CHAP. I. Of the Seas, Climate, and Country round Conſtantinople.

THIS empire conſiſts of European, Aſiatic, and African poſſeſſions; and is thought to be the largeſt in the world. Some affirm it is 2,000 miles in length from eaſt to weſt, and 1,750 from north to ſouth. Turkey in Europe is divided by the moun⯑tains of the Caſtagnas into north and ſouth.

It is proper, in this place, to add, likewiſe, the nations who are or were allied in a particular manner to the Porte, without being entirely ſubject to it. Theſe are the Tartars of the Crimea and the cantons of Barbary. The Precopite Tartars, inhabitants of the Cherſon⯑neſus, now called the Crimea, or Little Tartary, and who are likewiſe called Nogayan Tartars, are a people dependent on the Ottoman Porte; but they rather deſerve the title of allies, ſavs Habeſci, for there exiſts between them and the Porte a reciprocal convention, that if the male line of the Ottoman emperors fails, the Khan of Crimea ſhall ſucceed to the empire, and in the ſame manner the Ottoman monarch ſhall inherit the Crimea. This convention was the cauſe of that ſtrict union which has always ſubſiſted between [142] them. The Grand Signor does not treat deſpotically with them as he does with his other ſubjects, and as he had in former times begun to do even with them. When he ſends any order to the Khan, he does not make uſe of a Firman or abſolute mandate, but written letters, expreſſing his will and pleaſure, which, how⯑ever, are always complied with.

Though theſe people are not under any obligation to pay tribute, they very often ſend preſents to the Sultan and the Grand Vizier. The preſent ſtate of the Crimea is very different to what it was ſome years ago: for in the laſt war between the Turks and the Ruſſians, the latter conquered the whole country. At the peace, however, every thing was nearly reſtored to its former ſtate. A principal article of the peace was the independence of the Crimea, and the free election of the Khans. But of the two chief candi⯑dates on the death of the reigning Khan, one was partially ſupported by the Porte, of which the Ruſ⯑ſians complained, as an infraction of the article of independence. The memorials of the court of Peterſ⯑burgh were not liſtened to; upon which the Ruſſians ſupported vigorouſly the party of the other competitor, whoſe name is Sahib Guerai. The enemies of Guerai were overpowered, he was elected Khan, and Ruſſia actually reigned in the prince ſhe had protected. All the fortreſſes were in the power of the Ruſſians, Caffa, the principal town in the Crimea, not excepted; the [143] Black ſea is full of Ruſſian veſſels, and every effort of the Turks to drive them out has been ineffectual.

The country comprized under the name of Little Tartary, contains beſides the Crimea, the Cuban, a part of Circaſſia, and all the lands which ſeparate the empire of Ruſſia from the Black ſea. In this latter diſtrict lyes the important fortreſs of Oczakow, at the influx of the Dnieper, into the Black ſea, which was lately taken from the Turks by the Ruſſians, and which the empreſs ſtipulated to be ceded to her as the baſis of a treaty of peace concluded with the Turks, together with the territory ſurrounding it, from the Bog to the Dnieſter; inhabited, but only in the vallies and by the ſides of the rivers, by the Tar⯑tars, called Nogayan Tartars, and ſubject to the Khan of the Crimea. Theſe Tartars are even more nume⯑rous than thoſe in the Crimea. This country is like⯑wiſe ſometimes called Oczakow Tartary. But of theſe countries we ſhall afterwards ſpeak more fully.

The ſtates of Tunis, Algiers, and Tripoli are almoſt on the ſame footing with the Porte as the Crimea. Theſe barbarians often receive orders from the Porte, which they do not attend to, when they claſh with the reſpective intereſts of each ſtate. They are, however, obliged to join the Ottoman fleet with all their mari⯑time forces in time of war. The ſame compact obliges the Porte to ſupport them with all its forces againſt [144] any enemy who ſhall attack them. They do not pay any tribute, but ſend preſents every three years, like the Crim Tartars, to the Grand Signor, and he, in return, ſends them ſome armed ſloops and frigates pro⯑perly equipped for ſea, except being manned. Theſe ſtates, therefore, are more properly conſidered as allies than ſubjects.

The Turks are of Tartarian or Scythian extraction. This appellation having been firſt given them, in the middle ages, as a proper name, it being a general title of honour to all the nations comprehended under the two principal branches of Tartar and Mongul: nor do even the Turks appropriate it peculiarly to them⯑ſelves, both the Monguls and the Tartars, properly ſo called, eſteeming it a mark of honour due to them; the word Tur, as an adjective, meaning ſublime and pre-eminent, and as an appellation, a governor. Turci, therefore, may import both the governor of a hord (Ki among the Tartars ſignifying a hord or company) as well as the hord itſelf. The Scythian or Tartarian nation, to which, as we have before obſerved, the name of Turks has been peculiarly given, dwelt between the Black and Caſpian ſeas, and became firſt known in the ſeventh century, when Heraclius, emperor of the Eaſt, took them into his ſervice, under whom they diſtinguiſhed themſelves ſo much, that the Ara⯑bian and Saracen caliphs not only had particular bodies of them for their guards, but their armies [145] were likewiſe filled with them. Thus they gradually got the power into their own hands, and ſet up and dethroned caliphs at their pleaſure. This happened about the ninth century. By this ſtrict union of the Turks with the Saracens or Arabs, the former were brought to embrace the Mahometan religion; ſo that they are now become intermixed, and have jointly extended their conqueſts.

We ſhall now enter into a detail of Turkey in Europe. Nature has bleſſed the inhabitants of Tur⯑key beyond meaſure. Its ſoil is luxuriant without dreſſing. Its air is ſalubrious. The ſeaſons are regu⯑lar and pleaſant, and the waters are ſo pure and de⯑lightful, as to invite them to frequent bathings in all parts of the kingdom.

It would ſeem, ſays Lady Craven, in her deſcription of the beautiful climate of this country, that every thing in nature which has remarkable advantages attending it, ſhould likewiſe have certain diſadvantages to counterbalance them, ſo as to reduce the portion of happineſs to a level for mankind. This beautiful enchanting country, the climate, the objects, the ſitua⯑tion of it, make an earthly paradiſe; but the plague— the earthquakes—ſubjects that would make the rational part of mankind fly it for ever, render it terrifying to every mind. If things and perſons may be com⯑pared, is it not like a beautiful woman, handſomer than [146] moſt of her ſex, with accompliſhments equal to her beauty, whom the world, her very inmates envy, but yet whom the baſe paſſions that ſurround her communicate a horror to her beſt admirers, and frighten them from her bewitching charms?

Though the air of Turkey is ſo very healthy in itſelf, peſtilence is brought there from Egypt, and has more than once ſwept away one fifth of the inhabitants of Conſtantinople; yet from the prevalence of cuſtom, and the Turkiſh doctrine of fatality, they give them⯑ſelves very little concern about it.

The provinces, ſays Buſching, are univerſally fruit⯑ful, though with ſome difference, inſomuch that both agriculture and graziery turn to great profit in this country. Great quantities of excellent grain and fruits are exported every year into foreign ſtates; but of this we ſhall ſpeak more at large in the ſeparate deſcription of each country. All the neceſſaries of life are equally good and cheap in Turkey.

