The Genoese, as usual, abused their power, on which a native, of the name of Sampiero, put himself at the head of a body of insurgents, and set them for some time at defiance; but he was basely murdered by an assassin, who being put to death by the people, was honoured as a martyr by the senate of Genoa. In the meantime the oppression they endured exceeded all bounds. They were loaded with imposts of every kind; they paid a tenth of all their produce to their cruel masters, besides a capitation and a hearth tax. That they might be more dependent on Genoa, they were prohibited from erecting manufactures; and they could sell their commodities to her merchants alone. In addition to this, her rapacious governors had seized on the estates of the noble families of Ciaccaldi and Raffeli; while Pinelli, the commissary-general, a hungry noble, wishing to enrich himself speedily, levied exorbitant sums by means of fiscal arts and military contributions.

The Corsicans on this once more erected the standard of revolt, and endeavoured to burst their chains. Animated by their sufferings and their revenge, they now got the better both of their foreign taskmasters and the domestic traitors who espoused their cause, and seem to have driven them out of the island. The senate of Genoa, finding itself inadequate to quell so formidable an insurrection, invoked the assistance of the emperor. On this his imperial majesty, in consequence of a subsidy, despatched six thousand troops, under the direction of Baron de Wachtendonck; and soon after added four thousand more, commanded by Prince Louis de Wirtemberg; but these proved unable to extinguish the love of liberty. On this an armistice ensued, under the mediation of that monarch, and a negociation was soon after entered into, in May, 1732; Corte being appointed for the meeting of the deputies on both sides. The Corsican commissioners are

said to have displayed great powers of mind during the conference, and to have defended the cause of their country with a manly boldness. After insisting on their right to resist oppression, they at length were prevailed upon to consent to an amnesty, and even to place themselves once more under the dominion of Genoa.

After the proclamation of the preliminaries, to the due observance of which both Corsicans and Genoese swore in the most solemn manner, the imperial troops evacuated the island.

The Genoese, however, did not keep their promise, but by their cruel conduct soon rendered the Corsicans more anxious than before to throw off their yoke.

In this they were assisted by Baron Newhoff, afterwards known as King Theodore of Corsica, a German adventurer, who negociated a treaty for their relief with the Turks, who were bitterly opposed to the Genoese. The Turkish government determined that the baron was to receive immediate assistance, on condition of holding that island under the protection of the Porte. Accordingly, having repaired to Constantinople, he was there furnished with a large sum of money, and also with an order directed to the Bey of Tunis, who was to lend further assistance.

While Newhoff was thus secretly preparing for the deliverance of Corsica, and had procured the assistance of the Mahometans in behalf of a people scrupulously attached to the dogmas of the Church of Rome, the senate of Genoa daily exhibited new instances of perfidy towards the unhappy islanders. Two other chiefs, who had distinguished themselves during the late revolt, had been seized and executed, under pretence of their having incited the people to another insurrection; and rigorous measures were adopted in respect to the rest. The alarm instantly spread over the whole island. Neither life nor pro

But the

perty was any longer safe under such an odious tyranny, and a civil war, with all its horrors, became preferable, in the opinion of all, to such a dangerous and degrading state of servitude. situation of the deputies who had repaired to Florence was infinitely more critical than that of any of their countrymen; they were alarmed lest the government had discovered their intrigues with Baron de Newhoff; and they saw no security for themselves but in a new war.

Affairs were in this situation, when an emissary on the part of Theodore landed on the island, with letters addressed to the chiefs, in which he stated that he would soon set sail for Corsica, provided with powerful assistance, in order to deliver the people from the infamous yoke of their cruel oppressors; and he entreated them in the meantime to remain faithful to their promise, and prepare, by means of courageous exertions, to fulfil the glorious enterprise which they had sworn to accomplish.

The deputies instantly communicated these despatches to an assembly of the malcontents. A little before they had determined on establishing an aristocracy under the name of a republic; but they now unanimously resolved to nominate the baron king, on his arrival in the island. In consequence of this resolution, they appointed several of the most distinguished nobles to receive and compliment him in the name of the people.

It was on the 15th of March, 1736, that Theodore arrived in the port of Aleria, on board of a twenty-four gun ship, carrying the English flag. This vessel was accompanied by two transports, laden with provisions and ammunition, consisting of fourteen thousand sacks of flour, six brass twelve-pounders, twenty thousand muskets, bayonets, etc. In addition to these articles, there were fourteen thousand suits of regimentals, an equal number of shoes and hats, and a military chest, in which was contained

a hundred thousand sequins, a coin which pointed out the state whence the succour had been derived. Theodore was immediately conducted to Corte, the capital, amidst the acclamations of the multitude, who in his person beheld a guardian genius. He was at once proclaimed as Theodore the First, King of Corsica, with all the ceremonies observed on such occasions.

For some little time all went well, but the king had many enemies; his position was difficult, and he did not always behave wisely. In the first place, he had rendered himself disagreeable to the priesthood, a body of which the enmity is always formidable in the exact proportion of the ignorance of the people. In consequence of this, his alliance with the Turks was termed by them sacrilegious, as if it had been a crime to obtain that assistance from Mahometans which Christians were unwilling to confer. His majesty also seems to have spoken too freely of the superstition of the Roman Church; an offence not likely to be forgiven by those who profited by them: thus the priests, who led the people, having become his enemies, the people themselves did not fail, in a short time, to participate in their resentments.

A plot is said to have been formed, about this period, against his life; certain it is that three persons, allied to the most powerful families of Corsica, were arrested, and executed in a summary manner, which added greatly to the number of malcontents; who publicly reproached Theodore with tyranny, and asserted, in the bitterness of their indignation, that the yoke of the republicans was comparatively light to that of an absolute monarch.

