a country of considerable extent, which, though in fact nearly independent, forms nominally one of the provinces of the Turkish empire. It extends from the thirty-ninth to the forty-third degree of north latitude, for the space of about 250 miles, along the Mediterranean and the Gulf of Venice. The extent inland nowhere exceeds one hundred miles; and is, in the southern part, not more than thirty. The chain of Pindus, called now the mountains of Sagori, of Metzovo, and of Suli, separate it, by an ill defined line, from Macedonia and Thessaly. The Turks divided it into Pashalics; of which the principal are those of Scutari, Ochrida, Vallenia, and Butrinto; but these distinctions, in its present state of independence, are in a great measure obliterated. The divisions chiefly recognized are those formed by the varieties of the native tribes. Major Leake, who is allowed to be the best informed traveller on this head, divides them into the Ngeze, or Ghegides, whose principal towns are Dulcigno, Scutari, and Durazzo; the Toske, or Toskides, who occupy Berat and Elbasan; the Liapce, a poor and predatory race, who inhabit the mountains between the Toske and Delvino; and the Tsami, who inhabit the most southerly district, and whose principal towns are Suli and Paramithia. There are, besides, a great number of smaller divisions, too tedious to enumerate. (Leake's Researches in Greece.)

Albania nearly coincides with the country known to the ancients, under the name of Epirus. This country was then, as now, distinguished by the rude valour of its inhabitants. Its remote situation, and the want of union among its tribes, generally prevented it from acting any conspicuous part in Grecian politics. The only remarkable exception occurs in the reign of Pyrrhus II., who was justly ranked with the greatest captains of antiquity. After his death, the country was again split into a number of petty states, which were unable to resist the united strength of Macedon; and to that kingdom, Epirus continued subject, till both were alike subdued by the Roman arms.

It was during the time of the Greek empire, that the name of Albania was first given to this district. During the decline of the empire, the Albanians gradually rose to distinction, and at last to independence. Their valour enabled them to maintain their ground against the Bulgarians, who had occupied all the neighbouring districts of Greece. Nor were they less successful against the Turks, a more formidable enemy. Under the command of the celebrated George Castriot, commonly called Scanderbeg, they baffled all the efforts of Mahomet II., the conqueror of Constantinople. That powerful monarch entered Albania only to experience a succession of defeats, and was at length compelled to acknowledge its independence by a formal treaty. On the death of Scanderbeg, the Turks redoubled their efforts against Albania, which was at length reduced to a state of nominal subjection. The siege of Scutari, in 1478, formed the termination of this memorable struggle. The subjection, however, was always imperfect; revolts were frequent, and the inhabitants of the mountainous districts still preserved their independence. It was by the motives of pay and plunder, rather than by compulsion, that these hardy soldiers were allured into the Turkish ranks. In proportion as the Ottoman empire declined in vigour, its hold of Albania became less and less firm; and the vigorous and enterprising genius of Ali Pasha, has now again converted this dependency into what may almost be called a separate kingdom.

Ali was born at Tepellene, a small town in the interior of Albania. His father held the rank of a Pasha of two tails, but was not possessed of any extensive power; and he died when Ali was only fifteen. In a district so turbulent, and filled with warlike and hostile leaders, the young chief was necessarily placed in a very critical situation. He is himself accustomed to boast, that he began his fortune with sixty paras and a musket; and an Albanian who attended a late traveller (Mr Hobhouse) declared, that he remembered to have seen Ali with his jacket out at elbows. Ali was ere long driven from Tepellene, his native place, and was abandoned by almost every follower. A plan was next formed for his destruction, by the inhabitants of Gardiki, a neighbouring town; and for this purpose, they surrounded, in the night time, a village where he had taken refuge. Ali escaped through a garden, but his mother and sister fell into the hands of the Gardikiotes, and were treated with every species of indignity; wrongs for which he afterwards took a dreadful vengeance. His address and activity enabled him gradually to repair his fortunes. He insinuated himself into the favour of Coul Pasha, then the principal chief of Albania, whose daughter he at length married. Having thus been enabled to collect some followers, he succeeded in surprising his present capital, Joannina, and in prevailing upon the Porte to recognize him as Pacha of that important district. From this time, he took the lead among the Albanian chiefs; employing sometimes force, sometimes money, and sometimes treachery, to increase his authority, and add to the extent of his dominions.

