Chronicle! a newspaper which Stanhope had recently
established.

It is, however, not easy to give a correct view of the state of
affairs at that epoch in Missolonghi. All parties seem to have been
deplorably incompetent to understand the circumstances in which they
were placed;--the condition of the Greeks, and that their exigencies
required only physical and military means. They talked of newspapers
and types, and libels, as if the moral instruments of civil
exhortation were adequate to wrench the independence of Greece from
the bloody grasp of the Ottoman. No wonder that Byron, accustomed to
the management only of his own fancies, was fluttered amid the
conflicts of such riot and controversy.

His situation at this period was indeed calculated to inspire pity.
Had he survived, it might, instead of awakening the derision of
history, have supplied to himself materials for another canto of Don
Juan. I shall select one instance of his afflictions.

The captain of a British gun-brig came to Missolonghi to demand an
equivalent for an Ionian boat, which had been taken in the act of
going out of the Gulf of Lepanto, with provisions and arms. The
Greek fleet at that time blockading the port consisted of five brigs,
and the Turks had fourteen vessels of war in the gulf. The captain
maintained that the British Government recognised no blockade which
was not efficient, and that the efficiency depended on the numerical
superiority of cannon. On this principle he demanded restitution of
the property. Mavrocordato offered to submit the case to the
decision of the British Government, but the captain would only give
him four hours to consider. The indemnification was granted.

Lord Byron conducted the business in behalf of the captain. In the
evening, conversing with Stanhope on the subject, the colonel said
the affair was conducted in a bullying manner. His Lordship started
into a passion and contended that law, justice, and equity had
nothing to do with politics. "That may be," replied Stanhope, "but I
will never lend myself to injustice."

His Lordship then began to attack Jeremy Bentham. The colonel
complained of such illiberality, as to make personal attacks on that
gentleman before a friend who held him in high estimation.

"I only attack his public principles," replied Byron, "which are mere
theories, but dangerous,--injurious to Spain, and calculated to do
great mischief in Greece."

Stanhope vindicated B