CORSICA. 



471 



chivalry, had upon female dress, and whether much 

 of the disposition to display the entire figure, as far 

 as possible, did not arise from this display constantly 

 made by the male sex, in their closely-tilting armour. 

 It would lead us too far, however, to engage in such 

 an examination here; neither shall we'copy M. de 

 Jouy's account of the thoracic corset of the Bayaderes 

 of India, which he incorrectly states to be a finely 

 woven net of bark, closely fitted to the bust, and never 

 laid aside; whereas it is always (if cotton or silk, ;m<! 

 is laid aside like that of other females. 



CORSICA, the third in size of the Italian islands, 

 is separated from the northern coast of Sardinia by 

 tlie straits of Bonifacio, which are ten miles in breadth. 

 It is about fifty miles distant from Tuscany, and 100 

 from France. It contains 3790 square miles, eigh- 

 teen large towns, of which four are seaports (with 

 three harbours, capable of containing- large fleets), 

 five market-towns, 560 village?, including sixty- 

 three pieves, or cultivated valleys, and 180,400 in- 

 habitants. San Fiorenzo, which has fine roads for 

 ships to anchor in, ought to be the capital, and to be 

 fortified. A range of mountains, with numerous 

 branches, traverses the whole extent of the island, 

 and, near tlte middle, rises to such an elevation, that 

 the snow remains on the summits during the greater 

 part of the year. The monte Rotondo and the monte 

 d'Oro (from eight to 9000 feet in height) are covered 

 with perpetual snows. This chain of mountains con- 

 sists, iu part, of precipitous rocks ; and is, in part, 

 overspread with forests. A number of small 

 rivers, of which the Golo alone is navigable, flow 

 easterly and westerly into the sea. Most of these 

 frequently become dry in summer. The eastern 

 coast is more flat than the western, on which are 

 most of the inlets of the sea. The climate is mild, 

 since the heat of the sun is rendered less oppressive 

 by the high mountains and sea breezes. The air, in 

 many parts of the island, owing to die many lakes 

 of stagnant water, is unhealthy ; and these districts 

 have, consequently, become desolate. The soil is 

 very fertile, particularly in the valleys and near the 

 coast ; for which reason the inhabitants, although 

 very inattentive to agriculture, yet reap a sufficient 

 supply of grain for their necessities (with the excep- 

 tion of oats, which are not produced there). The 

 lower order of Corsicans subsist, commonly, on chest- 

 nuts, arid seldom obtain wheat bread. Wine, 

 which resembles the Malaga and French wines, not- 

 withstanding the negligent mode of cultivation, is 

 obtained in abundance. The island also produces 

 much flax, and oranges, which form an article of 

 export, in perfection. It is covered with forests of 

 chestnut and oak-trees, great quantities of olive-trees, 

 fir-trees and birch-trees, which reach the elevation of 

 from 120 to 130 feet. The breeding of cattle is 

 carried on here to a great extent ; but the horse, 

 ass, and mule, are of a small breed ; the horned 

 cattle are, indeed, large, but very lean ; and the 

 wool of the sheep is coarse. The tunny, anchovy, 

 and oyster fisheries afford the inhabitants one of their 

 principal employments. The mountains contain 

 various kinds of minerals ; and yet the art of work- 

 ing mines is almost wholly unknown. The iron is 

 celebrated -for its good qualities. 



The Corsicans are still nearly in a state of nature. 

 The majority of them are Italians, and profess the 

 Catholic religion. Industry is unknown. Even the 

 most necessary mechanics are wanting: each one 

 makes for himself almost everything he has need of. 

 Their habitations, furniture, and clothing, are miser- 

 able, and there is a great want of go.Al semii'.U'ies 

 for education. Valour, love of freedom, indolence, 

 and desire of revenge, are the characteristics of the 

 Corsicans. As late as the year 1.822, the prefect of 



Corsica, in a pamphlet, urged the French govern- 

 ment to leg-alize the practice of duelling there, 

 because the quarrels of the inhabitants often became 

 hereditary feuds. 



Until the first Punic war, the Carthaginians were 

 masters of this island. They were succeeded by 

 the Romans. In later times, Corsica was, for a long 

 time, under the dominion of the Vandals, and after- 

 wards passed successively into the hands of the 

 Greek emperors and the Goths. In 850, the Corsi- 

 cans were conquered by the Saracens, who held them 

 in subjection until the beginning of the llth century ; 

 at which time they fell under the dominion of Pisa. 

 In 1284, this island submitted to the dominion of the 

 Genoese, who had before, in 806, subdued it, but 

 were unable to retain possession of it for a long time. 

 Exasperated by the oppressions of the Genoese 

 government during 400 years, the Corsicans took 

 up arms, in 1729, and, since that time, have never 

 submitted to the Genoese. Genoa called in the 

 imperial forces in 1730, and the French, in 1738, to 

 their assistance. In 1736, baron Theodore von 

 Neuhof (See Theodore), a Westphalian, so won the 

 affections of the Corsicans, that they elected him 

 king, under the name of Theodore 1. lie left them, 

 upon the landing of the French, to seek for foreign 

 aid. The French evacuated the island, on tlie 

 breaking out of the German war, in 1741, and 

 another insurrection took place. In 1755, the 

 Corsican senate appointed Pascal Paoli (q. v.) their 

 general, who conducted their affairs with so much 

 success, that the Genoese, even with the assistance 

 of the troops of the French garrisons (after 1764), 

 were able to retain in their possession only a few 

 maritime towns, with the capital, Bastia, and 

 renounced the hope of ever bringing the island again 

 into subjection. They, therefore, in 1768, aban- 

 doned these places to France, by a treaty, which 

 Spinola and the duke ol Choiseul concluded at 

 Paris, in which it was stipulated, that the king ot 

 France should reduce the islaad, and govern it 

 until the republic should repay the expenses of the 

 war. This convention was a mere subterfuge to 

 deceive the British, and to save the senate from the 

 reproach of a sale. The French thought that the 

 subjugation of Corsica could be effected by a small 

 military force ; but Paoli, in the expectation of 

 assistance from Britain, made so spirited a resist- 

 ance, that tlie expedition soon cost the French 

 30,000,000 livres, although they had gained no im- 

 portant advantages. The number of the French 

 troops was afterwards increased, so that they 

 amounted to 30,000 men, under the marshal de 

 Vaux. Britain still remained inactive ; and, in 

 several actions, the Corsicans were so unmindful of 

 their duty, that Paoli, in despair, gave up all 

 thoughts of resistance, and, in June, 1769, fled to 

 Britain, where he was supported by a pension from 

 the king. A partisan warfare was, however, main- 

 tained in the mountains until 1774. At the time of 

 tlie French revolution, Corsica was incorporated 

 with France, as a separate department, and sent 

 deputies to the national convention. Paoli now 

 returned to his native land ; but the terrorists 

 required his presence at Paris, where he would inevit- 

 ably have been put to death. He therefore unfurkd 

 the banner of tlie Death's head (the old Corsican 

 anus), and summoned his countrymen to his standard. 

 With tlie assistance of the British, who landed 

 Feb. 18, 1794, he reduced Bastia, May 22, and 

 Calvi, Aug. 4. The Corsicans submitted to tlie 

 British sceptre, in a general convention of deputies, 

 at Corte, June 18, 1794. Corsica was constituted 

 a kingdom, under tlie government of a viceroy 

 (Elliot); the constitution and laws of Britain were 



