in such a way as to blast the brightest hopes you indulge, and that are indulged by your friends. And allow me to add once for all, I desire the well-being of Greece, and nothing else; I will do all I can to secure it; but I cannot consent-I never will consent, to the English public or English individuals being deceived as to the real state of Greek affairs. The rest, gentlemen, de

In the mean while, Lord Byron's friends proceeded to Tripolitza, and found Colocotroni (the enemy of Mavrocordato, who had been compelled to flee from the presidency) in great power; his palace was filled with armed men, like the castle of some ancient feudal chief, and a good idea of his character may be formed from the language he held. He declared that he had told Mavrocordato that, unless he de-pends on you; you have fought gloriously: act sisted from his intrigues, he would put him on an ass and whip him out of the Morea; and that he had only been withheld from doing so by the representation of his friends, who had said that it would injure the cause.

honourably towards your fellow-citizens and towards the world, and then it will no more be said, as has been repeated for two thousand years with the Roman historian, that Philopomen was the last of the Grecians. Let not calumny itself (and it is difficult to guard against it in so difficult a struggle) compare the Turkish Pacha with the patriot Greek in peace, after you have exterminated him in war. »

They next proceeded to Salamis, where the congress was sitting, and Mr Trelawney agreed to accompany Odysseus, a brave mountain chief, into Negropont. At this time the Greeks were preparing for many active enterprises. Marco The dissensions among the Greek chiefs eviBotzaris' brother, with his Suliotes, and Mavro-dently gave great pain to Lord Byron, whose I cordato, were to take charge of Missolonghi, sensibility was keenly affected by the slightest which, at that time (October, 1823), was in a circumstance which he considered likely to retard very critical state, being blockaded both by land the deliverance of Greece. For my part, he and sea. There have been,» says Mr Trelawney, observes in another of his letters, I will stick thirty battles fought and won by the late Marco by the cause while a plank remains which can be Botzaris, and his gallant tribe of Suliotes, who honourably clung to; if I quit it, it will be by the are shut up in Missolonghi. If it fall, Athens Greeks' conduct, and not the Holy Allies, or the will be in danger, and thousands of throats cut. holier Mussulmans. In a letter to his banker A few thousand dollars would provide ships to at Cephalonia he says: « I hope things here will relieve it; a portion of this sum is raised-and I go well, some time or other; I will stick by the would coin my heart to save this key of Greece! cause as long as a cause exists. A report like this was sufficient to show the point where succour was most needed, and Lord Byron's determination to relieve Missolonghi was still more decidedly confirmed by a letter which he received from Mavrocordato,

Mavrocordato was at this time endeavouring to collect a fleet for the relief of Missolonghi, and Lord Byron generously offered to advance four hundred thousand piastres (about 12,000l.) to pay for fitting it out. In a letter in which he announced this noble intention, he alluded to the dissensions in Greece, and stated, that if these continued, all hope of a loan in England, or of assistance from abroad, would be at an end.

His playful humour sometimes broke out amidst the deep anxiety he felt for the success of the Greeks. He ridiculed with great pleasantry some of the supplies which had been sent out from England by the Greek committee. In one of his letters, after alluding to his having advanced 4,000l., and expecting to be called on for 4,000l. more, he says: How can I refuse, if they (the Greeks) will fight, and especially if I should happen to be in their company? I therefore request and require that you should apprise my trusty and trust-worthy trustee and banker, and crown and sheet-anchor, Douglas Kinnaird the honourable, that he prepare all monies of mine, including the purchase-money of Rochdale manor, and mine income for the year A. D. 1824, to an

for the good cause, in good and lawful money of Great Britain, etc. etc. etc. May you live a thousand years! which is nine hundred and ninety-nine longer than the Spanish Cortes constitution.»

