he priest. Immense riches had been
taken from this chapel of the Holy Sacrament by the French; a golden
lamp of great size, and ornaments to the value of 50,000 crowns are
mentioned in particular; the rich railing had not escaped the soldiers'
rapacity had it not been painted to resemble wood. I must visit this
magnificent church another time. To-day I have done it at the imminent
risk of a bad fall. We drove out to see a Maltese village, highly
ornamented in the usual taste. Mrs. Bathurst was so good as to take me
in her carriage. We dined with Colonel Bathurst.

_November_ 26.--I visited my old and much respected friend, Mr. John
Hookham Frere,[497] and was much gratified to see him the same man I
had always known him,--perhaps a little indolent; but that's not much. A
good Tory as ever, when the love of many is waxed cold. At night a grand
ball in honour of your humble servant--about four hundred gentlemen and
ladies. The former mostly British officers of army, navy, and civil
service. Of the ladies, the island furnished a fair proportion--- I mean
viewed in either way. I was introduced to a mad Italian improvisatore,
who was with difficulty prevented from reciting a poem in praise of the
King, and imposing a crown upon my head, _nolens volens_. Some of the
officers, easily conceiving how disagreeable this must have been to a
quiet man, got me out of the scrape, and I got home about midnight; but
remain unpoetised and unspeeched.

_November_ 28.--I have made some minutes, some observations, and could
do something at my Siege; but I do not find my health gaining ground. I
visited Frere at Sant' Antonio: a beautiful place with a splendid
garden, which Mr. Frere will never tire of, unless some of his family
come to carry him home by force.

_November_ 29.--Lady Hotham was kind enough to take me a drive, and we
dined with them--a very pleasant party. I picked up some anecdotes of
the latter siege.

Make another pilgrimage, escorted by Captain Pigot and several of his
officers. We took a more accurate view of this splendid structure
[Church of St. John]. I went down into the vaults and made a visiting
acquaintance with La Valette,[498] whom, greatly to my joy, I found most
splendidly provided with a superb sepulchre of bronze, on which he
reclines in the full armour of a Knight of Chivalrie.

FOOTNOTES:

[483] See Sailor's Song, _Cease, rude Boreas_, etc., _ante_, p. 402:
"The Storm."

[484] See _ante_, vol. i. p