TheGreatPublicadmiresGreeceandByron：thepublicknowsbest。
Murray’s\"Guide-book\"callsthelatter\"ournativebard。\"Ournativebard！MonDieu！HEShakspeare’s，Milton’s，Keats’s，Scott’snativebard！Well，woebetothemanwhodeniesthepublicgods！
Thetruthis，then，thatAthensisadisappointment；andIamangrythatitshouldbeso。Toaskilledantiquarian，oranenthusiasticGreekscholar，thefeelingscreatedbyasightoftheplaceofcoursewillbedifferent；butyouwhowouldbeinspiredbyitmustundergoalongpreparationofreading，andpossess，too，aparticularfeeling；bothofwhich，Isuspect，areuncommoninourbusycommercialnewspaper-readingcountry。MenonlysaytheyareenthusiasticabouttheGreekandRomanauthorsandhistory，becauseitisconsideredproperandrespectable。AndweknowhowgentlemeninBakerStreethaveeditionsoftheclassicshandsomelyboundinthelibrary，andhowtheyusethem。Ofcoursetheydon’tretiretoreadthenewspaper；itistolookoverafavouriteodeofPindar，ortodiscussanobscurepassageinAthenaeus！OfcoursecountrymagistratesandMembersofParliamentarealwaysstudyingDemosthenesandCicero；weknowitfromtheircontinualhabitofquotingtheLatingrammarinParliament。Butitisagreedthattheclassicsarerespectable；thereforewearetobeenthusiasticaboutthem。AlsoletusadmitthatByronistobeheldupas\"ournativebard。\"
IamnotsoentireaheathenastobeinsensibletothebeautyofthoserelicsofGreekart，ofwhichmenmuchmorelearnedandenthusiastichavewrittensuchpilesofdescriptions。IthoughtI
couldrecognisethetoweringbeautyoftheprodigiouscolumnsoftheTempleofJupiter；andadmiretheastonishinggrace，severity，elegance，completenessoftheParthenon。ThelittleTempleofVictory，withitsflutedCorinthianshafts，blazedunderthesunalmostasfreshasitmusthaveappearedtotheeyesofitsfounders；Isawnothingmorecharmingandbrilliant，moregraceful，festive，andaristocraticthanthissumptuouslittlebuilding。TheRomanremainswhichlieinthetownbelowlookliketheworksofbarbariansbesidetheseperfectstructures。Theyjarstrangelyontheeye，afterithasbeenaccustomingitselftoperfectharmonyandproportions。If，astheschoolmastertellsus，theGreekwritingisascompleteastheGreekart；ifanodeofPindarisasglitteringandpureastheTempleofVictory；oradiscourseofPlatoaspolishedandcalmasyondermysticalporticooftheErechtheum：whattreasuresofthesensesanddelightsoftheimaginationhavethoselosttowhomtheGreekbooksareasgoodassealed！