"Duolmi oltremodo in udire che le discordie con"tinuino sempre in Grecia, e in un momento in cui ella "protrebbe trionfare da ogni parte, come ha trionfato ❝ in alcune.

"La Grecia è posta fra tre partiti: o riconquistare la "libertà, o divenire uno dipendenza dei sovrani Europei, ❝o tornare uno provincia Turca: non ha che a sciegliere "fra questi tre. Ma la guerra civile non parmi strada "che agli ultimi due. Se invidia la sorte della Valachia " e della Crimea, può ottenerla domani; se quella dell' "Italla, postdomani; ma se vuol diventare la vera Grecia, "libera per sempre e independente, conviene che si de❝ termini oggi, o non avrà più tempo mai più.

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"Sono con tutto rispetto

"Dell' A. V. devot° servo,

"N. B.

"P. S. Vostra Altezza saprà già come io ho cercato "di sodiffare alla richieste del governo Greco per quanto "era nel poter mio ; ma vorrei che questa flotta sì lungo

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tempo aspettata e sempre in vano arivasse, o almeno “fosse in strada: e sopratutto che L.A. Vostra si acostasse "a queste parti, o sulla flotta con missione publica, o in qualche altro modo."

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TRANSLATION.

"Cephalonia, 2d Dec. 1823.

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"Prince,

"The present will be put into your hands by Colonel Stanhope, son of Major-General the Earl of Harrington,

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"&c. &c. He has arrived from London in fifty days, "after having visited all the committees of Germany. "He is charged by our committee to act in concert with 66 me for the liberation of Greece. I conceive that his name and his mission will be a sufficient recommendation, without the necessity of any other from a fo"reigner, although one who, in common with all Europe, "respects and admires the courage, the talents, and, "above all, the probity of Prince Mavrocordato.

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"I am very uneasy at hearing that the dissensions of "Greece still continue, and at a moment when she might "triumph over every thing in general, as she has already triumphed in part. Greece is, at present, placed be"tween three measures: either to re-conquer her liberty, "to become a dependence of the sovereigns of Europe, 66 or to return to a Turkish province. She has the choice

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only of these three alternatives. "road which leads to the two latter.

Civil war is but a

If she is desirous

"of the fate of Walachia and the Crimea, she may ob"tain it to-morrow; if of that of Italy, the day after; "but if she wishes to become truly Greece, free and independent, she must resolve to-day, or she will never ❝ again have the opportunity.

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"I am, with due respect,

"Your Highness's obedient servant,

"N. B.

"P. S. Your Highness will already have known that

"I have sought to fulfil the wishes of the Greek govern

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ment, as much as it lay in my power to do so: but I

"should wish that the fleet, so long and so vainly ex

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pected, were arrived, or, at least, that it were on the way; and especially that your Highness should ap"proach those parts, either on board the fleet, with a "public mission, or in some other manner."

Such were the sentiments and the wishes of Lord Byron in this important crisis.

At last the long-expected fleet arrived.. Mavrocordato was aboard. Between Ithaca and Cephalonia they fell in with a Turkish corvette from Prevesa, with a considerable sum of money and some Turks of distinction, amongst whom was a nephew of Yussuff himself. The money had been sent to the Pacha for the payment of sixteen months' arrears due to the garrisons of Patras and of the other three fortresses, who had long been loud in their complaints. The corvette, attacked by the superior forces of the Greeks, defended itself desperately, and would not surrender. In the end, it was wrecked on the coast

of Ithaca. The Greeks, urged on by the heat of the action, and by the hope of booty, broke the neutrality of the Ionian Islands, and gave rise to various complaints

and remonstrances.

The Greek squadron afterwards cast anchor off Missolonghi, where Mavrocordato was received with enthusiasm, in gratitude for the memorable services he had rendered the year preceding. He was intrusted with full powers to organise western Greece. The Turkish squadron of fifteen vessels, brigs, corvettes, and two large frigates, was shut up in the gulf of Lepanto.

Lord Byron immediately despatched a boat with Signior Praidi, to inform Mavrocordato that the loan requested of him by the government was ready, and that he would either go aboard the Greek fleet, or come to Missolonghi, in order to have a

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conference with him. Colonel Stanhope, who was still at Zante, immediately set out for Missolonghi.

The weather was unfavourable and stormy. In a few days a Speziot brig, the Leonidas, cast anchor in the port of Argostoli, under pretence of procuring water. The Commandant would not allow it to remain in port more than twenty-four hours, and forbade any communication with the land. Permission was, however, given to deliver any letters: he had none; nor was Praidi aboard. The captain informed Lord Byron, by letter, that he was ordered by his admiral to attend his Lordship's orders. We were waiting for an answer by our messenger: the Leonidas continued sailing off the port; and two days afterwards we saw from our village of Metaxata another brig, which arrived, having on board Signior Praidi and some Greek officers, bringing letters