gentleness, and religious
resignation to misfortunes.

Byron did not pretend to bend a whole people to his tastes and European
habits. He came not to censure with a stern look their costumes, their
dances, and their music; on the contrary, he entered into their national
dances, he learned their warlike songs, he dressed himself like them, he
spoke their language; in a word, he soon became a true _Roumeliote_.
Consequently, he was adored by all Western Greece; every captain
acknowledged him with pleasure as his chief; the proud Souliots gloried
in being under his immediate command. The funds of the first loan being
addressed to him, and submitted to his inspection, gave him influence,
not only over continental Greece, but even over the Peloponnesus; so that
he was in a situation, if not sufficient to stifle discord, at least to
keep it within bounds. Not having yet fathomed the character of all the
chief people, as well civil as military, he was sometimes deceived in the
beginning of his sojourn, which a little hurt his popularity; but being
completely above trifling passions, being able to strengthen by his union
with it the party which appeared to him the most patriotic, he might
without any doubt, with time and experience, have played a part the most
magnificent and salutary to Greece. At first he had constructed, at his
own expense, a fort in the little isle of Xeclamisma, the capture of
which would have given great facilities to the enemies to attack by sea
Missolonghi or Anatoliko. Missolonghi gave to this important fort the
name of "Fort Byron." This nobleman conceived afterwards, studied and
prepared an expedition against the strong place of Lepanto, the capture
of which would have produced consequences singularly favourable. Once in
possession of the means of regularly paying the soldiers, he would have
been able to form a choice body, and take the town, which did not present
any difficulty of attack, either on account of the few troops shut up
there, or the weakness of its fortifications. Byron only waited the
arrival of the loan, to begin his march.

Thus he led an agreeable life in the midst of a nation which he aimed at
saving. Enchanted with the bravery of the Souliots, and their manners,
which recalled to him the simplicity of Homeric times, he assisted at
their banquets, extended upon the turf; he learnt their pyrrhic dance,
and he sang in unison the airs of Riga, harmonizing his steps to the
sound of t