England, absence, and the heartlessness of their engagements, had cooled their affections, if their feelings towards their betrothed ever deserved to be characterised by such a term. They wrote that their fathers objected to the marriages. Passionless affectation was the precursor to a cessation of all correspondence; and the unhappy girls, with hearts withering in the chill of neglect and desertion, shrunk into a long retirement to weep over their deceived and blighted hopes of happiness. "Man's love is of man's life a thing apart; 'Tis woman's whole existence. Alas! the love of woman! it is known The excellent character of these girls, and their interesting story, excited a great desire on the part of some English visitors to bring the young recluses again into society. This was at last accomplished by the kind and gentle influence of Lady Ruthven, whose amiable and affectionate attentions to them induced them to accept an invitation to a ball given by the MAID OF ATHENS. English gentlemen in Athens, at Vitali's, a house situated the next to their own. Two of the sisters only could attend; the youngest had been unwell; and every moment that they could withdraw from the dance, it was to make inquiries, with affectionate solicitude, from the balcony at Vitali's, of their own domestics in the next garden, after the state of their sister, who could not participate in the festivity. When the Turks took Athens, the Consulina Macri and her daughters fled, in a half-decked boat, and in a state of destitution, to Corfu, where they were at first forbidden to land; for so numerous had been the refugees from Greece, that Sir Thomas Maitland, in dread of a famine, had denied them admission. Fortunately they found a friend, who succeeded in obtaining leave for them to go to the Lazaretto. Here they were soon visited by some friends; and upon their destitute situation being made known to Lord Guilford, in Rome, he transmitted to them one hundred pounds, which he raised among the English there. They spoke French, Italian, and a little English; and it is said that at Corfu they edited an edition of Madame de Genlis' "Manuel de Voyageur," with the addition of the Romaic or modern Greek dialogue. This interesting family is mentioned in "Travels in Italy, Greece, &c." by the late Mr. Hugh Williams of Edinburgh, who lodged in their house, and whose mention of them is highly interesting. "Our servant," he says, "who had gone before to procure accommodation, met us at the gate, and conducted us to Theodora Macri, the Consulina's, where we at present live. This lady is the widow of the consul, and has three lovely daughters; the eldest, celebrated for her beauty, and said to be the Maid of Athens,' of Lord Byron. Their apartment is immediately opposite to ours; and if you could see them, as we do now, through the gently waving aromatic plants before the window, you would leave your heart in Athens. The "Theresa, the Maid of Athens, Catinca, and Mariana, are of middle stature. On the crown of the head of each is a red Albanian skull-cap, with a blue tassel spread out and fastened down like a star. Near the edge or bottom of the skull-cap is a handkerchief of various colours bound round their temples. youngest wears her hair loose, falling on her shoulders, the hair behind descending down the back nearly to the waist, and, as usual, mixed with silk. The two eldest generally have their hair bound, and fastened under the handkerchief. Their upper robe is a pelisse edged with fur, hanging loose down to the ankles ; below is a handkerchief of muslin covering the bosom, and terminating at the waist, which is short; under that, a gown of striped silk or muslin, with a gore round the swell of the loins, falling in front in graceful MAID OF ATHENS. negligence; white stockings and yellow slippers complete their attire. The two eldest have black, or dark, hair and eyes; their visage oval, and complexion somewhat pale, with teeth of dazzling whiteness. Their cheeks are rounded, and noses straight, rather inclined to aquiline. The youngest, Mariana, is very fair, her face not so finely rounded, but has a gayer expression than her sisters', whose countenances, except when the conversation has something of mirth in it, may be said. to be rather pensive. Their persons are elegant, and their manners pleasing and ladylike, such as would be fascinating in any country. They possess very considerable powers of conversation, and their minds seem to be more instructed than those of the Greek women in general. With such attractions, it would indeed be remarkable if they did not meet with great attentions from the travellers who occasionally are resident in Athens. They sit in the eastern style, a little reclined, with their limbs gathered under them on the divan, and without shoes. Their employments are the needle, tambouring, and reading. "I have said that I saw these Grecian beauties through the waving aromatic plants before their window. This perhaps has raised your imagination somewhat too high in regard to their condition. You may have supposed their dwelling to have every attribute of eastern luxury. The aromatic plants which I have Y |