New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-03-21
DEGENER4TES.
so ANOTHER ENGLISH TRAVELLER De
NOMINATES THE MODERN INHAB-
ITANTS OF HELLAS.
From The St. James's Gazette.

From The 81. James's Gazette.
7, ,s a beautiful corner OF the earth. where every
He fails painfully below his surroundings and his
name The men do not inspire confidence. espe-
They may be all right. but appearances are asalnst
them. They tall and swarthy but WiLnout ths
the dignied demeanor common 10 most Orientals
And then. their dress often ma knglsn people
those incr edible petticoats. but II IS fact Ihey
are much more generally worn IN Greece tn9n Kllts
are in the Highlands and much more absurd. They
consist OF a fabulous number OF yarGs OF some
white material which looks Ike highly starched
muslin standing out stir and barely reaching 70
the knee exactly like ballet dancers skirt The
lower part OF the leg is swathed in oandaeesi on
color and material as possible. and on the head a
bright cap. with long tassel. The whole IS an ex-
tawdry inc-,' and meJodramatc suggestion. and
when one encounters such a ngure on me country
from the Saracens. with various knives and pls-
tolls. one feels transported into oaroaric age
when human life was cheap and murder the MAN
To he bo5nst / was never molested by any OF
these gentlemen. but one day had the greatest
difficulty In persuadine companion 70 tuIh NJ
back on a pair % them He was convinced thar
their appearance The hsher-folk are a shade or
two worse than the rustics, and the town raople
Gated people wear ordinary European dress or uni
form As for the ladies', douhtless tney az" CharH'
ing: but alas for the beauty Of Helen. OF Phryne.
OF Aspasia and the other legendary nerones.
Looks are a matter Of taste. and have neither
ANYBODY goes Greece expecting TO sec In the face
OF man or woman anything remotely resembling
what We have learned from sculpture 10 call the
Greek type he will most certainly be dIsappoln'e"
The common people appeared 10 me neither clean
nor industrious. and | have reason 10 know that
MANY are rank thieves. But, all the same. they
are not WHO'LL degenerate. Did not Greek WIZ
the long-distance event a. the Olympian games ?
And In one thing AZ least they excel They are The
firesr divers in the world. and exclusively engaged
for the most arduous and dangerous kind OF sponge
fishing the headquarters " which Is on the island
~ AeCine-pronounced Enigma. with the r. shori
Classical scholars please notice
Tho degeueracy OF the modern Greek Is shown N
nothing more plainly than in the Nretched appeal.
ance and Astounding dirt Of his towns. Athens. or
course is CITY apart where classical ASSOCIATION
swallows IN all other impressions And Corfu pre-
seuts q pleasant aspect on a superficial survey
The harbor the citadel and the sea-front are very
charming and the hotels well enough. but the
hack quarters and slums into which few travellers
venture 10 penetrate. are nothing less than pest
lential Yet Corfu is show pace-the Brighton OF
m 500 rho signs OF an absolute arrest OF progress
followed bv decay which fell upon the people from
the moment when the stimulus OF British CivillZa
ton was removed There are the haf-nnishe1
houses showing how enterprise and progress We're
at work left they stood and rottnS away
Patras the commercial capital, Is L.ean and
equalid without redeemng feature The dis
order" OF Greek finances needs no explanation 70
any ore who has the Greek az home He Is
good for an empty and vainglorious excitement
but Of real effort and progress. Of anything ap-
proa ching 10 Western civilization. he seems quite
incapahle when left 10 himself.