I must frankly confess, he says in his letter, ⚫ that unless union and order are confirmed, all hopes of a loan will be in vain, and all the as-swer and anticipate any orders or drafts of mine, sistance which the Greeks could expect from abroad, an assistance which might be neither trifling nor worthless, will be suspended or destroyed; and, what is worse, the great powers of Europe, of whom no one was an enemy to Greece, but seemed inclined to favour her in consenting to the establishment of an independent power, will be persuaded that the Greeks are unable to govern themselves, and will, perhaps, themselves undertake to arrange your disorders

When every thing was arranged two Ionian vessels were ordered, and, embarking his horses and effects, Lord Byron sailed from Argostoli on the 29th of December. At Zante, his lordship took a considerable quantity of specie ou board,

A

and proceeded towards Missolonghi. Two acci- long at Missolonghi, before an opportunity predents occurred in this short passage. Count sented itself for showing his sense of Yusuff Pacha's Gamba, who accompanied his lordship from moderation in releasing Count Gamba. Hearing Leghorn, had been charged with the vessel in that there were four Turkish prisoners in the which the horses and part of the money were town, he requested that they might be placed in embarked. When off Chiarenza, a point which his hands. This being immediately granted, he lies between Zante and the place of their desti- sent them to Patras, with a letter addressed to the nation, they were surprised at daylight on finding Turkish chief, expressing his hope that the prithemselves under the bows of a Turkish frigate. soners thenceforward taken on both sides would Owing, however, to the activity displayed on be treated with humanity. This act was followboard Lord Byron's vessel, and her superiored by another equally praiseworthy, which proved sailing, she escaped, while the other was fired at, how anxious Lord Byron felt to give a new turn brought to, and carried into Patras. Count to the system of warfare hitherto pursued. Gamba and his companions being taken before Greek cruiser having captured a Turkish boat, Yusuff Pacha, fully expected to share the fate of in which there was a number of passengers, some unfortunate men whom that sanguinary chiefly women and children, they were also placed chief had sacrificed the preceding year at Pre-in the hands of Lord Byron, at his particular revisa; and their fears would most probably have quest; upon which a vessel was immediately been realized, had it not been for the presence hired, and the whole of them, to the number of of mind displayed by the count, who, assuming twenty-four, were sent to Previsa, provided with an air of hauteur and indifference, accused the every requisite for their comfort during the pascaptain of the frigate of a scandalous breach of sage. The Turkish governor of Frevisa thanked neutrality, in firing at and detaining a vessel | his lordship, and assured him, that he would under English colours; and concluded by inform- take care equal attention should be in future ing Yusuff, that he might expect the vengeance shown to the Greeks who might become priof the British government in thus interrupting a nobleman who was merely on his travels, and bound to Calamos. The Turkish chief, on recognising in the master of the vessel a person who had saved his life in the Black Sea fifteen years before, not only consented to the vessel's release, but treated the whole of the passengers with the utmost attention, and even urged them to take a day's shooting in the neighbourhood.

Owing to contrary winds, Lord Byron's vessel | was obliged to take shelter at the Scropes, a cluster of rocks within a few miles of Missolonghi, and while detained here, he was in considerable danger of being captured by the Turks.

Lord Byron was received at Missolonghi with enthusiastic demonstrations of joy. No mark of honour or welcome which the Greeks could devise, was omitted. The ships anchored off the fortress fired a salute as he passed. Prince Mavrocordato, and all the authorities, with the troops and the population, met him on his landing, and accompanied him to the house which had been prepared | for him, amidst the shouts of the multitude and the discharge of cannon.

soners.

Another grand object with Lord Byron, and one which he never ceased to forward with the most anxious solicitude, was to reconcile the quarrels of the native chiefs, to make them friendly and confiding towards one another, and submissive to the orders of the government. He had neither time nor opportunity to carry this point to any great extent: some good was, however, done.

Lord Byron landed at Missolonghi animated with military ardour. After paying the fleet, which, indeed, had only come out under the expectation of receiving its arrears from the loan which he promised to make to the provisional government, he set about forming a brigade of Suliotes. Five hundred of these, the bravest and most resolute of the soldiers of Greece, were taken into his pay on the 1st of January, 1824. An expedition against Lepanto was proposed, of which the command was given to Lord Byron. This expedition, however, had to experience delay and disappointment. The Suliotes, conceiving that they had found a patron whose wealth was inexhaustible, and whose generosity was boundless, determined to make the most of the occasion, and proceeded to the most extravagant demands on their leader for arrears, and under other pretences. These mountainers, untameable in the

