MR. STRONG'S GREECE AS A KINGDOM.

Ma. STRONG is a banker and agent at Athens, as well as Consul to the Kings of Hanover and Bavaria. He also appears to enjoy the patronage of Orao ; for as soon as the Sovereign of Greece was in- formed of his intention to write a book on the country, he issued an order to all the public offices to assist Mr. STRONG "in the prose- cution of his object, and allow him to inspect and make copies, notes, or extracts, of whatever documents were to be found in the archives." A statistical description compiled under such auspices was likely to be as full and complete as the original authorities would allow ; but the peculiar position of the author was not such as to render him a severe and impartial critic on the subject of his book.

And this is the character of Greece as a Kingdom. The sta- tistics, both tabular and explanatory, are elaborate; whether they relate to general questions—as the population, the area of the country, the extent of cultivation, the nature of the soil and climate, and the leading particulars connected with agriculture, manu- factures, commerce, navigation, the arts ; or to matters more im- mediately connected with the state—as the finances, the army, the navy, justice, religion, and public education ; whilst chapters devoted to Government and the Court give a view of the royal household, and the different official personages, as well as of the state of affairs previous to the arrival of the King, and an account of the constitution, such as it is.

On all these topics Mr. STRONG'S book may be advantageously consulted, especially by persons who take a practical interest in Greece ; for though we doubt whether some of the facts, especially as regards population, the quantity of land capable of cultivation, &c., are any thing more than approximate accounts, yet they are the most correct that can be obtained. The descriptive com- mentary must be received cum grano ; for Mr. Samosa, however unconsciously, paints every thing in the most favourable light, or at least in as favourable a light as he can ; his style forming a singular mixture of the auctioneer and the diplomatist defending the " powers " that employ him. Incidental passages, however, are scattered throughout the pages of Mr. &moan's book, that have a more general interest than mere statistics • conveying an account of the natural and unalterable features of the country, or the changes that time has made, or some particulars connected with the modern inhabitants and their pur- suits. Such are the following extracts.

CLIMATE OF GREECE.

The climate of Greece generally is one of the finest in the world, and has always been celebrated for its mildness and salubrity. The air is dry and elastic, and the atmosphere so beautifully clear that space appears to diminish, and objects which are really at a great distance seem close at hand. It is owing to this that the views are far more extensive in Greece than in most other latitudes, and not from the elevation of the spot on which the spectator stands. From the summit of Hymettus and Penteheus, for instance, which are not more than three thousand feet above the level of the sea, the whole of Attica, Bceotis, Eubeea, most of the islands of the Agean, and a great part of the Cyclades, are overlooked as in a map. From the top of the Acro-Corinthus the traveller discerns to the westward the whole of the Gulf of Corinth as far as the mountains beyond Missolonghi, whilst the view to the east embraces at one glance the islands of the lEgean, the background being formed by the noble chain of Hymettus. Even the Acropolis of Athens is distinctly visible from it, though at a distance of sixty geographical miles ; and it is well known that, in former times, night-signals were exchanged between the two cities by

means of rockets and other fireworks. * • •

In summer the heat is very oppressive. During the months of July and August of this year, the thermometer at Athens stood for weeks together at 98 deg.-102 deg. Farenheit in the house, and in the open air at 108 deg.-112 in deg. the shade, notwithstanding the sea-breeze. The islands are in general much cooler; and on the continent, elevated situations and the sides of moun- tains are chiefly selected for the site of country-houses. During the summer- months, not a single cloud is seen floating in the atmosphere, to keep off, if only for a moment, the intense heat of the sun's scorching rays; but the sky presents by day. one continued mass of deep cerulean blue, and a blaze of bril- liant stars by night.

CHANGES IN GREECE.

