264 THE MEDITERRANEAN SEA. 



We ourselves have seen, in its very centre, and when the naval 

 power of England was supreme on these waters, the spectacle 

 of an Algerine squadron hovering round Sardinia ; capturing 

 coasting vessels and Grreek merchant ships; and making 

 descents on the coast to plunder villages and carry off 

 peasants as captives. Even yet later the Isles of the Archi- 

 pelago have been the resort of less disciplined but fiercer 

 pirates, the wild off-cast of those adjacent countries which are 

 still only half submitted to the Turkish yoke. These things 

 no longer exist, and can never recur ; but it is disgraceful to 

 European civilisation that they should have endured so long. 



We have no space left us to extend or fill up with details 

 the summary just given of the political history of the Me- 

 diterranean ; but this enlargement may safely be left to 

 the memory of our readers ; as well of those who have 

 studied the history of the world under the light of a large 

 philosophy, as of others who have followed it through the 

 various localities forming the scene of its events, and often 

 giving motive and direction to their progress. We feel 

 assured that in recommending the whole subject of the 

 Mediterranean to more especial attention, and seeking to 

 associate together its physical and political history for their 

 mutual illustration, we are contributing to forward the 

 scheme of some future work, which may more largely em- 

 brace the topics we have here only slightly indicated. The 

 interest of Admiral Smyth's volume cannot be lessened by 

 such undertaking. It will remain especially if receiving 

 in a future edition the knowledge since gained the most 

 valuable record we possess of the hydrography of the Medi- 

 terranean ; and will furnish important materials to the more 

 complete and classical work we are solicitous to suggest. 



