24 NOVEMBER 1900, Page 15

GREEK OR ITALIAN ?

(To THE EDITOR OP THE "SPECTATOR.")

SIR,—Whatever was the tongue in which Mr. Gladstone addressed the inhabitants of the Ionian Islands, I know that my friend, the late E. A. Freeman, made a speech to them in modern Greek, and that he was vastly delighted by his reception. How much his hearers understood of it I never felt sure, but they shouted 2tivw 6 .Taiioad, capif4avyoc, and no doubt they "thought he said what he ought to ha'