--To William Bankes.
December 26, [1812].
The multitude of your recommendations has already superseded my humble
endeavours to be of use to you; and, indeed, most of my principal
friends are returned, Leake from Joannina, Canning and Adair from the
city of the Faithful, and at Smyrna no letter is necessary, as the
consuls are always willing to do every thing for personages of
respectability. I have sent you _three_; one to Gibraltar, which, though
of no great necessity, will, perhaps, put you on a more intimate footing
with a very pleasant family there. You will very soon find out that a
man of any consequence has very little occasion for any letters but to
ministers and bankers, and of them we have already plenty, I will be
sworn.
It is by no means improbable that I shall go in the spring; and if you
will fix any place of rendezvous about August, I will _write_ or _join_
you.--When in Albania, I wish you would inquire after Dervise Tahiri and
Vascillie (or Bazil), and make my respects to the viziers, both there
and in the Morea. If you mention my name to Suleyman of Thebes, I think
it will not hurt you; if I had my dragoman, or wrote Turkish, I could
have given you letters of _real service;_ but to the English they are
hardly requisite, and the Greeks themselves can be of little advantage.
Liston [1] you know already, and I do not, as he was not then minister.
Mind you visit Ephesus and the Troad, and let me hear from you when you
please.
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