cannonaded and
bombarded, which was continued near two hours with extraordinary fury,
when part of the wall was seen to tumble down."[67] The place
surrendered in a few days to the Corsicans. In the following year the
patriots sent envoys to the English ambassador at Turin with proposals
that Corsica should put herself entirely under the protection of Great
Britain. No definite answer was given. In 1748 some English troops were
landed in the island, but on the conclusion of the peace of
Aix-la-Chapelle they were withdrawn, and the Corsicans and Genoese were
again left to fight out their own battles.

[Footnote 67: "The Gentleman's Magazine," vol. xv., p. 628.]

Five years later (1753) Gaffori, who had long held the office of sole
general of the island, was carried off by assassination. "The
murderers," says Boswell, "were set on by the Republic. At least, it is
a fact that some of these wretches have still a miserable pension to
support them, in the territory of Genoa." His place was filled by Pascal
Paoli, the son of the old Corsican leader, who ever since the French
invasion had lived with his boy in retirement at Naples. When the young
man was sent for by his countrymen, his old father, "hoary and gray with
years, fell on his neck and kissed him, gave him his blessing, and with
a broken feeble voice, encouraged him in the undertaking on which he was
entering: 'My son,' said he, 'I may, possibly, never see you more; but
in my mind I shall ever be present with you. Your design is a great and
a noble one; and I doubt not, but God will bless you in it.'"

Paoli's task was full of difficulties. In "the affairs of Corsica, he
found the utmost disorder and confusion. There was no subordination, no
discipline, no money, hardly any arms and ammunition; and, what was
worse than all, little union among the people. He immediately began to
remedy these defects. His persuasion and example had wonderful force. In
a short time he drove the Genoese to the remotest corners of the
island.... He, in a manner, new-modelled the government upon the
soundest principles of democratical rule, which was always his favourite
idea." He carried a law by which assassination was made capital on
whatever pretence it had been committed. He set about establishing
schools in every village, and he founded a University at Corte. Boswell
writing to Temple in 1767 says, "I have received an elegant letter from
the University of Corte, and also an extract