characterised by truth and honour, by generosity and munificence, hid
from nearly all but the objects of it; and by a profound reverence for
religion, and a sincere faith in that Christianity whose consolations he
experienced in the trying time of sickness and death, and which could
alone afford him a well-founded hope of eternal peace and happiness.

_Inner Temple, 8th January, 1847._

* * * * *




MODERN ITALIAN HISTORY.[12]

[12] Memoirs of General Pépé. Written by himself. London, 1846.


Upon the fifth day of February, 1783, the province of Calabria was
visited with a terrific earthquake. "The sway of earth _shook_ like a
thing unfirm," thousands of houses crumbled to their base, tens of
thousands of human beings were buried beneath ruins, or engulfed by the
gaping ground. In the small and ancient town of Squillace, the
devastation was frightful; amongst others, the spacious mansion of the
noble family of PÉPÉ was overthrown and utterly destroyed. At the time
of this calamity, Irene Assanti, the wife of Gregorio Pépé, was in daily
expectation of being brought to bed. In vain was it attempted to find a
fitting refuge for the suffering and feeble woman. The ruin that had
overtaken her dwelling extended for leagues around; not a roof-tree
stood in the doomed district; misery and desolation reigned throughout