whale with the barbarous hope of its leading to its poor mother. Presently she arose, and seizing the young one, dragged about a hundred fathoms of line out of the boat, with remarkable force and velocity. Again she rose to the surface, darted furiously to and fro; frequently stopped short, or suddenly changed her direction, and gave every possible intimation of extreme agony. For a length of time she continued thus to act, though closely pursued by the boats; and inspired with courage and resolution by her concern for her offspring, seemed regardless of the danger that surrounded her. Being at length struck with six harpoons, she was killed by her savage pursuers. PASCAL PAOLI, THE PATRIOT OF CORSICA. "I defy," said the brave General Paoli, "Rome, Sparta, or Thebes, to show me thirty years of such patriotism as Corsica can boast." This little island has experienced more vicissitudes, and been subjected to a greater variety of masters, than any other part of Europe. Different states have held it in subjection by turns, just as their power predominated over that of their neighbours. During the prosperity of the Carthaginians, Corsica owned them for its lords; afterwards it passed successively to the Romans, and to their conquerors, the barbarians of the north; then to the Saracens ; afterwards to the Pope, who made a transfer of it to the Pisans; and lastly, it was wrested from them by their more powerful neighbours and competitors, the Genoese; who, after some severe struggles, attended with various successes, became, in 1354, its complete and undisputed sovereigns. The despotism of the Genoese, made all the former durance and sufferings of the Corsicans appear light and trivial. The yoke was, however, too formidable to be easily broken; until, unable longer to bear their oppressions, they revolted in formidable numbers in 1729, and obtained several successes over the Genoese. It was in the course of this protracted contest, that Theodore de Newhoff was elected king; but after a short and unhappy reign, he resigned the office. The Corsicans still continued to struggle, under their own patriot leaders, to emancipate their country, when, in 1755, Pascal Paoli, then a student at Naples, was raised to the chief command. Nothing could be more grateful to the feelings of Pascal, than this voluntary and striking testimony of the good opinion and attachment of the people among whom he had been born; and, impressed with the generous ambition of serving his country, by asserting its liberties, he resolved to comply with the honourable proposal which had been made to him. His resolution on this occasion was not the rash impulse of the moment, induced by the prospect, fascinating at all times to the mind of youth, of eminence and fame; it was the reluctant determination of genuine patriotism, in which his diffidence and fear were overcome by the imperious calls of public duty. Of the greatness of the undertaking in which he was about to embark, and of the difficulties and dangers attending it, he was by no means insensible; but, considering his abilities, whatever they might be, as the rightful property of his country, he nobly determined to make every necessary sacrifice of a personal nature, to advance as far as he was able, its welfare and prosperity. This resolution was highly pleasing to his venerable father. He viewed with feelings of parental exultation, the obedience of his son to the calls of his oppressed country; and a ray of patriotic hope beamed in his countenance, when he beheld him about to embark, in all the fire of youth, in the great cause to which he had himself devoted many of the best years of his protracted life. When on the eve of bidding a last adieu to his son, the venerable sire, agitated by a crowd of contending feelings, addressed him in the following affectionate language: "My son, I may possibly never see you more; but in my mind I shall ever be present with you. Your design is a great and noble one; and I doubt not but that God will bless you in it. The little which remains to me of life, I will allot to your cause, in offering up my prayers and supplications to Heaven for your protection and prosperity." When Paoli landed in the island all was enthusiasm and hope. His appearance seemed to verify every eulogium which had been passed upon his character, and to realize every expectation which had been formed upon the report of his talents. His dignified, though modest demeanour, his manly aspect, and general firmness and energy of character, rendered more attractive by his amiable temper and affable deportment towards all with whom he conversed, warmed all hearts with admiration, and afforded an auspicious earnest of the eminence he was ultimately to attain. His formal appointment to the chief command, which took place soon after his arrival, was announced to the public in a proclamation of the supreme council, dated at St. Antonio of the White House, July 15, 1755. At the time Paoli was invested with the government of the island, the state of its affairs, and the general condition of its inhabitants, were most disorderly and wretched, and required the most prompt exertions of the great powers of his genius to regulate and reform them. The Genoese, notwithstanding every exertion to expel them, were still in possession of a great part of the country; and there was a total want of that discipline and subordination among the Corsican troops, and of that barmony and confidence among their leaders, so essentially necessary to enable them to act with vigour and effect: and they were almost entirely destitute of the arms, ammunition, and money, requisite to prosecute a successful warfare against so determined and vindictive a foe as they had to contend with. Paoli was, however, soon enabled to drive the Genoese from all the interior districts, and to confine