474 



ON THE LEADING PASSIONS 



harmony, and gave birth to an equal mixture of the gentler and the snb- 

 limer virtues. Composed of a variety of small separate states, united by 

 a confederate tie, they felt a generous rivalry to surpass each other in 

 whatever could contribute to enlarge or adorn the human understanding. 

 And hence, while the well-balanced liberty they possessed inspirited them to 

 defend it against every foreign aggression, in philosophy and ethics, in 

 poetry and oratory, in music and painting, in sculpture and architecture, 

 they became models of excellence for all other countries, and for all future 

 ages. They too had their superstitions and their mythology ; but the 

 genius that pervaded every thing else pervaded these. A few grossnesses, 

 indeed, which it is wonderful they should ever have allowed, deformed the 

 whole machinery ; but every thing besides, though wholly fictitious and 

 ideal, was uniformly elegant, and for the most part instructive. Every 

 grove, and stream, and mountain, was, in their opinion, instinct with some 

 present deity, and under his immediate protection ; and while the sacred 

 heights of Olympus, the bright residence of their gods, was peopled, not 

 with savage heroes and bloody banquets, as among the Scandinavians, 

 but with the divinities of wit, and wisdom, and beauty — with the Loves, 

 the Graces, and the laughing Hours, and the sister train of Music and 

 Poetry. 



Such was Greece : but what is she now ? Her climate and bewitching 

 scenery are the same ; but her spirit and constitution are no more.— - 

 What, then, is she now ? or rather what was she till of late ? for the spirit 

 of past ages has again in some measure revived in several parts of her. A 

 few of her islands are under British protection ; and a few others are 

 struggling to throv*^ off the yoke that has for ages equally subjugated them 

 in body and in mind. But with the exception of these insular and more 

 fortunate spots — nantes in gurgite vasto — what is she now ? The eye 

 sickens at the sight, and the tongue falters while it tells the change. A 

 land of slaves and of barbarous usurpers ; where the scourge of the cold 

 Ottoman flays at his will the descendants of those who fell at Thermo- 

 pylge, and triumphed at the Granicus — -while the tame victims that still 

 submit to it, prove themselves well worthy of the fate that has befallen 

 them : — 



In all, save form alone, how changed ! — and vrho, 

 That marks the fire still sparkling in each eye, 

 Who but would deem their bosom burn'd anew 

 With thy unquenched beam, lost Liberty ! 

 And many dream withal the hour is nigh, 

 That gives them back their father's heritage ; 

 For foreign arms and aid they fondly sigh, 

 Nor solely dare encounter hostile rage, 

 Or tear their name defiled from Slavery's mournful page. 



Hereditary bondsmen ! know ye not. 

 Who would be free, themselves must strike the blow ? 

 By their right arms the conquest must be wrought ? 

 Will Gaul or Muscovite redress ye ? No ! 

 True, they may lay your proud despoilers low, 

 But not for you will Freedom's altars flame. — 

 Shades of the Helots ! triumph o'er your foe ! 

 Greece ! change thy lords, thy state is still the same ; 

 Thy glorious day is o'er, but not thy years of shame. 



Yet are thy skies as blue, thy crags as wild ; 

 Sweet are thy groves, and verdant are thy fields ; 

 Thine olive ripe as when Minerva smiled, / 

 And stiU hi§ honeyed wealth Hymeltus yields : 



