CHAP. VI.]

ST. JOHN OF JERUSALEM.

197

those who have invidiously observed that he wasthe only German grand master the order ever had,only exhibit some petty malevolence, for really per-sons of that calibre exist in tolerable numbers inevery country. It is said he had not intended to bea candidate, since it was usually conferred on per-sons of age, who had earned a considerable repu-tation- by their conduct in youth and manhood ; sothat Hompesch would have been too young, and wasnot engaged to do so, till a priest laid before himthat a Frenchman could not be chosen at that nmment; for that no Frenchman could maintain him-self between two such furious parties. To side witheither the Directory, or Legitimists, were alike de-struction. Which advice that ought to have kepthim aloof from the same rock if he had much judg-ment, easily lighted up his miserable ambition. Norwere his principles perhaps very bad. But he hadnot the firmness necessary to a grand master in eventhe commonest times; more especially he had not thatanalogous to the situation his temerity had courted.It would have needed a greater genius than NapoleonBuonaparte himself, to succeed with the feeble discor-dant means possessed by the knights then; whileFrance, however shaken by internal dissensions, wasstill a splendid nation.

It had been supposed Bonaparte had some design