Literary cadet and Rhode-Island statesman. [volume] (Providence, R.I.) 1827-1829, 1828-09-06
NOWE'S HISTORY OF GREECE

The author, in his preface. acknowledges
that nc ranks himself, 'f,without hesitation, among
tho friends. and oven the admirers, Of the
MopERN GREEKs.
ale has been rather surprised at finding so
much ni'ionnl spirit, and so murh write among
them, than thar there was 80 ltife; and he
thinks he has seen enough of them, 10 Justify
h's looking confidently for tho day, When they
"ii $40" themselves worthy Of their glorious
descent; to the day when it shall no longer be
siId with truth, that "Philopencn was the last
Of ,he Checks"
Ths arguments of thosc who nson upon the
present degraded situation Of the Creeks, and
assert ;hst they are less deserving our noiica
than the Turks, are not worth the pains Of a
Tefutaii0n. The feelings Of that man. who re-
yards wiia perfectly philosophical indifference,
such people, such cause, and such a coun-
try. as that OF Greece, are not to be condemn
ed; bur they arc not to be envied. And surely
\ Ike allowance should he made for the oppo-
site feeling; for that enthusiasm which is par
donabIo in this cause, if any; for it springs from
The best feelings Of human nature. To .dmire
Greece, and Greeks, for what they have becn.
may not be rational. bnt it IS nntural 10 hear
the desccnden;s of Demosihcnes speaking the
same beautiful language, which flowed like
ril, or thundcrcd like torrent, from his lips !;
10 hear the Modern Greek women saying, like
the Spartan matIon, 10 her son. as he Coos ou,
| 10 battle -"N iih II or upon IT," to see the
descend INT of Mi'iiades, fighting for liberty on
| ihe ba t.e-ground ot Marathon; are things that
the scholar cannot contemplate without some
emotion; and Tho feelings Of Indifference which
! philosophy tells Inn 10 substitute for it, is an
| artificial, not a natural one.
! But the author has never, for an instant, let
his enthusiasm blind him TO the faults Of the
, Greeks or influence him IN re- cordnQ them; nor
has he ranked himself among those Phhelcn-
es, who have ina gincd that the cause Of Greece
was to be advanced, by holding up to the world
a false picture Of disinterested patriotism, or
heroic courage of'he Modern Greeks He has
cndcavorod Inpartally. and fii,hfnliy. to give
ar historical Sketch Of those events, which
have for the last seven years so much interest
! ed the American public; It is as yet. very i'm
! perfect but should bo ndulgently received, he
! hopes that farther researches, and nm investi-
CATION Of Turkish, as well as the Greek char.
accr and actions, may enable i'm 10 present
! something, that NAV mcri. ,he name of CON-
pee history Of the Revolution in Greece"
his description Of boat builder and his i'm.
pemcn,s. may be taken as specimen of the
skill and ingenuity of the people, aud the mis-
cradle deficiency OF their means Defects in
the latter are, fortunately those which arc most
easily remedied:
"Almost every Crock sailor is capable OF
being a ship builder, and it is surprising 10 see
the sail and ingenuity which they exnibn.
have been assured that some Of the most beau.
tiful vessels, that are known to all mariners a.
the fines, specimens Of graceful modelling and
| symmetrical construction, were built by men
call3g themselves master workmen, bat ~ho
did not know the common principles or Mathe-
maticka was once golag along the beach
| in the little retired island oil Scopelus, and my
attention was attracted to a long and beauti-
fully shaped boat, nearly fnisned. Iapproach-
cd and found only one man, sqGatting beside
her or his heels, eating biscuit and olives.
asked him where the builders wercl "Fgo
! ebaai," replied he; hc was building her alone.
I looked around for his tools, but no, seeing
them, asked him where his scale and compass
were. The man starcd-I found he did moi
know Guniers scale from grdiron, and re-
solved to wait and see him resume his work.
Alter he had finished his olives, wiped his
u,usts chios and crossed himself three tunes, he
got up, examined his little red cross. and piece
| Of garlic, which he nailed on the bow Of hls
boat 10 keep OFT the devil. and all other evil
spirits, ind finding all well he resumed his tools
He bad rude axe; a block Of wood with a
handle drove into il, for a msllet, another IN
strument which he called a saw, but which TO
ne seemed wondrously like a notched iron
hosp; and his dvidsrs were formed by piece
of oak wood, split half way up, with a wedge
to p-.h up or down, 10 opsn or shut the arms;
sss OF tho splt ends he would dip INTO CON-
'ssi'ien Of brid dss. ond spi,,le, to shsw ne