The mountains in the different countries of this empire, are the moſt celebrated of any in the world, and many of them at the ſame time the moſt fruitful, Mount Athos lyes on a peninſula, running into the AEgean ſea; the mountains Pindus and Olympus cele⯑brated in Grecian fable, ſeparate Theſſaly from Epirus. Parnaſſus, ſo famous for being conſecrated to the [147] muſes, is well known. Mount Hemus is likewiſe often mentioned by the poets; but moſt of the other mountains have changed their names; ſuch as the mountains Suha, Witoſka, Staras, Plamina, and many others. Even the moſt celebrated mountains above-mentioned have had modern names given them by the barbarians in their neighbourhood. But of theſe mountains we ſhall treat more particularly when we come to the reſpective countries in which they are ſituated.

The principal ſeas in this quarter of the globe are the Black ſea; the Palus Moeotis, or ſea of Aſoph; the ſea of Marmora, which ſeparates Europe from Aſia; the Archipelago, and the Ionian ſea. The Black ſea, formerly called the Euxine ſea, lyes between Europe and Aſia; it is bounded on the north by Tartary; on the eaſt, by Mingrelia, Circaſſia, and Georgia; on the ſouth by Natolia; and on the weſt by Romania, Bulgaria, and Beſſarabia; thus reaching from the Crimea to within twenty miles of Conſtantinople, to which and the White ſea, it is joined by a very narrow ſtrait. It is about 150 miles acroſs from the Crimea, but wider in ſome places, and 780 miles in length, and has ſome good harbours; and ſeveral currents, ſuch as thoſe of the Danube, Boriſthenes, Tanais, and ſeveral other leſs conſiderable rivers which throw themſelves into it, run quite acroſs it. Theſe currents occaſion ſhips to be toſſed backwards and forwards, and often⯑times, [148] by the violence of the ſtorms, to be daſhed againſt the rocks.

About the mouth of the Euxine ſea, where the paſ⯑ſage is narroweſt, about twenty miles from Conſtanti⯑nople, lyes a rock in the ſhape of an iſland, about fifty or ſixty yards from the ſhore. Here formerly ſtood a pillar of white marble, called Pompey's pillar, be⯑cauſe, according to the received opinion, Pompey erected it after he had conquered Mithridates, as a laſting memorial of his victory. Near this rock are ſeveral leſſer rocks, of which the ancients have related ſuch a number of fabulous ſtories, aſſerting they floated on the water, at the mouth of the Boſphorus. Near theſe rocks, the ſea appears to be black all round the horizon. It is ſuppoſed to have had that name given to it by the Turks, from its being very dangerous to ſail acroſs. The Turks call the ſea Mauro-thalaſſa. The Turkiſh word Mauro ſignifies, likewiſe, ſad and lamentable, as well as black. Per⯑haps alſo it may receive its name from the black clouds, which riſe up here more frequently than in other places; for the waters of this ſea are not blacker than thoſe of any other. But violent ſtorms very often come on ſo ſuddenly, that it is impoſſible to be guarded againſt them, and theſe will ſometimes riſe up inſtantaneouſly in the fineſt weather. Lady C. who traverſed this ſea from the Crimea to Conſtanti⯑nople, relates, that there is a large rock on the Euro⯑pean [149] ſhore, near the ſpot on which Pompey's pillar ſtands, but ſo far diſtant from it, that unleſs a map or pilot directs the mariner how to ſteer, he muſt infallibly take it for the entrance of the Boſphorus or canal of Conſtantinople. Several hundred Turkiſh boats are wrecked upon it yearly.

Baron Tott ſays, that when he was at Conſtantinople, ſeventy ſail of ſhips loaded with corn, were caſt away in one night, by miſſing the mouth of the ſtraits; which brought on ſuch a ſcarcity of corn within the city, as nearly to have occaſioned a very ſerious inſurrection. This event, however, he attributes more to a ſpecies of abuſe and iniquity, which will ſcarce appear credible, than to the dangers of the ſea. For, ſays the baron, two light-houſes very lofty, and placed at the mouth of the Black ſea, on the head-lands in Europe and Aſia, have been erected to point out to ſailors the entrance into the ſtraits. The oil they conſume is furniſhed by government, and perſons are appointed to light them up and keep them in order. Yet this ſame government permits the fabrication of charcoal all over the coaſt; though it is eaſy to perceive that under this pretence, the inhabitants frequently kindle fires, which, in bad weather, deceive and miſ⯑lead the mariner. Nay further, the keepers of the towers frequently hide the lights, ſays the baron, to procure ſhipwrecks, which they very well know how to turn to their advantage.

[150]From the Crimea to Conſtantinople it is uſually a paſſage of two days, or a little more; but I have told my company, ſays Lady Craven, "I expect to be ſeven. Why I have choſen the number ſeven, I cannot gueſs. I can give you no other reaſon than that I have long reſolved in my mind to expect a treble doſe of any bitter draught I am obliged to ſwallow; and I aſſure you in this method of calculating events, I ſhall not be ſo often diſappointed as I have been, when the natural chearfulneſs of my mind made me always fore⯑ſee proſperous g [...]l [...]s. Near this ſpot, there are a great many S [...]acall [...]s or wild dogs, which reſemble a fox very much, eſpecially about the ſnout. They are ſuppoſed to have been engendered from wolves and dogs. In the evening, and ſometimes in the middle of the night, they ſet up a dreadful howling, eſpecially in bad weather, or when it is very cold; and in win⯑ter, when food is ſcarce, they are as fierce and raven⯑ous as wolves.

It does not appear, however, that the current is in the leaſt troubleſome in the canal, as part of what are called the ſuburbs of Conſtantinople ſtand, on the oppoſite ſide, in Aſia. Nothing, ſays Lady Mary Wortley Montague, can be pleaſanter than the canal, and the Turks are ſo well acquainted with its beauties, that all their pleaſure ſeats are built on its banks, where they have at the ſame time the moſt beautiful proſpects in Europe and Aſia; ſo that there are near one another ſome hundreds of magnificent palaces. For an extent of twenty miles, as far as Pompey's pillar, the Aſiatic ſide is covered with fruit trees, villages, and the moſt delightful landſcapes in nature; the canal winding all along in a ſerpentine figure from the Euxine ſea. On the European ſide, ſtands [152] Conſtantinople ſituated on ſeven hills, with a great number of ſeraglios, fine gardens and pleaſure-houſes, called by the Turks, Kioſhs; ſo that both theſe ſhores make a moſt enchanting and delightful proſpect.

The Boſphorus takes a ſudden turn at Bouyukdere, ſays Lady C. who approached it from the Black ſea: "but my pen will but feebly repeat what Mr. Gibbon in his account of the ſingular ſituation of Conſtanti⯑nople, has deſcribed, in language majeſtic as the ſubject deſerves. But I am certain no language can amuſe or pleaſe, in compariſon with the view which the borders of this famed ſtraits compoſe; rocks, ver⯑dure, ancient caſtles built on the ſummit of the hills by the Genoeſe, who once poſſeſſed it; the modern kioſhs, or ſummer-houſes, with blinds all round, mi⯑narets and large plantane trees riſing promiſcuouſly in the vallies, large meadows, multitudes of people, and boats ſwarming on the ſhore and on the water; and what is particular, nothing to be ſeen like a formal French garden. The Turks having ſo great a reſpect for natural beauties, that if they muſt build a houſe where a tree ſtands, they leave a large hole for the tree to paſs through and increaſe in ſize, conceiving the branches of it to be the prettieſt orna⯑ment for the top of their houſe; in truth, contraſt a chimney to a beautiful foliage, and judge if they are right or wrong. This coaſt is ſo ſafe, that a large fleet of Turkiſh veſſels is to be ſeen in every creek, [153] maſts of which are intermingled with the trees, and a graceful confuſion and variety, make this living pic⯑ture the moſt pictureſque ſcene I ever beheld."

