Je voulois observer des mœurs contemporaines,
Vivre avec des Français, loin de Rome et d'Athènes.....
Mais les anciens n'ont pu me laisser respirer.
Tout mon pays s'est mis à se régénérér.

Les Grecs et les Romains, mérés dans nos querelles,
Sont venus présider à nos auvres nouvelles.
Bientôt tous nos bandits, à Rome transportés,
Se sout cru des héros pour s'être révoltés;
Bientôt Paris n'a vu que des énergumènes,
De sales Cicérons, de vilains Démosthènes,
Mettant l'assassinat au nombre des vertus,
Egorgeant leurs parens pour faire les Brutus.
Le vol s'ennoblissoit et n'étoit plus un crime,

Car à Lacédémone il étoit légitime;

Les biens (tolent communs, tous les hommes égaux,
Et Lycurgue invitoit à pilier les châteaux.

Teat faisoit une loi du partage des terres,
Chacun dut en jouir, hors les propriétaires;

Qui virent tous leurs biens, entre leurs mains suspects,
En proic à dos voleurs renouvelés des Grecs.....
On sait que ces Messieurs, à l'histoire fidèles,
Ont, dans tous leurs exploits, surpassé leurs modèles;
Les modernes enfin ont dévasté nos biens,
Et nous ont égorgés en citant les anciens.

O vous, qui gouvernez notre triste patrie,
Qu'il ne soit plus parlé des Grecs, je vous supplie,
Ils ne peuvent prétendre à de plus longs succès!
Vous seroit-il égal de nous parler Français ?
Votre néologisme effarouche les dames;
Elles n'entendent rien à vos myriagranimes;
La langue que parloient Racine et Fénélon,
Nous sauroit encor, si vous le trouviez bon.

En vain, Monsieur C—, pour nous plein de tendresse,
Ressuscite partout les fêtes de la Grèce,

Et veut absolument nous faire divertir,

Quand il ne nous plaît pas de prendre du plaisir....
Laisse-12, mon ami, tes farces olympiques,
Tes déesses de bois, tes guenilles civiques,
Qui ne plairont jamais à de tristes chrétiens,
Privés de leurs parens, dépouillés de leurs biens ...
Dis-moi, toi qui sais tout et qui chéris tes frères,
Les Greca me pairont-ils mes rentes viagères !......

Travels in Turkey, Italy, and Russia, during the years 1803, 1804, 1805, 1806, with an Account of some of the Greek

Islands. By Thomas Macgill, small 8vo. 2 Vols. pp. 520. Price 10s., Murray, London, 1809.

THE personal talents, and the opportunities for observation, enjoyed by travellers, impart to their works, real differences, though it is not easy to express the distinctions between them. The author of these volumes, " engaged almost constantly in the pursuits of commerce, has had little, in fact, no leisure for those of literature." This avowal protects him from censure, on account of his literary deficiencies; and equally from the imputation of repeating that information which had been already communicated by others, of more classic attainments prior to their visits to the east, and of greater leisure for minute inspection of particulars when actually travelling in those countries.

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Readers who are acquainted with former publications of travels into the Levant, especially, by British literati, will find no considerable accession of novelty, in the letters of Mr. Macgill. His descriptions are superficial, and his incidents differ little from those of daily occurrence. Ye we think him a genuine and independent witness; and incline to add, that he has communicated facts of a commercial nature, which the learned have either overlooked, or had not opportunities of observing.

Late years have seeu several important changes take place in the commercial relations of Turkey, equally as in the political situation of that cumbrous empire. The modern establishments of Russia, in the Black Sea; the possession of Malta by the British, the unsettled state of Egypt, the interruption of the Turkish caravan to Mecca, by the Wehabees, and insurrections almost innumerable in some of her fairest provinces, are circumstances which tend to affect deeply the interest of the Ottoman Porte. To draw decisive inferences from these and other incidents, is not easy; insomuch that we are almost tempted to take refuge in the Turkish doctrine of fate, and to conclude that till the date appoint ed for the execution of "what is written" arrives, this empire must subsist; as at that period, nothing can save it from

dissolution.

