This memorial was a judicious critique on the extensive but
ridiculous plan of fortification, which had been adopted at Geneva,
though censured by every person of judgment in the art, who was
unacquainted with the secret motives of the council, in the
execution of this magnificent enterprise. Monsieur de Micheli, who had
been excluded from the committee of fortification for having condemned
this plan, thought that, as a citizen, and a member of the two
hundred, he might give his advice at large, and therefore, did so in
this memorial, which he was imprudent enough to have printed, though
he never published it, having only those copies struck off which
were meant for the two hundred, and which were all intercepted at
the post-house by order of the senate.* I found this memorial among my
uncle's papers, with the answer he had been ordered to make to it, and
took both. This was soon after I had left my place at the survey,
and I yet remained on good terms with the Counselor de Coccelli, who
had the management of it. Some time after, the director of the
custom-house entreated me to stand godfather to his child, with
Madam Coccelli, who was to be godmother: proud of being placed on such
terms of equality with the counselor, I wished to assume importance,
and show myself worthy of that honor.
* The grand council of Geneva, in December, 1728, pronounced this
paper highly disrespectful to the councils, and injurious to the
committee of fortification.
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