2110-2-5-5

13 Bryanston St. London. W

S. YACHT "RANNOCH."

Athens

April: 22: 10

My dear Murray

I feel empowered to write to you because I have not seen you for so long and - more especially - because I am at present in your country. My wife and I joined a friend's yacht at Constantinople a few weeks ago, and since then we have been wandering in N. Asia Minor and the Islands. I had a very interesting time in Constantinople for I saw many of the Turks both "young" and "old", and had interminable political discussions. It is a very anxious situation - about as far removed from constitutionalism

as you can imagine. The Committee of Union, whose names nobody knows for certain, are virtual dictators, their power resting on the army. It is Cromwellian England over again with a dash of Venice. This would not matter so much if the Committee were really sympathetic to the average Turk. But they are mostly quaint Positivist intellectuals, whose one strong interest is military; and they are both hostile to and afraid of ordinary Islamic feeling. Consequently there is a danger of religious fanaticism in the provinces getting alarmed, and I should be afraid of another anti-Armenian outbreak fairly soon.

I was very much impressed with Pliny's

town of Broussa, and the Troad was fascinating. Then we cruised about those bleak islands, Lemnos, Imbros & Samothrace - very like our West Hebrides. After a roughish voyage we got to the Northern Sporades & thence to Thermopylae, where I got royally lost in the hills through trying to discover what the Phocians did on Kallidromos. We went down the Euripus, & stayed in some delightful little islands called Petali. Two days ago we came to Athens, and, in spite of constant rain, it is magnificent. We go on to Corinth, Delphi and Olympia, & thence to Corfu & Venice.

I have been re-reading your "Greek Epic," and am filled with admiration. Years ago when I was in your class at

Glasgow, I remember thinking that a wonderful book might be written about the Ionian migrations. Your early chapters are that book. I really think that you have written the most original and convincing and imaginitive piece of historical reconstruction that I have ever met with.

I wonder if you feel αἰδώς, like me, about Asquith's performances. Through the medium of week-old newspapers they read pretty bad.

I hope I may see you this summer in Oxford. I always seem to come up when you are away. I hope Lady Mary & the family are very well

With kindest regards

Yours ever

John Buchan