The ſea of Marmora, Propontis, or the White ſea, for it has all theſe different names, extends from Con⯑ſtantinople to Gallipoli. It is called White ſea in oppoſition to the Euxine, or Black ſea, and it derives its name of Marmora from ſome iſlands ſo called in the middle of it. This ſea of Marmora is properly a large gulph, communicating both with the Black ſea, by the canal of Conſtantinople, and with the Archi⯑pelago by the Helleſpont or Dardenelles. It is 120 miles in length and 50 broad. There is ſcarce any part of the world, except Holland, that can ſhew within ſo ſmall a circumference ſo many large cities, as are to be ſeen round this pleaſant ſea. The famous Chizico, the celebrated Nice, the pleaſant Apamia, the charming Nicomedia, the unfortunate Chalcedon, and ſeveral other cities which Aſia could formerly ſhew on the banks of the Propontis, are ſufficient marks that in this quarter of the globe nothing was wanting to render the ſea-ſhores beautiful.

In the Propontis there are ſeveral iſlands which give name to the whole ſea. The principal one Marmora, is about ten leagues in circumference. The Caloyers, or Greek monks have here ſeveral con⯑vents or hermitages. There are alſo three others [154] which go by the ſame name, and which lye at a ſmall diſtance from each other. Theſe iſlands abound in cattle, corn, wine, fruits, cotton, &c. They have alſo great quantities of fiſh. Nearer to Conſtanti⯑nople lyes another cluſter of ſmall iſlands. Were theſe iſlands in the hands of the Chriſtians, they would be ſo many gardens of paradiſe; but being ex⯑poſed to the ravages of the Turks, who go there on parties of pleaſure, and frequently plunder the gar⯑dens and vineyards of the Greeks, when elevated with liquor, they lye almoſt wholly uncultivated.

From the ſtraits of the Boſphorus to thoſe of the Helleſpont, is a diſtance of about 50 leagues, the laſt twelve of which are thoſe of the Helleſpont, dividing as does the Boſphorus, Europe from Aſia. The inter⯑mediate ſpace between the two, is the little ſea of of Marmora, where the waters have conſiderable breadth, and contains the iſle of Marmora (exceeding high ground) ſo called from the quarries of marble contained in it, and lying about twelve leagues from the ſtraits. Its ancient name was Proconeſus. The ſea of Marmora and the Black ſea, have been called the two breaſts of Conſtantinople; for let whatever wind blow, it is always furniſhed, by one or other of theſe ſeas, with abundance of proviſions.

On the narroweſt part of the Helleſpont, next the Archipelago, where the ſtrait is not more than half [155] a mile wide, (called the Dardanelles, ſo called from Dardanus, formerly a king of that country) two caſtles are erected on each ſhore, where every ſhip that paſſes from the Archipelago is examined, and they thus become a key to Conſtantinople. On a rock in the middle of the Helleſpont ſtands a town, in which the Turks have ſome ſmall cannon. The Turks uſe it as a watch-tower, and it is a good ſea-mark to ſteer by. In the middle of this rock is a ſpring of freſh water.

This famous ſtrait is ſaid to have received its name from Helle, daughter of Athamas king of Thebes, who with her brother Phrixus, endeavouring to eſcape from the treachery of their mother-in-law Ino, periſhed in theſe waters.

Chandler, in ſailing through the Dardanelles towards Conſtantinople ſays, we now ſaw a level and exten⯑ſive plain, the ſcene as we conceived, of the battle of the Iliad, with barrows of heroes. The narrowneſs of the Helleſpont, the ſmoothneſs of the water, and the rippling of the current reminded me of the Thames. Xerxes but ſlightly degraded it, when he called it a ſalt river. He croſſed it 3000 years ago, with an army almoſt innumerable over a bridge of 700 boats. The Turks croſſed it ſince with more ſucceſs.

The Helleſpont was the ſtrait acroſs which Leander tried to ſwim; and they have a town on the Aſiatic [156] coaſt, that ſtill bears his name. When Lady Miller ſaw the ſhort diſtance between the two ſhores, ſhe ſaw nothing impoſſible in the ſtory of Leander, or any thing wonderful in Xerxes's bridge of boats. It is ſo narrow a gut, ſays ſhe, that 'tis not ſurpriſing a young man ſhould attempt to ſwim acroſs it, or an ambitious king to paſs his army over it. But then being ſo ſubject to ſtorms, 'tis no wonder the lover periſhed, and the bridge was broken. The months of July and Auguſt are moſt unfavourable for paſſing them.

The Helleſpont, Xerxes, Leander, and Hero! ſays Biſani. What a contraſt of ideas do not theſe names excite in us!—How much is the fate of Leander to be envied!—Xerxes, thy greatneſs was but ſmoke; for tor⯑mented by ambition, thou hadſt no enjoyment of any thing; but Leander was loved, his paſſion conſtituted his happineſs!—Theſe ideas preſent themſelves ſo naturally on our paſſage through this celebrated ſtrait, that, for the moment, we feel love ſuperior to ambition.

The principal rivers of Turkey in Europe are the Danube, which runs into the Black ſea by different em⯑bouchures; the Dneiſter on the weſtern borders of Oczakow Tartary, running a little above the Danube into the Black ſea, and the Dnieper, on the eaſtern borders of the ſame country, which likewiſe falls into the Black ſea at Oczakow. There are alſo the Don [157] running into the ſea of Aſoph, and the Save, which empties itſelf into the Danube below Belgrade. The courſe of theſe rivers has been treated of already, when we ſpoke of Ruſſia and Hungary. There are alſo many other ſmaller rivers which have been celebrated by the poets and hiſtorians, particularly in Natolia and the Morea, of which we ſhall take occaſion to ſpeak hereafter, when deſcribing Greece.

The lakes are not very remarkable, nor are they mentioned with any degree of accuracy either by ancient or modern writers. The principal ones are thoſe in Albania, communicating with each other. The largeſt called Lago di Scutari, remarkable for a town, in one of its iſlands, which was formerly the ſeat of the kings of Illyricum. In the Morea are likewiſe the Stymphalis, well known for the many ravenous birds that frequented it; and the Phineus, which was the ſource of the river Styx, whoſe waters were of ſuch remarkable coldneſs as to freeze thoſe perſons to death who drank of them. They alſo cor⯑rode iron and copper; for which very ſingular virtues, the ancient poets feigned this river to be the river of hell.

The principal cities of this empire, are Conſtanti⯑nople, Adrianople, Smyrna, and Belgrade. Belgrade we have deſcribed when ſpeaking of Hungary. The other three we ſhall deſcribe in their turns.

[158]The province in which the two great cities of Conſtantinople and Adrianople ſtands, is the ancient Thrace, of which ſuch frequent mention is made by the Greek and Latin hiſtorians. What is very re⯑markable, is, that though ſo near each other, theſe are the two principal cities in the whole Turkiſh empire, and the only cities of any celebrity in European Tur⯑key. This province was anciently divided into twenty nations, who according to Pliny, were afterwards made tributary to the Macedonians. It was conquered by the Romans under Caius Stribonius Curio, the pro⯑conſul, and poſſeſſed by the eaſtern emperors, till it fell under the dominion of the Turks, about four hun⯑dred years ſince.

