SUPERSTITION AND IMMORALITY. the hired assassin. If any was offensive to Count A 167 man in Cephalonia a hint was sufficient. At a convenient time he was quietly dispatched. The trade of the islanders was piracy, robbery, But conscience was al and murder on the seas. ways quieted by the severity of their fasts. I have heard it mentioned, that when one of Count A's myrmidons once came to acquaint him with an assassination, and was ordered dinner, he absolutely refused to taste animal food, because it was the season of the fast. Far be it from me to think, or to say, that either the Greek or Roman ritual countenances such crimes; but it is nevertheless my firm opinion, that all religions, which ascribe the chief merit to ceremonial observances, are in that proportion unfavourable to moral conduct. In the multiplicity of sacraments, offerings, fasts, processions, external forms, and ostentatious parade, the religion of the heart is forgot. It is not rare, I have been told, for people to frequent both churches, to profess both creeds, and to alternate between them, according to caprice. Indifference is the consequence. At present, among the higher ranks, there is very little religion, but plenty of superstition and parade. The body of St Speridion is a source of considerable gain to a noble family in Corfu, to whom it belongs. He is carried in grand procession through the streets, and worshipped on bended knees as he passes along. St Cara 168 ANCIENT HISTORY OF CORCYRA. lambro patronizes the island of Paxo; St Jerassimo, Cephalonia; and St Dionysio, Zante; they are all saluted with discharges of artillery, and the vulgar are taught to believe in the efficacy of their intercession. The plague at Corfu was declared to have been stayed by St Speridion. The rigorous military police of Sir Thomas Maitland was on that occasion a most powerful auxiliary to the saint. Even the patents issued by the health office bear to be" in the name of God, and by the intercession of St Speridion," &c. But I have detained you so long with these dry details, that by this time you will be glad to change the scene, and visit the remaining islands. I shall therefore reserve some important particulars, relative to agriculture, commerce, revenue, &c. for a future letter. CORCYRA was celebrated for having been the island on which Ulysses is represented in the Odyssey as having been entertained by Alcinous, king of Phaeacia; as the place where Cato and Cicero met after the battle of Pharsalia; and where Cato, after having entreated Cicero to take the command of the last legions which remained faithful to the republic, separated from him to lose his life at Utica, while Cicero went to lose his head to the triumvirate; as being the place to which Aristotle was once exiled; as having been visited by the youthful ANCIENT HISTORY OF CORCYRA. 169 Alexander; as the place where the tragical nuptials of Anthony and Cleopatra were celebrated; as the place where Agrippina touched, bringing from Egypt the body of the murdered Germanicus in the midst of winter. Corcyra was a great naval power, and drew the Athenians into the war with the Lacedemonians, and their allies, called the Peloponnesian war, which lasted 27 years, and terminated fatally for Athens, which was reduced to subjection by the Lacedemonians. LETTER XLVIII. ZANTE. Islands of Paxo and Zante. FROM the Island of Corfu, we embarked in a fine armed schooner belonging to the government, and passed southward between Corfu and the coast of Albania, which here is deeply indented with bays and promontories. We observed some large villages at a distance from the shore, backed by high mountains of a brown parched appearance. The southern point of Corfu is low and rich, but very unhealthy. We lay too off Parga, and in the night had violent squalls: about day-break three water-spouts fell around us. To make the most of a foul wind, we ran into the beautiful harbour of St Gajo, the capital of the little wooded Island of Paxo. The town is wholly concealed by two small inlets; the outer having a ruined church, and part of an ancient Cyclopean wall; the inner is high, and surmounted with a modern fort and barrack. Sailing up a deep and narrow sound between limestone rocks, tufted with euphorbia, and quantities of narcissus, we come abruptly on the town, forming an amphitheatre round a small and shallow harbour, with rich olive woods, and occasionally cypress groves rising above. No town which we have lately seen, surpasses in neatness this miniature of a capital city. The quays are paved, the streets clean and well lined; the houses extremely neat, and ornamented on this occasion with olive boughs, in expectation of a visit from the Lord High Commissioner, in whose honour a little triumphal arch had been erected. Lieutenant Simpson (capo di governo) has the chief merit of these reforms. He received us most kindly, and shewed and explained to us every thing worthy of attention. The island is composed of a light grey limestone, layer above layer, with a gentle dip to the east. It is covered with debris, but wherever this has been cleared away, a fine black mould appears, extremely rich. The gardens are quickly overrun with rank weeds, particularly the volpe, so called from its destroying every other vegetable near it. The interior of the island is highly beautiful, much inclosed, and nearly covered with olive trees. The villages are neat and picturesque; the houses within were extremely clean, and the people were sitting before them, enjoying the evening sun, amusing themselves with various sports, and apparently very happy. Notwithstanding appearançes, we were assured that the proprietors are, like |