LETTER L.

TO THE SAME.

Dear General Odysseus,

Athens, March 16th, 1824.

I AM desirous of obtaining your sanction to the formation of a utilitarian society in Athens. I propose to select its members from the most virtuous and able of her citizens. The end proposed is the formation of schools, museums, dispensaries, agricultural and horticultural societies-in short, of all establishments connected with the advancement of useful knowledge. When this utilitarian society is formed I shall endeavour to promote similar institutions at Napoli, Tripolitza, and Missolonghi, and to put them in communication with all those societies which profess the same principles in other quarters of the world.

In consequence of the enlightened sentiments which you have expressed to me in favour of a free press, I have written to Napoli to have a press sent to Athens. I have also offered Professor Psylas £50 a-year to conduct and write for it. Your noble conduct towards the Athenians, in promoting public meetings, proves that you consider publicity as the soul of justice. It should prevail in the senate, in the courts of law, and, above all, in spreading the peoples' thoughts. The examples of England, of America, and of Switzerland prove its efficacy in promoting order, virtue, and good government; and those of South America and of India show how safe and how useful a free press is in countries which have been doomed to ages of despotism, and

which, like Greece, are beginning to revive from faintness and from pain, by breathing the fresh air of liberty. Follow, I implore you, the example of America, where every public man's conduct is open to free discussion, and where peace and order ever prevail. Act well, and you have nothing to fear from a thousand pens, though they were dipped in gall and directed by the hands of your enemies. Act well, and you will have reason and justice, and the hearts, and the minds, and the arms of the Greeks with you-friends that are invincible. I am, your friend,

THE press of Athens is not yet in operation. The Committee's press and my lithographic one are in the custody of Colocotroni at Napoli, which is blockaded by land and sea, by order of the general government. We have here, however, a rude press, which was made by a clever engineer, and some few types which belonged to the press at Corinth. There is in Athens a Dr. Sophianopulo, a clever man, who is one of the party of Ipsilanti and Colocotroni, and is secretary to the commandant of the fortress-Goorha. The Doctor wishes to have an influence over the press. He objects to Professor Psylas being the sole editor, and recommends

himself and another to co-operate with him. He has written a sort of avant-prospectus, by way, as he says, of trying the press, and he is now writing another. I shall take my own course. At a public meeting I shall present the press to the people of Athens; shall nominate Psylas to edit it till the arrival of Theocletos, an able and virtuous patriot; I shall then submit a prospectus for the approval of the Philo-Muse Society. The object of this prefatory production will be to lay down a chart by which the editor may steer his course.

Instead of a utilitarian society, which I proposed, the Athenians have resolved to reorganize the PhiloMuse Society, and to make it embrace all the objects I had in contemplation. I was called before this society yesterday, explained my opinions to them, and promised to address them farther on the subject.

THE Philo-Muse Society, of Athens, should, I think, publish a letter to the following effect:

"Sir, The Philo-Muse Society of Athens, the "duties of which have been, in some measure, sus

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pended, on account of the war, has now resumed its

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"active functions. This society has no political cha"racter; its sole object is to preserve the records and antiquities, and to advance the knowledge and improve the condition, of the Greeks. The Philo-Muse Society has converted a building in the Temple of "Minerva into a museum; it has formed a school for "the cheap acquirement of the ancient Greek and of "the classics, and also a Lancasterian school. The society intends to enlarge its library and to throw it open to the public.

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"The better to promote the purposes of this institution, the Athenians invite all the principal towns in "Greece to establish branch-societies. They most "anxiously desire to be in correspondence with, and "to be aided by, all useful societies in every part of the "world. From all quarters they solicit information "concerning education, the fine arts, legislation, po"litical economy, agriculture, horticulture, commerce, mechanics, and public institutions. Books, especially elementary ones, on useful subjects, in French, "Italian, German, or modern Greek, will be thankfully received.

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"From all the friends of Greece, the Philo-Muse Society requests subscriptions. It begs of all such to "address it, either through its secretary at Athens, or through the Greek committees. The Society will give every publicity to its measures and to its accounts.

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After this statement has been circulated here, it should I think be forwarded to all the Greek committees, for publication in the papers in various parts of the world. This task I undertake to perform.

I request of the Philo-Muse Society to honour me with its commands, and to give me a statement of all its wants previously to my departure from Athens. [Vide Appendix, No. 23.]

NOTHING would prove so serviceable to our cause as the emigration of English and others to Greece. To promote this object, I wish you to publish the following statement, on the accuracy of which you may rely.

Average price of Lands and Provisions at Athens.

Land should give a profit of from 10 per cent. to the purchaser. The land-tax amounts to 10 per cent. of the produce yearly.

A good house costs, yearly, from 500 to 700 piastres. -A riding horse, from 150 to 200 piastres.-An ox, 150 piastres-A cow, 100 piastres.-A sheep, 10 piastres.-A goat, 8 piastres.-A man labourer, per diem, 60 paras-7d.-A woman, 40 paras-5d.-A