The country is for the moſt part level, though in⯑terſperſed with ſome large and remarkable mountains; the moſt conſiderable of which is Mount Hoemus, dividing the province to the north from Bulgaria. The next in ſize is Rhodope, celebrated by the ancient poets for the cataſtrophe of Orpheus. Hoemus and Rhodope, the former of which will be more fully noticed in our account of Bulgaria, are two long ridges of mountains, extending from the frontiers of Macedonia to the Black ſea.

The only river of any note is the Mantza, anciently the Haebrus, which riſes at the foot of mount Rhodope, [159] on the borders of Macedonia, and running eaſtward by Philippopoli and Adrianople, turns to the ſouth⯑ward, and runs into the Aegean ſea.

CHAP. II. Of Conſtantinople.

CONSTANTINOPLE is doubtleſs one of the largeſt and moſt celebrated cities of Europe. Its ſituation at the eaſtern extremity of Romania, is the moſt agreeable and advantageous that can be imagined. The ſtrait which ſeparates it from Aſia is nearly as broad as the Thames at Graveſend. The city ſtands on more ground than that of London, and the inha⯑bitants are computed at a million and a half, including thoſe of the ſuburbs of Galata, Pera, and Scutari.

Its original name was Byzantium, and it was built by Pauſanias, king of Sparta. The emperor Severus de⯑moliſhed it, to puniſh the rebellion of the inhabitants. But Conſtantine the Great rebuilt it, and called it after his own name. In the year 330 it was conſecrated by him for the ſeat of the Roman empire, a more eligible ſituation than its ancient capital, Rome. After the diviſion of the empire, it became the ſeat of the eaſtern emperors, from whom in 1209, it was taken by the Venetians and French, but recovered by the Paloeologi fifty years after, and fell into the hands of [160] the Turks on Whitſunday, 1453, who have kept it ever ſince.

Byzantium, in its priſtine ſtate, conſiſted of no more than that triangular ſpot, of which the preſent ſeraglio forms one of its angles, and whoſe two ſides are waſhed by the harbour and the ſea of Marmora. So that was Conſtantine alive at this day, he would not know the place. Conſtantinople, in its preſent form, is one of the fineſt cities in the world for its ſituation and its port. It is frequently called the Porte by way of eminence. The proſpect from it is noble. It abounds with antiquities. The moſque of St. Sophia, once a Chriſtian church, is thought to exceed, in grandeur and architecture, St. Peter's at Rome. The city itſelf is built in a triangular form, with the ſe⯑raglio ſtanding on the point of the angles, from whence there is a delightful proſpect of the coaſt of the Leſſer Aſia, which is not to be equalled. It ſtands, like ancient Rome, on ſeven hills, and by an expreſs order, inſcribed on a ſtone-pillar, was called New Rome; but ſo little of the ancient city remains, that Conſtantine, as I have obſerved, would ſcarce know it again. Though ancient Byzantium was reckoned the moſt delightful, and at the ſame time the moſt convenient place for trade in the whole world; yet of the preſent Conſtantinople, it may be ſaid, that nothing can exceed it in point of ſituation and neighbourhood.

[161]The harbour is an arm of the ſea, running from the canal of the Black ſea, and waſhing one ſide of that triangular piece of ground on which Byzantium ſtood. To form a better idea of this deſcription we muſt refer the reader to the plan annexed. This harbour is about three miles long and one broad, capacious enough to hold 1200 ſail of ſhips, and ſo deep, that ſhips of great burden may unload at the very quays. It is neceſſary only to throw out a plank to get on ſhore. The harbour is in the form of a creſcent, north of the city, and a ſmall river of freſh water empties itſelf into it at the upper end. Here the freſh water is dammed up for convenience, and formed into ſquare baſons to imitate thoſe of Marly. The nobleſt view of this metropolis is either taken from the middle of the harbour, or from the ſuburbs of Galata on the op⯑poſite ſide. From hence, as the city ſtanding upon ground riſing gradually from the water's edge, a con⯑ſiderable way back, and the houſes being ſo diſpoſed, that one does not obſtruct the ſight of another, the whole forms a circular and magnificent amphitheatre, ſo as that the whole may be ſeen at one view; and when the ſun ſhines upon it, the multitude of glittering domes and gilded ſpires ſeen, intermixed with groves of cypreſs and ever-greens, exhibits a ſight un⯑paralleled in any part of the globe.

The ſeraglio, as we have obſerved, ſtands on the point of the triangle, which runs out between the [162] White ſea and the harbour; and underneath this palace, on the declivity of the hill, are the gardens. At the other angle on the White ſea, ſtands the caſtle of the ſeven towers, built before the city came into the poſſeſſion of the Turks, and uſed as a priſon for ſtate-criminals. On the third angle, at the extremity of the harbour, are the ruins of Conſtantine's palace.

The harbour of Conſtantinople, ſays Sertini, is about two miles in circumference, and the city about twelve. The number of gates that we reckoned up, in making the tour of the walls, including thoſe which go into the ſeraglio and into the gardens, amounted to twenty-five.

We muſt ſay ſomething more of this harbour, ſo worthy admiration. Its entrance being placed between the White and Black ſea, whoſe ſtreams are oppoſite each other, when the wind prevents ſhips from coming to the city by one of theſe channels, it ſerves to bring them down by the other. For there are but two ſorts of wind that blow here, the north and the ſouth. When the north wind blows, nothing can be brought from the White ſea to Conſtanti⯑nople, becauſe veſſels cannot get into the canal or Boſphorus; but then ſhips coming down the canal from the Euxine or Black ſea, having a fair wind, can get up to the city, and furniſh it with proviſion and what⯑ever elſe is wanting. On the contrary, when the [163] wind is in the ſouth, nothing can be brought from the Black ſea, but any ſhip may ſail up the canal from the White ſea, ſo that theſe two winds may be conſidered the two keys of Conſtantinople, which open and ſhut up the paſſage.

The air in ſummer would be very hot and ſuffi⯑cating, were it not for a breeze which comes every afternoon from the mouth of the harbour; yet the city is ſo very healthy, that no diſeaſes are known here beſides the plague; but it is very ſubject to earth⯑quakes, two of which are ſometimes felt in a day.

This city is of uncommon extent, having twenty-five gates, ſix of which are on the land ſide, and nine⯑teen towards the ſea. There is a double wall on the land ſide, each of which has a large trench belonging to it. The cannon and the port-holes are near two-hundred and fifty in all. The inner wall is at leaſt eighteen feet high, ſo that it ſerves to defend the outer⯑moſt wall: both of them are built up in ſome places with free-ſtone, and in others with brick.

This double wall is ſaid to have been built under the reign of the younger Theodoſius, by Cyrus the go⯑vernor, with which the people were ſo pleaſed, that they gave public demonſtrations of their joy, and made verſes in its commendation, which were ſung about the ſtreets. They ſaid Conſtantine had indeed erected the [164] city, but that Cyrus had enlarged and adorned it. They even went ſo far as to propoſe changing its name into that of Cyrople. At this, Theodoſius was ſo jealous, that he ordered Cyrus to be confined in a monaſtery, where he died of grief.

