the life of horatio lord nelson-第10部分

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England。　The　history　of　these　brave　people　is　but　a　melancholy　tale。　The　island　which　they　inhabit　has　been　abundantly　blessed　by　nature；　it　has　many　excellent　harbours；　and　though　the　MALARIA；　or　pestilential　atmosphere；　which　is　so　deadly　in　many　parts　of　Italy　and　of　the　Italian　islands；　prevails　on　the　eastern　coast；　the　greater　part　of　the　country　is　mountainous　and　healthy。　It　is　about　150　miles　long；　and　from　40　to　50　broad；　in　circumference；　some　320；　a　country　large　enough；　and　sufficiently　distant　from　the　nearest　shores；　to　have　subsisted　as　an　independent　state；　if　the　welfare　and　happiness　of　the　human　race　had　ever　been　considered　as　the　end　and　aim　of　policy。　The　Moors；　the　Pisans；　the　kings　of　Aragon；　and　the　Genoese；　successively　attempted；　and　each　for　a　time　effected　its　conquest。　The　yoke　of　the　Genoese　continued　longest；　and　was　the　heaviest。　These　petty　tyrants　ruled　with　an　iron　rod；　and　when　at　any　time　a　patriot　rose　to　resist　their　oppressions；　if　they　failed　to　subdue　him　by　force　they　resorted　to　assassination。　At　the　commencement　of　the　last　century　they　quelled　one　revolt　by　the　aid　of　German　auxiliaries；　whom　the　Emperor　Charles　VI。　sent　against　a　people　who　had　never　offended　him；　and　who　were　fighting　for　whatever　is　most　dear　to　man。　In　1734　the　war　was　renewed；　and　Theodore；　a　Westphalian　baron；　then　appeared　upon　the　stage。　In　that　age　men　were　not　accustomed　to　see　adventurers　play　for　kingdoms；　and　Theodore　became　the　common　talk　of　Europe。　He　had　served　in　the　French　armies；　and　having　afterwards　been　noticed　both　by　Ripperda　and　Alberoni；　their　example；　perhaps；　inflamed　a　spirit　as　ambitious　and　as　unprincipled　as　their　own。　He　employed　the　whole　of　his　means　in　raising　money　and　procuring　arms；　then　wrote　to　the　leaders　of　the　Corsican　patriots；　to　offer　them　considerable　assistance；　if　they　would　erect　Corsica　into　an　independent　kingdom；　and　elect　him　king。　When　he　landed　among　them；　they　were　struck　with　his　stately　person；　his　dignified　manners；　and　imposing　talents。　They　believed　the　magnificent　promises　of　foreign　assistance　which　he　held　out；　and　elected　him　king　accordingly。　Had　his　means　been　as　he　represented　them；　they　could　not　have　acted　more　wisely　than　in　thus　at　once　fixing　the　government　of　their　country；　and　putting　an　end　to　those　rivalries　among　the　leading　families；　which　had　so　often　proved　pernicious　to　the　public　weal。　He　struck　money；　conferred　titles；　blocked　up　the　fortified　towns　which　were　held　by　the　Genoese；　and　amused　the　people　with　promises　of　assistance　for　about　eight　months：　then；　perceiving　that　they　cooled　in　their　affections　towards　him　in　proportion　as　their　expectations　were　disappointed；　he　left　the　island；　under　the　plea　of　expediting　himself　the　succours　which　he　had　so　long　awaited。　Such　was　his　address；　that　he　prevailed　upon　several　rich　merchants　in　Holland；　particularly　the　Jews；　to　trust　him　with　cannon　and　warlike　stores　to　a　great　amount。　They　shipped　these　under　the　charge　of　a　supercargo。　Theodore　returned　with　this　supercargo　to　Corsica；　and　put　him　to　death　on　his　arrival；　as　the　shortest　way　of　settling　the　account。　The　remainder　of　his　life　was　a　series　of　deserved　afflictions。　　He　threw　in　the　stores　which　he　had　thus　fraudulently　obtained；　but　he　did　not　dare　to　land；　for　Genoa　had　now　called　in　the　French　to　their　assistance；　and　a　price　had　been　set　upon　his　head。　His　dreams　of　royalty　were　now　at　an　end；　he　took　refuge　in　London；　contracted　debts；　and　was　thrown　into　the　King's　Bench。　After　lingering　there　many　years；　he　was　released　under　an　act　of　insolvency；　in　consequence　of　which　he　made　over　the　kingdom　of　Corsica　for　the　use　of　his　creditors；　and　died　shortly　after　his　deliverance。

