8623. TURKEY, Greeks and.—
It has
been thought that the two imperial courts
[Austria and Russia] have a plan of expelling
the Turks from Europe. It is really a pity so
charming a country should remain in the hands
of a people, whose religion forbids the admission
of science and the arts among them. We
should wish success to the object of the two
empires, if they meant to leave the country in
possession of the Greek inhabitants. We might
then expect, once more, to see the language of
Homer and Demosthenes a living language. For
I am persuaded the modern Greek would easily
get back to its classical models. But this is not
intended. They only propose to put the Greeks
under other masters; to substitute one set of
barbarians for another.—
To Dr. Stiles. Washington ed. i, 365.
(P.
1785)
