Author Description

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1844 edition. Excerpt:...mother's sake! A lady of Zagora, in Thessaly, made the following dirge over her dying spouse, in presence of the bystanders, as is customary. Ye worldly souls, improve the day, To-morrow, ye will turn to clay! Oh, dying spouse! why quit my side? Our children wander far and wide. Oh, John, my son, like cloud, be made, Come ere thy father's spirit fade; Come like a swallow, to the scene, My darling offspring, Constantine! Come from the Danube to our halls; John, leave Constantinople's walls; Your father, at his mansion dies, Both speed his spirit as it flies! Another piece will exhibit the peculiar trait of Greek females, in composing dirges for their unfortunate relatives. The Sad Message. (By a Greek matron). A chieftain's wife by sleep is won! The wife of Contoyannis' son. I fear the dame to wake, and greet Upon her gold-wrought spread and sheet;, I'll sprinkle nutmegs on her bed, That perfumes may arouse her head. She rose alarmed, and sweetly sought, " What news hast from our chieftain brought 7 Said I, " Our Nickolas is low, They've wounded Constantine, we know!" She answered, " Mother, hither, now, And strongly, tightly, bind my brow, That I, laments, may well compose; Which of the two shall I propose? For Constantine, then, shall I mourn, Or sing to Nickolas forlorn? They both were standards on the steep. And banners o'er the plain to leap!" The Greek festivals are attended with myriads of songs, of which we give a Smyrnian melody, sung on new year's day, in commemoration of St. Basil, one of the fathers of the primitive church. Those who feel an interest in the seven churches of Asia, will be amused to see, in a popular song, a reminiscence of the time when Christianity gained its first political power in Greece,...