'chief attribute is Love. I cannot yield to your doc'trine of the eternal duration of punishment. This 'author's opinion is more humane, and I think he 'supports it very strongly from Scripture.'

I shall now insert, with such explanatory remarks as they may seem to require, some of the letters, official as well as private, which his lordship wrote while at Cephalonia; and from which the reader may collect, in a manner far more interesting than through the medium of any narrative, a knowledge both of the events now passing in Greece, and of the views and feelings with which they were regarded by Lord Byron.

To Madame Guiccioli he wrote frequently, but briefly, and, for the first time, in English; adding always a few lines in her brother Pietro's letters to her. The following are extracts.

'October 7th.

'Pietro has told you all the gossip of the island,' our earthquakes, our politics, and present abode in a pretty village. As his opinions and mine on the Greeks are nearly similar, I need say little on that 'subject. I was a fool to come here; but, being here, I must see what is to be done.'

· October

We are still in Cephalonia, waiting for news of a 'more accurate description; for all is contradiction ' and division in the reports of the state of the Greeks. 'I shall fulfil the object of my mission from the Com'mittee, and then return into Italy; for it does not 'seem likely that, as an individual, I can be of use to them;—at least no other foreigner has yet appeared 'to be so, nor does it seem likely that any will be at present,

'Pray be as cheerful and tranquil as you can; and ' be assured that there is nothing here that can excite 'anything but a wish to be with you again,-though ' we are very kindly treated by the English here of all 'descriptions. Of the Greeks, I can't say much good hitherto, and I do not like to speak ill of them, though they do of one another.'

⚫ October 29th.

'You may be sure that the moment I can join you ' again, will be as welcome to me as at any period of ' our recollection. There is nothing very attractive here to divide my attention; but I must attend to the 'Greek cause, both from honour and inclination. 'Messrs. B. and T. are both in the Morea, where they 'have been very well received, and both of them write in good spirits and hopes. I am anxious to hear how the Spanish cause will be arranged, as I think it may ' have an influence on the Greek contest. I wish that 'both were fairly and favourably settled, that I might ' return to Italy, and talk over with you our, or rather 'Pietro's adventures, some of which are rather amusing, as also some of the incidents of our voyages and travels. But I reserve them, in the hope that we may laugh over them together at no very distant period.'

LETTER 525.

TO MR. BOWRING.

'9bre 29th, 1823.

'This letter will be presented to you by Mr. Hamilton Browne, who precedes or accompanies the Greek deputies. He is both capable and desirous of rendering any service to the cause, and information to the Committee. He has already been of considerable advantage to both, of my own knowledge. Lord

'Archibald Hamilton, to whom he is related, will add 'a weightier recommendation than mine.

'Corinth is taken, and a Turkish squadron said to be beaten in the Archipelago. The public progress ' of the Greeks is considerable, but their internal dis'sensions still continue. On arriving at the seat of 'Government, I shall endeavour to mitigate or extinguish them-though neither is an easy task. I have ' remained here till now, partly in expectation of the 'squadron in relief of Missolonghi, partly of Mr. Parry's detachment, and partly to receive from Malta 'or Zante the sum of four thousand pounds sterling, ' which I have advanced for the payment of the expected squadron. The bills are negotiating, and ' will be cashed in a short time, as they would have ' been immediately in any other mart; but the miserable Ionian merchants have little money, and no great credit, and are besides politically shy on this 'occasion; for although I had letters of Messrs. Webb (one of the strongest houses of the Mediterranean), and also of Messrs. Ransom, there is no business to 'be done on fair terms except through English mer'chants. These, however, have proved both able and 'willing,—and upright, as usual*.

'Colonel Stanhope has arrived, and will proceed 'immediately; he shall have my co-operation in all his endeavours; but from everything that I can learn, the formation of a brigade at present will be ex'tremely difficult, to say the least of it. With regard 'to the reception of foreigners,-at least of foreign

The English merchants whom he thus so justly describes, are Messrs. Barff and Hancock, of Zante, whose conduct, not only in the instance of Lord Byron, but throughout the whole Greek struggle, has been uniformly most zealous and disinterested.