The ſtyle of the architecture of theſe walls and tow⯑ers, ſays Lady Craven, is exactly like that of Warwick and Berkeley caſtles; but many of the ſquare towers which ſerve as gateways, are mouldering away under the negligence of the Turks; moſt of whom believe in an ancient prophecy, which announces that the time is near, when the Empreſs of Ruſſia is to make her public and triumphal entry through one of theſe towers, as Empreſs of Greece, into Conſtantinople. Many of the Turks have even made up their minds, and already taken meaſures to tranſport themſelves acroſs the Boſphorus into Aſia; nay, ſome go ſo very far, as to point to the very identical gateway, through which the empreſs is to proceed. To ſome nations it would be very agreeable, that the Turkiſh empire were driven from a ſituation, which ſeems by nature formed as an univerſal paſſage for trading nations, which the inactivity of the Turks has too long obſtructed. And it is to be wiſhed by all thoſe who bear any reſpect to the beſt monuments of ſculpture, that Athens, and all it yet contains, might not by Mahometan ignorance be entirely deſtroyed; at preſent, ruins that would adorn a virtuoſo's cabinet, are daily burnt into lime [165] by the Turks, and pieces of exquiſite workmanſhip ſtuck into a wall or a fountain.

Situated at the eaſtern extremity of Europe, near the Black ſea, it is only ſeparated from Aſia by the Boſphorus of Thrace, which channel forms a com⯑munication, as has been before remarked, between the two ſeas, and diſcharges, on the ſouth ſide, that ſurplus of waters which the Black ſea pours into it from the north. As the current runs firſt into the harbour, and circulates round it, before it rejoins the ſtream into the White ſea, the port of Conſtantinople is continually cleanſing itſelf, from all the rubbiſh and filth with which it is daily encumbered.

If ambition, deſirous of univerſal dominion, had conſulted a map of the world, to diſcover the moſt proper ſituation for the capital of its empire, that of Conſtantinople, without doubt, had been preferred. Placed between two ſeas, this city would be, at once, the centre of agriculture, commerce, arts, and ſciences; did not the infatuated hand of deſpotiſm break every inſtrument of culture and induſtry for twenty leagues round. Conſtantinople, incloſed within the circle of its ancient walls, preſents the traveller with nothing on the land ſide, but an appearance of diſſolution; while towards the ſea, a thouſand veſſels in the centre of an immenſe amphitheatre are continually arriving from all nations, to bring that tribute which the whole world [166] owes to its metropolis. Ancient Byzantium, the walls of which ſerve at preſent for the boundaries to the ſeraglio of the Grand Signor, placed on the extremity of the cape, which forms and ſhuts in the port, preſents to the eye a foreſt of cypreſs-trees, the tops of which, ſur⯑mounted by an infinite number of cupolas, covered with lead, and ornamented with gilded globes, form a pyramid with the tower of the Divan which riſes above them. This group, ſtrongly ſhaded, ſeems to detach itſelf from the reſt of the picture, which preſents no other variety, but that of ſome ſcattered edifices, that heavily overpower the objects by which they are ſur⯑rounded. The port, from the headland of the ſeraglio to the freſh waters, the name given to that river which falls into the ſea at the bottom of the port, extends above two thouſand fathoms farther in length than the other ſides of that triangle by which Conſtantinople is bounded.

On the oppoſite ſhore are the immenſe ſuburbs which incloſe the city of Galata, and theſe preſent a picture, the richneſs of which is ſtill farther increaſ⯑ed and diverſified, by the ſucceſſive villages which unite and blend themſelves on the edge of the Boſpho⯑rus, for ſix leagues towards the Black ſea. This chain of buildings, continued on the coaſt of Aſia, rejoins at Scrutari; which city being only a little more than a mile from the entrance of the port, to which it is oppoſite, is as it were another ſuburb to Conſtantinople, [167] and affords it a moſt enchanting proſpect. The boats which inceſſantly traverſe the ſpace that lyes between the two cities ſeem to unite Europe with Aſia. In the morning other boats convey the villagers of the Boſ⯑phorus to the labour of the capital, by which they are maintained, and bring them back to their houſes in the evening. An infinite number of ſmall veſſels are likewiſe employed for the convenience of the inhabi⯑tants; and if we add, the tranſports, paſſing and re⯑paſſing, and carrying thoſe proviſions to the capital, which the Black ſea and the Archipelago daily furniſh, together with the activity of foreign commerce, pour⯑ing in perpetual ſupplies for elegance and luxury, we ſhall have ſome ſmall idea of the motion which con⯑ſtantly agitates this buſy ſcene.

How ſhall I give you an adequate idea, ſays Sertini, of the prodigious quantity of different kinds of veſſels which are to be ſeen in the harbour of Conſtantinople? The number of perſons continually going from Con⯑ſtantinople to Galata and other places, is ſo great, that the harbour has more the appearance of a high road crowded with paſſengers, than of a ſea; the boats moſt frequently made uſe of, are ſo light that they are only to be kept in a proper equilibrium, when ſailing, by the watermen ſkilfully humouring their oars, and the poſition of their bodies, to the motion of the wind.

But though nothing can pleaſe the eye more than the external appearance of Conſtantinople, the charm [168] is immediately diſſolved on entering the city. The narrowneſs of the greater part of the ſtreets, where the over-hanging roofs of the houſes ſcarcely leave a paſſage for the light; the flinty pavement of which no care is taken; and the want of every kind of cleanlineſs are, ſays baron Tott, among the ſmalleſt faults of this capital.

The number of houſes in this city muſt needs be prodi⯑gious, ſince one fire alone has been known to burn down 30,000 in a day, without greatly changing the aſpect of the city. They compute about 3770 ſtreets in the city, ſmall and great, but they are ſeldom or ever clean. To add to the inconvenience of being narrow and dirty, they are likewiſe ſlippery, as they in general run along ſome declivity, and moſt of the houſes are low, being built only of wood and plaiſter, yet crowd⯑ed with inhabitants. The beſt houſes ſtand in places which are leaſt ſubject to any great concourſe of people, and where the city is moſt thinly inhabited; and the fineſt buildings are without the city near the harbour. The ſtreet called Adrianople is the longeſt and broad⯑eſt. There is no order, no architecture, no dignity, to be found in the houſes, ſays Habeſci; the moſques or churches alone merit the attention of ſtrangers, and of theſe there are 934, great and ſmall. Ten of them are called royal moſques and are truly ſuperb. But after viewing that of St. Sophia, which we ſhall here⯑after particularly notice, there is little to be ſeen in the reſt; for they are all built on one plan; however, [169] their ſituations are delightful, and not incumbered with ſurrounding buildings as in other cities, and on that account they attract the notice of paſſengers. St. Sophia is nearly oppoſite the great gate of the ſeraglio, from whence the Ottoman court takes the name of the Sublime Porte.

There are a great number of large ſquares in Con⯑ſtantinople, but only two of them kept in good order; the reſt are filthy and quite neglected. The principal and the moſt beautiful, is the ſquare of Sultan Achmet, in the centre of which are two ſuperb, marble pyramids; one ornamented with hieroglyphics, the other plain; the baſes of theſe pyramids reſt upon four large, marble globes, which repoſe upon fine ſquare pedeſtals. In the ſame ſquare, are the remains of a noble column, in the form of a ſerpent, made of braſs; which the Turks when they took Conſtantinople, miſtaking for gold, began to demoliſh, but were prevented by their officers, on finding it to be merely baſe metal.

