The record-union., 1894-12-29
CORSICA AND ITS PEOPLE.
The Men Were Endowed With Cour-
age and Other Primitive Virtues.

4AS Men were endowed Win COur-
age and Other Primitive Virtues.
a lofty mountain ridge divides the
| island into eastern and western districts.
The former is geutler in its slopes and
| more fertile. Looking, as it does, toward
Italy, 1t was during the middle ages
closely bound in intercourse with that
peninsula; richer III its resources than
| the other part, it was more open to out
side Influences, and for this reason freer
IN its institutions. The rugged western
division had come more completely under
the yoke OF teudalisn, having close attin-
lty IN sympathy, and some relation in
blood, with the Greek, Roman, Saracenic
and Ieutonic race elements in France
and Spain. The communal admins
tratlon of the eastern slope, however,
prevailed eventually in the western
as well, and the differences of or
igin, wealth and occupation, though at
times occaSIonlng intestine discord, were
as nothing compared with the common
characteristics which knit the people of
the entire island into one national organ
lZatlon, as much unit as was their ter
ritory by reason OF its insular situation
and IN spite of its mountain spine.
The people OF this small commonwealth
were in the main of Italian blood. Some
slight connection with the motherland
they still maintained in the relations of
commerce, and by the education of their
professional men at Italian schools.
While comparatively few supported
themselves as tradesmen or seaiarerS, the
mass OF the population was dependent
Tor livelihood upon agriculture. AS
nation, therefore. they had long ceased to
follow the course of general European de-
velopment. They had been successively
the subjects OF Greece, Rome and the
Califate, of the Emperor and OF the re-
public OF Pisa. Their latest master was
q h IN I.Eh haI Il
generated TO an Enthusiastically oligarchy.
United to that State originally by terms
which gave the island a speaker" or adj
vocate III the Genoese Senate and recog-
nIZed the most cherished habits of a
hardy, natural minded and primitive
people, they had. little by little, been lett
4 prey to their own faults in order that
their unworthy mistress might thereby
rule with less eXertion. Agriculture
langulshed, and the minute subdivision
of arabic land finally rendered it profit
less.
Among people who are isolated not
only as islanders, but also as mountains
GERS, old institutions are particularly te-
naclous OF life; that of the vendetta, or
OF blood revenge, with its accompanying
cIanSnlp, never disappeared from Corsica.
In the centuries OF Genoese rule the carry
ing OF arms was winked at, Quarres be-
came rife, and often family contedera-
lions, embracing considerable part OF
the country, were arrayed one against the
other in lawless violence. The feudal no.
bliity, few in number, were unrecog-
nized, and failed to cultivate tue indus
trial arts in the security OF costly strong
holds as their class did elsewhere, while
the fairest portion of land not held by
them We're gradually absorbed b.y the
monasterieS, which the GenoeSe favored
as likely to render easier the government
OF a turbulent people. The human ami
ma however, throve. OF medium stat
ure and powerful mould, with black hair
and piercing eyes, with well-formed,
agile and sinewy limbs, endowed with
courage and other primitive virtues, the
Corsican was everywhere sought as a
soldier, and could be found in all the
armies OF the southern continental States,
The Century.