nancing kings."
After he had remained in prison more than six years, "he took the
benefit of the Act of Insolvency, and went to the Old Bailey for that
purpose: in order to it, the person applying gives up all his effects to
his creditors: his Majesty was asked what effects he had? He replied
'Nothing but the kingdom of Corsica;' and it was actually registered for
the benefit of his creditors. As soon as Theodore was at liberty, he
took a chair and went to the Portuguese Minister, but did not find him
at home; not having sixpence to pay, he prevailed on the chairmen to
carry him to a tailor he knew in Soho, whom he prevailed upon to harbour
him; but he fell sick the next day, and died in three more." Walpole
set up a stone in St. Ann's Churchyard, Soho, in memory of his majesty,
with the following inscription:--

Near this place is interred
Theodore, King of Corsica;
Who died in this parish, Dec. 11, 1756,
Immediately after leaving the King's Bench Prison,
By the benefit of the Act of Insolvency:
In consequence 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 this moral learn'd, ere dead;
Fate pour'd its lessons on his living head,
Bestow'd a kingdom and denied him bread.

Disappointed though they were in their king, the Corsicans nevertheless
carried on the war with spirit. They would, no doubt, have soon freed
the whole island, had not the French come to the help of their
oppressors. It was in vain that the islanders sent a memorial to the
King of France. "If," said their spokesman to Louis XV., "your sovereign
commands force us to yield to Genoa, well then, let us drink this bitter
cup to the health of the most Christian king, and die." The king and
the emperor acting together drew up articles of peace which seemed fair
enough; but, as a preliminary, the Corsicans were to be disarmed. To
this they refused to yield. Their leaders "published a spirited
manifesto to their countrymen, concluding it with the noble sentiment of
Judas Maccabeus: 'Melius est mori in bello quam videre mala gentis
nostrae. It is better for us to die in battle than to behold the
calamities of our people.'" The French dispatched an expedition to the
assistance of the Genoese which utterly failed. The following year
(1739) a more formidable exped