gress; and in returning home they found | longer on the continent; wherefore the themselves capable of serving their country whole of the independent population of with utility All these united causes contri- the Epirus was at that time destroyed or buted to give to the Septinsulars a tendency driven away to the Ionian Islands. towards civil and political liberty, which nothing can now extinguish, since it has braved and out-lived all the efforts of the Venetians. This tendency only requires to be wisely directed in order to produce and consolidate the prosperity of this infant

state.

This, and much more, remains for Britain to do. Let us hope that the British Government will be distinguished above all others, by the benefits it confers on this people, and by the liberal and benevolent spirit with which it is administered.

Says our author, speaking of the natural advantages of these islands,

The geographical position of the Ionian Islands is extremely favourable to their being formed into the common centre of the commerce of Albania, of a part of Thessaly, and of Macedonia, as well as of the Epirus and the Morea. They stretch along the whole of the western coast of Greece, from the entrance of the Adriatic sea as far as opposite to Cape Malio, aud are situated in front of the avenues of all the great communications between the interior of the Ottoman Empire and this coast. Since Venice has become almost a neglected city of a continental power, instead of being the capital of a trading republic, Corfu may easily take its place with regard to Italy, and seize on the commerce which the other nations of Europe came to carry on for their own account in her ports.

This is saying much, and must, we apprehend, be taken with some allow ance. Commerce is not so easily fixed, tbough it is acknowledged judicious regulations may do much.

The manners of the inhabitants of the Ionian Islands, and particularly of those six which are situated at the issue of the Adriatic Sea, are a mixture of Greek and Italian. The long residence of the Venetians in these Islands and the un easing ef forts of their government to destroy all spirit of nationality among the inhabitants, must necessarily have produced a wide and deep impression. The Italian or rather the Venetian language having become that of all the public acts, as well as the bar and pulpit, was also soon adopted in private societies. The Venetian manners brought there by the pro-consuls as well as their subaltern agents, and which it became requisite for the natives to adopt, were soon rendered habitual to those who were in direct intercourse with these little despots, and became general through a spirit of flattery of imitation among those who formed part of the most distinguished class, or who sought to associate with them. It was particularly in the towns where this denationalization, if I may be allowed the term, was rendered more complete. This may be pictured in a word, by saying, that the towns of, Ionia are known to any one who has inhabited Venice or any other town of the Venetian continent. In the country the Grecian manuers have been much better preserved, and, with the exception of some slight modifications, are nearly similar to those we have described among the Greek inhabitants of the neighbouring continent.

The same may also be said of dress and usages. In the towus, and even in the country, the persons who aspire at any consideration have entirely adopted the European dress, as well as all the customs of continental society. In their houses we find the same style of furniture used in Venice; the people have been in the same habits of having their assemblies and casini; in short, nothing to be seen among them recalls to one's mind that they are Greeks, unless it is that they use this lan' guage to speak to their servants or to the

In conformity to the returns presented to the French Goveenor-general in 1807, the total population of the Septinsular Republic at that period amounted to little more than 200,000 souls, distributed in the folJowing proportions:-Corfu, 60,000; Cephalonia, 60,000; Zante, 40,000; St. Mau-country-people with whom they may have ra, 20,000; Cerigo, 10,000; Thiaki, 8000; and Paxo, 8000. From the above period no emigrations have taken place from the continent which might have added to the population of these islands. The town of Prevesa had already been reduced to the lowest stage of decay; the Souliots as well as the inhabitants of Agioi-Sarada were no

business, They have retained nothing of their ancestors but their passion for shows and exhibitions, by which the Venetians were equally distinguished. At Corfu there was a tolerably good opera, which sustained itself even in time of war; but all was in Italian, and no public establishment of this kind induced them to remem❤

ber that Greek was also the language of poetry and of music. In the country and more especially out of Corfu, the Greek dress is more generally used, but with a modification which easily distinguishes the Jonians. They have adopted the custom of wearing cravats, and substituted the hat for the kalpak or tall-cap used by the people of the Continent. Many of them also have exchanged their sandals for shoes with buckles.

