1807.] 
us *M. de Marbeuf, an officer of con- 
fiderable talents, had Janded with fix 
batallions, in 1764. But yet Paoli was 
{till confidered, by all parties, as the le+ 
gitimate chiet, ‘and it was not until fome 
time after that a new war, and that too 
with fuch a powerful monarchy as Frauce, 
became inevitable. 
Meanwhile, the people of England, 
always impretted with noble ideas in be- 
half of freedom, began to conceive a 
high notion of the’ inhabitants of Cor- 
fica, and to feel a generous wifh to ferve 
them. This paffion was not a little in- 
flamed by the writings of a young 
fSeotchman, who had been induced to 
vilit that ifland in 1765, without any 
other introduction than a letter from the - 
celebrated author. of the Social Con- 
tract 
By this means he obtained an intro- 
dnetion to Paoli, whom he deferibes as 
follows: “I found him alane, and was 
jtruck with his appearance. Le is tall, 
itrong, and well made; of a tair com- 
plexion, afentible, free, and oben coun- 
tenance, and amanly and open carriage. 
tle was then in his fortieth year. Ile 
was dreffed in vreen and gold. He uted 
to wear the coinmon Corfican habit; but 
on the arrival of the French he though t 
n fittle external elegance might be of 
ule, to make the government appear ina 
more reipectable light. 
“ Fle atked me, what were my com- 
mands for him? i prefented him a jet- 
ter from Count Rivarola; and when he 
had read it, I thewed a iy letter trom 
Roufieau. He was polite, but very retery- 
ed. I had tivod in the prefence of many 
a prince, but I never had fuch a trial as 
in the prefence of Paoli. I have al- 
re ady faid, that he is a great phytiogno- 
mift. In confequence of his being in 
continval danger from treachery “and 
affalfination, he has eee a habit of 
ftudioufly obferving every new face. For 
ten minutes we salked backwards and 
forwards through the room, hardly fhy- 
* M. de Marbeuf was much beloved by 
the natives. It was he, indeed, who pro- 
tected the family of Bonaparte ; and being 
very much attached, as has been faid, to lits 
mother, obtained leave for him, during the 
reign of Louis XV., tu be fent to PE cole Mi- 
Sicaire. 
+ The late Mr. Bofwell, fon of Loz 
Auchinleck, one of the lords of feffion, a 
gentleman who feems to have begun the 
world as a {peculative whig, andto have end- 
ed it as a practical tory. 
SlontuHtxy Mac. No. 154, 
Memoirs of the late General Paoli. 
153 
ing a word, while he looked at me with 
a itedtatt, keen, and penetrating eye, as 
if he fearched iy very foul. 
“This imterview was for a while very 
fevere upon me. L was very much re- 
lieved when his referve wore off, and he 
began to {peak more. I then ‘ventured 
to addrefS him with this compliment to 
the Corficaus: ‘Sir, L am upon my 
travels, and have lately vifited Rome. 
Tam come trom feeing the ruins of one 
brave and free people : I now fee the 
rite of another.” 
This event, trifling as it may appear, 
tended not a little, in confequence of 
the policy of Paoli, to raife him in the 
eftimation of his own countrymen, and 
even of the neighbouring ftates. Bofs 
well was immediately lodzed in the heute 
of Signor Colonna, the lord of the ma- 
nor, and vilited by all the nobility ; and 
whenever he chofe to furvey the country, 
Wits ue by a party of foldiers. 
“ One day,” {ays he, “ when I rede out 
IT was mounted on Paoli’s own horie, 
with rich turmiture of crimfon velvet, 
with broad gold lace, and had my puards 
marching along with me. I allowed my- 
felf to indulge a momentary pride in the 
parade, as 1 was curious to experience 
what could really be the pleafure of ftate 
and diftinétion, with which mankind-are 
fo firangely intoxicated.” Tt was ealy 
to countenance, or even to originate, 
the report that a gentleman, w hofe zeal 
alone carried him into the wilds of Cor- 
fica, had been fent thither on a feeret 
milli 5 and the  Ambafciadore In 
Blefe,” by means of the Avignon Gazette, 
was {von introduced to the notice of all 
the people of Europe. 
While Paoli was thus flattering the 
vanity of his countrymen, and confoli- 
dating his own “power, the conquett of 
the whole ifland feems to have been me- 
ditated by the court of France. Louis 
&V. an indolent and voluptuous prince, 
addicted to the loofelt pleafures, and re- 
gulated by the will of his miftrefles and 
Lis iminifters, was prevailed upon to 
make the attempt tn 1768. MM, de Chan- 
velin, one of his favourites, and the fg 
ther of that ambaflador whom we have 
feen at our own court, as the reprefen- 
tative of Louis XVI., was accordingly 
nominated to the command of the expe- 
dition. 
‘The army deftined for the acquifition 
of the poor, barren, and defolate ifland 
of Corfica, was compofed of fixteen bae 
tallions and two legions, amounting im 
all te about 5000 men. . Thele were to 
U he 
