...as it is well known that from a fifth to perhaps nearly a fourth of the inhabitants of Greece are said to be Albanians, whose fathers played so noble a part, both by sea and land, in the war of Greek independence. We believe the following facts have to do with that antipathy. No people have a more ardent national spirit, or cling more tenaciously to their language and ancient customs, than the Albanians. Now the Greeks, to their honour be it said, among the first things they did as a nation, set up a system of National schools, with primary, secondary, and higher education, all over the country; but in these schools nothing was taught but Greek, and hence the Albanians, who did not understand that language, were put to a serious disadvantage. Greek statesmen said Albanian was no language it had no literature, not even an alphabet it was a patois, and would die out in a generation, and the children of the Albanian soldiers and sailors would all be good Greeks; and so neither the Government nor private individuals did anything for the Albanian population. But now, at the distance of over half a century, things remain very much as they were when Greece, first was declared independent. Most of the Albanians are rude and ignorant, and far behind the rest of the population; while in the island of Aegina and many other places nay, only a few miles from Athens itself; there are many families who can´t speak a word of Greek. The experiment has failed. It is the same problem that meets us in the highlands in Scotland, in Wales and in Ireland. We do not greatly blame Greece, for she probably believed that she could Hellenize these sturdy Arnauts; but it is high time now to retrace her steps, andcomplete her admirable schooling-system, by teaching both Albanian and Greek where the population is Albanian. Thanks to the London Tract Society, there are now school-books in both dialects of languages, while the Bible Society has provided them with the Testament and Psalms. Greek would thus remove the fear of national annihilation, with which so many regard union with her as synonymous, while she will pay a graceful tribute of gratitude to her Albanian people, and raise them from that barbarism in which so many still remain, and, still more, from their deep religious ignorance." ("The Catholic Presbyterian", edited by Professor W. G. Blaikie, D.D., LL.D., F.R.S.E., Vol. II., July December 1879, page 318)
