“Of public matters here, I have little to add to what you will already have heard.  We are going on as well as we can, and with the hope and the endeavour to do better.  Believe me,

“Ever and truly,” &c.

LETTER 550.  TO MR. BARFF.

“March 5. 1824.

“If Sisseni[1] is sincere, he will be treated with, and well treated; if he is not, the sin and the shame may lie at his own door.  One great object is to heal those internal dissensions for the future, without exacting too rigorous an account of the past.  Prince Mavrocordato is of the same opinion, and whoever is disposed to act fairly will be fairly dealt with.  I have heard a good deal of Sisseni, but not a deal of good:  however, I never judge from report, particularly in a Revolution. Personally, I am rather obliged to him, for he has been very hospitable to all friends of mine who have passed through his district.  You may therefore assure him that any overture for the advantage of Greece and its internal pacification will be readily and sincerely met here.  I hardly think that he would have ventured a deceitful proposition to me through you, because he must be sure that in such a case it would eventually be exposed.  At any rate, the healing of these dissensions is so important a point, that something must be risked to obtain it.”

[Footnote 1:  This Sisseni, who was the Capitano of the rich district about Gastouni, and had for some time held out against the general Government, was now, as appears by the above letter, making overtures, through Mr. Barff, of adhesion.  As a proof of his sincerity, it was required by Lord Byron that he should surrender into the hands of the Government the fortress of Chiarenza.]

LETTER 551.  TO MR. BARFF.

“March 10.

“Enclosed is an answer to Mr. Parruca’s letter, and I hope that you will assure him from me, that I have done and am doing all I can to re-unite the Greeks with the Greeks.

“I am extremely obliged by your offer of your country house (as for all other kindness) in case that my health should require my removal; but I cannot quit Greece while there is a chance of my being of any (even supposed) utility:—­there is a stake worth millions such as I am, and while I can stand at all, I must stand by the cause.  When I say this, I am at the same time aware of the difficulties and dissensions and defects of the Greeks themselves; but allowance must be made for them by all reasonable people.

“My chief, indeed nine tenths of my expenses here are solely in advances to or on behalf of the Greeks[1], and objects connected with their independence.”