n and his hope were
irrevocably fixed upon the glorious objects of his expedition to
Greece, and that he had made up his mind to 'return victorious, or
return no more.' Indeed, he often said to me, 'Others may do as they
please--they may go--but I stay here, _that is certain_.' The same
determination was expressed in his letters to his friends; and this
resolution was not unaccompanied with the very natural
presentiment--that he should never leave Greece alive. He one day
asked his faithful servant, Tita, whether he thought of returning to
Italy? 'Yes,' said Tita: 'if your Lordship goes, I go.' Lord Byron
smiled, and said, 'No, Tita, I shall never go back from
Greece--either the Turks, or the Greeks, or the climate, will prevent
that.'"

LETTER 540. TO MR. CHARLES HANCOCK.

"Missolonghi, February 5. 1824.

"Dr. Muir's letter and yours of the 23d reached me some days ago.
Tell Muir that I am glad of his promotion for his sake, and of his
remaining near us for all our sakes; though I cannot but regret Dr.
Kennedy's departure, which accounts for the previous earthquakes and
the present English weather in this climate. With all respect to my
medical pastor, I have to announce to him, that amongst other
fire-brands, our firemaster Parry (just landed) has disembarked an
elect blacksmith, intrusted with three hundred and twenty-two Greek
Testaments. I have given him all facilities in my power for his works
spiritual and temporal; and if he can settle matters as easily with
the Greek Archbishop and hierarchy, I trust that neither the heretic
nor the supposed sceptic will be accused of intolerance.

"By the way, I met with the said Archbishop at Anatolico (where I
went by invitation of the Primates a few days ago, and was received
with a heavier cannonade than the Turks, probably,) for the second
time (I had known him here before); and he and P. Mavrocordato, and
the Chiefs and Primates and I, all dined together, and I thought the
metropolitan the merriest of the party, and a very good Christian for
all that. But Gamba (we got wet through on our way back) has been ill
with a fever and cholic; and Luke has been out of sorts too, and so
have some others of the people, and I have been very well,--except
that I caught cold yesterday, with swearing too much in the rain at
the Greeks, who would not bear a hand in landing the Committee
stores, and nearly spoiled our combustibles; but I turned out in
person, and made such a row