Rambles in the Islands of Corsica and Sardinia Part 28

[15] _Norway in 1848-1849_, pp. 188, 189. (8vo. Ed., Longman & Co.) Professor Forbes arrives at nearly the same result from the observations of Von Buch and others. _Norway and its Glaciers_, pp. 207, &c.

[16] Professor Forbes (_Travels in the Alps_) states the average height of the snow-line at 8500 feet.

[17] See an Essay by Professor Forbes on Isothermal Lines and Climatology, in _Johnstone's Physical Atlas_, p. 17.

[18] "Un Arret du Conseil du 22 Juin, 1771, avait defendu de planter des chataigniers dans aucun terrain de l'ile susceptible d'etre ens.e.m.e.nce de bles ou autres grains, ou d'etre converti en prairies naturelles ou artificielles, ou plantes de vignes, d'oliviers, ou de muriers. Deux ans apres cet arret fut revoque par un autre, ou l'on reconnaissait que les chataigniers etaient pour les habitants de certains cantons un moyen d'existence necessaire dans les temps de disette, et dans tous les temps un objet de commerce avantageux. Ce dernier arret fut rendu sur le rapport du celebre economiste Turgot."-_Robiquet_, quoted by _Marmocchi_, p. 225.

[19] _Clarke and McArthur's Life of Nelson_, vol. i. pp. 156, &c.

[20] Benson's _Sketches of Corsica_, p. 97.

[21] Lyell's _Elements_, vol. ii. c. x.x.xi.

[22] _Recherches sur les Oss.e.m.e.nts fossiles_, t. iv. p. 198.

[23] Vol. ii. c. x.x.xi.

[24] Chap. XIII.

[25] See Chap. XI.

[26] The article of the Const.i.tutional Act, vesting the sovereignty of Corsica in the king of Great Britain, runs as follows:-

"Il Monarca, e Re della Corsica, e sua Maesta Giorgio III., Re della Gran-Bretagna, e li de lui Successori, secondo l'ordine della successione al trono della Gran-Bretagna."

The oath sworn by the king on accepting the crown and const.i.tution of Corsica was to the following effect:-

"Io sotto scritto Cavaliere Baronetto, &c., &c., Plenipotenziario di S.

Maesta Britannica, essendo specialmente autorizzato a quest'effetto, accetto in nome di sua Maesta GIORGIO III., Re DELLA GRAN-BRETAGNA, la corona e la sovranita della Corsica secondo la Cost.i.tuzione, &c., questo giorno dicianove Giugno (1704). E giuro in nome di SUA MAESTa di mantenere la liberta del popolo Corso, secondo la Cost.i.tuzione e la Legge.

"(Sottoscritto) ELLIOT."

The oath of the president and deputies:-

"Io giuro per me, ed in nome del popolo Corso che rappresento, di riconoscere per mio Sovrano e Re sua Maesta GIORGIO III., Re DELLA GRAN-BRETAGNA, di prestargli fede ed omaggio, secondo la Cost.i.tuzione,"

&c.

Compared with the original,

PASQUALE DI PAOLI, _Presidente_.

CARLO ANDREA POZZO-DI-BORGO,} _Segretarj._ GIO. ANDREA MUSELLI, }

The oath of allegiance was to be taken by all Corsicans in their respective communities.-_Benson's Sketches in Corsica_, pp. 193-195.

[27] See before, p. 159.

[28] _Hist. Plant._ lib. 1, cap. 8.

[29] See _Norway in 1848-1849_, 8vo., Longman & Co., pp. 36, 37.

[30] Lambert's _Genus Pinus_, vol. i. p. 18.

[31] Walpole's _Turkey_, p. 236.

[32] Lambert's _Genus Pinus_, vol. ii. p. 28.

[33] "FOReT D'ASCO EN CORSE.

"La Foret d'Asco est situee dans l'arrondiss.e.m.e.nt de Corte. Elle est traversee par une riviere au moyen de laquelle on pourrait l'exploiter avec de grands avantages. Cette foret, une des plus considerables, consideree comme foret particuliere, pourrait fournir deux cents cinquante mille metres cubes de bois. Elle renferme des arbres de toute dimension. Il y en est qu'on pouvait faire servir pour la marine comme matiere de batiments. Par sa nature gra.s.se ou resineuse, le bois est employe avec succes pour les chemins de fer, et presente tous les conditions de solidite et de duree. La plus grande partie de la foret renferme les Pins Larix; il y a aussi une grande quant.i.te de Pins Maritimes. La dimension des arbres maritimes est de 12 a 20 metres de hauteur; et celle des Pins Larix de 16 a 40 metres de hauteur, sur une circonference moyenne de trois metres."

At the suggestion of one of our foreign ministers, who drew the attention of Government to the possibility of obtaining supplies of timber for naval purposes from the forests of Corsica in private hands, the author, on his return to England, had some communications with official persons respecting the forests of Signor F--; but the matter dropped. Should it be thought a subject worth inquiry, with a view to commercial enterprise, the author will be happy to put any person applying to him, through his Publishers, in the way of procuring further information.

[34] There was no appeal to any personal attachment of the Corsicans to the Bonaparte family, as sprung from among themselves, or to their grat.i.tude for benefits conferred on them, in the address with which, in 1851, the _Prefet_ urged the Council-General to take part in the general movement in France for the abrogation of the article in the Const.i.tution which precluded the advance of Louis Napoleon to supreme power.

