the life of horatio lord nelson-第10章

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rtified　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　their　bar。　That　way　he　well　knew　led　to　the　guillotine；　and　returning　a　respectful　answer；　he　declared　that　he　would　never　be　found　wanting　in　his　duty；　but　pleaded　age　and　infirmity　as　a　reason　for　disobeying　the　summons。　Their　second　order　was　more　summary；　and　the　French　troops；　who　were　in　Corsica；　aided　by　those　of　the　natives；　who　were　either　influenced　by　hereditary　party　feelings；　or　who　were　sincere　in　Jacobinism；　took　the　field　against　him。　But　the　people　were　with　him。　He　repaired　to　Corte；　the　capital　of　the　island；　and　was　again　invested　with　the　authority　which　he　had　held　in　the　noonday　of　his　fame。　The　convention　upon　this　denounced　him　as　a　rebel；　and　set　a　price　upon　his　head。　It　was　not　the　first　time　that　France　had　proscribed　Paoli。

Paoli　now　opened　a　correspondence　with　Lord　Hood；　promising；　if　the　English　would　make　an　attack　upon　St。　Fiorenzo　from　the　sea；　he　would　at　the　same　time　attack　it　by　land。　This　promise　he　was　unable　to　perform；　and　Commodore　Linzee；　who；　in　reliance　upon　it；　was　sent　upon　this　service；　was　repulsed　with　some　loss。　Lord　Hood；　who　had　now　been　compelled　to　evacuate　Toulon；　suspected　Paoli　of　intentionally　deceiving　him。　This　was　an　injurious　suspicion。　Shortly　afterwards　he　dispatched　Lieutenant…Colonel　（afterward　Sir　John）　Moore　and　Major　Koehler　to　confer　with　him　upon　a　plan　of　operations。　Sir　Gilbert　Elliot　accompanied　them；　and　it　was　agreed　that；　in　consideration　of　the　succours；　both　military　and　naval；　which　his　Britannic　Majesty　should　afford　for　the　purpose　of　expelling　the　French；　the　island　of　Corsica　should　be　delivered　into　the　immediate　possession　of　his　Majesty；　and　bind　itself　to　acquiesce　in　any　settlement　he　might　approve　of　concern…　ing　its　government；　and　its　future　relation　with　Great　Britain。　While　this　negotiation　was　going　on；　Nelson　cruised　off　the　island　with　a　small　squadron；　to　prevent　the　enemy　from　throwing　in　supplies。　Close　to　St。　Fiorenzo　the　French　had　a　storehouse　of　flour　near　their　only　mill：　he　watched　an　opportunity；　and　landed　120　men；　who　threw　the　flour　into　the　sea；　burnt　the　mill；　and　re…embarked　before　1000　men；　who　were　sent　against　him；　could　occasion　them　the　loss　of　a　single　man。　While　be　exerted　himself　thus；　keeping　out　all　supplies；　intercepting　despatches；　attacking　their　outposts　and　forts；　and　cutting　out　vessels　from　the　bay；a　species　of　warfare　which　depresses　the　spirit　of　an　enemy　even　more　than　it　injures　them；　because　of　the　sense　of　individual　superiority　which　it　indicates　in　the　assailantstroops　were　landed；　and　St。　Fiorenzo　was　besieged。　The　French　finding　themselves　unable　to　maintain　their　post　sunk　one　of　their　frigates；　burnt　another；　and　retreated　to　Bastia。　Lord　Hood　submitted　to　General　Dundas；　who　commanded　the　land　forces；　a　plan　for　the　reduction　of　this　place：　the　general　declined　co…operating；　thinking　the　attempt　impracticable　with…　out　a　reinforcement　of　2000　men；　which　he　expected　from　Gibraltar。　Upon　this　Lord　Hood　determined　to　reduce　it　with　the　naval　force　under　his　command；　and　leaving　part　of　his　fleet　off　Toulon；　he　came　with　the　rest　to　Bastia。

He　showed　a　proper　sense　of　respect　for　Nelson's　services；　and　of　confidence　in　his　talents；　by　taking　care　not　to　bring　with　him　any　older　captain。　A　few　days　before　their　arrival；　Nelson　had　had　what　he　called　a　brush　with　the　enemy。　〃If　I　had　had　with　me　500　troops；〃　he　said；　〃to　a　certainty　I　should　have　stormed　the　town；　and　I　believe　it　might　have　been　carried。　Armies　go　so　slow　that　seamen　think　they　never　mean　to　get　forward；　but　I　daresay　they　act　on　a　surer　principle；　although　we　seldom　fail。〃　During　this　partial　action　our　army　appeared　upon　the　heights；　and　having　　reconnoitered　the　place；　returned　to　St。　Fiorenzo。　〃What　the　general　could　have　seen　to　make　a　retreat　neces…　sary；〃　said　Nelson；　〃I　cannot　comprehend。　A　thousand　men　would　certainly　take　Bastia：　with　five　hundred　and　the　AGAMEMNON　I　would　attempt　it。　My　seamen　are　now　what　British　seamen　ought　to　bealmost　invincible。　They　really　mind　shot　no　more　than　peas。〃　General　Dundas　had　not　the　same　confidence。　〃After　mature　consideration；〃　he　said　in　a　letter　to　Lord　Hood；〃and　a　personal　inspection　for　several　days　of　all　circumstances；　local　as　well　as　others；　I　consider　the　siege　of　Bastia；　with　our　present　means　and　force；　to　be　a　most　visionary　and　rash　attempt；　such　as　no　officer　would　be　justified　in　undertaking。〃　Lord　Hood　replied　that　nothing　would　be　more　gratifying　to　his　feelings　than　to　have　the　whole　responsibility　upon　himself；　and　that　he　was　ready　and　willing　to　undertake　the　reduction　of　the　place　at　his　own　risk　with　the　force　and　means　at　present　there。　General　D'Aubant；　who　succeeded　at　this　time　to　the　command　of　the　army；　coincided　in　opinion　with　his　predecessor；　and　did　not　think　it　right　to　furnish　his　lordship　with　a　single　soldier；　cannon；　or　any　stores。　Lord　Hood　could　only　obtain　a　few　artillerymen；　and　ordering　on　board　that　part　of　the　troops　who；　having　been　embarked　as　marines；　〃were　borne　on　the　ships〃　books　as　part　of　their　respective　complements；　he　began　the　siege　with　1183　soldiers；　artillerymen；　and　marines；　and　250　sailors。　〃We　are　but　few；〃　said　Nelson；〃but　of　the　right　sort；　our　general　at　St。　Fiorenzo　not　giving　us　one　of　the　five　regiments　he　has　there　lying　idle。〃

These　men　were　landed　on　the　4th　of　April；　under　Lieutenant…Colonel　Villettes　and　Nelson；　who　had　now　acquired　from　the　army　the　title　of　brigadier。　Guns　were　dragged　by　the　sailors　up　heights　where　it　appeared　almost　impossible　to　convey　thema　work　of　the　greatest　difficulty；　and　which　Nelson　said　could　never；　in　his　opinion；　have　been　accomplished　by　any　but　British　seamen。　The　soldiers；　though　less　dexterous　in　such　service；　because　not　accustomed；　like　sailors；　to　habitual　dexterity。　behaved　with　equal　spirit。　〃Their　zeal；〃　said　the　brigadier；　〃is　almost　unexampled。　There　is　not　a　man　but　considers　himself　as　personally　interested　in　the　event；　and　deserted　by　the　general。　It　has；　I　am　persuaded；　made　them　equal　to　double　their　numbers。〃　This　is　one　proof；　of　many；　that