the Corsicans had thus recovered the citadel of Corte, it stood a siege by the French general de Thermes, from August to October, and that it was a scarcity of water, which at last occasioned its surrender.
In the plain, on the north of Corte, there is a convent of Capuchins, and on the side of the hill, to the south of the City, there is a convent of Franciscans. Here the General lived while his palace was repairing; and here all strangers of respect are lodged. From this convent, one has the best view of the city of Corte.
The learned and ingenious Messieurs Hervey and Burnaby, when they were at this convent, were greatly struck with the romantick appearance of Corte.
'We could scarce help fancying ourselves at Lacedemon, or some other ancient Grecian City. Livy speaking of Heraclea, has given a description of it very like Corte: 'Sita est Heraclea in radicibus Aetae montis, ipsa in Campo, arcem imminentem loco alto et undique praecipiti habet. Lib. lxxxvi. cap. 22. Heraclea is situated at the foot of mount Aeta; itself on a plain, but hanging over it, is a citadel, on a cliff very high and steep on every side.’ One would think he was speaking of the