One of the first objects to which he turned his attention was to mitigate the ferocity with which the war had been carried on. The very day of his lordship's arrival was signalised by his rescuing a Turk, who had fallen into the hands of some Greek sailors. The individual thus saved, field, and unmanageable in a town, were, at this having been clothed by his orders, was kept in moment, peculiarly disposed to be obstinate, the house until an opportunity occurred of send-, riotous, and mercenary. They had been chiefly ing him to Patras. Nor had his lordship been instrumental in preserving Missolonghi when be

sieged the previous autumn by the Turks; had into the Seraglio, a place which, before Lord been driven from their abodes; and the whole of their families were, at this time, in the town, destitute of either home or sufficient supplies. Of turbulent and reckless character, they kept the place in awe; and Mavrocordato having, unlike the other captains, no soldiers of his own, was glad to find a body of valiant mercenaries, especially if paid for out of the funds of another, and, consequently, was not disposed to treat them with harshness. Within a fortnight after Lord | Byron's arrival, a bur her refusing to quarter some Saliotes, who rudely demanded entrance into his house, was killed, and a riot ensued, in which some lives were lost. Lord Byron's impatient spirit could ill brook the delay of a favourite scheme, but he saw, with the utmost chagrin, that the state of his troops was such as to render any attempt to lead them out at that, time impracticable.

Byron's arrival, had been used as a sort of fortress and barrack for the Suliotes, and out of which they were ejected with great difficulty for the reception of the committee-stores, and for the occupation of the engineers, who required it for a laboratory. The sentinel on guard ordered the Suliote to retire, which being a species of motion to which Suliotes are not accustomed, the man carelessly advanced; upon which the serjeant of the guard (a German) demanded his business, and receiving no satisfactory answer, pushed him back. These wild warriors, who will dream for years of a blow if revenge is out of their power, are not slow to resent even a push. The Suliote struck again, the serjeant and he closed and struggled, when the Suliote drew a pistol from his belt; the serieant wrenched it out of his hand, and blew the powder out of the pan. At this moment Captain Sass, a Swede, seeing the fray, came up, and ordered the man to be taken to the guard-room. The Suliote was then disposed to depart, and would have done so if the serjeant would have permitted him. Unfortunately, Captain Sass did not confine himself to merely giving the order for his arrest; for when the Suliote struggled to get away, Captain Sass drew his sword and struck him with the flat part of it; whereupon the enraged Greek flew upon him, with a pistol in one hand and the sabre in the other, and at the same moment nearly cut off the Captain's right arm, and shot him through the head. Captain Sass, who was remarkable for

few minutes. The Suliote also was a man of distinguished bravery. This was a serious affair, and great apprehensions were entertained that it would not end here. The Suliotes refused to surrender the man to justice, alleging that he had been struck, which, in Suliote law, justifies all the consequences which may follow.

The project of proceeding against Lepanto being thus suspended, at a moment when Lord Byron's enthusiasm was at its height, and when he had fully calculated on striking a blow which could not fail to be of the utmost service to the Greek cause, the unlooked-for disappointment preyed on his spirits, and produced a degree of irritability which, if it was not the sole cause, contributed greatly to a severe fit of epilepsy, | with which he was attacked on the 15th of February. His lordship was sitting in the apartment of Colonel Stanhope, talking in a jocular manner with Mr Parry, the engineer, when it was observed, from occasional and rapid changes | his mild and courageons character, expired in a in his countenance, that he was suffering under some strong emotion. On a sudden he complained of a weakness in one of his legs, and rose, but finding himself unable to walk, he cried out for assistance. He then fell into a state of nervous and convulsive agitation, and was placed on a bed. For some minutes his countenance was much distorted. He however quickly recovered his senses, his speech returned, and he soon ap-ron's first attack, to a friend in Zante, he speaks of peared perfectly well, although enfeebled and himself as rapidly recovering, «I am a good deal exhausted by the violence of the struggle. During better, he observes, «though of course weakly. the fit, he behaved with his usual extraordinary The leeches took too much blood from my temfirmness, and his efforts in contending with, and ples the day after, and there was some difficulty attempting to master, the disease, are described in stopping it; but I have been up daily, and not as gigantic. In the course of the month, the in boats or on horseback. To-day I have taken attack was repeated four times; the violence of the j a warm bath, and live as temperately as well can disorder, at length, yielded to the remedies which his physicians advised, such as bleeding, cold bathing, perfect relaxation of mind, etc., and he gradually recovered. An accident, however, happened a few days after his first illness, which was ill calculated to aid the efforts of his medical advisers. A Suliote, accompanied by another man, and the late Marco Botzaris' little boy, walked

In a letter written a few days after Lord By

be, without any liquid but water, and without any animal food. After adverting to some other subjects, the letter thus concludes: «Matters are here a little embroiled with the Suliotes, foreigners, etc.; but I still hope better things, and will stand by the cause as long as my health and circumstances will permit me to be supposed useful.»

