come him as their deliverer, and to second all his measures. Things wearing this promising aspect, he sailed towards the coast of Genoa: on his approach, the French galleys retired: a small body of men, which he landed, surprised one of the gates of Genoa in the night time: Trivulci, the French governor, with his feeble garrison, shut himself up in the citadel, and Doria took possession of the town without bloodshed or resistance. Want of provisions quickly obliged Trivulci to capitulate ; the people, eager to abolish such an odious monument of their servitude, ran together with a tumultuous violence, and levelled the citadel with the ground.

It was now in Doria's power to have rendered himself the sovereign of his country, which he had so happily delivered from oppression. The fame of his former actions, the success of his present attempt, the attachment of his friends, the gratitude of his countrymen, together with the support of the emperor, all conspired to facilitate his attaining the supreme authority, and invited him to lay hold of it. But with a magnanimity of which there are few examples, he sacrificed all thoughts of aggrandizing himself to the virtuous satisfaction of establishing liberty in his country, the highest object at which ambition can aim. Having assembled the whole body of the people in the court before his palace, he assured them, that the happiness of seeing them once more in possession of freedom, was to him a full reward for all his services; that, more delighted with the name of citizen than of sovereign, he claimed no pre-eminence or power above his equals, but remitted entirely to them the right of settling what form of government they would now choose to be established among them. The people listened to him with tears of admiration and of joy. Twelve persons were elected to new-model

the constitution of the republic. The influence of Doria's virtue and example communicated itself to his countrymen; the factions, which had long torn and ruined the state, seemed to be forgotten; prudent precautions were taken to prevent their reviving, and the same form of government, which has subsisted with little variation since that time in Genoa, was established with universal applause. Doria lived to a great age, beloved, respected, and honoured by his countrymen; and adhering uniformly to his professions of moderation, without arrogating any thing unbecoming a private citizen, he

preserved a great ascendant over the councils of the republic which owed its being to his generosity. The authority which he possessed was more flattering, as well as more satisfactory, than that derivéd from sovereignty; a dominion founded in love and in gratitude, and upheld by veneration for his virtues, not by the dread of his power. His memory is still reverenced by the Genoese, and he is distinguished in their public monuments, and celebrated in the works of their historians, by the most honourable of all appellations, "The father of his country, and the restorer of its liberty."

COUNT LAVAGNA.

THE form of government which was now estab. lished in Genoa restored liberty, and though calculated to obliterate the memory of former dissensions, did not, after a trial of near twenty years, give universal satisfaction to those turbulent and factious republicans. As the entire administration was lodged in a certain number of noble families, many envying them that pre-eminence wished for the restitution of a popular government, to which they had been long accustomed; and though all reveren

ced the disinterested virtue of Doria, and admired his talents, not a few were jealous of that ascendant which he had acquired in the councils of the commonwealth. His age, however, his moderation, his love of liberty, afforded ample security to his countrymen, that he would not abuse his power, nor stain the close of his days, by attempting to overturn the fabric which it had been the labour and pride of his life to erect. But the authority and power which in his hands were innocent, they easily saw would prove destructive, if usurped by any citizen of greater ambition and less virtue. A citizen of this dangerous character had actually formed such pretensions, and with some prospect of success. Giannetino Doria, whom his grand-uncle Andrew destined to be the heir of his private fortune, aimed likewise at being his successor in power. His temper, haughty, insolent, and overbearing to such a degree, as would hardly have been tolerated in one born to reign, was altogether unsupportable in the citizen of a free state. The more sagacious among the Genoese already feared and hated him, as the enemy of those liberties for which they were indebted to his uncle. While Andrew himself, blinded by that violent and undiscerning affection, which persons in advanced age often contract for the younger members of their family, set no bounds to the indulgence with which he treated him, seeming less solicitous to secure and perpetuate the freedom of the commonwealth, than to aggrandize that undeserving kinsman.

But whatever suspicion of Doria's designs, or whatever dissatisfaction with the system of administration in the commonwealth, the circumstances might have occasioned, they would have ended it is probable, in nothing more than murmurings and complaints, if Don Lewis Fiesco, count of Lavag

na, observing this growing disgust, had not been encouraged by it, to attempt one of the boldest actions recorded in history.

That young nobleman, the richest and most illus. trious subject in the republic, possessed in an eminent degree all the qualities which win upon the heart, which command respect, or secure attachment. He was graceful and majestic in his person, magnificent even to profusion, of a generosity that anticipated and exceeded the expectations of stran gers, of an insinuating address, gentle manners, and a flowing affability. But, under the appearance of these virtues, which seemed to form him for enjoying and adorning social life, he concealed all the dispositions which mark out men for taking the lead in the most dark and dangerous conspiracies; an insatiable and restless ambition, a courage unacquainted with fear, and a mind that disdained subordination.

Such a temper could ill brook that station of inferiority wherein he was placed in the republic, and as he envied the power which the elder Doria had acquired, he was filled with indignation at the thoughts of its descending, like an hereditary possession, to Giannetino. These various passions, pressing with violence upon his turbulent and aspiring mind, determined him to attempt overturning that domination to which he could not submit. As the most effectual method of accomplishing this, he thought at first of an alliance with Francis, and even proposed it to the French ambassador at Rome; and after expelling Doria, together with the imperial faction, by his assistance he offered to put the republic once more under the protection of that monarch, hoping, in return for that service, to be intrusted with the principal share in the administration of government. But having communicated his scheme to a few chosen confidents, from

whom he kept nothing secret, Verrina, chief of them, a man of desperate fortune, capable alike of advising and executing the most audacious deeds, remonstrated with earnestness against the folly of exposing himself to the most imminent danger, while he allowed another to reap the fruits of his success; and exhorted him warmly to aim himself at that pre-eminence in his country, to which he was destined by his illustrious birth, was called by the voice of his fellow-citizens, and would be raised by the zeal of his friends.

This discourse opened such great prospects to Fiesco, and so suitable to his genius, that abandoning his plan, he adopted that of Verrina. The other persons present, though sensible of the hazardous nature of this undertaking, did not choose to condemn what their patron had so warmly approved. It was instantly resolved, in this dark cabal, to assassinate the two Dorias, as well as the principal persons of their party, to overturn the estab lished system of government, and to place Fiesco on the ducal throne of Genoa. Time, however, and preparation, was requisite to ripen such a design for execution, and while he was employed in carrying on these, Fiesco made it his chief care to guard against every thing that might betray his secret or create suspicion.

The disguise he assumed was of all others the most impenetrable. He seemed to be abandoned entirely to pleasure and dissipation. A perpetual gaiety, diversified by the pursuit of all the amusements in which persons of his age and rank are apt to delight, engrossed, in appearance, the whole of his time and thoughts. But amidst this hurry of dissipation, he prosecuted his plan with the most cool attention; neither retarded the design by a timid hesitation, nor precipitating the execution by an excess of impatience. He continued his corres