The most formidable adversaries with whom Ali had to contend, were the Suliotes, a people placed in the southern extremity of Albania. They inhabit an almost inaccessible range of mountains, beneath whose gloomy shade winds a river, which Dr Holland conjectures, on very plausible grounds, to be the Acheron of the ancients. (Travels in the Ionian Isles and Albania.) The strength of their native bulwarks, their passion for war, and contempt of death, made them the terror of Albania, which they frequently invaded; while no foreign power had ever ventured to scale the tremendous barriers by which they were guarded. Ali at length succeeded, partly by force, and partly by bribery, in gaining the passes which led into their country; and the whole nation, after a furious resistance, was reduced to subjection, and partly extirpated.

In 1811 and 1812, Ali attacked and defeated the Pashas of Berat and Delvino; by which means he gained possession of some of the finest parts of Albania, and a population of between 200,000 and 300,000 souls. Tepellene, his native place, now fell into his power; and now also it was, that he obtained the means of inflicting signal vengeance on Gardiki. With his accustomed duplicity, he pretended a complete oblivion of all grounds of resentment, until he had surrounded and enclosed the city with his troops; when upwards of 700 of those of the inhabitants who were supposed to have been most deeply involved in the ancient guilt, were dragged into a large khan near the city, and bound together with cords. On a signal given by Ali, the Albanian soldiery, who were stationed on the walls of the khan, began a discharge of musketry, which continued until the destruction of the whole 700 was completed.

It seems impossible to define with perfect precision, either the extent of Ali's dominions, or the degree of authority which he possesses. Even within Albania, the Pachalic of Scutari remains still independent. The tract over which he bears sway, is bounded on the north by an irregular line, extending from Durazzo to the Gulf of Salonica. It comprehends the mountainous district of Macedonia, nearly the whole of Thessaly, and great part of Livadia. On the eastern side, he is kept in check by Ismael Bey, who possesses an authority nearly as independent over the plains of Macedonia. In Albania, his power is almost absolute; and while little regard is paid to the imperial firman, a letter with the signature of Ali commands implicit obedience. The Albanians are enthusiastically attached to him; they view him as a native sovereign; they admire the energy of his character, and when they hear of any other chief, commonly remark, that "he has not a head like Ali."

In the relations between Ali and the court of Constantinople, mutual fear has hitherto preserved an outward good understanding. The progress of this enterprising chief has been long viewed with jealousy and alarm; but the Porte was never in a condition to hazard driving him into open rebellion. It has been found prudent, therefore, to invest him, by its firman, with the government of those provinces which the sword had already placed in his possession. Ali, on the other hand, pays an outward deference to the Porte; and remits to it some portion of the revenue which he collects. He has also uniformly supported that power with nearly his whole force, against the foreign enemies with which it has had to contend. He even marched against Paswan Oglou, and was present at the siege of Widdin; and his son Mouctar Pasha, distinguished himself greatly in the late war against the Russians. In all other respects, whether as to the internal government of Albania, or its foreign relations, he acts completely as an independent monarch. The Porte has omitted no means of inducing him to repair to Constantinople, and has even proffered to him the dignity of grand Vizier; but Ali has uniformly resisted every such invitation, well knowing that his arrival at that capital would be the immediate signal for striking off his head. Buonaparte is also believed to have courted his favour, and to have offered him the dignity of King of Albania; but the Pasha always viewed the ambitious designs of that conqueror with alarm, and attached himself to England; with the politics and interests of which country, it appears from his conversations with Dr Holland, he was tolerably well acquainted.

The natives estimate Ali's military force so high as fifty, sixty, or even 100,000 men. This could only apply to the case of a general levy en masse, in the event of invasion. It does not appear that Ali has ever brought into the field a greater disposable force than 15,000. His standing army is supposed to be about 10,000, of whom 4,000 or 5,000 are stationed round his capital Joannina. The amount of his revenues is still more uncertain. They arise from the following sources: 1. A land tax, amounting generally to about 10 per cent of the produce. 2. A tax on cities and towns, levied in the form of requisition. 3. The customs, which he has raised to six per cent. 4. The inheritance of all who die without male heirs. There are several minor sources; and besides his public revenue, Ali is supposed to possess private property to the amount of 4,000,000 piastres, or L. 200,000 per annum. It seems impossible to conjecture, either what may be the amount of his entire revenue, or what proportion he remits to Constantinople; but it is generally believed, that the treasure which he has accumulated is very considerable.

