…. SOBRIETY OF THE GREEKS. – The food of an English laborer would be enough in Greece for a family of six persons. The rich are well satisfied with a dish of vegetables for their meal; the poor with a handful of olives or a piece of salt fish. The entire population eats meat at Easter for the whole year. I do not believe a Greek ever died of indigestion. Drunkenness so common in cold countries, is a rare vice with the Greeks; they are great drinkers, but water drinkers. They would have scruples about passing a fountain without drinking at it; but if they enter a tavern it is to chatter. The coffee houses of Athens are full of people, and at all hours; but the customers do not take strong liquors; they ask for a cup of coffee at a penny; a glass of water, light for their cigarettes, a newspaper, and a game of dominoes; they then have enough to keep themselves occupied for the day. In two years I have not met with a man dead drunk in the streets, and I believe it would be easy to count all the drunkards in the kingdom. I may be said that the Greek people have no inclination for any kind of excesses, and that they take all their pleasures with equal sobriety.