In the mean time, we are desirous of

obtaining the latest intelligence relating to Turkey if it be on the verge of exhibit. ing another instance of the instability of human establishments, then is it the more interesting as a subject of curi osity; while it also partakes of the nature of a political lesson. If this empire should continue, the world may enquire not without surprise, on what principles a Mussulman sovereignty, long doomed to subversion, by the discerning, has withstood those storms, by which Christian sovereignties have been either, completely overset, or most sorely shaken.

In answering such enquiries Mr. Macgill affords us no assistance. His employ. ment was in the less splendid, but more safe and more honourable walk of com

merce.

We find him first at Venice, whence he sails to Trieste, and from thence by the Greek islands to Sinyrna: he visits

Constantinople, Ephesus, the Black Sea, with Odessa; the plains of Troy, and other places in the neighbourhood. An Appendix by another writer, contains a more particular account of Odessa; the public tarif of the duties paid by British goods in the Ottoman empire; and the progress of the culture and commerce of tobacco in Macedonia.

We believe it is not easy to increase that abhorrence of French rapacity, which prevails throughout Europe, and especially in Britain. If it be possible that the reproductive powers of land should replace the necessaries of life, of which that rapacity had despoiled a country, yet it is impossible that a state depending for existence, on commerce, should be able to support such violence. Of this Venicè is a striking instance: and the state of the Venetians as described by our author is conformable to that of other communities, to which French liberty has proved the most crushing of despotisms,

The most illustrious persons in Venice, were reduced to the extreme of indigence; but-small was the number of those who escaped the general ruin. It was computed in 1804, no less than a thousand of the heads of noble families were begging in the streets. At every corner, on every bridge, might be seen some fair Venetian lady, covered with a veil, and on her knees imploring the aid of charity; whilst her male relations were occupied in pursuits far less honorable, in order to procure subsistence.

The distresses of the nobles and of the wealthy, were not confined to themselves alone; for, the Venetians being naturally ostentatious, thousands of menials, and of the lower classes of the people, were sup ported by their bounty; these, therefore, were now abandoned to all the horrors of want; for, in the general disorder and misery of the state, where was employment to be found for them? Innumerable gay gondolas were laid aside, and their skillfal rowers, being utterly unqualified for any other occupation, were in a state of

starration.

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It is scarcely possible to depict the miserable situation of the nobles. The Albé mau of talents and of probity, with whom I was very intimate, one morning at breakfast related to me with tears in his eyes, the following circumstance, which he said, had happened nly the night before. The Abbé had sed that evening at the house of a friend; in the course of it, they were attracted and

charmed by the singing of a female in the street, immediately underneath the window. The pleasure of the good Abbé was, however, soon converted into melancholy; he thought he recognized the voice of a friend, truth. The person was so muffled up that he could not discover her. He ran to her house, and his repeated knocks at the door were at length answered from within by her children, who informed him, that their mother had gone out with their father and a friend, to procure something for supper, and that having now no servant, they were locked in till their return. Being now persuaded that the songstress was his old friend, he returned to her, and with the utmost regret, discovered that she was the Countess Cr, who was thus singing in the streets, in the hope of collecting a few soldi, to purchase food for her starving children.

and hastened to the street to ascertain the

In her days of affluence, she had been a remarkably fine player on the piano-forte, as well as a charming singer; the Abbé, who had frequently joined in the concert with her. possesses an excellent taste in music, In those days, this unfortunate Countess was the ornament and the delight of the society in which she lived.

Before the French quitted Venice, what they could not take away with them they destroyed; eight fine ships of the line, and several frigates which were then on the stocks in an unfinished state, they rendered useless, cutting their stems, stern-post, and keel in different places, and taking away the

shores from their starboard and larboard and

quarter, so that they fell down, never more to be rendered serviceable until entirely taken to picces. This arsenal used to furnish em ployment to several hundreds of workmen, now its only inhabitants are a few slaves or malefactors, who are chiefly occupied in making into fire wood the remains of those fabrics which the French have destroyed, and which were formerly the pride and glory of the Venetians. A large portion of the arsenal is formed into an oyster bed, which produces no small revenue.

