the life of horatio lord nelson-第13章

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uring　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　was　issued　by　the　English　government；　after　the　peace　of　Paris；　prohibiting　any　intercourse　with　the　rebels　of　Corsica。　Paoli　said；　he　did　not　expect　this　from　Great　Britain。　This　great　man　was　deservedly　proud　of　his　country。　〃I　defy　Rome；　Sparta；　or　Thebes；〃　he　would　say；　〃to　show　me　thirty　years　of　such　patriotism　as　Corsica　can　boast！〃　Availing　himself　of　the　respite　which　the　inactivity　of　the　French　and　the　weakness　of　the　Genoese　allowed；　he　prosecuted　his　plans　of　civilising　the　people。　He　used　to　say；　that　though　he　had　an　unspeakable　pride　in　the　prospect　of　the　fame　to　which　he　aspired；　yet　if　he　could　but　render　his　countrymen　happy；　he　could　be　content　to　be　forgotten。　His　own　importance　he　never　affected　to　undervalue。　〃We　are　now　to　our　country；〃　said　he；　〃like　the　prophet　Elisha　stretched　over　the　dead　child　of　the　Shunamite；eye　to　eye；　nose　to　nose；　mouth　to　mouth。　It　begins　to　recover　warmth；　and　to　revive：　I　hope　it　will　yet　regain　full　health　and　vigour。〃

But　when　the　four　years　were　expired；　France　purchased　the　sovereignty　of　Corsica　from　the　Genoese　for　forty　millions　of　livres；　as　if　the　Genoese　had　been　entitled　to　sell　it；　as　if　any　bargain　and　sale　could　justify　one　country　in　taking　possession　of　another　against　the　will　of　the　inhabitants；　and　butchering　all　who　oppose　the　usurpation！　Among　the　enormities　which　France　has　committed；　this　action　seems　but　as　a　speck；　yet　the　foulest　murderer　that　ever　suffered　by　the　hand　of　the　executioner　has　infinitely　less　guilt　upon　his　soul　than　the　statesman　who　concluded　this　treaty；　and　the　monarch　who　sanctioned　and　confirmed　it。　A　desperate　and　glorious　resistance　was　made；　but　it　was　in　vain；　no　power　interposed　in　behalf　of　these　injured　islanders；　and　the　French　poured　in　as　many　troops　as　were　required。　They　offered　to　confirm　Paoli　in　the　supreme　authority；　only　on　condition　that　he　would　hold　it　under　their　government。　His　answer　was；　that　〃the　rocks　which　surrounded　him　should　melt　away　before　he　would　betray　a　cause　which　he　held　in　common　with　the　poorest　Corsican。〃　This　people　then　set　a　price　upon　his　head。　During　two　campaigns　he　kept　them　at　bay：　they　overpowered　him　at　length；　he　was　driven　to　the　shore；　and　having　escaped　on　shipboard；　took　refuge　in　England。　It　is　said　that　Lord　Shelburne　resigned　his　seat　in　the　cabinet　because　the　ministry　looked　on　without　attempting　to　prevent　France　from　succeeding　in　this　abominable　and　important　act　of　aggrandizement。　In　one　respect；　however；　our　country　acted　as　became　her。　Paoli　was　welcomed　with　the　honours　which　he　deserved；　a　pension　of　L1200　was　immediately　granted　him；　and　provision　was　liberally　made　for　his　elder　brother　and　his　nephew。

About　twenty　years　Paoli　remained　in　England；　enjoying　the　friendship　of　the　wise　and　the　admiration　of　the　good。　But　when　the　French　Revolution　began；　it　seemed　as　if　the　restoration　of　Corsica　was　at　hand。　The　whole　country；　as　if　animated　by　one　spirit；　rose　and　demanded　liberty；　and　the　National　Assembly　passed　a　decree　recognising　the　island　as　a　department　of　France；　and　therefore　entitled　to　all　the　privileges　of　the　new　French　constitution。　This　satisfied　the　Corsicans；　which　it　ought　not　to　have　done；　and　Paoli；　in　whom　the　ardour　of　youth　was　passed；　seeing　that　his　countrymen　were　contented；　and　believing　that　they　were　about　to　enjoy　a　state　of　freedom；　naturally　wished　to　return　to　his　native　country。　He　resigned　his　pension　in　the　year　1790；　and　appeared　at　the　bar　of　the　Assembly　with　the　Corsican　deputies；　when　they　took　the　oath　of　fidelity　to　France。　But　the　course　of　events　in　France　soon　dispelled　those　hopes　of　a　new　and　better　order　of　things；　which　Paoli；　in　common　with　so　many　of　the　friends　of　human…kind；　had　indulged；　and　perceiving；　after　the　execution　of　the　king；　that　a　civil　war　was　about　to　ensue；　of　which　no　man　could　foresee　the　issue；　he　prepared　to　break　the　connection　between　Corsica　and　the　French　Republic。　The　convention　suspecting　such　a　design；　and　perhaps　occasioning　it　by　their　suspicions；　ordered　him　to