the clearness of the purest truth, and divested of all enthusiasm of eloquence. I have therefore only to request you to show it, in all its simplicity, to the high persons who have influence in the Government, being persuaded that English magnanimity will not suffer so illustrious a personage of its nation to perish in indigence. I pause, lest I should offend English delicacy, which loves to act upon its own free impulse, and not upon the suggestions of others.

There are here, among the other Cardinals, the two Dorias, Caprara and Civizzani, and they will perhaps soon assemble to form the Conclave, which, according to all appearance, will be held here, since the Lord complevit labores of the worthy and afflicted Pius VI., who had the tenderest regard for you, and who, at the very time when he was in the Carthusian convent at Florence, was pleased to confer on me the office of Pro-Prefect of the Propaganda.

My paper runs short, but I shall not omit to assure you that I shall ever be

VOL. III.

Your sincere servant and friend,

S. Card. BORGIA.

C

James Verner, Esq., to Lord Castlereagh.

Ch. Hill, December 16, 1799.

My Lord-I have observed declarations published from every county of this province, on the subject of Union, from whence such may be expected, save the County Armagh. Previous to the election held in this county, it was thought prudent by the friends of Union (most of whom supported Colonel Cope) to be silent on that topic. Since that, Lord Gosford' has taken much pains to write letters, and consult with those gentlemen who agreed in sentiments with him; and I have not the least doubt but those persons who are in earnest are exerting themselves with much zeal. But I fear a very strong majority of this county are, and will use every indirect means to frustrate our endeavours. As an instance, I send you a printed publication, which, though in circulation for some time, only came to my hands yesterday; and I learn from a friend of mine, and a most sanguine friend to Union (the Rev. D. Kelly, of Armagh), that this same printed paper has much impeded his success in obtaining signatures in the town of Armagh and its vicinity.

Was I to guess at the author, I should not hesitate to say, this is the production of Thomas Prentice, of Armagh, a grocer, whose anonymous publications, on former occasions, were often dispersed about the country. He is an avowed enemy to a Union, and, sorry I am to say, there live in this county many such men, and of a worse description.

Very lately I had some conversation with Colonel Cope on the subject, and he told me his sentiments were averse to Union, but I can't say they were strengthened by solid reasons, and therefore am induced to think a few of his friends might change his opinion.

For the reasons I have assigned, your Lordship cannot expect

1 Arthur, second Viscount, created Earl of Gosford in 1806.

a splendid number of signatures, but I am in hopes a respectable

publication will appear.

I have the honour to be, &c.,

JAMES VERNER.

Lord Castlereagh to Sir J. C. Hippisley, Bart.

Dublin Castle, December 16, 1799.

Dear Sir-I have been favoured with your two letters, and beg you will please to accept of my best thanks for the information contained in them. I agree with you entirely on the

subject of the Regular Roman Catholic clergy, and that measures should be taken to prevent their extending themselves in this kingdom. I shall certainly avail myself, as far as I am able, of what you are so good as to suggest with regard to the filling up of the vacant See of Kilmacduagh.

I am happy to find that your very laudable endeavours in behalf of the Cardinal Duke have some prospect of success. Believe me, &c.

General Loftus' to Lord Castlereagh.

Norwich, December 18, 1799. My dear Lord-I received from the Duke of Portland yesterday the honour of your Lordship's letter of the 9th inst. His Grace has long known my attachment to the great measure in view, and I persuade myself, though out of the country, that I have in some degree contributed to the good understanding of this important question; but, having no reason to suppose that my personal assistance was either thought of or wished for by the Government of Ireland, it was natural in me, your Lordship, I am sure, will admit, to wish to retire from a situation which materially interfered with my professional duties.

1 General Loftus, Lieutenant of the Tower of London, Colonel of the 2d Dragoon Guards, and at one time a Member of the Parliament both of England and Ireland.