But in truth the interior state of the nation was, at this moment, highly alarming. Government was merely nominal; and a corrupted anarchy existed. The legislative body, at variance with the executive, was without authority, or residence. After wandering, like a band of strolling players, to Salamis, Corinth, Epidaurus, Valtetzi, Astros, and Argos, the senators had just been compelled to fly to Cranidi, at the approach of the soldiers of the Moriot Capitani; who in actual possession of every fortress, every town, and every branch of revenue, had sworn the abolition of the provisional constitution.

The whole nation was divided into two parties; both actuated by the same selfish principles; viz. the division of the enemy’s property and the appropriation of the revenues, arising from their produce. The chiefs and inhabitants of Peloponnesus, who had laid the first hand on the Turkish properties, claimed them as their own; and, deaf to every remonstrance, they refused to share them with any one; while those, whose lots had been less fortunate, maintained, that, since every Greek had contributed equally to the destruction of their oppressors, the rights of each to a share of the spoils were equal; in one word, that all conquered property belonged to the nation, and should be consecrated to the maintenance of the army, navy, and indispensable wants of government.

The other party, which consisted of the majority of the inhabitants of Western Greece, owed their chief support to the islanders. Having no reason to be dissatisfied with the Turkish government, whose authority over them consisted merely in receiving annually the capitation-tax, they lived completely independent, governed by their own magistrates, and engaged in a lucrative commerce; yet they nobly sacrificed their interests to join their countrymen, and assist them in throwing off the yoke. After having been the principal instruments in the liberation of Peloponnesus, in the annihilation of the enemy’s attempts, in the reduction of Anapli, Navarino, Monemvasia, &c. they had assuredly some well-founded claims to share the revenues, necessary to defray the expenses of the fleet. Willing, as they had ever shown themselves, to expose their ships and lives in the defence of their country, the barren rocks, they inhabited, afforded no means of subsistence to the sailor. He could, in fact, no more exist without the pecuniary assistance of his peninsular brethren, than the latter could remain quiet possessors of their country without the presence of a vigilant navy.

In this state of discord, nothing but a fatal result could be, in any way, anticipated. For though the ignorance and indolence of the Turks proved, as on former occasions, the safeguard of Greece; yet the jealousies and rapacity of the chiefs gave rise to such a general disorganization, that, exhausted of all competent means of defence, the country fell an easy prey to the Egyptians.

Not in our house only, but in those of the most opulent primates, the windows are without glass. But let it not be supposed, that the fineness of the Grecian climate, on which such praises have been lavished by travellers, renders these means of protection against the inclemency of the atmosphere useless; for in no country can it be more disagreeable. The rains being almost incessant during three months; no alternative remains but either to brave the damp and the wind, or to shut oneself up in the dark. Chimneys, it is true, exist in most rooms; but they only tend to render the want of windows more sensible; for whilst one part of the body gets warm, the other is chilled with cold. The Greeks remedy this inconvenience by putting on their κάππα on returning home; which, being made of a stiff goat’s hair cloth, forms an excellent paravent.