There is no doubt that in Greece the appearance of the country has changed most materially during the last twenty or thirty centuries ; and though the position of mountains and rivers remains the same, even their aspect must have undergone a complete change. Herodotus says that the Athenians hunted bears in the forests on Mount Lycabettus, where now there is scarcely a shrub to be found a foot high. From other writers we know that Hymettus, Pente- licon, and Parnassus, were covered with forests to their summits. They now present the appearance of skeletons of mountains, bare rocks without any vegetation, or only producing a few stunted trees, whose roots seek in vain for nourishment among the soilless crevices. The trees which formerly covered these mountains having died away by degrees, the soil kept together by their roots, and increased by the decomposition of their leaves, has, in the course of time, been washed down by the heavy periodical rains into the values, the level of which has no doubt considerably risen, as is abundantly proved by many antique ruins having been discovered in digging the foundations of mo- dern houses. In the plain of Olympia, the pedestals of the columns of the Temple of Jupiter, which have lately been discovered, are nearly twenty feet below the present surface of the ground.

That the rivers have shared the same fate is also easily proved. The Cephis- sus, for instance, has dwindled down to a little stream not sufficient for irri- gating the gardens in the plain of Attica; and yet at one time it was so deep as to form a barrier to the progress of Xerxes and his whole army, who, not being able to cross it, encamped upon its banks. The classical Ilyssus is now quite dry, though the buttresses of the magnificent bridge which connected the Athenian side of the river with the Stadium, still exist, showing that the span of the arch was fifty feet ; and, judging by appearances, the depth of water must have been at least twelve nr fourteen feet. At Sparta are still to be seen the iron rings inserted in the stones forming the quays of the Eurotas, formerly used for the purpose of making fast the gallies. I he water in that river now does not reach to the knee in any part ; and the Inachus, which was formerly navigable up to Argos, is a dry torrent-bed, except during the rainy season.

GRECIAN AGRICULTURE.

I have before mentioned that the agricultural implements of the Greeks are exceedingly defective. The plough is the same as that described by Hesiod three thousand years ago ; a simple piece of crooked timber, with only one shaft, and the ploughshare made of hard wood, sometimes tipped with iron. The barrow, the roller, the toi mentor, the thrashing and winnowing machines, are perfectly unknown in Greece. The thrashing-floors ('AXiinen), which generally belong to the commune, are circular pavements of about twenty yards in diameter, with a stake in the centre, and usually in an elevated position, to catch the wind, which is the Grecian winnowing-fan. To this stake are tied half-a-dozen horses, oxen, mules, and asses indiscriminately, and harnessed abreast, or rather tied together by a rope round the neck. The corn being strewed all over the floor, the cattle are placed at the outer circumference, and driven round and round, their circle becoming smaller and smaller every time, by the rope coiling itself round the post, till they necessarily come to a halt in the centre. They are then turned round, each circuit then extending by the cord unwinding, till they again reach the edge of the pavement. In this manner the corn is "trodden out "; and it may be remarked that the Greeks rigidly observe to the letter the Scriptural injunction, "Thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn."

The following particulars relating to an article of daily use in England has an interest as far as dumplings are eaten.

CURRANTS,

Which form by far the most important and indeed the staple article of the Gre- cian commerce, are the produce of a species of vine so nearly resembling the grape-vine in form, leaf, size, and mode of growth, so as to show no apparent dif- ference to the general observer. The name is a corruption of Corinth, in the neighbourhood of which they grow ; and which has given them the same appel- lation in all European languages, in some of which it is less corrupted than in our own,—as, for instance, in French they are called raisins de Corinthe, and in German Corinthen.

It is an exceedingly tender plant, requiring the greatest care and attention, but well repays the cultivator for the labour bestowed on it. Currants will only grow in some of the Ionian islands and on the shores of the Peloponnesus which consequently monopolize the trade and supply the whole world with this article. Attempts have frequently been made to transplant the currant-vine to other countries of similar temperature, but uniformly without success. In Sicily and Malta they have degenerated into the common grape, and in Spain would not even take root at all. Recent experiments to remove them even to a short distance, as to Attica and the plains of Argos, have signally failed. Before the revolution, the cultivation of currants was much larger than at present, and the whole trade was nearly annihilated during the war.

After the final expulsion of the Turks from the country, and the guarantee of its future independence by the three Protecting Powers, the Greeks began

again to turn their attention to the cultivation of the currant. The few re- maining old plantations, which had nearly grown wild from long neglect, were carefully manured and pruned, and fresh currant-vines planted ; which, by the year 1832, produced nearly 4,000,000 pounds. Since that period the produc- tion has more than doubled itself.

