ing behind him, in Malta, a vast number of examples of
his ability, which form an appropriate monument to his memory. As
evidence of his indefatigable industry, it should be mentioned that in
the cathedral of Citta Vecchia in the centre of the island, other
specimens of Mattia Preti's work in the same line of church adornment
may be seen, together with some fine individual pieces of composition.

The treasures still remaining in the church of St. John are of great
intrinsic value, notwithstanding the fact that Bonaparte's soldiers,
after the usual fashion of the French in these days, robbed it of nearly
all portable articles which were of a salable nature, during their brief
stay upon the island. Their stealings included the twelve life-size
statues of the Apostles, which were of silver. These statues are said to
have been ransomed by some rich prelate, and are now in the old
cathedral of Citta Vecchia, if common report may be credited. The
author, however, did not see them there. A golden lamp of great size and
value was also purloined by the same freebooters when they robbed St.
John's church of other effects. Many articles which it was not desirable
to carry off, these vandals wantonly destroyed. One of the Venetian
chandeliers, thus sacrificed, when lighted burned several hundred
candles at a time. The guide points out the balustrade before the altar
already spoken of as consisting of solid silver, which escaped the
observation of the soldiery. This was brought about by the ingenious act
of a thoughtful priest, who, to hide the true character of the material,
painted the precious metal black. It has in our day assumed its true
argentiferous appearance. It was this shameful thieving propensity of
the French, that of pillaging all the churches, art galleries, and
charitable institutions of those upon whom they made war, which finally
led to their expulsion, causing the Maltese at last to rise in a body
and declare a revolution. This inexcusable pilfering was begun before
Bonaparte left the group; indeed, he set the example himself, though he
was only six days on the island. Leaving a trusted general in charge, he
hastened onward with his ships and soldiers to Egypt, which was the
objective point of the expedition. The invasion and capture of the
island of Malta was, as it were, only incidental. The treasures stolen
from Malta were placed on board L'Orient, a vessel which was lost in the
sea,--it was blown up, in fact,