A sudden change now took place in the temper and disposition of his subjects, and the king found himself abandoned even by the greater part of his soldiers. In short, those only remained attached to him on whom he had bestowed offices and appointments. He now, in his turn,

began to change his conduct. He told those about him that he was determined, in future, to make his glory and happiness consist in the public felicity; he, on all occasions, affected popularity; assisted the poor, and gave ready audience, and promised immediate redress to the meanest of his subjects, who happened to be oppressed. He also endeavoured to gain the clergy over to his interests by means of promises of support and protection; but as it was evident that his power began to totter, they rejected all his advances. Besides, the armament then fitting out by Genoa was reputed to be powerful, and they were desirous to make their peace with the strongest party, even at the expense of their country.

In this critical situation, his sole reliance was in the immediate arrival of six thousand Albanians, under the command of the famous Kusafa; but he soon learned that they had entered into the service of the king of the two Sicilies. In addition to this intelligence, the situation of the Ottoman Porte, now engaged in a contest with the Russians and Imperialists, was such, that he could not. expect any further succour from that quarter. Thus buffeted by fortune on every side, disappointed in all his resources, and surrounded by a mutinous people, he at length determined to quit Corsica; not, however, as a fugitive king, but with the full and entire consent of his subjects. In consequence of this resolution, which was ineffectually opposed by the courtiers, he issued letters for convoking a general assembly. All the pieves, or districts, not in the possession of the Genoese, sent deputies thither; and it was to the full as numerous as that which had conferred the crown. Theodore entered the hall in which the states were to deliberate, and ascending the steps, which led to the royal chair, seated himself in the midst of them. A profound silence. having now taken place, he rose, with

an air of dignity, and delivered an harangue, so well adapted to the occasion as to make a great and lasting impression on his auditors.

He began by observing, that having been disappointed in the succour he expected, he was about to depart, with a view to solicit them in person; and that he intended to nominate a council of regency during his absence. He then exhorted them "to remain faithful and loyal to their sovereign, and no longer to disgrace themselves by seditions, as in that case he would forsake them for ever, and cease to recognise them as his subjects." He added, "that in accepting the crown, he entertained no other ambition than that of enfranchising them, at the expense of his repose, and even of his life, from the tyranny of the Genoese, under which they had so long groaned; and it was painful for him to remark, that they themselves formed the chief obstacle to the completion of his wishes. Royalty, considered by itself, had no charms in his eyes; he was ready to resume his former rank without regret; and although his finances were exhausted, he still possessed an intrepid mind, that could scorn the rigours of poverty, and glory in resem bling the Fabricii of antiquity, who considered honour and virtue as their sole treasure."

This short oration, added to the misfortunes of their prince misfortunes which they now accused themselves of having created, or at least augmentedproduced a sudden effect on the assembly, the members of which instantly arose, as if by unanimous consent, offered to renew the oath of fidelity, and promised to spill the last, drop of their blood in his defence. Theodore, however, being suspicious of the promises of an inconstant people, was not to be moved. On the contrary, by an edict promulgated at Sartena, November 14, he conferred the regency on certain nobles.

That, on which Theodore took his

departure, was a day of mourning to the Corsicans. All the nobles accompanied him to the port of Aleria, where he had disembarked only eight months before. There he harangued them again; and, after having enjoined the scrupulous observance of his regulations, he went on board a little vessel, that had been prepared for him beforehand, and instantly set sail for Constantinople. On his arrival in that city, he found the Turks too much occupied about the war in Hungary, to attend to his solicitations; and he soon deemed it prudent to remove. However, as the Genoese had set a price upon his head, it now became necessary to disguise himself for a time in such a manner as to escape assassination. He never returned to Corsica, but in 1748 or 1749, he appeared in London. Here his majesty contracted debts amounting to £453, and being unable to pay them, he was arrested and conveyed to the King's Bench prison! From this he was only released in May, 1756, by an act of insolvency, and we have it on record that he actually registered the kingdom of Corsica, in behalf of his creditors, at Guildhall!

Notwithstanding his liberation by the insolvent act, Theodore appears to have remained within the liberties of the Fleet until December, 1756; when, taking a chair, for which he had not money to pay, he was carried to the Portuguese minister's, in Audley-street; but not finding him at home, he prevailed upon the chairmen to conduct him to the

house of a tailor, No. 5, Little Chapelstreet, Soho, who, having known him. formerly, and compassionating his miserable situation, took him into his house. There the most unfortunate of monarchs fell sick next day, and died after a short illness, December 11, 1756.

It has been usually supposed that the body was buried by subscription; the following facts, however, may be depended upon. No sooner had Theodore's demise taken place, than some difficulties occurred relative to the interment. On this Mr. Wright, an opulent oilman, in Compton-street, said, "he was determined, for once in his life, to have the honour of burying a king!" He accordingly kept his word, and the body, after lying in state, was buried on the 15th of December. Horace Walpole, soon after, caused a neat marble monument to be erected near the grave, in St. Ann's churchyard, Westminster, surmounted by a crown, taken from one of his majesty's coins, and the following inscription to be engraved beneath :

Near this place is interred THEODORE KING OF CORSICA, Who died in this Parish, December 11, 1756, Immediately after leaving the King's Bench Prisor by the Benefit of the Act of Insolvency; in Conrequence of which he registered HIS KINGDOM OF CORSICA For the Use of his Creditors.

"The grave, great teacher, to a level brings Heroes and beggars, galley-slaves and kings, But THEODORE his moral learn'd ere dead; Fate pour'd its lessons on his living head,

Bestow'd a kingdom, and deny'd him bread."