5o THE PALLADIUM APPLIED TO CORSICA

mid Corsica." As his biographer truly says,

"Sir Gilbert, like most of his countrymen of that day,

was profoundly convinced that the great State, which

had known how to combine personal liberty with

obrilieiife, was the only safe model for all others

to follow." ! It interferes much with any possible under-

^tiiniiii!^ of the course of the relationship between Sir

CiilU'it and Paoli, as given in his biography, that this

\m important first conversation is altogether unre-

portrcl in it.

There was in his eyes one essential condition of the llritish Constitution for export as much as for consumption. As the day by day facts men-by Moore conclusively prove, Sir Gilbert Elliot it in its rigour. There must be two parties. Pozzo <!i Borgo was for a civilised governor an incomparably more attractive man than Paoli. Pozzo was rourtly, agreeable, and eloquent, a lawyer, and not a rough, blunt, jealous, and suspicious patriot. Sir Gilbert avowedly made the two parties consist of the followers of Pozzo and of the followers of Paoli. He let it be clearly understood that every appointment, civil or military, was to be given to those who would avow their connection with Pozzo's party and disavow Paoli. To do so was to make a British party in the against the Corsicans. The result was what have been foreseen. Of course, in name Pozzo's Government was one that included men of all parties. We always in making a new party inscribe " No party " on its banners. Paolists were welcome provided they

Paoli.

As Sir Gilbert Elliot himself declares just before over the island, "They are indeed passionately

" Life of Sir Gilbert Elliot," voL ii. p. 264.