Notwithstanding Lord Byron's improvement in

health, his friends felt, from the first, that he ought to try a change of air. Missolonghi is a flat, marshy, and pestilential place, and, except for purposes of utility, never would have been selected for his residence. A gentleman of Zante wrote to him early in March, to induce him to return to that island for a time. To his letter the following answer was received :—

my assistance. I am a plain man, and cannot comprehend the use of printing-presses to a people who do not read. Here the committee have sent supplies of maps, I suppose, that I may teach the young mountaineers geography. Here are buglehorns, without bugle-men, and it is a chance if we can find any body in Greece to blow them. Books are sent to a people who want guns: they « I am extremely obliged by your offer of your ask for a sword, and the committee give them country-house, as for all other kindness, in case the lever of a printing-press. Heavens! one my health should require my removal; but I would think the committee meant to inculcate cannot quit Greece while there is a chance of my patience and submission, and to condemn resistbeing of (even supposed) utility. There is a stake ¦ ance. Some materials for constructing fortificaworth millions such as I am, and while I can tions they have sent, but they have chosen their stand at all, I must stand by the cause. While people so ill, that the work is deserted, and not I say this, I am aware of the difficulties, and dis-one para have they sent to procure other lasensions, and defects of the Greeks themselves: bourers. Their secretary, Mr Bowring, was disbut allowance must be made for them by all rea-posed, I believe, to claim the privilege of an acsonable people.» quaintance with me. He wrote me a long letter about the classic land of freedom, the birth-place of the arts, the cradle of genius, the habitation of the gods, the heaven of poets, and a great many such fine things. I was obliged to answer him, and I scrawled some nonsense in reply to his nonsense; but I fancy I shall get no more such epistles. When I came to the conclusion of the poetry part of my letter, I wrote, so much for blarney, now for business.' I have not since heard in the same strain from Mr Bowring.»

It may be well imagined, after so severe a fit of illness, and that in a great measure brought on by the conduct of the troops he had taken into his pay, and treated with the utmost generosity, that Lord Byron was in no humour to pursue his scheme against Lepanto, even supposing that his state of health had been such as to bear the fatigue of a campaign in Greece. The Suliotes, however, showed some signs of repentance, and offered to place themselves at his lordship's disposal. But still they had an objection to the nature of the service : « they would not fight against stone walls! » It is not surprising that the expedition to Lepanto was no longer thought of.

The following anecdotes, are taken from Capt. Parry's Last Days of Lord Byron; » a work which seems from its plain and unvarnished style to bear the impress of truth.

!

My future intentions, » continued he, « as to Greece, may be explained in a few words: I will remain here till she is secure against the Turks, or till she has fallen under their power. All my income shall be spent in her service; but, unless driven by some great necessity, I will not touch a farthing of the sum intended for my sister's children. Whatever I can accomplish with my income, and my personal exertions, shall be cheerfully done. When Greece is secure against external enemies, I will leave the Greeks to settle their government as they like. One service more, and an eminent service it will be, I think I may perform for them. You, Parry, shall have a schooner built for me, or I will buy a vessel; the Greeks shall invest me with the character of their ambassador or agent; I will go to the United States, and procure that free and enlightened government to set the example of recognis ing the federation of Greece as an independent state. This done, England must follow the example, and then the fate of Greece will be permanently fixed, and she will enter into all her rights, as a member of the great commonwealth of Christian Europe. »

In speaking of the Greek Committee one day, his lordship said- «I conceive that I have been already grossly ill-treated by the committee. In Italy, Mr Blaquiere, their agent, informed me that every requisite supply would be forwarded with all dispatch. I was disposed to come to Greece, but I hastened my departure in consequence of earnest solicitations. No time was to be lost, I was told, and Mr Blaquiere, instead of waiting on me at his return from Greece, left a paltry note, which gave me no information whatever. If I ever meet with him, I shall not fail to mention my surprise at his conduct; but it has been all of a piece. I wish the acting, committee had had some of the trouble which has fallen on me since my arrival here; they would have been more prompt in their proceedings, and would have known better what the country stood in This, observes Captain Parry, in his plain need of. They would not have delayed the sup- and manly manner, was Lord Byron's hope, plies a day, nor have sent out German officers, and this was to be his last project in favour of poor fellows, to starve at Missolonghi, but for, Greece. Into it no motive of personal ambition

entered, more than that just and proper one, the basis of all virtue, and the distinguished characteristic of an honourable mind—the hope of gaining the approbation of good men. As an author, he had already attained the pinnacle of popularity and of fame; but this did not satisfy his noble ambition. He hastened to Greece, with a devotion to liberty, and a zeal in favour of the oppressed, as pure as ever shone in the bosom of a knight in the purest days of chivalry, to gain the reputation of an unsullied warrior, and of a disinterested statesman. He was her unpaid, but the blessings of all Greece, and the high honours his own countrymen bestow on his memory, bearing him in their hearts, prove that he was not her unrewarded champion.

