g afterwards--speaking of these scenes of exaction and
insolence,--"it is a sad case when the dwarf comes into the embrace of
the giant; he is like enough to be suffocated--but 'tis the giant's
nature to squeeze hard."

In the meantime the general did not neglect the great and darling plan
of the French government, of thoroughly revolutionising the North of
Italy, and establishing there a group of Republics modelled after their
own likeness, and prepared to act as subservient allies in their mighty
contest with the European monarchies. The peculiar circumstances of
Northern Italy, as a land of ancient fame and high spirit, long split
into fragments, and ruled, for the most part, by governors of German
origin, presented many facilities for the realisation of this design;
and Buonaparte was urged constantly by his government at Paris, and by
a powerful party in Lombardy, to hasten its execution. He, however, had
by this time learned to think of many idols of the Directory with about
as little reverence as they bestowed on the shrines of Catholicism; in
his opinion more was to be gained by temporising with both the
governments and the people of Italy, than by any hasty measures of the
kind recommended. He saw well the deep disgust which his exactions had
excited. "You cannot," said he, "at one and the same moment rob people
and persuade them you are their friends." He fancied, moreover, that the
Pope and other nerveless rulers of the land might be converted into at
least as convenient ministers of French exaction, as any new
establishments he could raise in their room. Finally he perceived that
whenever the Directory were to arrange seriously the terms of a
settlement with the great monarchy of Austria, their best method would
be to restore Lombardy, and thereby purchase the continued possession of
the more conveniently situated territories of Belgium and the
Luxembourg. The general, therefore, temporised; content, in the
meantime, with draining the exchequers of the governments, and cajoling
from day to day the population. The Directory were with difficulty
persuaded to let him follow his own course; but he now despised their
remonstrances, and they had been taught effectually to dread his
strength.

Napoleon, it is clear enough, had no intention to grant these Italian
governments anything but a respite; nor is it to be doubted that their
disposition to take part with Austria remained as it had been before
they entered