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THE HISTORY OE THE ORDER OF [bookiv.

When all at Malta should have been union to con-front the approaching tempest, on the contrary allwas division. Hard was it for these fine youngFrench knights, accustomed to be the most open,off-handed, gay-tempered, best-dressed gallants inEurope, to go meanly about, and live at the expenseof others. And if some of them lost every regardfor their reputation, and fell into a bad course, anda few even joined the revolutionary party, and tookup with the false humbug in which it dealt, wemay pity rather than severely blame them.

In the cabinet may have been less flux of words;but from the discordancy of those who composed it,no mighty quiet could be expected. But in thecouncil (which had more of the chapter general thancouncil-board), boisterous were the sittings. Onewhose name matters nothing (but he is said to havebeen meagre, and sallow-faced, and with an enviouslook), spoke thus:—“ Many of our knights are in-deed worthy members of our most honourable con-fraternity; but some of you are turbulent self-seekers, and fond of vanities and gadding abroad.Yet ought we less to think of our individual selves,and more of the true interests of the entire order.Therefore it is that I propose we should totally giveup the galleys, as a superfluous expense; and alsothe incomes given from our common treasury to so

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