COLONSAY COLONY 93 was placed in one of the collections of the cap- itol in 1845. A selection of her poems is con- tained in Gironi's Raccolta di lirici italiani (Milan, 1808). A memoir of her is appended to the Life of Michel Angelo by John S. Har- ford (London, 1857). IV. Blare Antonio, duke of Paliano, distinguished for the part which he took in the battle of Lepanto (1571), died Aug. 2, 1584. On his return to Rome after that bat- tle, he was received with the highest marks of honor, and was afterward made viceroy of Sicily by Philip II. of Spain. V. Fabio, born in Naples in 1567, died there in 1650. He was the author of many books on botany, and the first to write a botanical work with copper- plate illustrations (^vropdaavoc, Naples, 1592). COLONSAY, one of the Hebrides or Western islands of Scotland, S. W. of Argyleshire, be- tween the isles of Islay and Mull, and con- nected at the S. end with that of Oronsay, from which it is separated at high water only ; pop. about 800. Including Oronsay, the length is 12 m., the breadth from 1 to 3 m. A great portion of the soil is well cultivated, producing potatoes and barley ; and cattle and sheep of a superior breed abound. The cod fisheries are extensive, and there are two capacious roadsteads and a good quay at Port- nafeamin, the harbor of the island. The ruins of a stronghold of the early lords of the isles are situated in the middle of a lake on this island. Colonsay and Oronsay were among the early monastic stations, and next to Ion a they contain the most famous remains of reli- gious edifices in the Hebrides. LITTLE COLON- SAY, an islet between Staffa and Gometra, af- fords good pasturage for sheep, but contains few inhabitants. COLONY (Lat. colonia, from colere, to culti- vate), a word originally applied to a body of people established in a foreign country, whether remaining subject to the government of the mother country, or having an independent gov- ernment of their own. It is now used as a designation of the territory inhabited by such persons. The Phoenicians first set the exam- ple of colonization. Their colonies, established upon the islands of the Mediterranean, and the coasts of Africa and Spain, were founded for the purpose of promoting commerce, but con- tributed powerfully to the progress of civiliza- tion. Carthage, itself a colony of the Tynans, in turn sent forth colonies in the prosecution of its commerce, which were remarkable for their number rather than for their importance. Her colonies, unlike those of Tyre, remained in political dependence upon the mother coun- try. The Greeks founded colonies upon the coasts of Macedonia, Thrace, and Asia Minor, upon the islands of the Archipelago and the Ionian sea, in Crete, Rhodes, Cyprus, southern Italy, Sicily, and Cyrene, and on even remoter shores of the Mediterranean. The colonies were generally distinguished as Dorian, Ionian, or ./Eolian, according to the Grecian tribe from which they originated, and soon surpassed even their mother countries in poetry, philosophy, and art. Their prosperity was promoted by political independence. Miletus possessed four ports and more than 100 vessels, and in its turn became a colonizing power. Ephesus, Syra- cuse, Rhodes, and Cyrene were all rich and powerful cities. In many cases the political institutions of the colonies resembled those of the mother country, but there were some whose institutions were a great improvement upon those which prevailed in Attica and Pelopon- nesus. As fast as the Romans extended their conquests they established colonies in the coun- tries conquered, for the purpose of consolidating their power. The Roman colonies were parts of the Roman state, their members retaining all the rights of Roman citizens, including that of suffragium or voting, and that of the honores or of holding ofiice. Land was assigned to them from the conquered territory. The original in- habitants among whom these colonists were sent, though subjects of Rome, were not Roman citizens in the full meaning of the word. The privileges allowed them varied according to cir- cumstances. After the decline and fall of the Roman power, there were no new colonies established up to the time when Genoa and Venice became powerful states. The Genoese colonies were on the shores of the Hellespont, of the Black sea, and of the sea of Azov. Those of the Venetians were in Candia and Cyprus. When the discovery of the Cape of Good Hope changed the direction of commerce with the East, the Portuguese established colo- nies along its route, upon the coasts of Africa and the shores of the Persian gulf. Among their colonies in India were those at Goa, Diu, and Damaun on the Malabar coast, Negapatam on the Coromandel coast, and Malacca. They had also colonies in Java, Sumatra, Celebes, Borneo, and the Spice islands. Upon the an- nexation of Portugal to Spain, many of the Portuguese colonies passed into the hands of the Spaniards, from whom they were taken by the Dutch. Brazil, the greatest of the Portu- guese colonies, declared itself independent in 1822. The more important colonies belonging to Portugal at the present day are the Azores, the islands of Madeira and Porto Santo, the archipelago of Cape Verd, some settlements in Senegambia, Angola (including Benguela, &c.), Congo, Prince's island, Mozambique, Goa, Diu, Macao, Dili, and Kambing. Spain began to send out colonies after the discovery of the new world. Her first colony was that of Hispaniola (Hayti), which was founded by Co- lumbus in 1492. Those of Cuba, Porto Rico, and Jamaica were next founded. When Mexico was conquered by Cortes (1519-'21), and Peru, Quito, and Chili by Pizarro and his associates, colonies were established in those countries. One of the points kept in view by the Span- iards in the establishments of their colonies was the propagation of the Catholic religion ; but the principal object was to secure for Spain the possession of their gold and silver mines, and