He there followed

Nevertheless, amidst these real advan tages which ought to have been a source of prosperity to the Ionian Islands, and enable them to place the basis of their government on civil harmony and general patriotism, two great inconveniences occurred. The first was in the very manuer in which the lonians had obtained their knowledge. Each one of them, of his own accord, had made choice of that school where his inclinations, his connections, or other circumiWe have already had occasion to notice stances, had led him that the measures of the Venetian govern- the course of his studies, and matured the ment for the purpose of stifling all national ideas of patriotism he might have brought spirit among the Ionians, and converting with him from his native land. But these them into passive subjects of the ruling he only applied to the island on which be power, had been extended even to the pub- was born; nothing directed him towards fic education, which the Ionians were only an object common to all the members of allowed to receive in Venetian schools, the same republic, and identified him with where their natural love for study led them his fellow-citizen of the contiguous islands. in search of knowledge. We have also | Even his studies, performed in a linguage shown that the senate of Venice, in order to foreign to that of his country, in him susdestroy as much as possible all emulation pended, as it were, that sentiment of harof those branches useful to society, had mony which they would have called forth adopted the plan of admitting the loniaus in his own national language. In a word, to the degree of doctor in the four facul- a large portion of general knowledge has ties, without previous academic studies.- always existed among the lonians, but none This last measure was certainly the most of a national kiud; a cousiderable share of detrimental to the progress of public in-patriotic ideas and light, but no harmony struction, since the same protection which blendid with them. had bestowed the diploma on an ignorant There was only one means of remedying man, soon brought him forwards to the this inconvenience, and giving a proper first offices of the magistracy, which were bias to the public mind. This was by the refused to him who had sought to merit this establishment of a national institution, in distinction by his study and application. which Greek professors would have been All these obstacles and real disgusts, how- able to teach the louian youths the literaever, had been unable to withdraw the ture of their own country, that of foreign lonian youth from their inclination to nations, as well as all the scieures taught study; but the number of those who thus in the other universities of Europe. A applied themselves sensibly diminished, school of this kind would have belonged to because in devoting themselves to the pur all the islands, as well as individually to suits of learning they could have no other each; and in a short time would have object than their own private satisfaction, caused the very traces of that dissension to unaccompanied with any real advantage. disappear which still exists among the As soon as these obstacles were removed, members of the ancient lonia This proand the schools of France and Italy were pitious result would have been obtained, open to the louian youth, they made the since the whole of the generation receiving most rapid progress in all kinds of know. therein one uniform education, and imbib ledge and acquirements. Not only ab-ing those principles of indivisibility which stract science, but also moral learning as well as philosophy, had gained greatly by the progress and diffusion of knowledge, and the display of liberal principles, even amidst the errors and stormis of the French revolution. They returned to their own houses rich in theoretical instruction and abounding with useful knowledge. They had studied and improved their time with an aptitude and perspicacity with which these people are peculiarly gifted; and were in a state to enlighten their fellowcitizens and serve their country with advantage.

hitherto do not exist, in a few years being called to fill the inferior offices of the magistracy, which have so direct au influence on public opinion, would soon have put into practice and established those same principles in which they had been trained, It would have been easy to find out adequate professors for such an establishment among the well informed and enlightened Greeks, who are not wanting in louia, and two years would have sufficed to carry itto the highest degree of prosperity.

If this be correct, the task of the British Governor is not difficult ;- but;

we fear; that all is not so pleasant, as this might lead us to suppose; for, if we rightly understand, the Governor has had occasion to apply for specific directions in his office, and has stated some things less advantageous in practice than appear in our author's theory.

But, we must not conclude this article without a reference, for the benefit of all forsaken lovers, to the famous promontory of Lencadia, now happily under British protection. Who would not wish to die the same death as Sappho died, if assured of the same immortality? and of this we venture to assure them, without hesitation, if they will but favour us with an account of their intention, and cause records of the transaction when executed, to be authenticated, and carefully transmitted. N. B. Ladies who do not chuse to be metamorphosed into Swans, must settle this point before they quit the British shores.

tions by which such treasure-troves are revealed.

