MG 938.56 1885, Jan. 21, Gift of The Heirs of O. C. Felton, Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year one thousand eight hundred and fifty-six, by HARPER & BROTHERS, in the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the Southern District of New York. THE author of this volume spent a year at Athens, for the prosecution of special studies, and traveled extensively, both in Peloponnesus and in Northern Greece. During repeated tours, nearly every site famous in the ancient history of the country was visited, together with those places which have figured prominently in more recent transactions. The following pages are the result of observations noted at the time, although, for various reasons, the form of a diary has not been retained throughout. Several chapters have been devoted to the literature of Modern Greece—a subject to which little attention has been given, out of that country itself. The manners and customs, politics, religion and religious festivals, and the state of popular education, have been made the topics of separate examination. The author has taken great satisfaction in chronicling the unexampled progress of the Greek race in civilization and intelligence; and, while advocating no particular theory as to its origin, has felt that sufficient interest and sympathy have not been entertained in Christian Europe and America for the struggles of that race to free itself from the trammels of tyranny—political, religious, and intellectual—with which so many centuries of barbarism had invested it. About forty of the illustrations in this volume have been executed after original sketches from nature. The author can not abstain from expressing in this place his obligations to the Rev. Jonas King, D.D., and his estimable lady, whose house was his home for so many months, and whose suggestions were so useful to him in the prosecution of his plans. Nor would he fail to mention the Rev. Dr. Hill, and the Rev. Messrs. Arnold and Buel, who did all in their power to render his sojourn at Athens so fruitful of pleasant reminiscences. He would do injustice to his feelings were he to leave unnoticed the open cordiality that characterizes the Athenian men of letters, whether professors or students, and their readiness to facilitate the researches of the stranger. CONTENT S. CHAPTER I. APPROACH TO ATHENS. On the Ægean. First Sight of Athens.-Importunate Boatmen. Piræus and its Harbor.--A Sciote Merchant.—Matrimonial Negotiations.—Plain of Athens.-A Panoramic View.-Kariskakis.-Olive Grove and Vineyards. Oriental Habits. - An Unpatriotic Irish Page 13 man ......... CHAPTER II. FIRST IMPRESSIONS. Labyrinthine Streets.—Dr. King.–Scene at the American Consulate. – The Old Town.-Cypress and Palm-trees.—Post-office.-Medresé. -Market-place.—Grapes.—Mustalevria.-General Church.—Constitution of 1843.-Adventures in Italy.—Mr. Finlay, the Historian.Mediæval History.-- American Missionaries 21 CHAPTER III. THE ACROPOLIS. Streets in Ancient Athens.—Walls of All Ages.—An Imprecation. Turkish Prophecy.-Panathenaic Procession.—Propylæa.—Mutilated Statues.-Ancient Galleries of Paintings.—Ducal Tower.— Temple of Victory Apteros. — Area of Acropolis. — Parthenon. — Venetian Plunderers. - Chryselephantine Statue. — Frieze. — Excavations. — Antique Vases.-Erechtheum.—The Caryatids.-A Colossal Statue. - British Vandalism 30 CHAPTER IV. ANTIQUITIES OF THE LOWER TOWN. The City of Hadrian.-His Gate.-Olympium.- Vicissitudes.-A New Simon Stylités.—Lissus.—Stadium.—Dandelion Salad.—Monument of Lysicrates.—Street of the Tripods.—Theatre of Bacchus.–Virgin of the Cave.-Odeum of Herodes.—Singular Fragments.—Monument of Philopappus.—The Long Walls.—Prison of Socrates.-Pnyx.Demosthenes.—Hill of Mars.-Ancient Clock-tower.–Stoa of Hadrian.—Gate of the New Market.-Stoa Pæcile.-Theseum ....... 48 CHAPTER V. Festival of St. Demetrius. Visits.-Sweetmeats.—The Promenade.- Palace Garden.-Costumes of the Athenians.-Beads.—Greek La- dies.—Priests' Dress.-Long Hair worn in Token of Mourning.– Plan of Modern Athens.—House of a former Minister.—Digging through a Wall.—Position of the Female Sex.-Mercenary Motives University, of Otho.-Professor Asopius.—University Library.—Pro- fessor Bambas.—Translated the Bible.—Singular Meeting.-Other Professors. — Students' Quarters. — Low Salaries. — Student at the Café.—The Four Faculties.-Number of Professors and Students.- University educates Greeks from Turkey.-Crowded Lecture-room. Wedding in the Upper Circles. — A Greek Party. - The Bride and Groom.—Entrance of the Bishop.–Crowning the Pair.-A Cup of Wine.-A Circle made.-Sugar Plums.-A Compulsory Marriage.- Marriage among the Lower Orders.—Relatives make the Match.- Preliminary Steps.—Gifts to the Bride's Father.—Nuptial Procession. -Bride carried away.-Termination of the Festivities.—A Greek Baptism.— Trine Immersion.—A Token given to Witnesses.-A Fu- THE COURT AND POLITICS OF GREECE. American Vessels of War.—Colocotroni, Master of Ceremonies.-Ad- venture of an American Lieutenant.—Cautious Officers.--Presenta- tion at Court.—Queen Amelia.-King Otho.—The Constitution.-Con- stitutional Provisions.—Liberty Guaranteed.—Elections.—A Political Measure.—Russian, French, and English Parties.—The Crown in- dependent.--Bad State of Roads.—Banditti in the Mountains... 103 Nationality and Religion.—The Holy Synod.-Separation from the Patriarchate. -The Synodical Tome.- Pharmakides. — Differences 115 |