to deliver them up immediately! I will give them " in lieu of the bullion, wheat and rice, of which we i have immenfe quantities. Our poverty in species is

equal to our riches in commodities: this circum"stance abfolutely compels me to take as many ingots "as poffible from the merchants, and give them corn "in exchange, &c."

This letter is extremely important-it paints Buonaparte in his true colours. It enables us by his own words, to prove him guilty of rapacity, and of uttering the moft exaggerated falfehoods. If we follow him in the whole course of his transactions, we fhall foon become intimately acquainted with his difpofition. At Malta he plunders the publick treasury—at Alexandria, he forces the merchants to accept that plunder in lieu of the circulating species on his route to Cairo, he deftroys the villages, and carries away all the corn-and laftly, he orders the merchants to return the ingots, promifing to give them in exchange part of that immense quantity of corn, of which his troops had fo bafely defpoiled the poor inhabitants of Egypt!-This we believe, is fufficient to establish the first charge, "rapacity,"— now for the fecond; four days before Buonaparte wrote that letter to Kleber, he fent an account of the Pyramids to the Directory; in the dispatches, he fays, "The "Mamelukes fought defperately-it is true that they "defended their fortunes, for there was not one of "them on whom our foldiers did not find three, four, "and five hundred louis !!" In the fame account Buonaparte fays, that two thousand Mamalukes were killed, therefore, at the lowest computation, the French foldiers had a booty of eight hundred thousand louis,

(equal

(equal to eight hundred thousand pounds), on the 23d of July, and yet on the 27th, Buonaparte tells Kleber, "Our poverty in Specie, is equal to our rich

nefs in commodities:" And on the 28th, he wrote to his brother Jofeph, at Paris, and declares, that, "There is no money in the country, NO, NOT EVEN (6 TO PAY THE TROOPS. I think of being in France "in two months!" In the firft place, we would ask, what need there was for money, while the foldiers had found eight hundred thousand pounds! on the bodies of the two thousand Mamalukes after the battle of the Pyramids which had happened five days before? Surely the authenticity of Buonaparte's statements will become proverbial! The words, "no, not even to pay "the troops," are worthy of remark-That is Buonaparte's creed, and from it he never fwerves. "Every

country that has the happiness of being conquered "and ravaged by the armies under his command, MUST PAY THOSE ARMIES!" Such has been the cafe in Genoa, the Papal territories, Naples, Switzerland, Holland, &c. But then the inhabitants are gravely told, that they are made "free and happy!" The words, "I think of being in France in two "months," indicate very plainly, that, Buonaparte had already formed the heroick project of abandoning his troops as foon as fortune began to prove adverse.

After detecting Buonaparte in fuch numerous and palpable falfehoods, is it poffible that any person can place the leaft confidence in his dispatches, or in those published under his fanction? As it is of the greatest importance, that every Briton fhould be perfectly acquainted with the character of his inveterate foe, we

omit no trait which may tend to illuftrate the difpofition of the disturber of all Europe.

CHAP. XI.

French fleet attacked by Lord Nelfon on the 1 of Auguft, 1798.-Buonaparte defeated by Ibrahim Bey. -Buonaparte's vifit to the Pyramids.-Egypt devas tated in various directions.-Character of Morad Bey, who is defeated, &c. &c.

D

URING one whole month, the French fleet

confifting of thirteen fail of the line, and four frigates, had not removed from its fituation in the Bay of Aboukir, when to their utter confufion and dismay, the ever memorable 1ft of Auguft, 1798, presented to their view, the gallant Nelson, with fourteen fail of the line, who, notwithstanding the ftrong pofition of Admiral Brueys, loft no time in making an attack upon them-we fhall not enter into the particulars of this engagement; the refult was, that eleven French fhips was either taken or destroyed, an additional proof, certainly, if any were requifite, that the skill and courage of British feamen ftood unrivalled. Admiral Brueys was of opinion, which no doubt was grounded on a good foundation, that the French fleet ought to have failed for Corfu as foon as the troops were landed, but Buonaparte, who knows every thing, would not admit of it; indeed it appears

he

he had some dislike to the Admiral, and therefore to have given up to his opinion, might poffibly be confidered a degradation. For be it obferved, while Buonaparte remained at Alexandria, it was HE who iffued all orders after which Brueys received them from Berthier; the confequence was, that, the Admiral being compelled to remain at Aboukir, took a ftrong pofition in the anchoring ground off Requiers, and calmly awaited his own deftruction.-In tranfmitting an account of the engagement to the Directory, Buonaparte proved himself a moft contemptible calumniator, for he endeavours to throw the whole blame on the unfortunate Brueys, whereas he himself was alone deferving it the following paffage is worthy of obfervation; "It appears to me that Admiral "Brueys did not determine to fail for Corfu until he was abfolutely fure of not being able to enter the port of Alexandria, and of the army's not being compelled to retreat. If in this unfortunate affair, "he has committed faults, he has expiated them by a glorious death!" Now in fpite of Buonaparte's infinuation, that, it was the Admiral's fault that the fleet did not fail for Corfu, it may be easily proved that Buonaparte was alone to blame! What then must be thought of a man, who being guilty, endeavours to exculpate himself by accufing an innocent person? Is that man a hero? Shame upon those who profane that noble appellation by beftowing it upon Buonaparte!

The first proof that Brueys could not fail without Buonaparte's confent, is extracted from Jaubert's letter to the Minifter of the Marine; "All orders were

"at first given out by the Commander in Chief! "lately, the Admiral has received them from Berthier, "the Chief of the Staff. The immenfe difference "between land and fea operations will be obvious to you, but fuch is Buonaparte's way of doing things!" Another paragraph in the fame letter is ftill more pofitive—“We are now moored at Aboukir, five leagues to the east of Alexandria.-The English are ap

proaching-The general opinion was, that, as foon "as the debarkation was effected we ought to have "failed for Corfu, where we were to be reinforced by "the fhips from Malta, Toulon, and Ancona, and thus

prepared for all events. THE GENERAL HAS DECIDED IT OTHERWISE!" Yet Buonaparte has the effrontery of saying in his letter to the Directory; "To the 24th of July I believed, that, the Admiral "had failed for Corfu, or entered the port of Alexan"dria!" On the contrary he knew perfectly, that, Brueys had not, and could not enter the port of Alexandrie, and he had even expreffed himself to that pur pofe; for in a letter which he wrote ten or twelve days before, he fays, "On account of a part of the channel "which has no more than three fathoms of water, "the feventy-fours cannot enter!" As to his faying that he believed Brueys had failed for Corfu, it is a moft infamous falsehood; for on the 27th of July he wrote to Brueys: the following paffages are in the letter; "I hear from Alexandria, that, a channel fuch as we "could wifh, has been difcovered, and by this time "I hope you are in the port with your fleet. The inftant you inform me what you have done, and in what "fituation you are, you fhall receive further orders

from