4 MARCH 1899, Page 24

The History of Corsica. By L. H. Caird. (T. Fisher

Unwin. &s.)—Corsica makes rare and not very important appearances in the history of the world, till, indeed, it produced Napoleon, and redressed the balance, we may say, for all time. It was a subject of strife between Carthage and Rome; Seneca was exiled to it, and had an opportunity of showing practical philosophy, but did not use it ; after a long interval, during which the Pope, the Emperor, Pisa, and Genoa play a somewhat tedious game, it became famous for a time with that strange tinsel hero, Theodore, and Boswell's friend, General Paoli. But what an irony of fate for a great man—and he was great in a way—to be known as Boswell's friend ! The story of the Corsican struggle for independence is naturally the best part of the book. Elsewhere it is, and possibly could not help being, somewhat dreary. Mr. Caird should know that the Ctesar for whose favour Seneca entreated was not " Divns " while he was alive. " Ut puto Deus fib," said Vespasian, when he felt himself dying.