rom the body.

His treason but imperfectly known, the fear of him forgotten, all that
remained of the recollection of Walter de Montreal (The military renown
and bold exploits of Montreal are acknowledged by all the Italian
authorities. One of them declares that since the time of Caesar, Italy
had never known so great a Captain. The biographer of Rienzi, forgetting
all the offences of the splendid and knightly robber, seems to feel only
commiseration for his fate. He informs us, moreover, that at Tivoli
one of his servants (perhaps our friend, Rodolf of Saxony), hearing his
death, died of grief the following day.) in Rome, was admiration for
his heroism, and compassion for his end. The fate of Pandulfo di Guido,
which followed some days afterwards, excited a yet deeper, though more
quiet, sentiment, against the Senator. "He was once Rienzi's friend!"
said one man; "He was an honest, upright citizen!" muttered another;
"He was an advocate of the people!" growled Cecco del Vecchio. But the
Senator had wound himself up to a resolve to be inflexibly just, and to
regard every peril to Rome as became a Roman. Rienzi remembered that he
had never confided but he had been betrayed; he had never forgiven but
to sharpen enmity. He was amidst a ferocious people, uncertain friends,
wily enemies; and misplaced mercy would be but a premium to conspiracy.
Yet the struggle he underwent was visible in the hysterical emotions he
betrayed. He now wept bitterly, now laughed wildly. "Can I never again
have the luxury to forgive?" said he. The coarse spectators of that
passion deemed it,--some imbecility, some hypocrisy. But the execution
produced the momentary effect intended. All sedition ceased, terror
crept throughout the city, order and peace rose to the surface; but
beneath, in the strong expression of a contemporaneous writer, "Lo
mormorito quetamente suonava." ("The murmur quietly sounded.")

On examining dispassionately the conduct of Rienzi at this awful period
of his life, it is scarcely possible to condemn it of a single error
in point of policy. Cured of his faults, he exhibited no unnecessary
ostentation--he indulged in no exhibitions of intoxicated pride--that
gorgeous imagination rather than vanity, which had led the Tribune into
spectacle and pomp, was now lulled to rest, by the sober memory of grave
vicissitudes, and the stern calmness of a maturer intellect. Frugal,
provident, watchful, self-collected, 'never was seen,' obs