MEMOIRS ON GREECE.

CHAPTER I.

Arrival at Corfu-Introduction to Lord Byron-His view of Greek affairs-Conversation of Lord Byron with Dr. Knox on religious subjects-Intrigues of the Greek chiefs to acquire Lord Byron's favour and confidence.

I ARRIVED at Asso, a small port in the island of Cephalonia, early in November, 1823, in company with Baron Von Quass, a Prussian officer of distinction and of considerable merit; Lieutenant Kindermann, who, led by a desire of serving the Greeks, had given up his commission in the Prussian artillery; and a young Saxon, of the name of Fels, who was returning to Greece in the hope of avenging the death of his twin-brother, who had fallen by his side during the glorious, though unfortunate, affair at Petta.

Being, like many others, bearers of a letter of recommendation from the London Greek Committee to Lord Byron-who, as we were informed, was on the eve of his departure for Greece-we hastened to Ar

B

gostoli, whence we forwarded it to Metaxata, a village at a few miles' distance, in which, since his arrival in Cephalonia, he had taken up his abode.

The next day, Count Gamba, a young nobleman of Ravenna, who acted as secretary to Lord Byron, came to inform us, that his lordship had come down from the country, and desired to see us. We proceeded accordingly to the Lazaretto, where he received us with the greatest affability, exhibiting the most gentlemanly and elegant manners, bordering perhaps a little on affectation, but not to be surpassed by the most finished courtier. After commending our zeal in favour of the Greek cause, and expressing his readiness to assist us to the utmost of his power, he added, that we would not, he trusted, as many had done, ascribe his prolonged stay in Cephalonia to any diminution of Philhellenism; he had remained here because, notwithstanding the repeated assurances he had received, and the promise he had made of advancing a loan of twenty thousand dollars, the longexpected division of the Greek fleet, which was to raise the blockade of Mesolonghi, had not yet made its appearance. He also waited for the arrival of the deputies, which he had engaged the Greek government to appoint, in order to negotiate a national loan in England, wishing to have private conferences with them on this most important measure. To hasten their departure, and obtain at the same time a correct report on the state of things in the Morea, he had sent to that country Mr. Hamilton Browne, a gentleman highly qualified for the task. He flattered himself, he could not have acted more in conformity with the best interests of Greece than he had hitherto done; and it was his intention, he said, to depart for that country the moment the objects, he had mentioned, should be completely fulfilled.

He assured the German gentlemen, that he would give them letters of recommendation to the Greek government; though he felt it a duty to confess to them plainly his apprehensions, that the Greeks were not in a sufficient state of mental improvement to appreciate either their merits as military men, or the value of their services. In spite of what they had been given to understand in Europe, he feared that their acquirements would prove as unavailing to Greece, for the present, as a bridle would be to one possessing neither saddle nor horse. They would find the country agitated by civil broils and the thousand evils of anarchy, and the mind of every one absorbed by the petty passions, arising from the most absolute egotism. He dwelt in most feeling terms on the disappointment, met with by almost every Philhellene; described the miserably forlorn condition in which they returned from a land, in the defence of which they had often exposed their lives, endured the severest privations, and lost the greater part of their companions in arms. "If, gentlemen," continued he, "you allow yourselves to be influenced by the same illusory ideas, which have led so many others to take a step, of which they repented as soon as reality taught them on how false a basis they had grounded their hopes, you cannot but expect to share the same fate. Yet, if you deem yourselves capable of serving Greece in spite of the Greeks, you might do well to venture on the career, which you propose to run. On the other hand, should you feel the love you bear towards so unfeeling a mistress, not to be proof against the thousand crosses, which inevitably await it, let prudence caution you in time to renounce so misplaced an attachment.”

Thoroughly imbued as we were with enthusiastic ideas in favour of the Greeks, that were then prevalent

in England, we could not but feel the most grievous disappointment, on hearing observations so completely at variance with our fondest expectations and the statements, on which we had been taught to rely; and what rendered them the more impressive was the quarter from which they proceeded; Lord Byron being considered by us as a chivalrous friend of the

cause.

I had afterwards repeated opportunities of observing, that, on every occasion before strangers, he sought to prove, that in the part he had undertaken, his conduct was influenced rather by prudence and judgment than by any romantic disposition; while before those, whom he treated with familiarity, he delighted in indulging the natural bent of his mind for adventurous and extraordinary undertakings. Addressing himself to me in particular, he wished me to remain in Cephalonia till he himself should embark for Greece. My professional services, he said, would always be valued in a country where there was a great dearth of medical men; and where the name of doctore was the best, or rather the only, introduction for a Frank; and he promised to employ me in the corps of troops, he proposed taking into his service on his arrival in that country.

In consequence of his invitation I soon after went to Metaxata, where I remained several days. On my arrival, I found him on the balcony of the house, wrapt in his Stewart tartan cloak, with a cap on his head, which he affected to wear as the Scotch bonnet, attentively contemplating the extensive and variegated view before him, terminated by the blue mountains of Ætolia, Acarnania, and Achaia. The valley below the village is highly luxuriant, and even at this advanced epoch of the year was covered with verdure, and embellished by the evergreen olive, orange and