of different ranks, whom I had daily occasion of conversing with at Naples; where the English have been well treated in their private situation, and frequently experienced a preference to other nations. It used to be generally thought that the King himself was the least attached of any of his family to the French interest, and much less so, after the treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle, knowing that it concerned them more than any power to pursue its execution; nor will his Majesty easily forget their proposal some years ago for permitting a French garrison to be introduced into his two principal fortified towns of Capua and Gaeta, in order to secure the eventual succession for Don Philip. He was therefore fearful of the French, and knew what he had to apprehend from them, till now that they are so little able to molest others; and perhaps they may think differently, since the death of the Duchess of Parma, in regard to Italy. The King has ever had at heart the favourite system of securing his Italian dominions for his own descendants; and has often declared, it was of more moment to him than even his succession to the Spanish monarchy.

The principal attendants on their Majesties from Naples, were the Duke of Losada (more known under the name of Duke Miranda), the Marquis Squillace, and the Castropignano family.

The Duke of Losada attended his Majesty at his first departure from Spain, and ever accompanied the King whenever he went abroad, and at home

It

keeping almost constantly about his person. has been thought that the King disclosed more of his inward thoughts and sentiments to the duke than to any other person whatsoever. The duke is a true Spaniard, and was never thought to be in the French interest.

Don Leopoldo di Gregorio, Marquis Squillace, was born at Genoa. His father, a Genoese, had lived long in Sicily, where he was commissary to the Austrian troops, but afterwards had a procès at Vienna for his ill conduct, and was obliged to refund the greater part of what he had acquired in that employment. Marquis Squillace was sent young from Genoa to Messina, where he inherited a very small estate, and married a Messinese lady. He had some employments in that city; and has, more than once, been one of the noble consuls for

commerce.

At the beginning of the last war in Italy, Duke Barretta of Naples was made commissary to the Spanish and Neapolitan troops; and he, being acquainted with the then Don Leopoldo di Gregorio, invited him to Naples, to take upon himself the administration of this employment, under him the Duke Barretta, who soon after retired from it himself, and left the other to be the

sole director and manager. Marquis Squillace executed this office with great honour and applause, and at the end of the war he went to Madrid to render an account of his administration; when, on the examination of his accounts, he was paid to the last farthing, without any deduction, and even ob

tained a considerable present for himself; besides which, the court of Spain recommended him in the strongest manner to that of Naples.

His first wife being dead, he married, at Madrid, a Spanish lady; and on his return to Naples, the King made him intendant-general of the customs, in which office he gave particular satisfaction to his Majesty, who some years ago advanced him to be secretary of state for the finances, war, and marine; in all which offices he has been indefatigable. He has succeeded in putting almost an entire stop to contrabands in the two kingdoms of Naples and Sicily; and on that account has frequently exposed his life to the fury of the natives. He had, by his first wife, four sons and a daughter. The sons are very well provided for: the daughter, many years ago, was taken by the Tripolines, carried to Tripoly, and ransomed at the expense of the city of Messina, by a general collection; to all whose inhabitants, and to all those he knew there, he has preserved a great regard. His nephew, Don Geronimo Gongona, a Messinese, is gone with him to Spain; who would never accept of an employment, on account of his ill-health.

The Castropignano family have been always publicly in the French interest. The late duke, who was captain-general at Naples and died there about two years ago, was formerly Neapolitan ambassador at Paris; and it has been publicly reported that the French court has ever since given them a salary. The duchess has always been

in high favour with the Queen; and is now gone with her son, the young duke, to Spain.(')

In regard to the Marquis Don Bernardo Tenucci at Naples, he is a native of Pisa: he is not of a noble family, but a great scholar, and very eminent in the law; which was his profession at Pisa. He accompanied the King from thence to Naples; where, soon after his arrival, he was made secretario di grazia and giustizia; in which employment he continued till the Marquis Fogliani was nominated viceroy of Sicily after which, Marquis Tenucci had the additional employment of secretary of state for foreign affairs, and for regulating the King's household. He is the most upright, disinterested minister that was ever known in Italy; indefatigable, a strenuous promoter of royal authority, and ever considered a great enemy to the House of Austria. (2)

I hope you will not think that, in obeying your commands, I have been triflingly exact. I thought it a duty rather to enter into minute particulars than to be considered wanting. I have the honour to subscribe myself, with the highest respect, Sir, Your most faithful and

most devoted humble servant, STANIER PORTEN.

() Mr. Clarke says, that the Queen was entirely governed by the duchess, who had gained a most unaccountable ascendancy over her.

(2) Before Don Carlos left Naples for Spain, he appointed the marquis guardian of his son, and placed him at the head of the regency of the Two Sicilies.

SIR,

MAJOR BARRÉ (1) TO MR. PITT.

New York, April 28, 1760.

IF I presume to address myself to the first minister of my country, it is under the sanction of a name which is still grateful to his ear. General Wolfe fell, in the arms of victory, on the plain of Abraham. I received near his person a very dangerous wound (2), and, by the neglect I have since met with, I am apprehensive that my pretensions are to be buried with my only protector and friend. The packets bring no directions concerning me; so that I remain as adjutant-general with General Amherst, by his desire; though with a very bad prospect of ever being taken notice of.

From power I have not interest enough to ask favour; but, unless the discernment of my late general be much called in question, I

may claim

(1) Isaac Barré was a native of Dublin, and born of humble parents about the year 1726. He entered the army at an early age, and rose gradually to the rank of colonel. Through the interest of the Earl of Shelburne, he obtained, in December 1761, a seat in parliament, for the borough of Chipping Wycombe; where, acting in opposition to government, he was not only deprived of his offices of adjutant-general and governor of Stirling Castle, but dismissed from the service. During the Rockingham administration, he was compensated for the loss he had sustained, by a pension of 3,200l. per annum; which he relinquished on obtaining the clerkship of the pells. He died in 1802, in his seventy-sixth year.

(2) In West's celebrated picture of the death of Wolfe, Barré is represented as one of a group of officers collected round the expiring general.