Page:A History of the Knights of Malta, or the Order of St. John of Jerusalem.djvu/681

Rh end fatally. Although he recovered to a certain extent from this illness, he never regained his vigour of mind, and his last days were clouded with the knowledge that his Order was doomed. The number of ruined Frenchmen who flocked to Malta desiring admission into the ranks of the fraternity greatly increased the poverty of the treasury, and the utmost efforts of the Grand-Master, nobly seconded as he was by the langues which had escaped confiscation, were unable to relieve so much destitution. The conduct of de Rohan, under these circumstances, was most praiseworthy. Being remonstrated with by an officer of his household for the extent of his charities, which his diminished resources no longer permitted without curtailing the dignity of his court, he replied, “Reserve one crown daily for the expenses of my table, and let all the rest be distributed amongst my distressed brethren.”

The worst had not, however, as yet arrived, though the day was near at hand on which the fatal blow was to be struck, The directory had for some time looked with longing eyes on the island of Malta, and had determined, if possible, to expel the knights and attach it to the French territories. Spies and other emissaries were set to work within the convent and island generally, sowing those seeds of discontent and turbulence which were so soon to bear fruit. The government of de Rohan was most blameworthy for permitting this continuous tampering with the fidelity of its subjects; it seemed as though, by some unaccountable fatality, the supineness of the Order itself was destined to aid the designs of its enemies. In the midst of this gloomy period de Rohan died, on the 13th July, 1797.

Opinions have been much divided with regard to him. Weak-minded he certainly was, and during the later years of his life his physical infirmities augmented the evil. A craving for flattery and adulation had caused him to seek the society of those who were willing to gratify such weaknesses rather than that of men of more sterling worth. These, however, seem to be the chief faults which his enemies could lay to his charge, and to counterbalance them his life, public and private, was adorned with virtues which secured him the esteem and attachment of many sincere friends. Great goodness of heart