Goodisson, William: A historical and topographical essay upon the islands of Corfu, Leucadia, Cephalonia, Ithaka and Zante: with remarks upon the character manners and customs of the Ionian Greeks : descriptions of the scenery and remains of antiquity discovered therein, and reflections upon the Cyclopian ruins, illustrated by maps and sketches (London: Thomas and George Underwood, 1822)

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price is about twenty-four dollars for a box that will
accommodate four persons. Greek plays are some-
times performed, and I have seen some excellent
Italian comedy at Corfu. The tragedy of Othello
was exhibited in Italian, but in that costume it
became a truly farcical business. The incident of
the handkerchief was altogether omitted, and the
necessity of destroying Desdemona was fortunately
superseded by Othello’s discovering the villainy of
Iago before he came to so unpolite a determination.
This false taste however is altogether Venetian,
although the foundation of Shakspeare’s sublime
tragedy, of which this play purported to be a
translation, is in a Venetian story.
The advantages arising to this people from their
connection with England is no where better shewn
than in the present regulations of the police.
Assassination is now no more heard of. The re-
moval of the butchers’ and vegetable stalls, with the
fishmongers, to regular markets constructed outside
the walls, has added to the comforts of the inhabi-
tants in point of cleanliness, and certainly contri-
buted mainly to the increased salubrity of the place.
The widening of part of the principal street, by
pulling down several old tottering Venetian bal-
conies, has removed a source of danger, and has
also added to the healthfulness of the place, by
admitting a more free ventilation. Notwithstanding
all this, much remains to be done; and in fact,
nothing but the demolition of the .whole town in