Babel. As Prince Metternich, the powerful protector of all that is really useful, takes a lively interest in the affairs of the company, it may henceforth be certain of the most active support. That which has hitherto much impeded it has been the circumstance that goods sent by the Argo to the Black Sea have been very rigorously treated by the quarantine at Odessa. A second attempt is therefore being now made, by diplomatic means, to obtain for the merchandize subject to the quarantine, and which is addressed to the Russian ports of the Black Sea, the same favour which the vessels in the Mediterranean enjoy, in demanding permission to have them sealed, and furnished with a certificate delivered by the Russian authority residing at Vienna. The friendly relations subsisting between the Russian court and our's give reason to hope for a happy result on this point, in the same manner as the Turkish government lately rescinded the decree of last year, which forbade its subjects to travel by Austrian or English steam-boats. Some time ago, the steam navigation companies in Wurtemburg and Bavaria, having asked whether the Austrian company would be disposed to co-operate with them in good fellowship, in order to make Ulm the point of departure for the vessels which should occupy the whole course of the Danube, our administration has been authorised to make an agreement for this purpose, reserving to the Imperial and Royal government the right of ratifying it.

Thus, then, the road is cleared to realise what, ten years ago, did not appear possible; that is to say, a direct commerce between central Europe and the East. At present a great deal is said, although nothing official has transpired, of an iron railroad, to communicate from Vienna by Oedenburg as far as Raab. It is, however, to be presumed that the railroad will not be confined to this, but that it will, one day, be prolonged to Pest, and even by Stolack as far as Debretzin: at least, this idea would be worthy of the spirit of the age, so fertile in enterprise, and likewise the execution of this project would find no obstacle in the country, for a continuous plain extends from the Raab to Dotes, and, further on, there is only one river to be passed in order to enter into the valley

of Predium, and, passing by Zitzke and Bia, to travel towards the Danube, between Promontori and Buda. This iron railway would fulfil every expectation that can be formed of these kind of establishments; there never would be any dearth of merchandize or travellers, for, after breakfasting at Pest, one would set out for Vienna, and arrive there in time for the opera the same evening. This railroad being also practicable the whole year round, might very easily be maintained, together with the steam-boat navigation. For this, however, not only money and intelligence are required, but time, and a law for appropriating the line of road; and it seems at least very doubtful whether this law can be voted by the present Diet, because the closing of the Session is already fixed for the commencement of May. It is said, however, that the project of the law of expropriation looks a little like despotism, which vexes the great proprietors, so that it will be difficult to come to a result.

NARRATIVE OF THE AFFAIRS OF GREECE.

"La Russie ne sera jamais tranquille jusqu'à ce qu'elle ait établi un état Grec sur les débris de la Turquie. Il sera donc facile à la France de détacher l'Angleterre de la Russie.”

MONITEUR, 1800.

WE should be inclined to consider the Greek Revolution as one which, in its immediate explosion, was determined much more by literary than by political causes. The revival of the ancient Greek language, and the circumstance of the Modern Greeks being identified, through it, with that genius and history which have so deeply affected the character of European nations, told upon the dispositions of the Greek people in a manner truly wonderful. The language was their own, or nearly so; the theatre of the events of the classic ages was the country around them; the names were the same. But these associations, powerful in their direct effect, were rendered infinitely more so by their reverberation, as it were, from Europe. How galling must not have been to them a foreign and a so-termed barbarous yoke, when they found their country enshrined in the

classical devotion of the greatest nations of Europe, and when the names with which their infants were baptized were the models of virtue, genius, and heroism, which England, France, and Germany taught their children to imitate and revere !

It was a grave error to suppose that Greece was suffering under intolerable despotism prior to the revolution. This error it is which has led to misconception of all the phases through which Greece has passed, and this error we are anxious to expose in the outset of our narrative. We will not inquire what particular meaning is to be given to the words despotism and oppression, but we appeal to the circumstances in which Greece stood previous to the revolution, and we leave it to our readers themselves to bestow the appropriate epithets.

In 1756, a dreadful plague swept off one half of the population of Greece. Fourteen years afterwards, the fatal Russian expedition to the Morea subjected that devoted country to ten years of unceasing devastation and bloodshed. On the restoration of tranquillity, the population of the Morea was estimated at 190,000 souls. In 1781, a plague swept off a considerable portion of the inhabitants

of that and the neighbouring countries. In 1810, the population was estimated at 340,000; in 1820, at 458,000, exclusive of 42,000 Mussulmans, thus nearly doubling in thirty years.

In 1790, the first decked Greek vessel was built. In 1820, the Greeks were possessed of 600 brigs and corvettes, which, when armed for war, mounted

6000 guns.

In 1780, when the insurrection provoked by Russia had entirely subsided, Albanian hordes had swept over the Peninsula, occupied many of its most fertile districts, and effectually crushed every hope, or repressed every energy, among the Greek people. Their prescriptive rights, their national institutions, were swept away; the characters of their national administration were wholly obliterated; the immunities of their church were abolished; and, had the Supreme Turkish Government been any European Government, they would have been abolished for ever. After such provocations, such revolts, such complete subjection, no government with European notions of administration could ever have suffered that people again to organize the means of self-government and of independent action.