4*4 °^ THE REPUBLIC OF GEKOl; 



Interline wars and feuds have gradually diminifne'cl 

 the ancient fplendour of Genoa, 



In the prefent century it has fufFered two very fenfi- 

 ble fhocks. For maintaining the pofleflion of the mar- 

 quifate of Finale, they entered into a convention in 

 1745. with the houfe of Bourbon, and by this meafure 

 were brought to the uttermofr. verge of ruin. The 

 Auflrians made themfelves mailers of their capital ; and 

 their liberty was as good as loft ; when it was unex- 

 pectedly reftored by the courage anil bravery of the ci* 

 tizens, who were driven to defperation by the cruel ex- 

 tortions of the hoftile commander, and by the impru- 

 dence of that very commander in leaving the arfenal^ 

 which was full of arms, in the hands of the people. 



The fecond alarming Ihock it has received during 

 the prefent century, is the lofs of the ifland of Corfica. 

 Pope John XIX. about the commencement of the ele- 

 venth century, gave the fovereignty of that ifland to the 

 Genoefe and Pifanefe, if they could take it from the 

 Saracens, who, at that time, were mailers of it. With 

 the afliftance of the Pifanefe they were fo fortunate as 

 to fucceed ; they got pofTeffion of the ifland, and Ihort- 

 ly afterwards had the art to exclude the Pifanefe from 

 any fhare in the fovereignty. The Corfleans, a fero- 

 cious, turbulent, and fickle nation, have ever lince 

 been one while aiming at freedom, and then entirely 

 fubmiffive to the Genoefe : and the Genoefe have ex- 

 pended much treafure and blood to maintain a royal 

 authority over this unfruitful foil. Seeing however, 

 that their own force was infufficient to this end, they 

 called in the aid of the emperor Charles the Sixth ; but 

 with the handful of foldiers that they obtained, they 

 were able to effect only little or nothing. 



At- 