The chapel of St. Theodore is built at the foot of a perpendicular rock. The walls are covered with inscriptions, some of them belonging to tombs hollowed in the solid rock. Among those the traveller may notice is one that relates a singular anecdote. A captain of a merchant vessel belonging to the Greek islands of the Archipelago caused his remains to be brought to one of these tombs, which he had previously prepared. The sepulchral inscription, engraved under his own eyes, in the Greek language, but in Syriac characters, in substance contained this notice, “that any one of his countrymen sufficiently versed in languages to read the present inscription was to remove the stone, when in the tomb he would find two hundred sequins destined for him." The inscription remained long unnoticed, when about twenty years ago a young Greek Morean returning from Vienna, where he had performed his studies, touched at the port of St. Theodore, and having decyphered the inscription, dug out the sum. He then engraved the translation of the criginal notice below it, and affixed his name, his country, and a declaration of his having fulfilled the conditions imposed, all which is still extant.

At the southern extremity of the island and about 25 miles S. W. of St. Maura is Cape Dukato, anciently called Leucas. It was on the extreme point of this promontory and on a steep and threatening rock, that the celebrated temple of Leucadia once stood, where unhappy lovers came to cure themselves of a fruitless passion, and the spot on which Sappho met with the end of her life as well as the close of her misfortunes. This formidable promontory is still venerated by the lonians, nor does THE writer informs us, that "the any navigator now venture to pass it, without throwing into the sea a piece of following Poem is founded on a beautiful money as an expiatory offering. From Scotch ballad, which was procured from this cape to the northern point of Cepha-a young girl of Galloway, who delighted lonia, the distance is only four miles.. Here commences the use of the boats or

canoes made out of a single trunk of a tree, and, for that reason, called by the Ionians, mouoxilon. This small vehicle is extremely convenient for the interior navigation of these seas; and by this means the cruising of an enemy's squadron has never been able to prevent the communication of the islands with each other.

The following story appears to us to be sufficiently singular to deserve insertion. We would add, that, no doubt, it is (or rather has been) by such stories coming to the ears of the Turks that they have taken up the notion of treasures being hid in sepulchres; and that all Europeans come among them, for the purpose of decyphering inscrip

The Naiad: a Tale, with other Poems. 8vo. pp. 63. Taylor and Hessey, London. 1816.

in preserving the romantic songs of her country. Nothing can be finer than the faucy and pathos of the original; from the necessity, however, of changing the scene, little, if any, of the imagery of the old ballad could be retained." Now, we wish with all our hearts that this gentleman had favoured us with a copy of the original; partly for the purpose of preserving so valuable a piece of antiquity; and partly for the purpose of solving a doubt, which has arisen in our mind, whether the change of scene has not been fatal to the costume of the piece.

If we are not mistaken the power of these, as of all other Water Nymphs, is limited to the limpid streams in

The antiquary perceives that this subject furnishes an occasion for ample display of learning: he recollects the fable not in the north, ouly; but as far back as the syreus of Homer.-We hold our hand to pursue the theme is not our purpose; but, we wish to shew how easily when one fault is committed an- "And the lilies shall cluster around thy brow. other follows. Lord Hubert and his "We'll arise, my love! when morning dew page were journeying towards the resi-"Is on the rose leaf, soft and new; dence of Angeleyne, who is to be his "We'll sit upon the tawny grass, lordship's bride to-morrow, the way" Aad catch the west winds as they pass ; was green, luxuriant, adorned with "And list the wild birds while they sing, roses, as a lover's way ought to be, when" And kiss to the water's murmuring.

a Poet's glorious name." The pro-Trusts his light bark, nor fears the threat'ning. portion of Anacreontic, Bacchanalian, and ludicrous song writers, is not, so far as we know, increased; we go further, and hope it is diminished. The second cause of our pleasure is, that the line of mediocrity is raised much higher than we remember it, and the superior knowledge and taste of the day, really