o the man whom the
king delighteth to honour.'"--Book of Esther, c. vi., v. 11.--ED.]

When I returned to the continent after all this greatness, I used to
joke with my acquaintance, and tell them that I could not bear to live
with them, for they did not treat me with a proper respect.

My time passed here in the most agreeable manner. I enjoyed a sort of
luxury of noble sentiment. Paoli became more affable with me. I made
myself known to him.[103] I forgot the great distance between us, and
had every day some hours of private conversation with him.

[Footnote 103: "Finding him (Johnson) in a placid humour, and wishing to
avail myself of the opportunity which I fortunately had of consulting a
sage, to hear whose wisdom, I conceived, in the ardour of youthful
imagination, that men filled with a noble enthusiasm for intellectual
improvement would gladly have resorted from distant lands, I opened my
mind to him ingenuously, and gave him a little sketch of my life, to
which he was pleased to listen with great attention."--Boswell's
"Johnson." Date of June 13, 1763.--ED.]

From my first setting out on this tour, I wrote down every night what I
had observed during the day, throwing together a great deal, that I
might afterwards make a selection at leisure.

Of these particulars, the most valuable to my readers, as well as to
myself, must surely be the memoirs and remarkable sayings of Paoli,
which I am proud to record.

Talking of the Corsican war, "Sir," said he, "if the event prove happy,
we shall be called great defenders of liberty. If the event shall prove
unhappy, we shall be called unfortunate rebels."

The French objected to him that the Corsican nation had no regular
troops. "We would not have them," said Paoli. "We should then have the
bravery of this and the other regiment. At present every single man is
as a regiment himself. Should the Corsicans be formed into regular
troops, we should lose that personal bravery which has produced such
actions among us, as in another country would have rendered famous even
a Marischal."[104]

[Footnote 104: See page 140.--ED.]

I asked him how he could possibly have a soul so superiour to interest.
"It is not superiour," said he; "my interest is to gain a name. I know
well that he who does good to his country will gain that: and I expect
it. Yet could I render this people happy, I would be content to be
forgotten. I have an unspeakable pride. 'Una superbia indicibile.'