them to the maritime towns. The people under the command of Paoli, had now become tolerably united, and cordially cooperated with the ruling powers. Strong measures were therefore adopted to harass the enemy, and a spirited manifesto was published, inviting the Corsicans to come forward, and to exert their utmost power to emancipate themselves from the bondage under which they had so long groaned. The Genoese became alarmed, well knowing, from dear-bought experience, the courage and intrepidity of the islanders, and beholding with trepidation and alarm the increased energies with which they had been inspired by the wise counsels and animating example of their patriotic leader. The Genoese sought to negociate, but Paoli and his brave companions in arms resolved never to make peace, until the Genoese should recognize the freedom and independence of Corsica. All prospect of negociation being thus broken off, the affairs of the Corsican patriots assumed a most serious aspect. They presented memorials to the sovereigns of Europe, in the hopes that some one would interfere in their behalf; but "Truths would you teach, and save a sinking land, and the Corsicans, instead of support, found that France had agreed by whale with the barbarous hope of its leading to its poor mother. Presently she arose, and seizing the young one, dragged about a hundred fathoms of line out of the boat, with remarkable force and velocity. Again she rose to the surface, darted furiously to and fro; frequently stopped short, or suddenly changed her direction, and gave every possible intimation of extreme agony. For a length of time she continued thus to act, though closely pursued by the boats; and inspired with courage and resolution by her concern for her offspring, seemed regardless of the danger that surrounded her. Being at length struck with six harpoons, she was killed by her savage pursuers. PASCAL PAOLI, THE PATRIOT OF CORSICA. "I defy," said the brave General Paoli, "Rome, Sparta, or Thebes, to show me thirty years of such patriotism as Corsica can boast." This little island has experienced more vicissitudes, and been subjected to a greater variety of masters, than any other part of Europe. Different states have held it in subjection by turns, just as their power predominated over that of their neighbours. During the prosperity of the Carthaginians, Corsica owned them for its lords; afterwards it passed successively to the Romans, and to their conquerors, the barbarians of the north; then to the Saracens ; afterwards to the Pope, who made a transfer of it to the Pisans; and lastly, it was wrested from them by their more powerful neighbours and competitors, the Genoese; who, after some severe struggles, attended with various successes, became, in 1354, its complete and undisputed sovereigns. The despotism of the Genoese, made all the former durance and sufferings of the Corsicans appear light and trivial. The yoke was, however, too formidable to be easily broken; until, unable longer to bear their oppressions, they revolted in formidable numbers in 1729, and obtained several successes over the Genoese. It was in the course of this protracted contest, that Theodore de Newhoff was elected king; but after a short and unhappy reign, he resigned the office. The Corsicans still continued to struggle, under their own patriot leaders, to emancipate their country, when, in 1755, Pascal Paoli, then a student at Naples, was raised to the chief command. Nothing could be more grateful to the feelings of Pascal, than this voluntary and striking testimony of the good opinion and attachment of the people among whom he had been born; and, impressed with the generous ambition of serving his country, by asserting its liberties, he resolved to comply with the honourable proposal which had been made to him. His resolution on this occasion was not the rash impulse of the moment, induced by the prospect, fascinating at all times to the mind of youth, of eminence and fame; it was the reluctant determination of genuine patriotism, in which his diffidence and fear were overcome by the imperious calls of public duty. Of the greatness of the undertaking in which he was about to embark, and of the difficulties and dangers attending it, he was by no means insensible; but, considering his abilities, whatever they might be, as the rightful property of his country, he nobly determined to make every necessary sacrifice of a personal nature, to advance as far as he was able, its welfare and prosperity. This resolution was highly pleasing to his venerable father. He viewed with feelings of parental exultation, the obedience of his son to the calls of his oppressed .country; and a ray of patriotic hope beamed in his countenance, when he advantage, they pursued their career with too little circumspection, and fell into a snare, which Paoli, who had withdrawn his troops to the other side of the Guolo, had laid for them. They were suddenly attacked by five or six thousand men, under the command of Clement Paoli, the brother of Pascal, and routed in all directions. Paoli immediately laid siege to Borgo, a strong position of which the French had obtained possession in their first successes, and which had been entrusted to the command of M. De Lude. Having no artillery, their menaces were regarded as impotent by their enemies, and treated with ridicule. The Corsicans, however, invested the place on the 5th of December, and blockaded De Lude and his troops so completely, as to cut off all communication between him and the main body, and to deprive him of all supplies of water for himself and his men. At length his situation became so desperate, that M. de Chauvelin conceived it to be his duty to risk the safety of his whole army to endeavour to relieve him. Accordingly, an ill-concerted attack was made on the Corsicans, which terminated