on this from a desire to preserve
a consistency of character, should the Government (which I by no means
anticipate) differ so widely in its nature from those which I have
been in the habit of supporting as to render the proposed situation
repugnant to my principles, and so justly expose me to suspicion, and
render me unworthy the confidence of his Majesty and the nation."

In accordance with the terms of that letter, Lord Cochrane wrote as we
have seen to the Supreme Director of Chili, not completely resigning
his employment, but proposing to absent himself for an indefinite
period. His proposal was at once accepted by the Chilian Government,
to whom his honesty and his popularity with the people made him
particularly obnoxious. He thereupon made prompt arrangements for his
departure. He quitted Valparaiso on the 18th of January, 1823, in a
vessel chartered for his own use and that of several European officers
and seamen, who, like him, were tired of Chilian ingratitude, and who
begged to be employed under him wherever he might serve.

Of the subsequent occurrences in the Western States, for which he had
done so much, and tried to do so much more than was permitted, it is
enough to say that Peru, sadly abused by San Martin, and almost won
back to Spain, was rescued by the valour and wisdom of Bolivar, and
that Chili, destined to much future trouble through the bad action
of its false patriots, was temporarily benefited by the successful
revolution which placed General Freire in the Supreme Directorship.

Lord Cochrane had not been absent three months before a new Minister
of Marine wrote to inform him of Freire's accession and to solicit his
return. From this, however, he excused himself, on the grounds that
he had now entered into engagements with Brazil which he was bound
to fulfil, and that his past treatment by the Chilian Government
discouraged him from renewal of relations which had been so full of
annoyance to him. "On my quitting Chili," he said in his reply, "there
was no looking to the past without regret, nor to the future without
despair, for I had learned by experience what were the views and
motives which guided the counsels of the State. Believe me that
nothing but a thorough conviction that it was impracticable to
render the good people of Chili any further service under existing
circumstances, or to live in tranquillity under such a system, could
have induced me to remove myself from a country which