t his
narrative has formed the basis of the more ambitious work of the
native historian, Mr. Trikoupes. Of the vices and errors of the
people on whose behalf he fought and wrote he spoke boldly. "Whatever
national or individual wrong the Greeks may have endured," he said
in one place, "it is impossible to justify the ferocity of their
vengeance or to deny that a comparison instituted between them and the
Ottoman generals, Mehemet Aboulaboud, Omer Vrioni, and the Kehaya Bey
of Kurshid, would give to the latter the palm of humanity. Humanity,
however, is a word quite out of place when applied either to them or
to their opponents." In another page, further denouncing the Greek
leaders, he wrote: "Panourias was the worst of these local despots,
whom some writers have elevated into heroes. He was, in fact, an
ignoble robber, hardened in evil. He enriched himself with the spoils
of the Mahometans; yet he and his retinue of brigands compelled the
people to maintain them at free quarters, in idleness and luxury,
exacting not only bread, meat, wine, and forage, but also sugar and
coffee. Hence springs the reflection that the Greeks had cause to
repent their early predilection for the klephts, who were almost all,
beginning with Kolokotrones, infamous for the sordid perversity of
their dispositions."[A] Gordon's disinterested and brave efforts to
bring about a better state of things and to help on the cause of
real patriotism in Greece were highly praiseworthy; but, as another
historian has truly said, "he did not possess the activity and
decision of character necessary to obtain commanding influence in
council, or to initiate daring measures in the field."[B]

[Footnote A: Gordon, vol. i., pp. 313, 400.]

[Footnote B: Finlay, vol. ii., p. 129.]

Frank Abney Hastings was an abler man. Born in 1794, he was started in
the naval profession when only eleven years old. Six months after the
commencement of his midshipman's life he was present, on board the
_Neptune_, at the battle of Trafalgar, and during the ensuing fourteen
years he served in nearly every quarter of the globe. His independent
spirit, however--something akin to Lord Cochrane's--brought him into
disfavour, and, in 1819, for challenging a superior officer who had
insulted him, he was dismissed from the British navy. Disheartened and
disgusted, he resided in France for about three years. At length he
resolved to go and fight for the Greeks, partly out of sympathy for