The young republic forthwith abolished all feudal laws, decreed civic equality, and ordered the convocation at Bologna of a popularly elected Assembly for the Christmas following.

These events mark the first stage in the beginning of that grand movement, _Il Risorgimento,_ which after long delays was finally consummated in 1870.
This period of Bonaparte's career may well be lingered over by those who value his invigorating influence on Italian life more highly than his military triumphs.

At this epoch he was still the champion of the best principles of the Revolution; he had overthrown Austrian domination in the peninsula, and had shaken to their base domestic tyrannies worse than that of the Hapsburgs.

His triumphs were as yet untarnished.

If we except the plundering of the liberated and conquered lands, an act for which the Directory was primarily responsible, nothing was at this time lacking to the full orb of his glory.