Page:Nicolae Iorga - My American lectures.djvu/21



«Greek Company», the establishments of which were scattered the length and breadth of the Imperial States. Vienna was the headquarters and as, for the Greek of good family or culture, school and church go hand in hand, schoolmasters were trained in this atmosphere of French ideas and feeling.

They wanted fresh school-books. A great part of the scientific French literature of the time was translated for the use of the Greek schools; the list of these, comprising some of the best works extant, is an interesting one. A Roumanian who had made a journey to Italy and was able to use Italian translations, and perhaps also French originals, Amphilochus, the temporary Bishop of Hotin in Bessarabia, published in the ninetieth year of the century a geography after Bouffier, and an arithmetic, while about the same time he translated a work of higher theology.

As regards the belles lettres of France, Greek interest centred on the comedies of Molière, whom alone they considered the best entertainer, as well as a more than successful rival of the oriental Karaguez of Constantinople. In Greek translations the names were changed to give a more local and natural aspect to the play. On the other hand, Racine’s works had no charm for a nation which had lost its driving-force and could not appreciate the myriad subtleties of life in the most artificial court in Europe. Among contemporaries, Voltaire was wholeheartedly decried as an enemy of all religion, a skilful preacher of incredulity and of anarchy of thought, as the grandfather of all free-masons. Instead of threading his baneful mazes, sentimental spirits, — who were not wanting—, preferred the reveries of Jean Jacques Rousseau, the nature-lover and the guide and counsellor of the weak and simple souls.