"December 26.
"The multitude of your recommendations has already superseded my
humble endeavours to be of use to you; and, indeed, most of my
principal friends are returned. Leake from Joannina, Canning and
Adair from the city of the Faithful, and at Smyrna no letter is
necessary, as the consuls are always willing to do every thing for
personages of respectability. I have sent you _three_, one to
Gibraltar, which, though of no great necessity, will, perhaps, put
you on a more intimate footing with a very pleasant family there.
You will very soon find out that a man of any consequence has very
little occasion for any letters but to ministers and bankers, and
of them we have already plenty, I will be sworn.
"It is by no means improbable that I shall go in the spring, and if
you will fix any place of rendezvous about August, I will _write_
or _join_ you.--When in Albania, I wish you would enquire after
Dervise Tahiri and Vascillie (or Bazil), and make my respects to
the viziers, both there and in the Morea. If you mention my name to
Suleyman of Thebes, I think it will not hurt you; if I had my
dragoman, or wrote Turkish, I could have given you letters of _real
service_; but to the English they are hardly requisite, and the
Greeks themselves can be of little advantage. Liston you know
already, and I do not, as he was not then minister. Mind you visit
Ephesus and the Troad, and let me hear from you when you please. I
believe G. Forresti is now at Yanina, but if not, whoever is there
will be too happy to assist you. Be particular about _firmauns_;
never allow yourself to be bullied, for you are better protected in
Turkey than any where; trust not the Greeks; and take some
_knicknackeries_ for _presents_--_watches_, _pistols_, &c. &c. to
the Beys and Pachas. If you find one Demetrius, at Athens or
elsewhere, I can recommend him as a good dragoman. I hope to join
you, however; but you will find swarms of English now in the
Levant.
"Believe me," &c.
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