Missolonghi in a state of complete security, I could not help giving vent to a feeling of contempt and indignation. 'What is the matter,' said his lordship, appearing to be very serious, 'what makes you so angry, Parry? I am not angry,' I replied, my lord, but somewhat indignant. The Turks, if they were not the most stupid wretches breathing, might take the fort of Vasaladi, by means of two pinnaces, any night they pleased: they have only to approach it with muffled oars; they will not be heard, I will answer for their not being seen; and they may storm it in a few minutes. With eight gun-boats, properly armed with 24-pounders, they might batter both Missolonghi and Anatolica to the ground. And there sits the old gentlewoman, Prince Lord Byron's address was affable and courteous; Mavrocordato and his troop, to whom I applied his manners, when in good humour, and desir- an epithet I will not here repeat, as if they were ous of being well with his guest, were fascinating all perfectly safe. They know their powers of dein the extreme. He was open to a fault-a cha- fence are inadequate, and they have no means of racteristic probably the result of his fearlessness improving them. If I were in their place, I and independence of the world; but his friends should be in a fever at the thought of my own were obliged to be upon their guard with him. incapacity and ignorance, and I should burn He was the worst person in the world to confide with impatience to attempt the destruction of a secret to; and it a charge against any one was those stupid Turkish rascals. The Greeks and mentioned to him, it was probably the first com- Turks are opponents worthy, by their imbecility, munication he made to the person in question. of each other.' I had scarcely explained myself He hated scandal and tittle-tattle, and loved the fully, when his lordship ordered our boat to be manly straight-forward course he would har-placed alongside the other, and actually related bour no doubts, and never live with another with our whole conversation to the prince. In doing suspicions in his bosom. He detested a lie it, however, he took on himself the task of pacifynothing enraged him so much. He had considering both the prince and me, and though I was able tact in detecting untruth; he avoided the timid driveller, and generally chose his companions among the lovers of sincerity and candour. People sometimes conceal the truth from a dread of giving offence; — Lord Byron was above all fear of this sort: he flinched from telling no one what he thought to his face; falsehood is not the vice of the powerful: the Greek slave lies, the Turkish tyrant is remarkable for his adherence to truth. The anecdote that follows, told by Parry, is highly characteristic:

. When the Turkish fleet was lying off Cape | Papa, blockading Missoloughi, I was one day or dered by Lord Byron to accompany him to the mouth of the harbour to inspect the fortifications, in order to make a report on the state they were in. He and I were in his own punt, a little boat which he had, rowed by a boy; and in a large boat, accompanying us, were Prince Mavrocordato and his attendants. As I was viewing, on one hand, the Turkish fleet attentively, and reflecting on its powers, and our means of defence; and looking, on the other, at Prince Mavrocordato and his attendants, perfectly unconcerned, smoking their pipes and gossiping, as if Greece were liberated and at peace and

at first very angry, and the prince, I believe, very much annoyed, he succeeded. Mavrocordato afterwards showed no dissatisfaction with me, and I'prized Lord Byron's regard too much, to remain long displeased with a proceeding which was only an unpleasant manner of reproving us both..

« On one occasion (which we before slightly alluded to) he had saved twenty-four Turkish women and children from slavery and all its accompanying horrors. I was summoned to attend him and receive his orders, that every thing should be done which might contribute to their comfort. He was seated on a cushion at the upper end of the room, the women and children were standing before him, with their eyes fixed steadily on him; and on his right hand was his interpreter, who was extracting from the women a narrative of their sufferings. One of them, apparently about thirty years of age, possessing great vivacity, and whose manners and dress, though she was then dirty and disfigured, indicated that she was superior in rank and condition to her companions, was spokeswoman for the whole. I admired the good order the others preserved, never interfering with the explanation or