The ſquare which Habeſci calls the ſquare of Sultana Achmet, is called by the Turks Atmeiden, or a place of horſes, and by the ancients the hippodrome or circus. In the time of the eaſtern emperors this was the place where the horſe-races were held, and on extraordinary occaſions, public ſhews were exhibited. The cuſtom of exerciſing horſes in this place ſtill continues. Feats of activity are likewiſe diſplayed by the Turks here, [170] in throwing the Gerit or dart on full gallop. Its di⯑menſions are ſtill the ſame as formerly, 400 paces long and 100 broad, forming an oblong ſquare, flanked on three of the ſides with houſes, and on the fourth with the walls of the moſque of Sultan Achmet. Between friends, ſays Lady Montague, our ſquares would make a pitiful figure compared with this, as our cathedral of St. Paul's would with the moſque of St. Sophia. The account which Lady M— gives of the column and pillar, ſeems ſo much more accurate, and more to be depended on than that of Habeſci; that we ſhall take the liberty to notice it. In the midſt of the hippo⯑drome is a brazen column of three ſerpents twiſted together, with their mouths gaping—'Tis impoſſible, ſays ſhe, to learn why ſo odd a pillar was erected; the Greeks can give nothing but fabulous legends, when they are aſked the meaning of it, and there is no ſign of its ever having had any inſcription. At the upper end is an obeliſk of porphyry, probably brought from Egypt, the hieroglyphics all very entire, which by many perſons are conſidered as ſo many ancient puns. It is placed upon four little brazen pillars, a pedeſtal of ſquare free ſtone, full of figures in bas-relief on two ſides; one ſquare repreſenting a battle, another an aſſembly. The others have inſcriptions in Greek and Latin.

It is ſuppoſed this obeliſk was built in the time of the emperor Conſtantine. From the inſcriptions it ap⯑pears, [171] that the emperor Theodoſius cauſed it to be ſet up again, after it had lain a long time on the ground, and the engines which were made uſe of in raiſing it, are repreſented in bas-relief. The obeliſk is deſcribed to be of granite or Thebaic marble, compoſed on one ſingle ſhaft about fifty feet high, and terminating in a point.

The Turks, ſays Chiſhull, inform travellers that this braſs ſerpentine pillar was erected by the Emperor Leo, as a charm againſt the malignity of thoſe dreadful ſer⯑pents, which at that time infeſted the city and neigh⯑hood. Others imagine, that by the three ſerpents, are ſymbolically repreſented the three parts of the world; for the fourth was not then diſcovered, and that the union of them into one, repreſented the union of three parts of the world, which at that time was but one body, by the union of the eaſtern and weſtern empires.

In the great ſtreet which runs from the gate of Adri⯑anople to the ſeraglio, there is another column without any ſculpture, but yet much richer than any of the former, becauſe it is of porphyry. At preſent it is ſcarce poſſible to diſtinguiſh it from common marble, it being very much diſcoloured by a fire that many years ſince burnt down the houſes ſurrounding it. This pillar, ſays Chiſhull, has been defaced by different conflagrations, and has been bound with ſeven rings of iron, by the Emperor Manuel, as an inſcription [172] upon its ſummit denotes.—Habeſci ſays, it is of a ſur⯑priſing height, and the chief material is bitumen, but badly put together; yet it appears, ſays he, to have been purpoſely conſtructed in that rude manner: upon the whole, this column is a great myſtery, for no perſon can explain its meaning. The Turks hold it in venera⯑tion, and different ſultans have occaſionally alighted from their horſes, and deſcended into the ſubterranean chambers under it, to view its curioſities. The Chriſtians, likewiſe, venerate this column, and pretend that there may ſtill be ſeen in the cavern, thoſe baſkets which our Saviour ordered to be filled with the frag⯑ments of loaves and fiſhes, after he had fed the multi⯑tude in the deſert. The Muſſulmen do not deny this; but they add, that in the ſaid cavern there are, in a ſmall box, made of a ſingle brilliant, ſome drops of the ſeed of Mahomet, and that whoever touches this box is ſure to have children.

There ſtood another pillar in this city called the Hiſto⯑rical pillar, now no more. It dropped down, ſays Lady M—, about two years before I came into this part of the world. It was a column in honour of Arcadius, and being almoſt the only veſtige of antiquity in that famous city of the world, we ſhall relate Chiſhull's ac⯑count of it, who ſaw it. This lofty and aſpiring pillar, ſays he, is of the Doric order, and built with wonder⯑ful regularity and exactneſs of architecture, bearing on the baſis, and on the whole ſhaft from top to bot⯑tom, [173] various warlike figures of men in arms, chariots, gallies, and other ornaments, which in a ſpiral manner encircle the whole pillar; every figure being ſo well proportioned to the diſtance, from whence it is ſeen, that thoſe at the top, the middle, and the bottom, ap⯑pear to the eye exactly of the ſame ſize.

It is called the Hiſtorical Column, becauſe all the remarkable events during the reign of Arcadius, were repreſented on its different ſides, in the ſame manner as thoſe of Trajan are repreſented on his pillar at Rome. But this latter is only 123 feet in height, whereas the for⯑mer was 147 feet high, according to Gyllius's account, who hath given ſo accurate a deſcription of Conſtantinople. It is a pity that ſo remarkable a monument, ſhould have been ſuffered to have periſhed by the negligence of the Turks, to which it was probably more owing than to the barbarous hand of time. Spon and Wheeler mention their having diſcovered in the houſe of a private Turk⯑iſh nobleman a column of the Emperor Marcian. It is entirely of ſpotted marble, about fifteen feet high, and its capital, of the Corinthian order. Upon its top is a ſquare hollow ſtone, adorned with four eagles at the four corners, in which the heart of that prince is ſup⯑poſed to be depoſited. Two verſes at the foot of the column acquaint the reader alſo, that the body of Marcian lyes beneath the column.

[174]The ſquare of Sultan Bajazet is not quite ſo large as the former, but it is delightfully ſituated on one of the ſeven hills on which Conſtantinople is built. This ſquare is ornamented with ſome ſtately buildings, par⯑ticularly with the moſque of Sultan Bajazet, and the old ſeraglio; which was formerly the palace of the emperor Conſtantine the great, and of ſome of his ſucceſſors. The houſe of the Aga, or commander in chief of the Janiſſaries ſtands upon the aſcent to the ſquare, and on this ac⯑count is much frequented by perſons of rank; fairs are likewiſe kept here, which makes it the reſort of mer⯑chants and traders.

Near the Kom-capi, or ſand gate, there is a ſmall moſque, formerly a Chriſtian church; every Chriſtian is prohibited entering the ſtreet in which it is ſituated, under pain of death; and the reaſon given for this by the Turks is, that the prophet occaſionally ſhews him⯑ſelf in this moſque in all his glory, and delivers his ſpecial orders to his faithful diſciples. There are Muſ⯑ſulmen, ſays Habeſci, above the common ſort, who aſſur⯑ed me very ſincerely, that they had had the happineſs to ſee the ſacred prophet; but that the ſplendour of the rays with which he was ſurrounded, deprived them for a ſhort time of their ſight.

After having paſſed the gate of the ſeraglio, which leads to the firſt court, on the left-hand, there is a large building, which was formerly the private church of the [175] patriarch St. John of Chryſoſtom; but at preſent uſed as a repoſitory for the arms and banners taken from the enemy in the time of war. In the gallery of the ſecond floor is the tomb of the holy patriarch, and his effigy in ſtone; from the tomb iſſues a ſpring of water, which the ſuperſtitious eſteem as a remedy for all diſeaſes. The Chriſtians make uſe of it, and pay the Turks very dear for this medicine. Near this tomb is a large chamber, which is always kept ſhut, and is ſaid to be full of the bodies of ſaints; the Turks keep a lamp con⯑ſtantly burning in it. It was upon the ſquare before this church, that the Empreſs Eudoxia cauſed her ſtatue to be erected, that ſhe might be held in veneration by the people; which occaſioned the ruin of St. John of Chryſoſtom.

