Lettre de m. l'abbé Fortis à mylord comte de Bute, sur les moeurs et usages des Morlaques, appellés Montenegrins

In this vivid epistolary sketch, an 18th‑century French cleric writes to a British nobleman about the Morlachs—people commonly labeled “Montenegrins” by travelers of his day. He opens by confronting the savage reputation that circulates among Dalmatian merchants, insisting that many of the worst deeds are better explained by the actions of a few desperate individuals than by any inherent barbarism. The tone is conversational yet scholarly, as the author pledges an impartial account drawn from his own observations while traveling through river valleys and mountain passes.

The letter then turns to the tangled origins of the Morlach people, tracing their lineage through a mosaic of ancient tribes, Slavic migrations, and even hints of earlier Illyrian settlements. By cataloguing place‑names and linguistic clues, the writer paints a picture of a culture shaped by centuries of flux, suggesting that the “fierce” image is as much a product of myth as of history. Listeners will find a thoughtful, on‑the‑ground perspective that challenges clichés and invites a deeper curiosity about a region often reduced to legend.