CHAP. V.]

ST. JOHN OF JERUSALEM.

163

may perhaps be passed oyer, so this observationapplies to them all) several questions that now seemvery unimportant respecting etiquette, military ordiplomatic; in which methinks the order were rightto struggle hard, before yielding any one of its ancientdistinctions. Such, however little in themselves,were revered memorials of ancestral feats, and hadbeen acquired by the blood, possibly, lives, ofillustrious men, whose fair fame their descendants(as far as lies in them) ought not to allow to hethrown into the shade, and forgotten . 1

The Grand Master, N. Cotoner, now very old, sodrawing near his end, was not an uninteresting figure,in spite of considerable corporal debility . 2 Hisadmirable eloquence, nobleness of spirit, and un-calculating generosity, were rather for an imperialstation, than a constitutional one. He rose from therank of a private gentleman, to that which was thevery highest in his profession, and beyond doubt asovereign; hut yet sovereign of a republic, and notof a despotic government, whence rose disputes hecould not hear, and his haughtiness disgusted manyof the order. The income of the grand master at thattime amounted to one hundred thousand a year . 3

Besides having a permanent engineer, the order

1 Pozzo : par. ii. 458. 2 Id. : par. ii. 466.

3 Id.: par. ii. 467. Crowns, about £16,000.

M 2