LORD  BYRON  and  his  TIMES
Byron
Documents Biography Criticism

The Last Days of Lord Byron
George Jarvis to William Parry, 22 May 1824
INTRODUCTION & INDEXES
DOCUMENT INFORMATION
GO TO PAGE NUMBER:

Preface
Contents
Chapter I
Chapter II
Chapter III
Chapter IV
Chapter V
Chapter VI
Chapter VII
Chapter VIII
Chapter IX
Chapter X
Chapter XI
Appendix
Creative Commons License

Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 Unported License.
Produced by CATH
 
Missolonghi, Western Greece, 10-22 May, 1824.
Dear Sir,

Both your favours of the 12th and 16th inst. have reached me, and were sent to us by the Prince’s Secretary yesterday evening. I am less astonished at the conspiracy against you than at the harmony that seems to reign among the party concerned in this plot, and at their unanimous exertions; exertions that might, with this harmony, have been so beneficial to Greece, if led to noble and useful purposes. When did we see those Franks ever joined for our glorious cause? What do foreigners want in Greece? What intentions have they? But those who are wise, so very powerful at the same time, these great men, what have they done? These men that attack you now are the very same that looked upon you, when here, as a man of no great importance; why then, now, do they make such a serious affair of it? They thus acknowledge you to be a man of importance. You honour me, Sir, with the title of your friend, and your only friend in Greece—Your friend I was, because I regarded you a friend to Greece? Your friend I am, because you are in distress! That what I say to you I communicate to all the world, nor do I say more to you. As for the conduct of those men who thought proper to attack you, they ought to be on their guard—those here that have joined in the plot have, at all events, committed themselves, being your inferiors; and with regard to the conduct of them, in opposition to that of you and your family, it appears to me most shocking, abominable, and ungrateful.
356APPENDIX.

As for myself, I am, at least, in so far happy here, as I have nothing to do with these men, nor do I wish even to come into any relationship with them. I keep to my own room, and to my business here, which is very extensive. As soon as the fortifications are finished, and I have settled all my affairs, I may join my old friends the Hydriotes again, if there is any view of fighting going on. I assure you, Sir, I never have been sorry to have made your acquaintance here, I wish only it had not been imbittered to me by the presence of others. I have only two friends in Greece, but these are friends; I do not associate with any other Englishmen but when forced to do so; these are Mr. Hastings, R. N., a man of great honour, the friend of truth, and of a very consistent character; the other, Mr. Fenton, of Scotland, who, a gallant young officer in the Spanish wars, gave up his half pay to embrace this noble cause, is the noblest-minded Englishman I remember to have seen; he is my bosom friend, and, please God, our power, united by friendship and harmony, may be sufficient to produce some good for the country, at least I hope we shall set a good example (a matter of vast importance) to the rising Greeks! I may be able to do something even without exterior help, if not America shall assist, and my friends in Europe are powerful. You mention to me, Sir, you intend to call on my name in the newspapers in the United States, and in England—I have no objection to be a witness to your conduct, character, and the services rendered to this country; to the contrary, shall be so with all my heart, and it is moreover my duty, but I beg you, at the same time, not to make a personal affair of it with regard to me.

Mr. Tricupi left for the general government, as a member for Missolonghi and Western Greece—he will
APPENDIX.357
give in a statement of the wants of this province, and it is expected that then the necessary sums will be ordered by government to be paid out of the loan. Your things I shall demand from
Hodges and Gill in a few days; pray mention too if the patent shot belongs to you. The shirts never arrived for Mr. Fouks—I shall then try to settle with him, if they don’t soon appear. The 39 dollars I sent on by Mr. Trelawny, deducting seventeen piastres twenty paras, paid for half a yard of blue cloth for you. I send it under my own responsibility. The remarks made use of in the other room &c., I take no notice of, and answered Mr. Hodges, “I hope I am not responsible to you for my doing so;” he tried to frighten me with writing to Col. Stanhope about my doing so; by G—d I wish he would, if they would bring me to the test for it! It is, however, of trifling consequence to dispute with bad men.

Missolonghi, 2nd June, 1824.

Just now Messrs. Hesketh and Winter arrived, and I received your kind letter of the 27th ult.

I have had no secure opportunity to forward the above lines, and now I have to state that part of the brigade, with four guns, under the command of Captain Fenton, left for Athens, &c. Trelawny left with him, and a gentleman of the name of Gill. Trelawny has great plans, and intends to manage the affairs of Greece by himself. The best thing is, the Prince takes not the least notice of what T. speaks. You will remember, Sir, the anecdote of the pearl and the sow! I have this moment a deal of trouble, because my business is very extensive here, and
358APPENDIX.
since Mr. Fenton left, I have no friends here among the Franks, i. e., I do not wish for any friendship with those here. Your certificate I shall send the first opportunity on to you—the Prince will give you a very good attest. As you seem to be not decided what to do, to come or not, I cannot say but this, that money is the only means to do it; if you do not bring that, nothing can be done—the want of money is felt here every day more and more.

Mr. Trelawny brought me no letter at all the last time he came,—how is that? pray let me know. The boat leaves now. I write in haste.

Remaining, dear Sir,
Your most obedient servant,
George Jervis.
To Major Parry.