194 THE HISTORY OF THE ORDER OF [book IV.

likewise know that he informed the Directory itcould not he taken by his forces, nor as easily asthey thought. It is clear, however, that Rohan, inkeeping to a strict neutrality, had no screen fromthe overbearing regicides; and though he tolerated aFrench ambassador at Malta, no ambassador fromthe knights was allowed to enter Paris. All thekindness and most scrupulous fair dealing was onthe side of the grand master, without any reciprocitywhatsoever. The more every self-support vanished,the higher parties ran. They were, in truth, in-numerable ; for it was a time of anarchy rather thanfactions. Every man of any repute stood for himself,and hada way of thinking of his own. Yet, howeverthey were split up into subdivisions beyond counting,they substantially consisted of four’; the existinggovernment, who were desirous of leaving matterspretty much as they found them ; those knights whowished for a prudent reform; those knights whoadvanced the revolution; and the Maltese, the peopleof Malta, looking to their island as a thing quiteseparate from their knightly sovereigns. Poor Rohanendeavouring to steer among such a confoundedstorm, that menaced something ineffably worse, andto he got through by none except a manof rare steadiness and intrepidity of mind;he, not being such, had no other refuge than death—and he sickened and died.