Since the establishment of the Romaic, the Greek li terature has been extremely limited ; and in the course of 150 years previous to the year 1720, about 100 per sons have been recorded as men of learning, the greater part of whom, as well as of the later writers, were theo logical authors, educated in Italy. But, in consequence of the recent communications between the more enlight % ned nations of Christendom and the Levant, considera ble improvements have taken place. About the end of the last century, under the auspices of a prince of the family of Marro Kordato, who was lInspodar of Molda via, a dictionary and grammar of the Romaic was pub lished, and several translations of French and Italian novels, printed in that language at Venice or Vienna. A few of the higher Greeks compose pieces in poetry, but rarely for publication ; and there is little original composition yet produced among them. Numbers, how ever, attend the universities of the Continent, chiefly from the Ionian isles ; a few of them for the sake of ec clesiastical studies, but most of them for the purpose of qualifying themselves to practice as physicians in their own country. The principal study of the modern Greeks is the acquisition of languages, in which they display a wonderful proficiency ; so that many of their young men are able to speak five or six languages at a very early age; and numbers of the lower orders can make themselves understood in French, Italian, Russian, Turkish, Scla vonian, and Latin. A Greek printing press has been established at Bucharest, and another at Venice, for a considerable period ; but grammars, dictionaries, theo logical tracts, vulgar romances, and song books, are the only productions of these establishments. A few learn ed Greeks in Paris have distinguished themselves by their talents, and have published several translations in Romaic for the benefit of their countrymen ; but not more than one or two native authors are known at pre sent to reside in Greece. The principal Romaic books to be found there, are translations of Beccaria On Crimes, Locke's Essay, Montesquieu's Rise and Fall of the Ro nan Emtire, Roliins's Ancient History, Telemachus, Plurality of Worlds, Goldsmith':, Grecian History, Ro binson Crusoe, the Arabian Knights, an original Life of Suvarbff by a merchant in Athens, and a journal printed at Vienna, besides the ordinary catechisms and homilies of the church. But there are no shops for purchasing hooks, and scarcely any thing like a library, ptblic or pri vate, in the country. There is no dissemination of know ledge among the natives of Greece, except by means of tare or two schools in some of the larger towns, where the ancient Greek, and sometimes Latin, with the mo (tern languages, are taught. Most of them can read and write, so as to be qualified for the service of their pa shas, and the transactions of their petty commerce, but have no knowledge of books, or attainments in science. They can all compose a song or lampoon ; but their in. st productions have more of the oriental imagery than the Greek simplicity ; and all their poetry is full of the worst kind of taste. Their prose writings are insipid, and chiefly distinguished by copiousness of words.
The state of the arts in Greece is very low ; and it is said, that there is not a sculptor, painter, or architect to be found, equal to the common workmen in the towns of Christendom. Their paintings are chiefly gilded saints; and the best are to be seen at Selo.
Medicine is practised by Italians, or by native Greeks, who have received some education in Italy; or even by persons of no education, but who, having failed in other pursuits, put on the Frank habit, and assume the office of physicians. In most of the towns there is at least one of these persons, who is paid so much per annum for taking care of the health of the whole inhabitants. The
general practice is, to administer jalap, manna, glauber salts in small quantities, draughts of bark in almost every complaint, allowing the patient at the same time plenty of fat broths. Phlebotomy is often used, but not topical bleedings. When the disease is of long conti nuance, or if the least delirium appears, the patient is considered as possessed; and instead of the physician, the priest is employed to exorcise the evil spirit. Pes tilential fevers, elephantiasis, leprosy, and the plague, are seldom attempted to be cured by medical skill. The frequent use of the warm bath, to which the natives are much addicted, is probably more prejudicial than salu tary to their health.
The Greek music is plaintive, but very monotonous ; and it is doubtful whether most of their airs may not be of modern origin. They sing through the nose, and in a confused manner, men and women all joining together. Of many tunes borrowed from the French and Italian, it is said they never go beyond the first part. " They have an admirable kyrie eleison," says Chateaubriand. "It is but one note, kept up by different voices, some bas and some treble, executing andante and mezza vote, the octave, the fifth, and the third. The solemn and majestic effect of this kyrie is surprising. It is doubt less a relic of the ancient singing of the primitive church." The fiddle and lyre, or three-stringed guitar, are the usual instruments upon which most of the young men, and particularly the sailors, are able to perform. Pan's pipe, and a kind of bagpipe, are also met with in the Levant. Modern travellers give a very unfavourable account of the general strain of music in Greece ; Dr. Clarke, particularly, represents it as inferior to that of any other European nation, except the very lowest in point of civilization and refinement. " The tone of the vocal part," he says,of a certain performer, " resembled rather the howling of dogs through the night, than any sound which might be called musical. And this was the impression made upon us every where by the na tional music of the modern Geecks, that if a scale were formed for comparing it with the state of music in other European nations, it would fall below every other, ex cepting only that of the Laplanders, to which, neverthe less, it bears some resemblance." There is a considerable resemblance in the doctrines and general form of the Greek church, and those of the church of Rome. In the number of the sacraments, the invocation of saints, the belief of the real presence, the practice of auricular confession, the offering of masses for the dead, the division of the clergy into regular and secular, the spiritual jurisdiction of the bishops and then' officials, the distinction of ranks and offices among the ecclesiastics, there is very little difference between the churches of Greece and Rome. This resemblance is kept up and increased, in consequence of the number of Greek ecclesiastics who study in Italy ; and, in the Mo rea and Archipelago, there arc many Roman Catholic converts among the natives. The Greek clergy are di vided into two classes, the Papades, or secular priests, who hold the parishes, and the Caloycrs, or monks of St. Basil, who have their seminaries on Mount Athos, in Chios, and the Prince's Islands. The secular priests, contrary to the case in the church of Rome, are the most ignorant and illiterate, while the monks are generally men of a certain degree of education. All orders of the seculars, inferior to bishops, are permitted to marry, pro vided they choose a virgin, and engage before ordina tion ; but can never rise higher than to the office of proto-papa in the church where they serve. All who aim at a mitre must observe celibacy, and assume the monastic habits.