Thoſe who wiſh to ſee enormous columns of marble, larger than any to be found elſewhere, may viſit the ſquare of Abla Sultana, before the ſeraglio, in which great quantities may be ſeen lying on the ground; there are alſo two lions made of one block of marble, with the pedeſtals on which they are ſupported.

Many other curioſities were diſperſed in differ⯑ent parts of this city, but the Sultans Oſman, Mahomed, and Muſtapha, took them to adorn the ſide of their ſeraglio, where they are hid from public view.

[176]The exchanges, ſays Lady M. are all noble buildings, full of fine alleys; the greateſt part ſupported with pillars, and kept wonderfully neat. Every trade has its diſtinct alley, where there are ſhops in the ſame order as in Exeter-change, at London. The Biſiſten or jeweller's quarter, exhibits ſo much wealth, ſuch a profuſion of diamonds, and all kinds of precious ſtones, as to dazzle the ſight. Whilſt the Porte, ſays Lady C. delays erecting batteries upon the moſt impor⯑tant poſts, under the pretence of wanting money to purchaſe materials neceſſary for the defence of the empire, the jewellers cannot find diamonds enough to ſupply the demands of the haram. But it is the quantity, not the quality of this ſtone that they prize— ſcarcely any other than roſe diamonds are to be ſeen here. The embroiderer's quarter is alſo very glit⯑tering, and the people walk here as much for diverſion, as buſineſs. The markets are moſt of them handſome ſquares, and admirably well provided, perhaps better than in any other part of the world.

The Bazars and the Khans deſerve to be noticed for their public utility, though they are plain ſimple edi⯑fices, that do not add to the ſplendour of the city. Theſe are ſtone buildings well ſecured from fire and thieves. The Bazars contain two rows of ſhops, all ſupported by arches, and which receive their light from the cupolas at the top; they are ſhut every night with iron gates, and guards are placed within. Each [177] Bazar has an aga or ſuperintendant, who lets the ſhops at a high price, but which is paid with chearfulneſs, on account of the ſafety of the effects.

The Khans are a different kind of buildings, which ſerve for the reſidence of foreign merchants, and as warehouſes for their commodities. They very much reſemble the convents of friars in Chriſtian countries, having cloiſters open to an interior quadrangle, in which each merchant has a little chamber to ſleep in, a kitchen, and one or more rooms for his merchan⯑dize. There are likewiſe large vaults under theſe cloiſters, to which the merchandize may be removed in caſe of fire; but it was never known to be neceſſary; for as the whole building is of ſtone, ſup⯑ported on arches, and every neceſſary precaution taken, no inſtance can be given of any damage hap⯑pening, from either fire or thieves, to the effects lodged in a Khan.

A merchant has only to apply to the ſuperintendant, and he will aſſign him a lodging, on paying down a quarter, or half a piaſter, which is about four ſhillings, beſides two or three aſpers a-day, whilſt he remains there. An aſper is ſomething more than a half-penny, ſo that the demand is not very exorbitant. The nobleſt Khan is that called Valide Khan; it was built by a dowager empreſs. Here foreigners always find accommodations on very eaſy terms; and a quilt [178] or two, a carpet, and ſome cuſhions, are all the furni⯑ture requiſite. The revenue ariſing from theſe khans, is uſually applied to ſome pious or charitable inſtitu⯑tion.

There are ſome khans appropriated entirely to tra⯑vellers, where they are not only lodged gratis, but are alſo furniſhed with rice and fleſh, if they will ac⯑cept it, which is ſeldom taken, proviſions being ſo exceedingly reaſonable in this metropolis.

The new ſeraglio, moſt of the moſques, the bazars, and the khans, are the only ſtone buildings. All the private houſes are built with wood; they are painted on the outſide with different colours, which gives them an air of gaiety, and the novelty of the ſight cannot but be pleaſing to ſtrangers. Though the houſes are built only of wood and plaiſter, as has been obſerved before, they are very convenient and richly furniſhed; moſt of them command fine proſpects to⯑wards the ſea. There are no carriages for the tranſpor⯑tation of goods in this city; porters are the general vehicles made uſe of, except for timber, which is carried on the backs of horſes.

The inhabitants are extremely clean and well dreſſed, eſpecially the Turks, in gay colours, and the cleaneſt turbans: each perſon here is diſtinguiſhed by his [179] dreſs; and the variety of different ſhaped turbans denote the ſituations of the different wearers.

The ladies wear robes of green, red, yellow, and blue, covering their under dreſs entirely, which is very rich; they wear a large wrapping piece of muſlin over their head, as low as their eye brows, and another on their chin, reaching, ſays Lord Baltimore, to the top of their noſe, ſo that their eyes only are uncovered; they walk very much about the ſtreet, contrary to the received opinion hitherto of their never ſtirring from their houſes, and the boats on the canals are full of them.

The market-places and large ſtreets in the city of Conſtantinople, ſays his lordſhip, are almoſt covered with ſheds; the merchandize is ſet forth in the neateſt manner, but the duſt among ſuch a number of people being confined, is exceeding troubleſome. The quan⯑tity of boats in the canal is very great; the boats them⯑ſelves, adds his lordſhip, are the beſt built he ever ſaw, and the rowers moſt incomparable.

The ſtreets of Pera and Conſtantinople, likewiſe, remarks Lady Craven, are ſo narrow, that few of them admit a carriage; the windows of every ſtory project over thoſe under them; ſo that at the upper ſtory, people may ſometimes ſhake hands acroſs the ſtreet. No Turk makes a viſit, if it be only four doors from [180] his own houſe, but on horſeback; and on my arrival here, ſays her ladyſhip, I ſaw one who landed in a boat, and had a fine grey horſe led by four men, that went a long way round, which he mounted gravely, to alight from in a few moments.

The ravages made by fires at Conſtantinople are not to be wondered at, when it is conſidered, that wooden houſes are deſtroyed in a few minutes, and that the flames meet with no interruption from party walls. Sometimes the communication has been ſo rapid, that all efforts to ſtop the devaſtation have been fruitleſs. In the reign of Sultan Mahmud, 12,000 houſes were deſtroyed by one fire; and the ſultan finding every effort to prevent the ſpreading of the flames unſucceſs⯑ful, at laſt cried out, that he was convinced the fire came from Heaven, and ordered the workmen who were endeavouring to ſtop it, to deſiſt. But the moſt remarkable circumſtance concerning fires in this city is, that after the deſtruction of four or five thou⯑ſand houſes, the whole is rebuilt again in twenty or thirty days, and no appearance remains of the calamity.

There are ſeveral cauſes of the frequent fires in this place. Very few of them happen by accident, though the houſes are of wood; but it is this circum⯑ſtance which is the great temptation to ſetting them on fire wilfully.

[181]The principal incendiaries are the Janiſſaries. When they are diſcontented with the adminiſtration, but more particularly when they diſlike the Grand Vizir, they ſet fire to different parts of the city at once, and repeat this villany till they oblige the Grand Signor to remove his prime miniſter: fires from this cauſe, have even been the ſignal for depoſing the ſultans, when their wiſhes were not gratified. Upon the break⯑ing out of a war, they will likewiſe ſet fire to the city, or ſuburbs, that they may pillage a booty ſufficient to defray the expences of the campaign. Before they marched againſt the Ruſſians in the laſt war, they ſet fire to three different quarters of Galata, and raiſed a con⯑ſiderable ſum of money, at the expence of the poor ſufferers. Yet ſuch was the weakneſs and timidity of the government, that no example was made, though undoubted evidence was given of the fact.