The　French；　who　have　never　acted　a　generous　part　in　the　history　of　the　world；　readily　entered　into　the　views　of　the　Genoese；　which　accorded　with　their　own　policy：　for　such　was　their　ascendancy　at　Genoa；　that　in　subduing　Corsica　for　these　allies；　they　were　in　fact　subduing　it　for　themselves。　They　entered　into　the　contest；　therefore；　with　their　usual　vigour；　and　their　usual　cruelty。　It　was　in　vain　that　the　Corsicans　addressed　a　most　affecting　memorial　to　the　court　of　Versailles；　that　remorseless　government　persisted　in　its　flagitious　project。　They　poured　in　troops；　dressed　a　part　of　them　like　the　people　of　the　country；　by　which　means　they　deceived　and　destroyed　many　of　the　patriots；　cut　down　the　standing　corn；　the　vines；　and　the　olives；　set　fire　to　the　villages；　and　hung　all　the　most　able　and　active　men　who　fell　into　their　hands。　A　war　of　this　kind　may　be　carried　on　with　success　against　a　country　so　small　and　so　thinly　peopled　as　Corsica。　Having　reduced　the　island　to　perfect　servitude；　which　they　called　peace；　the　French　withdrew　their　forces。　As　soon　as　they　were　gone；　men；　women；　and　boys　rose　at　once　against　their　oppressors。　The　circumstances　of　the　times　were　now　favourable　to　them；　and　some　British　ships；　acting　as　allies　of　Sardinia；　bombarded　Bastia　and　San　Fiorenzo；　and　delivered　them　into　the　hands　of　the　patriots。　This　service　was　long　remembered　with　gratitude：　the　impression　made　upon　our　own　countrymen　was　less　favourable。　They　had　witnessed　the　heartburnings　of　rival　chiefs；　and　the　dissensions　among　the　patriots；　and　perceiving　the　state　of　barbarism　to　which　continual　oppression；　and　habits　of　lawless　turbulence；　had　reduced　the　nation；　did　not　recollect　that　the　vices　of　the　people　were　owing　to　their　unhappy　circumstances；　but　that　the　virtues　which　they　displayed　arose　from　their　own　nature。　This　feeling；　perhaps；　influenced　the　British　court；　when；　in　1746；　Corsica　offered　to　put　herself　under　the　protection　of　Great　Britain：　an　answer　was　returned；　expressing　satisfaction　at　such　a　communication；　hoping　that　the　Corsicans　would　preserve　the　same　sentiments；　but　signifying　also　that　the　present　was　not　the　time　for　such　a　measure。

These　brave　islanders　then　formed　a　government　for　themselves；　under　two　leaders；　Gaffori　and　Matra；　who　had　the　title　of　protectors。　The　latter　is　represented　as　a　partisan　of　Genoa；　favouring　the　views　of　the　oppressors　of　his　country　by　the　most　treasonable　means。　Gaffori　was　a　hero　worthy　of　old　times。　His　eloquence　was　long　remembered　with　admiration。　A　band　of　assassins　was　once　advancing　against　him；　he　heard　of　their　approach；　went　out　to　meet　them；　and；　with　a　serene　dignity　which　overawed　them；　requested　them　to　hear　him。　He　then　spake　to　them　so　forcibly　of　the　distresses　of　their　country；　her　intolerable　wrongs；　and　the　hopes　and　views　of　their　brethren　in　arms；　that　the　very　men　who　had　been　hired　to　murder　him；　fell　at　his　feet；　implored　his　forgiveness；　and　joined　his　banner。　While　he　was　besieging　the　Genoese　in　Corte；　a　part　of　the　garrison　perceiving　the　nurse　with　his　eldest　son；　then　an　infant　in　arms；　straying　at　a　little　distance　from　the　camp；　suddenly　sallied　out　and　seized　them。　The　use　they　made　of　their　persons　was　in　conformity　to　their　usual　execrable　conduct。　When　Gaffori　advanced　to　batter　the　walls；　they　held　up　the　child　directly　over　that　part　of　the　wall　at　which　the　guns　were　pointed。　The　Corsicans　stopped：　but　Gaffori　stood　at　their　head；　and　ordered　them　to　continue　the　fire。　Providentially　the　child　escaped；　and　lived　to　relate；　with　becoming　feeling；　a　fact　so　honourable　to　his　father。　That　father　conducted　the　affairs　of　the　island　till　1753；　when　he　was　assassinated　by　some　wretches；　set　on；　it　is　believed；　by　Genoa；　but　certainly　pensioned　by　that　abominable　government　after　the　deed。　He　left　the　country　in　such　a　state　that　it　was　enabled　to　continue　the　war　two　years　after　his　death　without　a　leader：　the　Corsicans　then　found　one　worthy　of　their　cause　in　Pasquale　de　Paoli。

