The most plausible objection to my plan is, that had the Persians, instead of engaging and crowding themselves in the situation Miltiades attacked them, made a retreating fight, till they passed the narrow flat, and secured the heights, it was then in their power, had Miltiades persisted in the attack, completely to surround him, by making part of the troop on the heights, in front, deploy along the eminence, and then descend in his rear, whilst the rest of the army, now advantageously posted on the heights, would probably have prevented his forcing their front. This is, doubtless, what a good General would have done. But when the Generals are equal, how can men be expected to beat ten times their number? Miltiades was in one of those situations, where inaction is as fatal as a defeat; and it was his duty to seize every opportunity, in which it was in Fortune's power to favor his designs. He acted on these principles, and was crowned with the success his courage deserved. At first the Athenians thought no praises they could bestow, equal to the merit of Miltiades; but in my letter from Paros, I mentioned the cruel persecution he afterwards suffered. But the death of this great man having disarmed the malice of his enemies, they soon became sensible of their shameful ingratitude; and as some atonement to the manes of their departed hero, they erected a monument to his memory on the plains where he gained his glory. Of this sacred tomb, only the base remains. I picked up a chip of marble that had fallen from it, and was instantly impressed with the idea of having this honored relick set, with a suitable device, in some of the metal from the Battering Ships, destroyed before Gibraltar, and thus to commemorate and unite the greatest victory of Greece, with the most glorious achievement of Britain. LETTER. XX. TO CAPTAIN SMITH. Athens, February 5th, 1789. MY DEAR FRIEND, On our way to Marathon, we turned a little out of the road to see a mutilated statue of a Lion, which still bears the signs of most excellent workmanship. We have already repeatedly viewed every thing worthy notice in Athens; but as the painter has not yet finished his drawings, we shall remain here some days longer, during which we mean to make an excursion to the Islands of Salamis, Ægina, &c. But as they contain nothing worthy description, I will close this sketch of the history and antiquities of this interesting city, with a short account of the religion of its present inhabitants. About one-fifth of them are Turks, and the rest Greeks. GREEK RELIGION.