780 
PRINCE OR HOSPODAR OF VALACHIA. 
on one side a beautiful chain of hills, and on the other a fine plain, 
deserved a nobler rival than this wretchedly unwholesome spot. 
The Voivode, Constantine Bessarabba, for what reason cannot 
easily be guessed, transferred his seat of government hither about 
the year 1698, and it has remained the capital ever since. Besides 
the natural exhalations from the morass of its situation acting 
pestilentially in the narrow confined streets, the mischief is 
doubled by their being laid down with planks of wood instead 
of pavement, which covering alike the swampy earth, and often 
blocked-up common sewers, rot of themselves, and permit 
evaporation to escape, highly destructive to the health of the 
city. The houses are in general lofty, but dingy without and 
within ; while those of the boyars, or nobles, like the palaces of 
Moscow, stand in spacious courts. 
The reigning prince, Alexander Sutzo, was appointed by the 
Porte, November 1818, to succeed Prince Caradja; both Greeks 
by birth, the viceroy governors of these provinces having for 
nearly a century been chosen entirely from that nation. Con¬ 
stantine Mavrocordato, the first voivode, or hospodar of a 
Greek name, had been sent thither from Constantinople, about 
the middle of the eighteenth century ; and exerting himself in a 
manner worthy the ancient country of his birth, to educate the 
people committed to his charge, he introduced amongst those to 
whom his establishment had imparted the knowledge of letters, 
numerous copies of the Old and New Testament in the general 
language of the country. But all Greek candidates for this 
foreign government, were not as worthy of the trust; and the 
Grand Seignior, taking advantage of their riches and ambition, 
sold the honour to the highest bidder; but not in perpetuity for 
life, only in lease for seven years; which the avarice of succes- 
