The Sun.
London, England, 1825-12-29 00:00:00

u .INNT.

THE GREEK CAUSE.

TO THE EDITOTt-01."4'HE SUN.

Sts-.—lf we give implicit credit to the asser-
tions of some of the Foreign journals, the final
emancipation of the Greeks from the yoke of
their barbarous masters, appears completely hope.
less. It may be, however, proper and prudent to
receive their testimony with caution. Tho,e
among the French and German Journalists, who
stand forth as the ready and constant advocates
of legitimacy and absolute power, have, in conse-
quence, ever appeared little favourable to the
Greek cause ; whilst the journals published 'under
the immediate influence of the most biggotted.
among the Holy Allies, have openly avowed •the•
most determined enmitytowards Grecian independ--
ence. From the very commencement of the san-
guinary and awful contest, they have never ceased
representing this noble cause as a holly hopeless,
and for the laudable purpose of giving colour to
this, their favourite assertion, they have not
scrupled to employ the grossest klsehoods, and
the sinost unjustifiable slander. That the Greeks
have, in many instances, equalled the Turks- in .
barbarity can no more be doubted than it should
be wondered at. Every contest between a people 1
long subjected to the most galling, the most de-
grading yoke, and the nation by'which it has been
thus oppressed,must unfortunately, bu t necessarily
bear a character of ferociousness, which no other
war can exhibit. It is not at the moment when
the most powerful passions that can sway the
human breast, have suddenly broke loose,- and
rage with a degree of intensity proportionate to
the natural energies of a people, to the length of
time during .which these energies have been com-
pressed, and to the nature of the yoke by which
they were thus kept down, that the voice of rea-
son or of humanity can overpower and prevail
over that of violence and of barbarity. This
should serve to palliate the conduct of the Greek.
patriots, but I allow, most readily, that it cannot
efface the foul stain which their wanton cruelty
has indelibly imprinted upon their otherwise
glorious and noble cause.
It has proved likewise most unfortunate for
Greece, that jealousy reigned among her chief-
tains, and that dissensions prevailed in her &inn-
cils. This misfortune has proved more truly
fatal to- her independence, than the scymatars of
her Turkish foes, or the now European appoint-
ed forces of their Egyptain allies. But deplor-
able and destructive as this circumstance has
most undoubtedly proved, it was one which the
existing condition of the Greeks rendered almost
unavoidable. In their eagerness to secure theirown
individual, independence, each petty chieftain
lost sight of what should have been the main oh.
ject Of their united efforts, the conquering and.
securing their national independence. Had there
existed among them one man, truly deserving the
name of patriot, a true descendant of those an-
cient and heroical Greeks, who readily sacrificed
every private feeling at the sacred shriwe of pa-
triotism and of liberty ; one min, of a character
so upright, of a disposition so disinterested as to
merit the confidence of the whole nation ; one
man, gifted with the wisdom to form the most
sagacious plans, with resolution sufficient to carry
them into effect, and with sufficient authority to
enforce obedience, then must Greece have beert.
inevitably saved. But, alas ! this has not been
the case. The Greek chieftains
.have displayed
courage, activity, intelligence, firmness and de-
. termination ; but they have also exhibited a most
fatal jealousy of each other which may prove the
ruin of their country. By this alone they will
either have more firmly rivetted their chains, or ,
plunged the avenging and extertninating sword
of the ferocious I\lussulmans, into the bosom of all
they hold most dear upon earth. Oh ! how blind,
how fatal is ambition ! but even while we
what it seems scarcely possible to deny ; whilst
we boldly poll aside the veil that conceals the
truth, and tear off the delusive mask beneath.,
which partiality might seek to hide the sad rea-
lity, let us not shut our eyes to the gleam of hope
that yet sheds a dubious light upon the mournful
scene. The recent accounts which -we' have re..
ceived concerning the affairs of Greece, are melan-
choly, and almost disheartening. If we may.
trust to them, even the last gleam of hope is ex-
tinguished. They tell us of fresh hordes of 'bar-
; barians about to set their foot upon the classical
soil of Greece ; about to exterminate, the last
remnants of the most celebrated people that has
ever existed. They tell us, that the Greek
Councils -are divided and disniyi4 that :the.
Greeks are wholly deficient in 'capaCity; yet,uti-
willing to place implicit confidence in I he superior
Skill of the Franks; without (Wespai.kripatriotism,
and divided by the meatiest personal interests,
are
_the room degraded, the 'most contemptible,
and the most detestable people upon the face of
the earth.

