in vain, and some very sumptuous works have been
published to no purpose! As we proceed, we find the author observing
that "Athens is _now_ the most polished city of Greece," when we
believe it to be the most barbarous, even to a proverb--

[Greek: O Athena, prote chora,
Ti gaidarous trepheis tora[1]?]

[Footnote 1: We write these lines from the _recitation_ of the
travellers to whom we have alluded; but we cannot vouch for the
correctness of the Romaic.]

is a couplet of reproach _now_ applied to this once famous city;
whose inhabitants seem little worthy of the inspiring call which was
addressed to them within these twenty years, by the celebrated
Riga:--

[Greek: Deute paides ton Ellenon--k.t.l.]

Iannina, the capital of Epirus, and the seat of Ali Pacha's
government, _is_ in truth deserving of the honours which Mr. Gell has
improperly bestowed on degraded Athens. As to the correctness of the
remark concerning the fashion of wearing the hair cropped in
_Molossia,_ as Mr. Gell informs us, our authorities cannot depose:
but why will he use the classical term of Eleuthero-Lacones, when
that people are so much better known by their modern name of
Mainotes? "The court of the Pacha of Tripolizza" is said "to realise
the splendid visions of the Arabian Nights." This is true with regard
to the _court_: but surely the traveller ought to have added that the
city and palace are most miserable, and form an extraordinary
contrast to the splendour of the court.--Mr. Gell mentions _gold_
mines in Greece: he should have specified their situation, as it
certainly is not universally known. When, also, he remarks that "the
first article of necessity _in Greece_ is a firman, or order from the
Sultan, permitting the traveller to pass unmolested," we are much
misinformed if he be right. On the contrary, we believe this to be
almost the only part of the Turkish dominions in which a firman is
not necessary; since the passport of the Pacha is absolute within his
territory (according to Mr. G.'s own admission), and much more
effectual than a firman.--"Money," he remarks, "is easily procured at
Salonica, or Patrass, where the English have Consuls." It is much
better procured, we understand, from the Turkish governors, who never
charge discount. The Consuls for the English are not of the most
magnanimous order of Greeks, and far from being so liberal, generally
speaking; although there are, in course, some exceptions, and Strune
o