That the Italians did not do their duty to their country, in defending it, is no. torious; can we wonder at the consequences? And when we find the general of Roman soldiers sending his compliments to the governor of Ancona, with a message, importing that he thought the weather too cold to put his troops under arms, that morning: to which the governor replied " as the weather was not too cold for the ladies, he thought it was not too much so for Roman soldiers,"--can

we but recollect what Roman soldiers were ?

Surely! 'twas not such spawn as these,
Which quell'd the stern Eacides,

And dyed with Punic blood the seas! One of the pleasantest rencontres de scribed by our author, is that of Osman Oglu, a Turkish sportsman, at Ephesus; and as this prince by his activity, contradicts the usual notion of Turkish indolence, we shall introduce him to our readers.

We had not alighted long at at the Caffene, before we received a visit from one of the chief men of Osman Oglu, prince of these parts, who was here upon a shooting excursion, and had dispatched this gentleman to see who we were; he smoked a pipe, and drank some coffee; and we, judging it prudent, returned the visit to the prince without delay.

This prince, who governs over an immense tract of Asia Minor, is about twenty years of age, of manly appearance, with an open and haughty countenance: all the pride of a Turkish sovereign appears in him; his physiognomy betrayed no marks of ignorance, or want of talent however ill improved. He sat on a sofa in a mud-walled room, of about fifteen feet square. On the right hand sat a falcon; on his left, lay a young pointer; before him were stretched five Spartan greyhounds. None of his people sit in his presence, save the favourite, who visited us in his name. When we entered, according to the Turkish custom, he neither got up, nor saluted us, but sai cross legged to receive our houage. Coffee and pipes were soon introduced; here I was amused with another Turkish custom: the prince and the favourite were served before the strangers; our visit lasted only a quarter of an hour, the conversation was on the pleasures of sporting. The prince proposed a party for the morning following, we agreed to join him, and then took our leave.

The youth was surrounded by about fifty armed desperadoes, who formed his guard; these are never held in any estimation till they have been robbers or freebooters for many years, and have taken away the lives of a few of their fellow-creatures, whether gloriously or ingloriously, whether in battle or in cool blood; and they are often called upon by their employer to recount the deeds they have done.

The morning appeared clad in sable, and clouds full of rain topped the surrounding mountains; but long ere the lazy god of day arose in the east, the youthful prince paid us a visit in our hovel, preceded by his savage band, one of whom, carrying a

golden axe, demonstrative of his despotic power, paraded before him.

We proposed coffee and pipes to his royal highness, but he preferred a tumbler of rum, which he drank off with great relish. He informed us of his intention immediately to proceed to the field, and left us to prepare. The regards of all followed him, although, most certainly, they were not those of admi ration or love, but they followed a prince: and so prone are men to pursue dignities, even in the shape in which they now present ed themselves, that we soon joined him, though every moment in danger of being shot, either by himself, or some of his banditti. none of whom would miss the chance of killing a partridge, to save the life of a Pesavenk Yahour, [Infidel Pimp] a name with which they frequently honour us.

The morning was damp, and some raia dropped occasionally. The sport was but trifling, and few birds or beasts were taken. Again the day smiled, but it was a sarcassic smile. A gleam of sunshine fell upon the prince, which a hasty cloud soon threw on the ruins of Ephesus, while the distant thunder seemed to murmur," is not all vanity?

Some grew tired of princely pleasure, others continued the tedious chace, but the prince himself at length grew wearied of unsuccessful labour, and left the field.

Our author's commercial engagements presented him with a favourable opportunity of becoming acquainted with the trade of Constantinople and Smyrna; that opportunity he has embraced; and he states particulars at some length; but he gives a much less satisfactory account of the extent of trade, at the former, and of the mode of payment at the latter city, than we were prepared to expect.

The commerce of Constantinople is no thing, comparatively speaking, to what it appears to be.