This information mayy—be all very true ; hut
through what channel do sve p.cuive it ?
From a source the purity of which none
but a radical liberal can possibly deny.—
From the slavish Gazettes' of the Holy Allies.
Now, it seems that, without incurring the accusa-
tion of the most reprehensible scepticism„one
may reasonably entertain some doubts as to the
authenticity of any inforrnation originating in
such a service. Unprincipled, and 'cowardly,
and unpatriotZke as the modern Greeks. may
be, yet have they now carried on a most ardu-
ous contest with a most powerful foe, : and under
every poskible disadvantage, during the course.
of which they have exhibited to the wqrlit deeds
r valour and of heroism, not unwertheit,,o.f,the.
hirOes of Marathon, of . Platen, and of 'Salarni•
•Is "it not samewhat singular, that in no one
instance,have we seen any of their leaders betray
the sacred cause for which they twaght and bl.d;

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PRICE SEVENPENCE.

in no one single instance, seen any town capable
of making the least resistance, voluntarily open
its gates to the enemy. These are facts which
rnust'have more weight in the minds of every un-
prejudiced man, than the assertions of all the
German Gazettes put together. Left, by the
narrow minded policy of their fellow Christians,
to contend alone for their national independ.:
once, the Greeks have fought its battles with*
constancy and a degree of courage deserving of
success.

Jealousy and private dissentions have, indeed,
most unfortunately prevailed among the Chiefs, but
under every circumstance has the nation proved
uniformly true to itself; and this alone must court-
ter balance every other disadvantage, and ensure
its final success. When a nation is firmly it-,
(ached to its religion, when it is welt acquaint-.
ed with the sanguinary and mercileSs dis
position of its tyrants, and is determined to
be 'fire, its eventual emancipation is almost
certain. This is a truth, which the pages
of history place beyond the possibility of
denial. There is scarcely one instance upon
record, of a people combating to recover its
national independence, finding itself inadeqUate
to the accomplishment of the glorious task.
Then why so soon. dispose of the cau.e of Greece ?
Surely not because some few biggotted or preju-
diced journalists, chose to represent it as wholly'
desperate ! The simple and undeniable fact, that-
the Greeks are, even now, fighting against their
oppressors, is a convincing proof how greatly the
unfavourable reports circulated by these papers
are exaggerated. A. P.

REMAINS OF ROMAN LONDON.

