relation to Turkey. Lord Byron emphatically called the Greeks, "A kind of Eastern Irish Papists," thereby intending to convey in the strongest possible manner to an European mind, the idea of Turkish despotism and Grecian slavery.[1] The bards of these devoted nations have nearly in the same manner embodied in their songs the feelings of the conquered
- ↑ The present prime minister of England, Mr. Canning, in a poem entitled The Slavery of Greece, feelingly describes the condition of that suffering country. May the highly gifted author now turn his attention to the oppressed "land of his fathers;" and, as he possesses the power, talents, and disposition, so may he, by one decisive blow, extend civil liberty to Ireland. The bigot may oppose, but every bigot is a coward. Though he talk loud, he trembles and withers before the high resolve of fortitude and virtue. The following passage in Mr. Canning's poem, by mere change of scene, is but too applicable to the state of Ireland.—
"Thy sons (sad change!) in abject bondage sigh;
Unpitied toil and unlamented die.
Groan at the labours of the galling oar.
Or the dark caverns of the mine explore.
The glitt'ring tyranny of Othman's sons,
The pomp of horror which surrounds their thrones,
Has awed their servile spirits into fear,
Spurned by the foot they tremble and revere.
The day of labour, night's sad, sleepless hour,
Th' inflictive scourge of arbitrary power.
The bloody terror of the pointed steel.
The murderous stake, the agonizing wheel.
And (dreadful choice) the bowstring, or the bowl,
Damps their faint vigour, and unmans the soul.
Disastrous fate! still tears will fill the eye.
Still recollection prompt the mournful sigh;
When to the mind recurs thy former fame,
And all the horrors of thy present shame."
