“Coming to Greece, one of my principal objects was to alleviate as much as possible the miseries incident to a warfare so cruel as the present.  When the dictates of humanity are in question, I know no difference between Turks and Greeks.  It is enough that those who want assistance are men, in order to claim the pity and protection of the meanest pretender to humane feelings.  I have found here twenty-four Turks, including women and children, who have long pined in distress, far from the means of support and the consolations of their home.  The Government has consigned them to me; I transmit them to Prevesa, whither they desire to be sent.  I hope you will not object to take care that they may be restored to a place of safety, and that the Governor of your town may accept of my present.  The best recompense I can hope for would be to find that I had inspired the Ottoman commanders with the same sentiments towards those unhappy Greeks who may hereafter fall into their hands.

“I beg you to believe me,” &c.

LETTER 545.

TO THE HONOURABLE DOUGLAS KINNAIRD.

“Missolonghi, February 21. 1824.

“I have received yours of the 2d of November.  It is essential that the money should be paid, as I have drawn for it all, and more too, to help the Greeks.  Parry is here, and he and I agree very well; and all is going on hopefully for the present, considering circumstances.

“We shall have work this year, for the Turks are coming down in force; and, as for me, I must stand by the cause.  I shall shortly march (according to orders) against Lepanto, with two thousand men.  I have been here some time, after some narrow escapes from the Turks, and also from being ship-wrecked.  We were twice upon the rocks; but this you will have heard, truly or falsely, through other channels, and I do not wish to bore you with a long story.

“So far I have succeeded in supporting the Government of Western Greece, which would otherwise have been dissolved.  If you have received the eleven thousand and odd pounds, these, with what I have in hand, and my income for the current year, to say nothing of contingencies, will, or might, enable me to keep the ‘sinews of war’ properly strung.  If the deputies be honest fellows, and obtain the loan, they will repay the 4000,’. as agreed upon; and even then I shall save little, or indeed less than little, since I am maintaining nearly the whole machine—­in this place, at least—­at my own cost.  But let the Greeks only succeed, and I don’t care for myself.

“I have been very seriously unwell, but am getting better, and can ride about again; so pray quiet our friends on that score.

“It is not true that I ever did, will, would, could, or should write a satire against Gifford, or a hair of his head.  I always considered him as my literary father, and myself as his ’prodigal son;’ and if I have allowed his ‘fatted calf’ to grow to an ox before, he kills it on my return, it is only because I prefer beef to veal.  Yours,” &c