in their complete success. The French forces were driven back with the loss of about three hundred men, and De Lude was obliged to capitulate, with all the infantry, the colours of the royal legion, and four pieces of artillery, while the victorious Corsicans had not to lament the loss of one man in any part of the engagement. After this signal defeat, in which Paoli and his brave countrymen covered themselves with glory, M. de Chauvelin retreated in consternation to Bastia, leaving his conquerors in quiet possession of the field they had so nobly won. The French commander soon after returned home in disgrace, and Marbeuf succeeded him pro tempore. A suspension of arms was agreed upon between the new commander and Paoli; but Dumourier, who served in the French army as adjutant-general,' being at variance with Marbeuf, determined not to remain idle. Under pretence that the Corsicans in opposition to Paoli, were not included in this treaty, he intrigued with several of the principal families among them, agreed to carry on the war at their head, and actually assaulted the post of Isola Rossa, and took the tower of Giralette by storm. This impotent warfare was, however, soon terminated; and the Corsican patriots had leisure to direct their thoughts to operations of greater consequence. Elated by their late successes, and willing to avail themselves of the favourable opportunity which the consternation of their invaders offered for the purpose, they entered into a regular and systematic conspiracy, to destroy or expel them from the island. All the quarters occupied by the French were to be assaulted at one and the same time, and six battalions that wintered in Oletta were to be murdered by their hosts. This massacre did not take place, but the general attack was carried into execution. A battalion of the regiment of La Mark was surprised and cut off in the Patrimonio. Reprisals ensued, and the war again broke out with increased violence. Favourable as was the termination of this campaign to Paoli and his followers, they were too soon convinced that their victory had not secured to them any lasting advantages. They found that France had sent reinforcements of twenty battalions and two legions, under the command of the Count de Vaux, whose military talents and resolution Paoli well knew how to estimate. Desperate as the affairs of the islanders had now become, they did not despair, but appeared animated with life and vigour, proportioned to the emergency, and determined to grasp the darling form of liberty, while life or hope remained. To the formidable armament of their enemies, they opposed a firm, undaunted front, tenaciously defending, and as they retreated, dearly selling every inch of ground to their foes. These foes were, however, too numerous and too formidable; and Paoli and his brave associates, after prosecuting the struggle for some time, even when it became hopeless, were obliged to abandon their country to its unprincipled spoilers. A Corsican serjeant, who fell in one of the desperate actions against the Genoese, when dying, wrote to Paoli thus: "I salute you. Take care of my aged father. In two hours I shall be with the rest who have bravely died for their country." DREADFUL EFFECTS OF INSANITY. The following shocking affair happened at Bongham in Nottinghamshire, in August 1777 Öne Ann Seacy, who for some time, at intervals, had been in a state of insanity, and who had a husband and several small children, took the opportunity of his absence to murder the youngest, an infant, about seven weeks old, by strangling it (as was supposed, from the marks that appeared on its neck, and the blood that gushed from its nose), though she had but a few minutes before given it suck. She was first perceived by her daughter, a girl about fourteen years of age, who, going into the room, screamed out, on which the mother ran and bolted the outer door, but the girl's shrieks and cries were heard by the neighbours, who broke open the door, when they found the infant dead. Just at the instant they entered the room, she had got another child by the neck, which she was attempting to strangle in the same manner, but was prevented by the neighbours. She said, had she murdered the other, it would have given her ease; declaring, at the same time, her intention was afterwards to murder herself, she having several times before made attempts on her own life, but had been prevented. WANTON CRUELTY. The Count de Lauzun passed the long interval, from the year 1672 to 1681, in the prison of Pignerol. It has been well observed by Sterne, "that with pen, ink, and paper, albeit a man cannot get out of prison, he may do very well within, and at last come out a wiser man than he entered;" but these consolations did not fall to the lot of the Count de Lauzun. At a distance from the voice of friend or relation without any sounds, except his own sighs; without any light, except the glimmerings through the roof; without books, means of occupation, or possibility of exercise; a prey to hope deferred, corroding languor, and uninterrupted horror; he at last, as the only means of preserving himself from insanity, had recourse to the expedient of taming a spider." Misery," says Trinculo, "makes a man acquainted with strange companions." The spider received his flies every morning with gratitude, carried on his webs through the day with alacrity, and engaged the whole attention of his benefactor; until the gaoler, conversant in scenes of wretchedness, and consequently steeled against every tender sensation, accidentally discovered this amusement of his prisoner, and, in the wantonness of his tyranny, officiously destroyed the subject of it. M. de Lauzun afterwards declared, that he conceived his agony on this occa sion to have been more painful, than that of a fond mother on the loss of a darling child. |