that all our translations are from copies got from the Greek priests, who would not fail to falsify it with the extremity of malice.  No body of men ever were more ignorant, or more corrupt; yet they differ so little from the Romish church, that, I confess, nothing gives me a greater abhorrence of the cruelty of your clergy, than the barbarous persecution of them, whenever they have been their masters, for no other reason than their not acknowledging the pope.  The dissenting in that one article, has got them the titles of heretics and schismatics; and, what is worse, the same treatment.  I found at Philippopolis, a sect of Christians that call themselves Paulines.  They shew an old church, where, they say, St Paul preached; and he is their favourite saint, after the same manner that St Peter is at Rome; neither do they forget to give him the same preference over the rest of the apostles.

BUT of all the religions I have seen, that of the Arnounts seems to me the most particular; they are natives of Arnountlich, the ancient Macedonia, and still retain the courage and hardiness, though they have lost the name of Macedonians, being the best militia in the Turkish empire, and the only check upon the janizaries.  They are foot soldiers; we had a guard of them, relieved in every considerable town we passed; they are all cloathed and armed at their own expence, dressed in clean white coarse cloth, carrying guns of a prodigious length, which they run with upon their shoulders, as if they did not feel the weight of them, the leader singing a sort of rude tune, not unpleasant, and the rest making up the chorus.  These people living between Christians and Mahometans, and not being skilled in controversy, declare, that they are utterly unable to judge which religion is best; but, to be certain of not entirely rejecting the truth, they very prudently follow both.  They go to the mosques on Fridays, and to the church on Sunday, saying, for their excuse, that at the day of judgment they are sure of protection from the true prophet; but which that is, they are not able to determine in this world.  I believe there is no other race of mankind, who have so modest an opinion of their own capacity.

THESE are the remarks I have made, on the diversity of religions I have seen.  I don’t ask your pardon for the liberty I have taken in speaking of the Roman.  I know you equally condemn the quakery (sic) of all churches, as much as you revere the sacred truths, in which we both agree.

YOU will expect I should say something to you of the antiquities of this country; but there are few remains of ancient Greece.  We passed near the piece of an arch, which is commonly called Trajan’s Gate, from a supposition, that he made it to shut up the passage over the mountains, between Sophia and Philippopolis.  But I rather believe it the remains of some triumphal arch, (tho’ I could not see any inscription;) for if that passage had been shut up, there are many others that would serve