ho had a flow of words and a vivacity of gesture which fully
justified what Petrus Cyrnaeus[112] hath said of the Corsican
eloquence; "Diceres omnes esse bonos causidicos. You would say they are
all good pleaders."

[Footnote 112: See Preface, page viii.--ED.]

I found Paoli had reason to wish that I should talk much with his
countrymen, as it gave me a higher opinion both of him and of them.
Thuanus[113] has justly said, "Sunt mobilia Corsorum ingenia. The
dispositions of the Corsicans are changeable." Yet after ten years,
their attachment to Paoli is as strong as at the first. Nay, they have
an enthusiastick admiration of him. "Questo grand' uomo mandato per Dio
a liberare la patria. This great man whom God hath sent to free our
country," was the manner in which they expressed themselves to me
concerning him.

[Footnote 113: Jacques-Auguste de Thou (or, as he called himself in
Latin, Jacobus Augustus Thuanus), born in Paris 1553. Author of
"Historia sui Temporis," in 138 books.--ED.]

Those who attended on Paoli were all men of sense and abilities in their
different departments. Some of them had been in foreign service. One of
them, Signor Suzzoni, had been long in Germany. He spoke German to me,
and recalled to my mind, the happy days which I have past among that
plain, honest, brave people, who of all nations in the world, receive
strangers with the greatest cordiality.[114] Signor Gian Quilico Casa
Bianca, of the most ancient Corsican nobility, was much my friend. He
instructed me fully with regard to the Corsican government. He had even
the patience to sit by me while I wrote down an account of it, which
from conversations with Paoli, I afterwards enlarged and improved. I
received many civilities from the Abbe Rostini, a man of literature, and
distinguished no less for the excellency of his heart. His saying of
Paoli deserves to be remembered. "Nous ne craignons pas que notre
General nous trompe ni qu'il se laisse tromper. We are not afraid that
our General will deceive us, nor that he will let himself be deceived."

[Footnote 114: They must have wonderfully improved since the days of
Erasmus. "Advenientem nemo salutat, ne videantur ambire hospitem.... Ubi
diu inclamaveris, tandem aliquis per fenestellam aestuarii (nam in his
degunt fere usque ad solstitium aestivum) profert caput, non aliter quam
e testa prospicit testudo. Is rogandus est an liceat illic diversari. Si
non renuit, intelligis dari locum," &c.-