they leave Nauplia,
and migrate to Athens, one half of the revenue will be expended in
building, if the plans which have been sketched out for the new town are
adhered to. One of these, proposes the Piraeus as the port, and that the
necessary warehouses, counting-houses, docks, &c. shall be erected
there; and from thence, a fine macadamised road is to lead to the city.
There, palaces, streets, public buildings are to be built, and walks and
gardens laid out. With this arrangement, all the plans, except one,
coincide; but they differ as to the exact site which the city ought to
occupy. [Sidenote: MODERN IMPROVEMENTS.] One suggests that the palace
and the principal buildings shall be outside the present town; and that
a large and broad street should extend from the temple of Theseus to
these modern improvements. I believe this is Gropuis's plan, who has
purchased all the property in the suburbs. Another proposes that the
palace shall be built on the side of the Acropolis towards the sea, near
the Odeum. The author of this scheme owns all the ground thereabouts; so
that private interest, and not patriotism, would seem to be the _primum
mobile_ of their suggestions. In fact, the whole of the land in and
about Athens is now the property of foreigners, who are speculating on
the immense prices to be obtained for ground-rent, &c. The landed
proprietors, and the common people, who are all labourers, are well
contented with the new arrangements; but the military chiefs and their
followers will, for a long time, be a stumbling-block in the way of the
government, even if they do not thwart and render nugatory all its
attempts at improvement.

[Sidenote: VALUE OF LAND.] Sir Pulteney Malcolm has built a magnificent
house, about two miles from the town, at the enormous cost of 3000_l._;
but at one time was on the eve of selling it for half that sum, so
discouraging were appearances on the political horizon of Greece. Now,
however, he is exceedingly glad that he did not; for, his being the only
house at all calculated for the king's residence, should the court
establish itself at Athens, it will probably be advantageously let to
the government. The value of land was extremely depreciated a few
months back, but it has since risen to such a height, that, for the
future, speculators arriving in Greece will be unable to purchase with
any prospect of advantage. The system of farming is that of the
_metayer_; and those who bought property w