In the excavations lately made in different parts
of London, several memorials of ancient days have been found.
A few days ago, as some workmen in the employment of Mr.
Chadwick, the architect, were digging near the foundation of
the new Trinity church, they discovered a Roman vase of a
very peculiar form. Shortly afterwards the pickaxe struck
against a vase of very considerable dimensions, which-could not
be accurately ascertained, as it was unfortunately dashed to
pieces, and the fragments were carelessly shovelled away ; but
from an examination of those which were picked up, it was
judged that the vase was about 4 feet high. 1.11 any fragments
of Roman pottery, chiefly of a lighter sort of stone-ware, have
been dug up there. It is supposed that this spot is contiguous
to that which Bagford mentions in his letter to Hearne, as the
place in which a number of Roman remains had been found.
-.'-Mr. Chadwick added the first specimen to the collection of
Mr. Gwilt, the architect and antiquatian. The latter Gentle-
Man has formed a small museum of the various Roman Art-
tiquities which have been recently discovered in the Borough
of Southwark by the labourers who are employed in digging
the sewers near his own house in Union-street, in which
many Roman remains were found, and amongst them Was
a vessel of a singular shape, hearing some resemblance to
a gallon stone-bottle. The aperture is perforated with small
holes, and it is evidently adapted as a sort of watering-pot
acting upon the principle of the common implement used in
taking samples of liquor from casks in which the fluid is re-
tained as long as the orifice at the top is kept closed by the
finger, but from which it flows as soon as the finger is re-
' Moved. it is conjectured from the workmanship, that the
utensil is the Roman Situ/its. A Samian cup, and several spec
cimens of Samian ware, were found near the same spot. Some
of the fragments resembled those dug up in Lombard-qieet,
near Birchin-lane, in 1786. While some workmen were digging
for the erection of a steam-engine at Messrs. Barclay and Per-
kins's brewery, they found a human skeieten, between the legs
of which they discovered a vessel containing several Roman
coins, chiefly of the Lower Empire. Near theDissenters' bary-
ing-ground was found, a short time ago, a Roman .hypocaus:.
or flue. In the whole line of Union-street and Blackman-street,
various remains were discovered. On the south side of St. Sa-
viour's Church, a Roman tessellated pavement was dug ma' by
some of Mr. Gwilt's workmen ; but he was only enabled to re-
move a few fragments. A number of Roman coins were also
found in the same place. A copper coin of Antoninus Piits.
with a Britannia on the reverse, was found in St. Saviour's
Church-yard. The head is in excellent preservation, and the
execution is, perhareenot excelled by any modern coin, certainly
not by any of our own. In the course of the excavations fer the
new London-bridge, a quantity of Roman mortar was found.
which it was conjectured, had belonged to some Roman em.-
bankment, which had fallen into the river at the same time.
From the remains found in various places in the neighbourhood-
it was conjectured, indeed no doubt seems to exist, although
the circumstance is not mentioned in our histories, that Solith-
wark was once a very flourishing Roman atation. Atnengst
the works carried on in the course of the' restoration of St.
Saviour's Church, to the progress in which such absurd
impediments have been presented by a party of the learned
parish dignitaries, a quantity of Roman bricks were detg up
near the Spiritual Court, and - were ascertained to have been
worked in with the flint in the walls. The greater part of the
antiquities have been collected and preserved by Mr., Gwilt.—
Indeed, his success as a collector has raised up many rivals.
who narrowly watch the works carried or at any new sewere.
drains, or excavations, in the hope of meeting with some-
thing. curious. The foremost of those is Mr. Gaieekell, the
Magistrate; but - Mr. Gwilt has hitherto succeeded, and
driven away all chance froth his competitors by the act of
liberal rewards to ' the workmen'. We understand he has ob..
tamed one funeral urn,'. with an inscription which is likely to
poze the Antiquarian Society. Every antiquarian who has
yet been allowed to see it has given a different Construction
of, and ' built a different hypothesis upon -it: It is 'probable,
that in carrying on the works of the ' new streets, and in
digging to form the improvements of the metropolis, Ls-
coveries may be made, which, if' they come within the
koOwledge 'of the learned, will -serve to elucidate •the site
Of the Roman London, or Augusta, now a matter of . such
wide and wild conjecture. , In ' f g the
ortnin late nehr
a buildings at the India House, edrisiderabM extent orgrotind
was cleared to what was considered the. Rornane site, . while,
- a ROlll3ll road was discovered. Mr. Fisher eief the, Antique,
rian Society, who gave an account of tree superb Mosaic- ..
pavement discovered in Leidenhall-street in 1808,:thivexae..
' mined the spot very accurately, and: will, we •presurnee give
to the Society a paper on the subject, fully descriptive of his
discoveries. There can be little doubt that many antiquities
have been destroyed or dispersed on account of ignorance of
their value, and:-that numerous interesting remains, which
y
so wereup lately
might have. furnished matter useful, perhaps to the historian,
have recently been hroken up without having for a 'moment
excited the least' degree of Curiosit . Behind Coldbath-fields,
p
many
old
ppielnesc,roas church,ndsom which were
which appeared to be the vestiges of a bridge, of 'great anti-
quity.rin The dug
mounds te
near
considered by Dr. Stukely to be the remains of a• Roman
a
camp, 'and which, it is highly probable, notwithstanding the
wildness of his other conjectures respecting it, were 'actually
what he described them to be, have been all _ obliterated
by the hand of modern improvement. The Spitalfields' Ma-
theinatival. Society • learning that the Roman Camp; in the
fields beyond White Conduit-house. would soon be obliterate •
ed by the brick-makers, have had a drawing of it taken.. We
were yesterday led to examine a tomb in the very ' ancient
church of St. Catherine's,- which workmen are-now pulling to
pieces,: for the purpose of forming the new St. Catharine's-
toek. .It was the tomb of John Duke of Exeter, who was, we
believe, uncle to Henry V., and was with tiinPat:thetattie of
Agincourt. His skull is now in-the possession of, Mr. Comp-
toe, the; surveyor. The cranium is small and retiriog, which
tho',e who profess to be learned in such matters SAY; is evidence
of royalty and legitimacy, as well as of valour.. •The teeth are
remarkabiy.perfect. , It would appear that his tem!b_ had once
before been opened and plundered. His will, . in, which he
bequeathed to the high eltar ut' the church " a•cuppe of by-rol,
garnished with gold, peries; -and precious stones, to be put in
the sacrament," and a number of other memoriels of the Duke,
are to be seen amongst the town records.