There Is One More Presumption Of His
Innocence, He Still Retains The Favour Of His Sovereign, Who
Could Not Well Be Supposed To Share In The Booty.
"There are
mysteries in politics which were never dreamed of in our
philosophy, Horatio!" The possession of Genoa might have proved a
troublesome bone of contention, which it might be convenient to
lose by accident.
Certain it is, when the Austrians returned
after their expulsion, in order to retake the city, the engineer,
being questioned by the general, declared he would take the place
in fifteen days, on pain of losing his head; and in four days
after this declaration the Austrians retired. This anecdote I
learned from a worthy gentleman of this country, who had it from
the engineer's own mouth. Perhaps it was the will of heaven. You
see how favourably, providence has interposed in behalf of the
reigning empress of Russia, first in removing her husband:
secondly in ordaining the assassination of prince Ivan, for which
the perpetrators have been so liberally rewarded; it even seems
determined to shorten the life of her own son, the only surviving
rival from whom she had any thing to fear.
The Genoese have now thrown themselves into the arms of France
for protection: I know not whether it would not have been a
greater mark of sagacity to cultivate the friendship of England,
with which they carry on an advantageous commerce. While the
English are masters of the Mediterranean, they will always have
it in their power to do incredible damage all along the Riviera,
to ruin the Genoese trade by sea, and even to annoy the capital;
for notwithstanding all the pains they have taken to fortify the
mole and the city, I am greatly deceived if it is not still
exposed to the danger, not only of a bombardment, but even of a
cannonade.
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