When the Greek revolution broke out, in 1820, there were about seven hundred thousand people inhabiting a little over twenty-one thousand square miles of territory, with a revenue of about fifteen millions of dollars,—­large for such a country of mountains and valleys.  But the soil is fertile and the climate propitious, favorable for grapes, olives, and maize.  It is a country easily defended, with its steep mountains, its deep ravines, and rugged cliffs, and when as at that time roads were almost impassable for carriages and artillery.  Its people have always been celebrated for bravery, industry, and frugality (like the Swiss), but prone to jealousies and party feuds.  It had in 1820 no central government, no great capital, and no regular army.  It owed allegiance to the Sultan at Constantinople, the Turks having conquered Greece soon after that city was taken by them in 1453.

Amid all the severities of Turkish rule for four centuries the Greeks maintained their religion, their language, and distinctive manners.  In some places they were highly prosperous from commerce, which they engrossed along the whole coast of the Levant and among the islands of the Archipelago.  They had six hundred vessels, bearing six thousand guns, and manned by eighteen thousand seamen.  In their beautiful islands,—­

     “Where burning Sappho loved and sung,”—­

abodes of industry and freedom, the Turkish pashas never set their foot, satisfied with the tribute which was punctually paid to the Sultan.  Moreover, these islands were nurseries of seamen for the Turkish navy; and as these seamen were indispensable to the Sultan, the country that produced them was kindly treated.  The Turks were indifferent to commerce, and allowed the Greek merchants to get rich, provided they paid their tribute.  The Turks cared only for war and pleasure, and spent their time in alternate excitement and lazy repose.  They disdained labor, which they bought with tribute-money or secured from slaves taken in war.  Like the Romans, they were warriors and conquerors, but became enervated by luxury.  They were hard masters, but their conquered subjects throve by commerce and industry.

The Greeks, as to character, were not religious like the Turks, but quicker witted.  What religion they had was made up of the ceremonies and pomps of a corrupted Christianity, but kept alive by traditions.  Their patriarch was a great personage,—­practically appointed, however, by the Sultan, and resident in Constantinople.  Their clergy were married, and were more humane and liberal than the Roman Catholic priests of Italy, and about on a par with them in morals and influence.  The Greeks were always inquisitive and fond of knowledge, but their love of liberty has been one of their strongest peculiarities, kept alive amid all the oppressions to which they have been subjected.  Nevertheless, unarmed, at least on the mainland, and without fortresses, few in numbers, with overwhelming foes, they had not,