dered in a dark age, and conceived in the subtleties of the schools, which are the reproach of the genuine common law. We hope the salutary reformation will proceed. Professional men amongst us do sometimes indulge in admiration of the English common law, without reflecting that our common law,— the common law as found in America,-is no more like that of England, than a republican government resembles a monarchy, with its two supporting pillars, a titled aristocracy and a church established by law.

A Picture of Greece in 1825; as exhibited in the Personal Narratives of James Emerson, Esq., Count Pecchio, and W. H. Humphreys, Esq., comprising a detailed Account of the Events of the late Campaign, and Sketches of the principal Military, Naval, and Political Chiefs. In two Volumes.

New York. 1826. 12mo.

THIS work contains the narratives of three gentlemen, who were present in Greece, during the campaign of 1825; two of them, Mr Emerson and Mr Humphreys, Englishmen, and the third, Count Pecchio, an Italian. The first and longest narrative is that of Mr Emerson, who was concerned in several of the engagements which took place during this period at sea and on land. He arrived in Greece in the latter part of March, 1825, and landed at Clarenza in the Morea. The prospects of Greece at this time were very brilliant. The recognition of the independence of the South American states had given birth to hopes of a similar acknowledgment in favour of Greece. A second English loan had furnished the means of continuing the war with vigour. The government had subdued its internal enemies, and, in the Morea, only a few fortresses now remained to be reduced. The result of the campaign, however, disappointed the fair expectations which had been entertained at its commencement. One principal reason was the new enemy to the liberties of Greece, who had appeared in the person of Mahomet Ali, viceroy of Egypt. The Sultan is reported to have offered him the command of the Morea, should he succeed in reducing it. Whether this be true, or not, the viceroy has confined his operations to that part of Greece. The Greeks, who had been accustomed to contend only with an inactive, cowardly, and

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undisciplined foe, were little able to cope with his experienced troops, commanded by skilful officers, and fighting in the modes of European warfare. Their own troops consisted of irregular bands, commanded each by its own capitano, acknowledging but little common connexion, expert in guerilla fighting, but unaccustomed to face an enemy in the field, or to pursue any plan of extensive operations. The government had, indeed, attempted to form a body of regular troops immediately under its own control; but the capitani, who saw that such a measure would be fatal to their own consequence as independent leaders, opposed the plan with all their power. The people, too, who had been accustomed to success under their old system, ridiculed the project, and the government were unable to enforce it to any great extent. The result has been, that their irregular troops have constantly given way before a disciplined enemy. Their own dissensions have also proved a formidable obstacle in the way of their success. Their leaders regard little else than their individual interests. In the latter part of 1824, their dissensions had risen to an alarming height. Great jealousies had existed between the Moreots and Roumeliots, and the government were accused of partiality towards the latter. The Moreot chiefs, moreover, were dissatisfied at having no share in the increasing power of the government." Influenced by these causes, they demanded, with arms in their hands, that the executive and legislative bodies should be renewed, as the year of their legal duration had expired. Colocotroni joined them, with the intention of ultimately securing the whole power in his own hands. The government did not choose to comply with these demands, and perhaps their refusal was justified by the dangers which then threatened the country. "The consequence was an insurrection on the part of the Moreots, at the head of which were Colocotroni and his sons. The government immediately called in the aid of the Roumeliots, and the insurgents were dispersed, and the rebellion pretty well quelled by the beginning of December." The delay occasioned by this insurrection, prevented, till the middle of January, any attack upon the fortress of Patras, which might have easily been taken at the beginning of the winter. The siege of this place continued till the latter part of February, when information was received of the sailing of the Egyptian armament from Candia, and the blockading squadron was forced to quit Patras, to resist this new enemy. They sailed, however, too late to prevent the disembarkation of the Egyptian forces in the Morea. "Both parties remained quiet till the 20th of

March, when Ibrahim Pacha, having received a reinforcement from Candia, sat down before Navarino with fourteen thousand men." In Western Greece, Ulysses had withdrawn himself from the war, and was apparently endeavouring to connect himself with the enemies of his country. His ambition and resources were great, and he was suspected of aiming at the sovereignty of Greece.

He had lately fortified for his residence, and as a strong-hold in case of extremity, a cave on Mount Parnassus, said to have been discovered by himself. It was reached by ascending a perpendicular cliff of one hundred feet in height, which was accomplished by means of three ladders successively drawn up after passing them; thence arriving at a small platform, a number of descents and windings which conducted to the interior, rendered it totally bomb proof. The cave itself was capable of accommodating two thousand persons, and contained a constant spring of fresh water. Ulysses had placed a few pieces of cannon, a supply of small arms, and a sufficiency of ammunition and provisions for a ten years' siege; and hither he had removed his treasures and his family, and concealed himself with Mr Trelawney, an English gentleman, who had attached himself to his fortunes, and married his sister.

Here

He was declared a traitor, and the government were attempting to reduce him by force. Such was the state of things when Mr Emerson landed at Clarenza, in the Morea. From hence, he immediately set out for the seat of government at Napoli di Romania. Travelling through the Morea, according to his account, is a serious undertaking. This part of Grecce consists almost entirely of hills. There are no roads, very few bridges, and the passes over the mountains are the dry beds of torrents, which, from time to time, have carried away every particle of earth from between the rocks, and left nothing but a pathway of loose slippery stones.