Paoli's　father　was　one　of　the　patriots　who　effected　their　escape　from　Corsica　when　the　French　reduced　it　to　obedience。　He　retired　to　Naples；　and　brought　up　his　youngest　son　in　the　Neapolitan　service。　The　Corsicans　heard　of　young　Paoli's　abilities；　and　solicited　him　to　come　over　to　his　native　country；　and　take　the　command。　He　did　not　hesitate　long：　his　father；　who　was　too　far　advanced　in　years　to　take　an　active　part　himself；　encouraged　him　to　go；　and　when　they　separated；　the　old　man　fell　on　his　neck；　and　kissed　him；　and　gave　him　his　blessing。　〃My　son；〃　said　he；　〃perhaps　I　may　never　see　you　more；　but　in　my　mind　I　shall　ever　be　present　with　you。　Your　design　is　great　and　noble；　and　I　doubt　not　but　God　will　bless　you　in　it。　I　shall　devote　to　your　cause　the　little　remainder　of　my　life　in　offering　up　my　prayers　for　your　success。〃　When　Paoli　assumed　the　command；　he　found　all　things　in　confusion：　he　formed　a　democratical　government；　of　which　he　was　chosen　chief：　restored　the　authority　of　the　laws；　established　a　university；　and　took　such　measures；　both　for　repressing　abuses　and　moulding　the　rising　generation；　that；　if　France　had　not　interfered；　upon　its　wicked　and　detestable　principle　of　usurpation；　Corsica　might　at　this　day　have　been　as　free；　and　flourishing　and　happy　a　commonwealth　as　any　of　the　Grecian　states　in　the　days　of　their　prosperity。　The　Genoese　were　at　this　time　driven　out　of　their　fortified　towns；　and　must　in　a　short　time　have　been　expelled。　France　was　indebted　some　millions　of　livres　to　Genoa：　it　was　not　convenient　to　pay　this　money；　so　the　French　minister　proposed　to　the　Genoese；　that　she　should　discharge　the　debt　by　sending　six　battalions　to　serve　in　Corsica　for　four　years。　The　indignation　which　this　conduct　excited　in　all　generous　hearts　was　forcibly　expressed　by　Rousseau；　who；　with　all　his　errors；　was　seldom　deficient　in　feeling　for　the　wrongs　of　humanity。　〃You　Frenchmen〃　said　he；　writing　to　one　of　that　people；　〃are　a　thoroughly　servile　nation；　thoroughly　sold　to　tyranny；　thoroughly　cruel　and　relentless　in　persecuting　the　unhappy。　If　you　knew　of　a　freeman　at　the　other　end　of　the　world；　I　believe　you　would　go　thither　for　the　mere　pleasure　of　extirpating　him。〃

The　immediate　object　of　the　French　happened　to　be　purely　mercenary：　they　wanted　to　clear　off　their　debt　to　Genoa；　and　as　the　presence　of　their　troops　in　the　island　effected　this；　they　aimed　at　doing　the　people　no　farther　mischief。　Would　that　the　conduct　of　England　had　been　at　this　time　free　from　reproach！　but　a　proclamation