ving been the scene of battle, and every Town the Object of a
siege. But the most interesting spot of all was the plain of Marengo,
near Alessandria. As we travelled in the Diligence I had not so good an
opportunity of viewing it as I should have had in a Vetturino, but we
stopped a short time to see the monument which is raised to commemorate
the victory; it is erected near 2 remarkable spots, one where Desaix[7]
fell, the other the House from which Buonaparte wrote an account of the
event to the Directory.

We passed also thro' Novi, every House in which is marked by Shot; that
unfortunate Town has been three times pillaged during the war. We
arrived at Genoa on the 10th of Septr., in my opinion the most
magnificent Town for its size I ever saw. The Palaces are beyond
conception beautiful, or rather were, for the French Troops are not at
this moment admitted within the Gates; they are quartered in the Suburb
in great numbers. As for the new Government, it is easily seen who is at
the head of it. There is a Doge, to be sure, but his orders come all
from Paris. While we were waiting there expecting a ship to sail to
Barcelona, the _Medusa_, English Frigate, came in, and amongst its
passengers who came with her we found a Cambridge acquaintance, who
advised us to go without delay to Leghorn as the Spanish Squadron was
waiting there for the King of Etruria[8] in order to carry him to
Barcelona. Fortunately the next day an English Brig was going, & in her
we took our passages; we were fortunate enough to receive a large packet
of letters from England a few hours before she sailed, which had she
sailed at the time the Captain intended we should have missed. Will you
let my sisters know that they arrived safe? I am not without hopes of
making some use of the interesting letters to Italy, tho' I am now
steering to the westward. After a good passage of two days we arrived at
Leghorn and found the Spaniards still there. As soon as I landed I
delivered a letter to a Mr. Callyer, a Liverpool Gentleman who is
settled there, & by his means was introduced to the Admiral's first
Lieut., who promised to secure me a berth in some of the ships. In
short, here I am in a very fine ship, tho' a horrid sailer. I have now
given you a short sketch of my tour till arriving at Leghorn; I have
only to say something of Leghorn and the _Argonauta_. The Town has
suffered very much by the war, supported nearly as it was by its
Commerce with England.