But although the trade of Constantinople is limited, when compared with that of Smyrna, it is far better to prosecute on ac count of the difference both in the payments and the returns; in Smyrna, for many ar ticles it rarely happens that you can get tas amount of your account in less than two or even three years, although the goods are we ninally sold at three or six months; whereas, in Constantinople, should a sale be made at three months, before the end of six you may in general depend on payment in cash, which is remitted in good bills of exchange; but from Smyrua it is seldom that funds can be withdrawn but in produce, on which, in general, the loss far surpasses the fine profits

you had flattered yourself with in making your sales.

What is the present state of Constantinople cannot be known, even from so late a writer as Mr. Macgill: for since his residence there, the unfortunate Selim has fallen a victim to the bigotted barbarity of his troops. That Sultan did all in his power to promote the prosperity of his subjects we have often pitied his patriotic feelings, and his unmerited fate..

In Constantinople and its environs there are at present nearly ten thousand looms at work this must yield no small profit to the state, as the materials are chiefly the produce of the country.

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Farther up in this new town (Scutari) is the printing office, established, as I have before mentioned, by the reigning Sultan, (Selim)-in contradiction to the ruling superstition of the people; it is upon a pretty extensive plan for the beginning of a building of the kind; there are at present about ten presses going. Several persons are employed in translating useful books, and many are already printed in a very beautiful manner upon the paper made at the Sultan's manufactory upon the canal, and before leaving the office are bound either richly or plainly, according to the taste of the purchaser. Books of geography are printed, and also maps of all the different parts of the world, pretty accurately, in the Turkish characters. We saw besides, Captain Cook's voyages, and the elements of Euclid, in quarto: not being versed in the Turkish language, we could not judge if they were well translated, but the translator being a man of great abilities, there is little doubt but that he has done justice to his countryman Cook. It is generally supposed that justice has been done to Euclid.

Besides the manufactories already mentioned, we found that many others equally useful, are carried on at Scutari; they print and dye an immense quantity of India, British, and German muslins, here and all over the environs of the capital: they make charming colours, which are more durable than those in almost any other country.

The machinations of Buonaparte, have certainly been directed against Turkey: whether they will fail, as his mission to Persia appears to have failed; whether s late agreement with Austria, has removed the difficulties, started by that power, against their execution; or whethethe may quarrel with Russia, before the time comes for his attempt on Turkey, VoL. VII. [Lit. Pan. Jan. 1810]

are subjects of speculation, and guess; but not of reasonable certainty. It would be well, however, if the Turks were prepared for the worst; for to say truth, our opinion inclines rather to fear, than to hope on their behalf. But as already hinted, the event, whatever it be, we must leave to the operation of time, and the decrees of fate.

Analytical Review of the Medical Department of the British Army. By Charles Maclean, M. D. 8vo. pp. 224. Price 5s. 6d. Stockdale, London, 1810.

"Doctors differ," is a proverb not in favour of the medical profession. They differ as honest practitioners, meaning to prescribe the best mode of treatment, each according to his judgment, as an upright man; they differ as they have acquired knowledge and skill, from the cases they have seen, the climates they have visited, or other incidental circumstances: and they differ, says Dr. Maclean, according to the party they adopt, and the patronage they solicit. The last is the worst difference of all; especially, if it have contributed to the late losses of the British armies, on actual service. Those who consider themselves as having access to the most correct information, represent the sufferings of our troops, (at all times considerable, out of their own country) as unusual and even enormous. This may, probably, excite the attention of Parliament, when allegations so serious as those comprised in this essay, will, we trust, receive adequate examination, and the grievances complained of be effectually abolished. Considering this, as a party pamphlet, we give no opinion on its merits. It contains serious charges against the present manner of conducting the medical establishment of the army, against the medical board, its partiality, prejudice, misplaced patronage, &c, &c. which we hope and trust, are not true; or to say the least that they are greatly exaggerated.

That the nation is deeply concerned in this investigation, besides its loss of invaluable lives, appears from the magnitude of the concern; to convey some idea of this we extract a single paragraph only, referring the general question to authorities more competent to decide on it.

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