"Missolonghi, March 10. 1824.
"Dear Sir,
"You could not disapprove of the motto to the Telegraph more than I
did, and do; but this is the land of liberty, where most people do as
they please, and few as they ought.
"I have not written, nor am inclined to write, for that or for any
other paper, but have suggested to them, over and over, a change of
the motto and style. However, I do not think that it will turn out
either an irreligious or a levelling publication, and they promise
due respect to both churches and things, _i.e._ the editors do.
"If Bambas would write for the Greek Chronicle, he might have his own
price for articles.
"There is a slight demur about Hato's voyage, her mother wishing to
go with her, which is quite natural, and I have not the heart to
refuse it; for even Mahomet made a law, that in the division of
captives, the child should never be separated from the mother. But
this may make a difference in the arrangement, although the poor
woman (who has lost half her family in the war) is, as I said, of
good character, and of mature age, so as to render her respectability
not liable to suspicion. She has heard, it seems, from Prevesa, that
her husband is no longer there. I have consigned your Bibles to Dr.
Meyer; and I hope that the said Doctor may justify your confidence;
nevertheless, I shall keep an eye upon him. You may depend upon my
giving the Society as fair play as Mr. Wilberforce himself would; and
any other commission for the good of Greece will meet with the same
attention on my part.
"I am trying, with some hope of eventual success, to re-unite the
Greeks, especially as the Turks are expected in force, and that
shortly. We must meet them as we may, and fight it out as we can.
"I rejoice to hear that your school prospers, and I assure you that
your good wishes are reciprocal. The weather is so much finer, that I
get a good deal of moderate exercise in boats and on horseback, and
am willing to hope that my health is not worse than when you kindly
wrote to me. Dr. Bruno can tell you that I adhere to your regimen,
and more, for I do not eat any meat, even fish.
"Believe me ever, &c.
"P.S. The mechanics (six in number) were all pretty much of the same
mind. Brownbill was but _one_. Perhaps they are less to blame than is
imagined, since Colonel Stanhope is said to have told them, '_that he
could not positively say their lives were safe.' _ I should like to
know _where_ our life _is_ safe, either here or any where else? With
regard to a place of safety, at least such hermetically sealed safety
as these persons appeared to desiderate, it is not to be found in
Greece, at any rate; but Missolonghi was supposed to be the place
where they would be useful, and their risk was no greater than that
of others."