At Andruzzena, our traveller spent some days with the Eparch, or chief man of the place.

During the few days which bad weather obliged us to remain with him, we had sufficient leisure to make some observations on his character and manners. The latter, like those of the higher orders of his countrymen, were decidedly Turkish. The room in which he received us was fitted up in complete Ottoman style, with stainedglass windows, inlaid ceiling, splendid carpets, mats, cushions, and numerous vases of gold and silver fish. On taking our seats, we were, as usual, presented with a chiboqué and some coffee; whilst our news was eagerly inquired after by our obliging host. He was

about twenty-five years of age; he had formerly enjoyed a confidential situation under the present government, viz. the disposing of the forfeited Turkish lands in his province, and on the expiration of his commission, had obtained the government of his present eparchy. His dress was accurately national, but formed of the most costly materials, and covered with an abundance of braiding and embroidery; whilst his pistols and silver mounted ataghan were of exquisite workmanship. Though his conversation was lively, his manners were indolent and oriental; he reclined almost the entire day on a velvet cushion, surrounded by his attendants, smoking his chiboqué, sipping coffee, or counting over and over again the polished beads of his amber combolojo. Of his dress he was particularly vain, and received with evident pleasure all the praises which we bestowed upon it. On such occasions, he usually arose, set forward his elbow, turned out his heel, and, surveying himself from top to toe, replied with evident complacency, Ναί, τὸ φόρημά μας εἶναι ἀρκετὸν καλόν. σε Why, yes, our costume is certainly pretty."

Our fare, during our stay, consisted of lamb, fowls, milk, eggs, and vegetables; and though it was Lent, our accommodating host made no scruple to join in our uncanonical repast. Our breakfast was, generally, made up of curds and eggs, with a little milk and cheese; but the dinner was a somewhat more perplexing affair. Our table was a small round board, raised half a foot from the floor; and round this we were obliged to squat tailor-wise; as to have stretched our limbs would have thrown us at rather an incommodious distance from our provisions. In this posture, by no means an agreeable one to the uninitiated, we were obliged to remain during the tedious process of a Grecian repast, which seldom occupied less than an hour. Our first course consisted of boiled rice, mixed with yaourl or sour curds, eggs fried and swimming in olive oil, and a mixed dish of boiled vegetables, chopped leeks, spinage, sorrel, and mustard leaves. The second, a stewed fowl stuffed with plum-pudding, roast lamb, and cairare, rather an odoriferous dish, composed of the entrails of the salmon and cuttlefish, fermented and tempered with oil. Our third remove contained milk in all its different preparations of curd, cheese, and runnet, various combinations of boiled, roast, and whipped eggs; the whole washed down with plentiful draughts of Samian wine, supplied by a cup-bearer, who in proper oriental style, stood constantly behind the cushion of his chieftain. Our dessert, as it was winter, consisted chiefly of oranges and dried fruit, figs, dates, and raisins; on the whole, our feasts were not only classical, but palatable; and when all was concluded, a comfortable room, in which to strew our beds, was a favour as acceptable as it was

uncommon.

He seems to have been struck with the appearance of the ladies of the island of Hydra.

The appearance of the population is much more prepossessing than that of any other class of the Greeks; the women are in general pretty; but a universal custom of wearing a kerchief folded over the head, and tied under the chin, destroys the fine contour of their features, and makes them all appear to have round faces. A short silken jacket neatly ornamented, and a large petticoat, containing an immense number of folds and breadths, generally of green stuff, bordered with a few gaudy stripes, complete their simple costume. The neat slipper so universal in the north of Italy, which so delicately shows the turn of the ankle and heel, is likewise worn by the Hydriot ladies; whose jetty hair and sparkling eyes, graceful figures, and beautiful hands, all enhanced by their half European manners, render them, if not the most beautiful, at least the most interesting females I have seen in the Levant. Mavrocordato is thus described.

I was rather disappointed in the appearance of Mavrocordato ; his figure is small, and any thing but dignified or prepossessing. The little of his countenance which is visible through his bushy hair and eyebrows, and his fiercely-curling mustachios, indicates more of childishness than intellect, though the deep glance of a penetrating eye gives it an occasional animation. His manners, like that of all Fanariots, though easy and obliging, contains too much of an overstrained politeness, which seems like intriguing servility; and this, together with a studied lightness of conversation, and an extremely silly laugh, renders the first impression of him by no means favourable.

Our author visited the rebel chiefs confined in the island of Hydra, and speaks of them thus.

The generality of them exhibited nothing peculiar in their appearance, being like the rest of their countrymen, wild, savagelooking soldiers, clad in tarnished embroidered vests, and dirty juctanellas. Colocotroni was, however, easily distinguished from the rest by his particularly savage and uncultivated air; his person is low, but built like a Hercules, and his short bull-neck was surmounted by a head rather larger than proportion warranted; which, with its shaggy eyebrows, dark mustachios, unshorn beard, and raven hair falling in curls over his shoulders, formed a complete study for a painter. * During my visit, he spoke of his enemies in the government with moderation and no appearance of rancour; but to several others, who had seen him, previous to his prospect of liberation, he had not conducted himself with equal