Ali is now (1815) sixty or sixty-one years of age; his figure is corpulent and unwieldy, his neck short, his stature about five feet nine inches. The expression of his countenance is striking and majestic; and his features give no indications of those terrible qualities by which he is characterized. His abilities are certainly of no mean order. He displays that union of deep thought and contrivance, with prompt and decisive action, which indicates a mind equally formed for politics and for war. He is remarkable for his address, both in gaining friends, and in lulling asleep the suspicions of his bitterest enemies. But, if his abilities are of a superior order, his dispositions are of a kind which render him an object of fear and detestation. His cruelty rather resembles that of an Indian savage, than of even the least civilized European. Impaling, and roasting alive, are among the common punishments reserved for those who have unhappily offended him. The fierceness of his cruelty is only exceeded by the depth of his dissimulation. It is impossible for the most skilful observer to conjecture, from his outward deportment, the real sentiments with which he regards any individual. The only observable difference, consists in a peculiar kindness of manner, towards those unfortunates, whose cruel doom he has silently and unrelentingly sealed.

Ali's ordinary residence is near Joannina, in an immense building, which combines the characters of a palace and a fortress. The outer courts are irregularly crowded with Albanian soldiers, and with persons of all descriptions, who attend upon, or have petitions to present to him. Each petitioner, in approaching, kneels and kisses his garment. He exercises in person the whole judicial authority; and his decisions, though necessarily given too promptly, are however said to be guided by an apparent wish of arriving at the truth, and of doing justice. It may be supposed that this employment, joined to a minute attention to every other part of his administration, must fully occupy his time. Accordingly, he rises at six in the morning, and with the exception of an hour at dinner, and an hour at supper, spends the whole day in business. His habits at table are extremely temperate, though he is not so strict a Musulman as to decline the use of wine. His haram contains three hundred females of various descriptions. It forms an edifice entirely distinct from the rest of the seraglio, and is said to be furnished in a style of the most gorgeous magnificence; but no European has hitherto found admission into it.

Although the government of Ali is completely despotical, yet, viewed comparatively, it appears to be better for Albania, than the terrible anarchy to which it was formerly exposed. He has freed that country from a race of petty tyrants, and from perpetual scenes of internal warfare. His vigorous administration has nearly extirpated those numerous predatory hordes, who found shelter in the mountainous districts, and spread terror and desolation over the plains.

The inhabitants of Albania are estimated at twelve hundred thousand; those of Ali's whole dominions at two millions. Albania contains a considerable proportion of Turks and Greeks; but the basis of the population, and that in which Ali places his chief confidence, consists of its original race. This remarkable people differ completely from every other included within the limits of the Turkish empire. Their conversion to Mahometan tenets has been very imperfect, and chiefly induced by political motives. In every family the males usually go to the mosque, the females to church; and some members of a family are seen in the most amicable manner eating from the same table, and even from the same plate, meats forbidden to the others. With the Turks, accordingly, infidel and Albanian are terms nearly synonymous. Ali himself, does not appear to make religion a ground of any the slightest distinction between the different classes of his subjects.

The native Albanian is of a middle stature; his face is oval, with high cheek bones; his neck long, his chest full and broad. His air is erect and majestic, to a degree which never fails to surprise the traveller. He holds in utter contempt that dissimulation which is characteristic of the Greek, and piques himself upon giving utterance to every sentiment without the smallest reserve. Equally remote from the grave and sluggish deportment of the Turk, he is gay, lively, and active. Averse, however, to regular industry, his whole delight is in arms and plunder. He goes constantly armed; and there are few Albanians who, in the prime of their life, have not belonged to some of the numerous bands of robbers, who infest the mountains of their native country, of Thessaly, and of Macedonia. This profession carries with it no disgrace; it is common for the Albanian to mention circumstances which occurred, "when he was a robber." In proportion as the trade of robbing becomes overstocked, part of those engaged in it seek employment in the service of the Sultan, and of the different Pashas throughout the Turkish empire; by all of whom the Albanians are regarded as the most valuable of their troops.