As I mentioned before, the plant requires much care and labour, and the fruit is of an equally delicate nature. It appears that the Southern shores of

the Gulfs of Patras and Corinth are best adapted for the cultivation of cur- rants, the other localities being more subject to storms and heavy night-dews. The growth of this fruit extends from Gastouni opposite the island of Zante, along the Northern coast of the Peloponnesus up to Corinth, but seldom above two or three miles inland.

The crops are collected in the month of August ; at which period the coasts on the Gulf are subject to heavy thunder-storms, accompanied with rain, which detach the fruit from the vines, and sometimes destroy in a few hours a third or a fourth of the whole crop. The prices of this article are subject to great fluctuations, produced by the quantity of the crop, which, when small, en- hances the value of the fruit ; while, on the other hand, in abundant seasons, the price necessarily falls : so that to the farmers it is pretty much the same whether the crop be large or small, as they regulate their prices accordingly.

Besides public statistics and Mr. STRONG'S commentaries, a good many state papers are inserted in the book, which furnish an insight into the spirit of Oroo's government, very far from reflecting credit on the genius of his advisers, and still less on the character of his creators. So far as this country is concerned, the treaty which established Greece as a kingdom and Ora° as King is a most dis- creditable document. CASTLEREAGH, during the height of his Legi- timate influenza, never signed a document more disregardful of the inalienable rights of humanity, than that to which the signature of PALMERSTON is affixed. Had the Greeks been pigs they could not have been disposed of with less ceremony, nor fewer stipulations made for their advantage ; in fact, no stipulations are made at they are looked upon as nonentities. The constitution which OTHO granted to the people thus banded over to him smacked of the right di- plomatic : so far as we can see, his form of government is as despotic as NAPOLEON'S, without any of the veils which NAPOLEON adopted to disguise his autocracy. Nor was this despotism (how should it be ?) counterbalanced by any practical skill of the minor Monarch or his advisers in the art of governing. To us they appear:to have com- bined the old pedagogue and the green student. Instead of look- ing at the established condition of things in Greece, and making actual existences the basis of all improvement, they seem to have considered the country as a tabula rasa, and to have taken classical names as their rule of conduct. The consequence of this was con- fusion, uncertainty, and constant change. They altered all the coinage, expressly excluding the only currency to which the people were accustomed, the Turkish : in like manner they changed the weights and measures : they employed as a sort of mounted police in a mountainous country the heavy German cavalry ; which suffered greatly from the ambuscades of the light-armed robbers, and was utterly useless for its object, (they have now, we believe, though our author does not say so, inlisted the thieves themselves) ; and, according to Mr. STRONG, they have been endlessly tampering with the geographical divisions of the kingdom. " Immediately after the arrival of the King, the whole of the Grecian domi- nions were divided into ten circles, or provinces (Noextexict), containing forty-seven subdivisions, or districts (Errapx1a), which gave way in 1836 to a new system ; but as it has been lately proposed to return to the former division of the country, and it is not unlikely that in the course of next year it may be carried into execution, I consider the subject of sufficient interest to describe them both.

"It may be here observed, that in giving to the new provinces their fresh no- menclature, great attention was paid to a revival of their original ancient ap- pellations, which bad been either mutilated in the course of time, or given way altogether to Italian and Turkish names during the long period of the subju- gation of Greece to a foreign yoke. This was also the case with the towns, islands, rivers, mountains, &c.; and the introduction of such a measure natu- rally created some confusion at first, and caused a difficulty in obtaining a knowledge of the geography of the country. " The royal decree of 3.15 April 1833 divides the kingdom of Greece into ten nomarchies and forty-seven eparchies. "The nomarchical and eparchcial system was superseded in 1836 by the intro- duction of a new order and division of territory, according to which the king dom was divided into thirty governments and seventeen sub-governments; but a reform was effected by the King in 1838, when the number was considerably reduced."

