ST. JOHN OF JERUSALEM.

CHAP. V.]

179

1775

at their studies; or, if abroad, it is attending to theirsacred duties. But those of whom I speakare mischievous demagogues. Still, as un-worthy priests, let them he visited rather with ridiculethan anger. It were a pity to bleed capons, or todamage a spot whence there is so fine a prospect.Wherefore my opinion is, that the rebellious clericalsbe well deluged with no very clean water fromabove.” And his advice was followed; men ascendedby ladders unseen, and with buckets of water andlarge leather squirts, soon dissolved their noisyreverences into a shameful rout, and laughter ex-tinguished the whole plot. Yet is there a recentparty 1 who treat it seriously, and affirm that thoughcalled of the priests, it comprehended a numerousbody of Maltese, who were true patriots, desirous ofrecovering then’ ancient liberties. But whetherthese ever existed causes a demur in some, who alsoquestion the validity of their mastra, and, at all eventsdeny its right to be considered a golden book. Certainlythey must have fallen amazingly from their ancientgrandeur, when the commissioners were sent thitherin Charles Y.’s reign. If the Maltese had any privi-leges, and wished not to be given away without askingtheir own consent, then was the time to have saidso; and there being a large portion of knights, and1 Appeal of Malta, &c.; London: 8vo., 1811.

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