ΤΟ MATTHEW CAREY, AND EDWARD EVERETT, Esqs., THE GENEROUS AND UNTIRING PHILHELLENES, THIS SKETCH OF THE PROGRESS OF THE STRUGGLE FOR GRECIAN IN DEPENDENCE, IS INSCRIBED AS A MARK OF FRIENDSHIP AND RESPECT, BY THE AUTHOR. Added ed. PREFACE. To the Author's friends, who know that he has been obliged to draw up this Sketch of the Greek Revolution, within the last five months, and amid other occupations, no apology is necessary for presenting it, in its present imperfect state; or for the numerous faults and inelegancies in style and composition, which must necessarily have crept into a work, so hastily finished. But to the Public, such an apology is necessary. The Author had hoped leisurely to digest the mass of historical information concerning the Revolution, which he had collected during three years' service in Greece; to combine with it, statistical accounts, remarks on the soil. climate, productions, and geographical and commercial advantages of that country; with observations on the religion, language, manners and customs, virtues and vices, of the Modern Greeks in such a way, as to form a volume that should contain both interesting, and useful information. But since his return to America, the Author has been called upon (unexpectedly) to devote the principal part of his time, to the advancement of the cause of Philhellenism here, and suddenly to return to Greece; in whose service, it has been the height of his ambition, to perform a part useful to her, and honourable to himself. Necessity therefore, obliges him to throw his book before the American public, without claiming for it the name of a HisTORY; it is what it professes to be, merely a SKETCH. The information may be depended upon; but it is not all that is wanting. He may appear to have dwelt much upon the characters of the principal Greeks; but he flatters himself, that the authenticity may apologise for this; as he has not ventured to speak of any, whom he has not known personally. The names of many distinguished Greeks, and the character and actions of some Philhellenes, have been omitted; not from want of respect to them, but from the Author's not wishing to speak of any individual, particularly, whom he did not know, (with the exception of Lord Byron) but whose names must have a place in a complete history. As for dates, the Author has not deemed them of sufficient consequence in a work of this kind, to devote much time in searching them out; he has never put them down therefore, but in those cases in which he could rely upon them. The influence which the policy of the European Powers have had upon the progress of the Revolution, has been great; but the Author has not ventured to dwell much upon this subject, which requires more investigation than his time will now allow him to make. 66 The Author hesitates not to rank himself among the friends, and even among the admirers, of the Modern Greeks; for he has been rather surprised at finding so much national spirit, and so much virtue among them than that there was so little; and he thinks he has seen enough of them, to justify him looking confidently for the day, when they will shew themselves worthy of their glorious descent; to the day, when it shall no longer be said with truth, that " Philopomen was the last of the Greeks." The arguments of those who reason upon the present degraded situation of the Greeks, and assert that they are less deserving our notice than the Turks, are not worth the pains of a refutation. The feelings of that man, who regards with perfectly philosophical indifference, such a people, such a cause, and such a country, as that of Greece, are not to be condemned; but, they are not to be envied. And surely a like allowance should be made for the opposite feeling; for that enthusiasm which is pardonable in this cause, if in any; for it springs from the best feelings of human nature. To admire Greece, and Greeks, for what they have been, may not be rational, but it is natural; to hear the descendant of Demosthenes speaking the same beautiful language, which flowed like a rill, or thundered like a torrent, from his lips ;-to hear the Modern Greek women saying, like the Spartan matron to her son, as he goes out to battle"With it, or upon it;"-to see the descendant of Miltiades, fighting for liberty on the battle-ground of Marathon; are scenes which the scholar cannot contemplate without some emotion; and the feeling of indifference which philosophy tells him to substitute for it, is an artificial, and not a natural one. But the Author has never, for an instant, let his enthusiasm blind him to the faults of the Greeks, or influence him in recording them; nor has he ever ranked himself among those Philhellenes, who have imagined that the cause of Greece was to be advanced, by holding up to the world a false picture of the disinterested patriotism, or heroic courage of the Modern Greeks. He has endeavoured impartially, and faithfully, to give an historical Sketch of those events, which have for the last seven years so much interested the American public; it is as yet very imperfect; but should it be indulgently received, he hopes that farther researches, and an investigation of Turkish, as well as Greek character and actions, may enable him to present something, that may merit the name of a complete History of the Revolution in Greece. INDEX. -00000- BOOK FIRST. CHAP. I. Causes of the Insurrection-Spread of knowledge among the Greeks- CHAP. II. Page The Hetarists select Ipselanti to excite and head the Insurrection-He 25 37 CHAP. III. Extension of the Insurrection-Assembly at Calamata-Arrival of De- 47 CHAP. IV. Blockade of Tripolitza continued-State of the Army-Battle of Kaki |