among the northern Italians. He knew, however,
that the Directory had, by absurd and extravagant demands, provoked the
Pope to break off the treaty of Bologna, and to raise his army to the
number of 40,000,--that Naples had every disposition to back his
Holiness with 30,000 soldiers, provided any reverse should befall the
French in Lombardy,--and, finally, that Alvinzi was rapidly preparing
for another march, with numbers infinitely superior to what he could
himself extort from the government of Paris;[11] and considering these
circumstances, he felt himself compelled to seek strength by gratifying
his Italian friends. Two Republics accordingly were organised; the
Cispadane and the Transpadane--handmaids rather than sisters of the
great French democracy. These events took place during the period of
military inaction which followed the victories of Arcola. The new
Republics hastened to repay Napoleon's favour by raising troops, and
placed at his disposal a force which he considered as sufficient to keep
the Papal army in check during the expected renewal of Alvinzi's
efforts.

Buonaparte at this period practised every art to make himself popular
with the Italians; nor was it of little moment that they in fact
regarded him more as their own countryman than a Frenchman; that their
beautiful language was his mother tongue; that he knew their manners and
their literature, and even in his conquering rapacity displayed his
esteem for their arts. He was wise enough too, on farther familiarity
with the state of the country, to drop that tone of hostility which he
had at first adopted towards the priesthood; and to cultivate the most
influential members of that powerful order by attentions which the
Directory heard of with wonder, and would have heard of, had he been any
other than Napoleon, with scorn and contempt.[12] Wherever he could
have personal intercourse with the priesthood, he seems to have
considerably softened their spleen. Meanwhile the clergy beyond the
Apennines, and the nobility of Romagna, were combining all their efforts
to rouse the population against him; and the Pope, pushed, as we have
seen, to despair by the French Directory, had no reason to complain that
his secular vassals heard such appeals with indifference.

Alvinzi's preparations were in the meantime rapidly advancing. The
enthusiasm of the Austrian gentry was effectually stirred by the
apprehension of seeing the conqueror of Italy under the walls