An Albanian military force, according to the description of Dr Holland, cannot so properly be called an army, as a tumultuous assemblage of armed men. There is no regular distribution into corps; nor is much regard paid to the authority of any officer, with the single exception of the Pasha himself. Yet, such is their activity and intrepidity, that they have sometimes proved formidable to the best disciplined European armies. Whatever was done in the last Turkish campaign against the Russians, is said to have been achieved by Albanian troops.

This fierce and haughty race display a greater degree of contempt for the female sex, than is usual even among the most barbarous nations. The females are literally regarded as inferior animals, and treated as such; but, in the country districts, they are not confined, or veiled, as is customary in Mahometan countries.

The dress of the Albanian consists of a cotton shirt, a jacket, a mantle, sandals, and a red cap; to which is added, a large capote, or great coat, as a shelter from the weather. Every part, except the shirt, consists of woollen. As they have usually only one suit, which they wear day and night, it soon becomes a dreadful assemblage of dirt and vermin; and at length literally falls to pieces. The dress of the females is more various, and often fantastical. A singular custom prevails among the girls, of stringing together the pieces of money which they have collected for their portion, and wearing them upon their heads. Some of them have their hair hanging down in braids to a great length, loaded with this species of ornament.

Joannina, the present capital, is beautifully situated on the banks of a small lake, enclosed within a circuit of lofty mountains. The houses, in general, are not externally either splendid or elegant; and they are built in the most irregular manner, with scarcely any approach to the form of streets. The intermixture however of gardens and trees, gives to the city a fine appearance from a distance; particularly when combined with the magnificent back-ground, which everywhere crowns the landscape. There is a considerable number of Greeks at Joannina, who display an active and intelligent character, and cultivate with ardour the different branches of science and literature. The total number of inhabitants is estimated at upwards of thirty-five thousand.

The commerce of Albania is chiefly carried on through Arta, a small city situated on a gulf of the same name, in the most southern district of the country. The principal merchants however, are Greeks residing at Joannina, among whom a very active commercial spirit appears to prevail. Ali, who anxiously endeavours to promote the trade of his dominions, without however knowing the right way, imposes great restraints on the removal of the merchants. He generally insists, that at least one member of a family should continue to reside at Joannina. The mercantile houses of this city have often branches in other countries, particularly Germany and Russia, and several of them suffered considerably by the conflagration of Moscow. Under the continental system of the late French ruler, Malta became the great channel for the trade of Albania, and, notwithstanding the recent political changes, may probably retain it to a certain extent. The exports consist almost entirely of unmanufactured produce. Notwithstanding its mountainous character, the fertility of its plains affords a surplus of grain, of which, upwards of fifty cargoes are sent to Italy, the Ionian isles, Malta, and other places. The Pasha, however has checked this commerce by the impolitic system of assuming the monopoly of it into his own hands. Wool is exported, chiefly unmanufactured; but partly also wrought into coarse cloth. Other important articles of export are oil, tobacco of good quality, cotton and cotton yarn, chiefly from Thessaly. Some cargoes of wood for building and fire, are annually sent to Malta. The chief imports consist of woollen cloths, used for winter coverings. For this purpose, the preference is given to a coarser and cheaper species than any that is usually manufactured in Great Britain. This is supplied from Germany. Albania imports also guns, gunpowder, hardware, coffee, and sugar. On the 8th of October, an annual fair is opened in the neighbourhood of Joannina, and continues for fourteen days, when the imported articles are exchanged for native commodities, which then pour in from every quarter.

The reader will find much interesting information in regard to this country, and its present ruler, in the lately published Travels of Mr Hobhouse, and of Dr Holland. The latter resided for some time at Ali's court, where, in quality of physician, he enjoyed the privilege of a familiar intercourse with that extraordinary personage; and the anecdotes which he relates, give no small share of interest to his otherwise valuable and instructive publication.