The only thing they seem to have done in a workmanlike manner was the taxation ; forcibly illustrating the truth of ADAM SMITH'S re- mark, that "there is no art which one government learns sooner of another, than that of extracting money from the pockets of the peo- ple." Iklanufactures there are none in Greece, and therefore there was no possibility of establishing an excise ; but they went to work at the customs : Greece as a kingdom is blessed with " 25 chief customhouses, 63 under-customhouses, and 33 stations, forming a total of 179 ports." In the stamps they were even greater adepts. Besides the usual stamps to give validity to contracts and receipts, (from which no engagement seems to be freed, not even a servant's hiring,) no grievance-monger or really injured person can petition the Government but upon stamped paper ; the diplomas of the pro- fessional persons, the appointments of officials of every kind, the commission of officers in the army or navy, are all stamped. If they are promoted, there is a stamp, but " only on the additional pay or emoluments of office." If they are suspended or dismissed, " the stamp is not returned." If we rightly read schedule F, a bill cannot be made out above 11 drachma (less than a shilling), without a stamp ; a man cannot have a sentence at a court of assize or court- martial but upon stamped paper ; " spoiled stamps cannot be re- claimed" and " In the calculation of sums liable to the stamp-duty, the amount is to be levied in cases of barter on the most valuable article ; in cases of loans, on the Born lent ; in cases of rent, on the annual rent multiplied by the number of years stipulated in the contract; in sereements for life, at twenty times the an- nual value; and for uncertain periods, at ten times the yearly amount."

Direct taxation is equally comprehensive. There is a tithe upon the gross produce of all land payable to the Government, and what is called a ground-rent on the " national lands," varying from one- tenth to one-fifth of the gross produce ; and as many title-deeds were destroyed and other evidence swept away during the war, the Go- vernment can call almost any thing it pleases national lands, and it seems disposed to exercise the power. A capitation-tax is levied on horses, horned cattle, pigs, sheep, goats, asses, and camels ; house-rent pays a tax of 7 per cent ; and every industrious occupa- tion, from a banker and merchant down to the humblest handicraft, is subject to a licence-duty varying from 10 to 375 drachms per annum. At first the Bavarian Monarch and his Ministers proposed an income-tax, of a most inquisitorial and offensive kind : after every man's return had been investigated and adjudicated upon, regular lists were to be made out and affixed on the town-hall, to invite the scrutiny of the neighbourhood upon each individual's assessment. Mr. STRONG appears to have been consulted -upon this impost before the decree was promulgated : he pointed out its inquisitorial and vexatious nature, and " that such a system could never work well, and was a most dangerous experiment to make with a nation setting up as it were in business." However, the young and old gentlemen of Bavaria "could not at that time see the force of the argument," and stuck to their income-tax.

" What I prognosticated," says:Mr. STRONG, "was speedily realized. At Syra, Patras, Nauplia, Athens, and other commercial places of the kingdom, the op- position to the measure was universal ; and disturbances, caused by the general discontent, broke out, which were only put down by the military. Petitions and deputations were sent to the King from all parts ; and the condemnation of the measure was so unqualified, that the Government saw the impossibility of enforcing its execution, and were obliged to make concessions to the public feeling and repeal the law."

When the fiscal screw was set to work in this manner, it may readily be conceived that the public income was increased. It rose from 7,721,000 drachms in 1833, to 17,516,000 in 1840; the expenditure steadily increasing likewise, being, in 1840, 16,696,000 drachms. In that year, however, there was a surplus of 819,000 drachms, whilst during the other years the deficiency varied from 1,600,000 to 10,459,000. After this, we are rather inclined to be- lieve those writers who represent the Greeks as hating their Bava- rian masters, than to suppose they take Mr. STRONG'S appreciatory view of the policy and other good qualities of OTHO and his Minis- ters. Such, however, are the advantages of settled rule and definite law over a state of anarchy, that we think it very likely Greece may advance in material prosperity, in despite of the courtiers, pedagogues, and adventurers of Bavaria, to whom the signatures of PammEasroar, TALLEYEAND, LIEVEN, and Maxus- =WIC handed her over.