186 



LETTERS FROM PROFESSOR CARLYLE 



MSS. of any value or antiquity ; a modern copy of one of the edited 

 plays of Sophocles was the only appearance of a classical author ; 

 nor have I as yet been able to discover any thing of consequence in 

 the libraries of the Greek Princes here ; but I have by no means 

 finished my investigations amongst them, nor have I seen either 

 of the libraries of that kind mentioned by Mr. Hawkins. I trust I 

 shall be able to make a very complete survey of the Patriarchal 

 libraries ; I have already secured my admission into them, but I 

 have on many accounts postponed examining them till after my being 

 admitted to that of the Seraglio. I confess, my Lord, I have more 

 hopes of discovering MSS. of consequence, in these libraries, than in 

 any others in the country, both on account of their magnitude, the 

 situation of their possessors, and their having been hitherto (as far 

 as I understand) so little explored. I had an intention of making an 

 excursion towards Sinope and Trebizond, both which places T have 

 been assured contain valuable repositories of MSS., but I have been 

 detained so long in waiting for the answer of the Divan respecting 

 my admission to the Seraglio, that a voyage to the Black Sea is now 

 become impracticable on account of the season of the year; nor 

 indeed would I venture amongst those regions at present, as the plague 

 rages with great violence in all that part of Asia Minor. I shall 

 endeavour, if possible, in my return, to stop a while at Mount 

 Athos, but I fear those convents have been so often searched that 

 there is not much hope of finding any considerable literary treasures. 

 I perhaps however shall have more favourable opportunities of 

 examining them than have been generally possessed. I should 

 conceive the monasteries on the Peneus to be more likely to repay 

 the pains of investigating them, as they certainly hitherto have been 

 little explored, but I fear, my Lord, I shall scarce have it in my 

 power to visit them, as I would fain get back to England and my 

 duties there as soon as possible. I trust however, my Lord, that upon 

 the whole I shall be able to glean some information upon these sub- 

 jects that will not be uninteresting. If I do not it shall not be for 

 want of any exertions of my own. 



