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BIOGRAPHY OF EMINENT PERSONS. 



UHIGAS, the GREEK PATRIOT. 



lilGAS, tlie chief mover of the 

 first insurrection wliicli l<'d the way 

 to llie revolutioiiary war of iiulepend- 

 eiiLC, thereljy to raise the nation fniiii 

 its iiresent most abject and niorlifjin^ 

 state of oppression, w;is l)orn, ulfoiil the 

 je:»r 1753, at "Velesiini, a little town of 

 Thessaly. He became a student in the 

 best colleges of his coinitry, and was 

 early dislingnisiied for a ready apprehen- 

 sion, with vigorous and niiglily preten- 

 sions to talents, acute observation, and 

 aeti\i(y. 



As neitiier his fortune, nor his pros- 

 pects in literature, were extensive, he 

 attached himself to commerce, endea- 

 vouring, by every studied, devoted, 

 attention, to fill up the chasm which 

 formed a bar to his independence. 



A^'hile yet young, Rliigas repaired to 

 Bucharest, and resided there till 1789 

 and 1790, devoting his time between 

 commercial speculations and his studies. 

 That town then ahoumled with men 

 of different nations, whose pursuits, like 

 his own, were co[iious and interesting, 

 according to the object and arts of which 

 their studies were made. Here Rhigas 

 ac<iuired an intimate acquaintance with 

 the ancient lilcraiure of Greece ; the 

 Latin, French, German, and Italian, 

 languages, were also familiar to him; 

 he could «rite with equal fluency, in 

 Greek and French, and he had the in- 

 tellectual vigour of a poet, and the sus- 

 ceptible disposition of a musician. He 

 loved his country with the most ardent, 

 the most indulgent affection, and a sense 

 of the injuries with which it was sur- 

 rounded, insj ircd his brave and magna- 

 nimous licart with the frank and generous 

 resolution of exeicising all the powers 

 he possessed towards preparing for its 

 emanci|>alion. 



It viHs Rhigas that first conceived, in 

 a vast area, the bold, active, and enter- 

 prising, project, of creating a grand 

 Secret Society, and he was not long in 

 f(jrming it. His mind, constantly 

 moving in the direction of this principle, 

 he guined oser bishops, archoiis, rich 

 merchants, the harned, captains by 

 sea and luml, in sliort, the flower of the 

 Greek nation, with many foreigners of 

 distinction. But how lie could spread 

 his witcheries, so as to captivate and en- 

 chant many Turks of the highest order, 

 nothing lint the unjust restraints im- 

 posed upon them by their sovereign, or 



rather the delirium of mind excited ttf 

 outrages frequently bursting forth, with 

 all the fury of a convulsive volcano, will 

 account for it. 



Among other Turks driven to des- 

 peration by such coniluet, was Passwan 

 Oglon, whose valour and martial skill 

 were long the subjects of numberless 

 calamities to the Porte, at times filling it 

 with terror and consternation. He en- 

 tered into this association of Rhigas. 



Rliigas, afterwards, proceeded to 

 Viinna, where he met with a number of 

 rich Greek merchants, and some learned 

 emigrants of the same nation. From 

 that capilal, he extended his corres- 

 pondence with his co-associates through- 

 out Greece and Europe. 



Nor would he withdrfiw himself from 

 his alliance with literature, commencing 

 with a Greek journal for the instruction 

 of his countrymen. He translated the 

 "Travels of Young Anacharsis;" he 

 composed and published a " Treatise of 

 Military Tactics," an "Elementary 

 Treatise of Physics for General Read- 

 ers;" he also translated into modern 

 Gre« k . a French work, entitled, 

 " L'Ecole dcs Araans Delicats, the 

 School of Delicate Lovers." In this 

 translation he has correctly imitated the 

 style of the archons of Constantinople, 

 designated by the name of Phanariotes. 

 This work had a very extensive circula- 

 tion. He also published an excellent 

 translation of " MarmontcPs Shepher- 

 dess of the Alps." He had busily em- 

 ployed himself in drawing up national 

 cantatas in the popular style; in these 

 pieces, he had collected all the tender 

 sentiments that attach the hearts of 

 youth to their country, all that could 

 elicit the sparks of zeal, and kindle the 

 sacred (lame of hostility to that domi- 

 neering which composed the character 

 of the Turks. In the sympathetic 

 power of these, he imitated the Mar- 

 seilles hymn, — "Allons, Enfans de la 

 Patrie ;" and they have irresistibly 

 drawn, as by a charm, a mutual enthu- 

 siasm of passions, forming an indissolu- 

 ble cement of the jiatriotic affections. 

 Their first appearance had strong and 

 tiecidcd effects on minds of sensibility, 

 and his song of ' Heroes, have not you 

 lived long enough on the mountains?' 

 is not, nor will easily be, forgotten. 

 In perfect accordance with the public 

 feelings, they arc chanted by the youth 

 in advancing to battle ; and experience 

 declares, 



