becoming worse confounded, at least for the present. Should I become, or be deemed useless or superfluous, I am ready to retire; but in the interim I am not to consider personal consequences; the rest is in the hands of Providence, as indeed are all things. I shall, however, observe your instructions, and indeed did so, as far as regards abstinence, for some time past.

Besides the tracts, etc., which you have sent for distribution, one of the English artificers, (hight Brownbill,1 a tinman,) left to my charge a number of Greek Testaments, which I will endeavour to distribute properly. The Greeks complain that the translation is not correct, nor in good Romaic: Bambas can decide on that point. I am trying to reconcile the clergy to the distribution, which (without due regard to their hierarchy) they might contrive to impede or neutralise in the effect, from their power over their people. Mr. Brownbill has gone to the Islands, having some apprehension for his life, (not from the priests, however,) and apparently preferring rather to be a saint than a martyr, although his apprehensions of becoming the latter were probably unfounded. All the English artificers accompanied him, thinking themselves in danger on account of some troubles here, which have apparently subsided.

I have been interrupted by a visit from Prince Mavrocordato and others since I began this letter, and must close it hastily, for the boat is announced as ready to

1. Parry (Last Days, p. 66) sneers at Brownbill, partly, perhaps, because he was known to Stanhope: "One of them, also, a protégé "of Colonel Stanhope's, had carried out a number of tracts, and in "addition to his avocations as a mechanic, was charged by the "Missionary Society, at a salary of £20, to spread a knowledge of "true religion, or of Wesleyism, among the heathen Turks and the "heretical Greeks. He was one of the foremost to retreat from danger, but he managed to pick up a little something by his piety "to comfort him in his retreat.

sail. Your future convert, Hato, or Hatagée, appears to me lively, and intelligent, and promising, and possesses an interesting countenance. With regard to her disposition I can say little, but Millingen, who has the mother (who is a middle-aged woman of good character) in his house as a domestic (although their family was in good worldly circumstances previous to the Revolution), speaks well of both, and he is to be relied on. As far as I know, I have only seen the child a few times with her mother, and what I have seen is favourable, or I should not take so much interest in her behalf. If she turns out well, my idea would be to send her to my daughter in England (if not to respectable persons in Italy), and so to provide for her as to enable her to live with reputation either singly or in marriage, if she arrive at maturity. I will make proper arrangements about her expenses through Messrs. Barff and Hancock, and the rest I leave to your discretion and to Mrs. K.'s, with a great sense of obligation for your kindness in undertaking her temporary superintendence.

Of public matters here, I have little to add to what you will already have heard. We are going on as well as we can, and with the hope and the endeavour to do better. Believe me,

Ever and truly, etc.,

N. B.

1140.-To Samuel Barff.

Missolonghi, March 5th, 1824.

DEAR SIR,-If Sisseni1 is sincere, he will be treated with, and well treated; if he is not, the sin and the

1. Georgio Sessini, descended from a Venetian proveditore, and originally an apothecary at Gastouni, placed himself at the head of

shame may lie at his own door. One great object is to heal those internal dissensions for the future, without exacting too rigorous an account of the past. The Prince Mavrocordato is of the same opinion, and whoever is disposed to act fairly will be fairly dealt with.

I have heard a good deal of Sisseni, but not a deal of good: however, I never judge from report, particularly in a revolution.

Personally I am rather obliged to him, for he has been very hospitable to all friends of mine who have passed through his district. You may therefore assure him that any overtures for the advantage of Greece and its internal pacification will be readily and sincerely met here. I hardly think that he would have ventured a deceitful proposition to me through you, because he must be sure that in such a case it would eventually be exposed. At any rate, the healing of these dissensions is so important a point, that something must be risked to obtain it. I hope that you received my letters sent on a former occasion by a Zanteote. Mr. Hodges1 (Mr. Parry's Commissary) says that you did a day after his arrival, but as you do not allude to them I should be glad to have this confirmed by yourself.

Believe me, yours ever and truly,

NOEL BYRON.

armed peasants, expelled the Turks from the district, and estab lished himself as its ruler. He lived in Turkish fashion (Millingen, Memoirs, pp. 185, 186), amassed a colossal fortune, the greater part of which he consigned to his wife, who lived at Zante, and held aloof from the General Government. Now, however, as appears by the above letter, he made overtures, through Barff, of adhesion. As a proof of his sincerity, Byron required the surrender of Chiarenza to the Government. (For Sessini and his share in the civil war of the primates, see Finlay's History of Greece, vol. vi. p. 335.)

1. Hodges was one of Parry's assistants in the laboratory, and charged by Stanhope, when he left Mesolonghi, with the foundation of the Greek Telegraph.

1141-To Samuel Barff.

Missolonghi, 9th March, 1824.

SIR,-Having accepted Bills of Prince Mavrocordato to the amount of Five hundred and fifty Pounds Stg., you will therefore honor a Draft of Prince Mavrocordato for that amount, (deducting every mercantile expence,) and placing the Bill to my account, and oblige Sir,

Yours truly,
NOEL BYRON.

I wrote lately, have you received the letters? Same were in answer to yours of a late date.

P.S.-As Prince Mavrocordato has applied to me for a loan of £550 stg., I have thought it better (to save you the risk and bother of negociating Greek Bills) to take his draft in my favor, and you will merely have to advance the amount from the balance of my recent Bills, deducting expences and freight of course, as in my own

case.

Yours ever,

N. B.

1142.-To Samuel Barff.

Missolonghi, March roth, 1824.

DEAR SIR,-Enclosed is an answer to Sig. Parruca's letter,' and I hope that you will assure him further from

66

1. Gamba (Narrative, pp. 207, 208) notes in his Journal for March 10, "Lord Byron received, by way of Zante, a letter from one Parucca, the person who had been engaged two months "before by the partisans of Pietro Bey to set out for London, and "there to thwart the negotiations of the deputies, Orlando and "Luriotti; but he never went. He now wrote to Lord Byron, "praying him to come into the Peloponnesus, to assist in bringing "about an union of all parties." Demetrius Parucca, of Argos,

me that I have done, and am doing all I can to reunite the Greeks. I have had to advance P. Mavrocordato £550 Stg (as per advice), for which he will draw on you from my balances in your hands (on the recent Bills), you will have the goodness to remit him the value in dollars, deducting the exchange and expences, as in my own case on other remittances, and according to the rules of business. With regard to the remaining proceeds you will of course deduct all sums paid by you or Mr. Hancock on my account, and you will also retain from one or two thousand dollars in hand to answer any further similar expenses, the rest you can perhaps give or obtain an order for here, or at least of a portion, since the risk and freight would thus be avoided, but if not you can send it to me in the usual way at your own convenience.

P. Mavrocordato has given to me Drafts on Messrs. Bowring, and advice to Louriotti Orlandi for the sum he is to receive, but it is not quite clear whether they will be paid; much, indeed everything, will probably depend on their affairs going on well and their obtaining a loan. Even in the event of a loss it were not to be regretted so that it does them any good in the meantime.

I have answered your letters, but yours (and I suppose mine too) arrive irregularly and generally those of the latest date a week or so before the others.

We hear (as you do) of the Moslem Preparations and must make the best fight that circumstances will permit.

I am extremely obliged by your offer of your country

described by Gordon (History of the Greek Revolution, vol. ii. p. 103), as "a clever but exceedingly worthless person," supported the military faction against the Greek constitutionalists. According to Gordon, he set out for London with the intention of "dis"suading the English capitalists from advancing funds to Greece; "however, he got no farther than Corfu."