"_Marchons_," he said, "_avec la grande majorite de la France vers ce grand jour qui doit rendre le calme aux esprits, la confiance aux interets, et la liberte d'action a l'autorite!_"

The resolution, pa.s.sed by a large majority after a warm debate, was thus prefaced:-"_Considerant qu'il importe de donner a la France des inst.i.tutions que ses besoins reclament, et que ses interets moraux et materiels exigent: Considerant que le commerce et l'industrie, ces sources indispensables de l'existence de toute societe ne se releveront de leur affaiss.e.m.e.nt, et ne reprenderont un nouvel essor, qu'autant que la const.i.tution leur promettra un avenir plus a.s.sure: Considerant, en outre, que la souverainete nationale trouve dans l'article 45 de la Const.i.tution un obstacle legal a la libre manifestation de sa volonte et de sa reconnaissance envers le President actuel de la Republique, qui a rendu l'ordre et la securite au pays par la sagesse et la fermete de son gouvernement: renouvelle, a la majorite de quarante-deux voix contre quatre, le vu que la Const.i.tution de 1848 soit revisee, et l'article 45 abrogee._"

[35] This family is one of the most ancient in Corsica. Count Pozzo di Borgo, the celebrated diplomatist, was born at Alata, a village near Ajaccio. He commenced his public career under the administration of Pascal Paoli, signed the Anglo-Corsican Const.i.tutional Act as Secretary of State (see before, p. 173.), and was afterwards President of the Corsican Parliament. His subsequent career is matter of history.

[36] I find the name spelt indiscriminately Bonaparte and Buonaparte.

Napoleon, when young, wrote it both ways. It is spelt Bonaparte in the entry of his baptism in the Register of Ajaccio, which was solemnised (by-the-bye) two years after his birth, the dates being 15 Aug. 1709; 21 July, 1771. His father signed the entry as "Carlo Buonaparte."

[37] _An Account of Corsica and Journal of a Tour_, by James Boswell, p.

297.

[38] Boswell figured in this costume at the Jubilee Shakespeare Festival held at Stratford-on-Avon under Garrick's auspices.

[39] _An Account of Corsica and Journal of a Tour_, by James Boswell, p.

302.

[40] See before, p. 15. and 46.

[41] Ridiculously trifling as the origin of this b.l.o.o.d.y quarrel may appear, the story is very probably founded on fact. Renucci relates another scarcely less absurd. Feuds, similar to those mentioned in the play, had long existed between the Vinconti and Grimaldi families, inhabitants of the village of Monte d'Olmo, in the _pieve_ of Ampugnano.

Like good Catholics, however, they met sometimes at ma.s.s. The church was sacred and neutral ground; there, at least, the _treve de Dieu_ might be supposed to be in force. Thither, on some solemn feast, the villagers, indiscriminately, bent their steps. Some had already entered the church, and were engaged in their devotions, many loitered about the door, and the _piazza_ was crowded. Talking about one thing and another, the conversation naturally turned to the ceremonies of the day, and a dispute arose whether the officiating clergy ought to wear the black hoods of the Confraternity in the processions which formed part of the service.

Orso Paolo, one of the Vincenti family, gave it as his opinion that they should wear their surplices, alleging that to be the ancient and fitting custom.

"No!" cried Ruggero Grimaldi, "they ought to wear the black hoods;"

giving reasons equally authoritative for his view of the question.

The strife waxed warm. The villagers took one side or the other; "hoods," and "surplices," became the party cries. From words they came to blows, and Orso Paolo, the only man of the Vincenti family present, being sore pressed in the struggle, rashly drew out a pistol, and mortally wounded Ruggero Grimaldi's eldest son.

So the story begins, and as it is one of the few in Renucci's "_Novelle_" that are worth translating, we will give the sequel.

The rage and fury of Grimaldi and his party were now worked up to the highest pitch. The ma.s.s was interrupted, the church deserted, and the whole village a scene of uproar. Orso Paolo fled as soon as he had fired the fatal shot, pursued by his enemies, who overtook and surrounded him.

His fate had been sealed on the spot, but that, quick as lightning, he burst through the throng and darted into a house of which the door stood open. It was the house of Grimaldi, his deadly foe, but there was no other chance of escaping instant death. To close and bar the door, and stand on his defence, was the work of a moment. Corsican houses are strongholds; Orso Paolo was in possession of the enemy's fortress. He threatens death to the first a.s.sailant, and the boldest recoil. What was to be done? It was proposed to set fire to the house, but Ruggero's youngest son, a child of seven or eight years old, had been left asleep in the house when the family went to church. He would perish in the flames. At that thought Grimaldi became irresolute. Just at this moment the eldest son is brought from the church, bleeding to death from his mortal wound, amidst lamentations and women's shrieks. At that spectacle Ruggero can no longer contain himself. Frantic with grief, he runs to set fire to his own house. The voice of nature pleading for his remaining child is stifled by pa.s.sion and resentment. The tears and expostulations of the wretched mother are of no avail; they have no influence over the mind of the infuriated father.

"What are you doing, cruel Ruggero?" she cried, in the midst of sobs and groans; "Is it for you to fill up our cup of misery? Will you destroy the dearest and sweetest of our hopes? One son is gasping his last breath before our eyes, the other, still in infancy, will perish from the transports of your rage. Who, then, will be the support of our miserable old age? Who will defend us from the insults of the powerful?"