The ſlaves, when they can place a confidence in each other, and can get together ſecretly in any num⯑ber, ſet fire to particular quarters, to revenge them⯑ſelves on their maſters, and for the ſake of plunder. Laſtly, the timber merchants, and ironmongers, whoſe fortunes depend on frequent fires, are ſtrongly ſuſpected of employing private agents to promote theſe diabolical practices.

To effect their purpoſe, ſays Baron Tott, they com⯑monly uſe coundaks; theſe conſiſt of a ſmall bundle of [182] ſplinters of pine wood, in the middle of which is a piece of amadoue, a kind of combuſtible fungus like tinder, wrapped up in cotton, and dipped in ſulphur. Theſe coundaks they ſecretly place behind any door they find open, or put it within ſide of a window, and having ſet it on fire, make off. No more is neceſſary, he adds, to cauſe the moſt terrible ravages in a city, where the houſes being built of timber and painted with oil of aſpic, are eaſily reduced to aſhes by the firſt villain who makes the attempt.

Lady M. mentions their extraordinary way of war⯑ming themſelves, as another cauſe of frequent fire, which is neither by chimnies nor ſtoves, but by a cer⯑tain machine called a tendour, about two feet high, in the form of a table, covered with a fine carpet or embroidery. This is made of wood, and they put into it a ſmall quantity of hot aſhes, and ſit with their legs under the carpet. At this table they work, read, and very often ſleep; and if they chance to dream, and kick down the tendour, the hot aſhes will then ſet the houſe on fire. Moſt families, ſays her ladyſhip, have had their houſes burnt down once or twice; and when fires of this ſort happen, the owners ſeem not at all concerned at their misfortune; but put their goods into a bark, and ſee their houſes burn with great compoſure; their perſons being very ſeldom endangered, having no ſtairs to deſcend.

[183]The vizir and all the great officers of the Porte are obliged to haſten on the firſt notice, to any place where a fire breaks out, in order to give ſuch directions as may be thought neceſſary; and if it increaſes to any alarming degree, the Grand Signor himſelf never fails to attend. The means of his conveyance are always at hand; horſes ſtand ſaddled, and boats are kept in readineſs both by day and night for this purpoſe. The great officers, likewiſe, take the ſame precautions, and are frequently awaked out of their ſleep to attend on theſe occaſions.

Certain watchmen are appointed at the different quarters, whoſe buſineſs it is to give notice of any fire, on the appearance of which, they run through their diſtrict, beat the pavement with great ſtaves, headed with iron, and awake the inhabitants by the cry of yanjenvar! (there is a fire!) and tell in what part of the city it is. There is likewiſe a watchman placed in a very lofty tower, built in the palace of the Aga of the Janiſſaries which commands a proſpect of Conſtantino⯑ple, and another in a tower of Galata, whoſe vigilance is employed on the ſame object. From theſe towers an alarm is given by beating on great drums, which is preſently ſpread a long way round, and brings together great numbers, but too deeply intereſted in the acci⯑dent, and who often arrive too late at their ſeveral ſhops to prevent their being either burnt or plundered.

[184]Baron Tott mentions a conflagration, which, during his reſidence, deſtroyed the palace of the Grand Vizir, and above two-thirds of this prodigious city. The fire broke out near the ſea, and the walls of the ſeraglio. The wind which blew from the north, drove the flame along the walls, and about ſeven o'clock they reached the palace of the Vizir. The Grand Signor had gone thither, but neither his orders, nor the endeavour made to ſave this immenſe edifice could preſerve it; and the embers it afforded, by giving a freſh activity to the flames, continued to extend the fire with great rapidity. It was, nevertheleſs, hoped, that when it reached the moſque of Sancta Sophia, that maſſy building would have proved its boundary; every ex⯑ertion was therefore made in that quarter, and the proſpect of being able to put a ſtop to the progreſs of the flames became probable, when the lead of the Cu⯑pola, melted by the flaming atmoſphere, ſtreaming down the ſtoney gutters, on the guards and aſſiſtants, formed an open field for the fury of the fire.

From that moment all hopes of reſtraining it were given up, and it was ſuffered to deſtroy every thing, quite up to the walls, near the ſea, on the other ſide of the hill. The conſternation now became general, yet it ſeemed ſome conſolation, to ſuppoſe it had reached its utmoſt limits; when the wind ſuddenly changing to the eaſt, and blowing ſtrong, took this line of fire of more than 1,200 fathoms in length, croſſways; and [185] driving it towards the centre of the city, divided it into thirteen branches, the roots of which ſucceſſively uniting, preſently rendered Conſtantinople, one con⯑tinued dreadful ſheet of flame.

A whole regiment of Janiſſaries, employed to pull down the houſes at the end of one of the branches where the fire ſpread, was hemmed in on every ſide, and periſhed by the rapid advances of the flames. The cries of theſe unhappy wretches, with thoſe of the women and children, who underwent the ſame fate, the noiſe of the falling buildings, the crackling of pieces of timber, driven into the atmoſphere by the violence of the fire, the tumult of the inhabitants, whom the conflagration threatened on every ſide, and who to ſecure themſelves from the miſeries of want, hazarded their lives to preſerve ſome part of their property, all concurred to form a ſcene of horror which no lan⯑guage can deſcribe.

The environs of Conſtantinople are delightful. Gala⯑ta is the principal ſuburb, and Pera is properly ſpeak⯑ing the ſuburb of Galata. Theſe are the places in which the Chriſtians have fixed their reſidence. All the foreign miniſters inhabit Pera; it ſtands upon an aſcent from which there is a diſtinct view of the greateſt part of the city. The ſtreets of Pera are ſo full of Euro⯑peans, as to give it the appearance of a capital town in ſome Chriſtian country. The canal, ſays Habeſci, [186] which ſeparates this fine country from Natolia in Aſia, is about twice the breadth of the Thames at London; and the oppoſite ſhore preſents the ſame chain of villages that commence with Scutari, which is oppoſite the ſe⯑raglio; and preciſely on the point of land is the tower of Leander, as it is called, which is at preſent a light-houſe for ſhips coming in, and going out of the canal, and on the coaſt of the Black ſea. This tower, ſays Le Brun, which the Europeans call the tower of Leander, and the Turks the tower of the Virgin, lyes between Scutari and the ſeraglio, but nearer to the coaſt of Aſia than that of Europe. It is a very ſtrong place, well fortified, and ſerves to defend the paſs between the Black and White ſeas. Why it ſhould be called Leander's tower, does not appear, ſince it was not there, but at the Dardanelles, where Leander ſwam over to ſee his miſtreſs Hero.

The name which the Europeans give it, would make us believe that they ſuppoſed it to have been formerly the habitation of Hero, but we muſt be very cautious in theſe kind of conjectures, to avoid being exceedingly abſurd. Some travellers have placed a Pompey's pillar at the mouth of the Black ſea, which was never viſited by that illuſtrious Roman. They have called by the ſame name another column at Alexandria, which he certainly never erected: and, to return to Conſtan⯑tinople, there is to be ſeen near the Euxine ſea, an ancient tower, ſtill remaining among the ruins of ſeveral others of the ſame kind, which, built in a line, [187] at proper diſtances from each other, were formerly uſed to repeat ſignals on the approach of the veſſels of the Coſſacks, who had made themſelves dreaded by their piracies on the Black ſea. This deſolate tower wanted a name, in that country of ignorance and barbariſm; and our Europeans, who have the oppoſite folly of ſeeming to know and explain every thing, have called it the tower of Ovid.

Scutari, though ſituated in Aſia, on the oppoſite ſide of the canal, is generally conſidered as making part of the ſuburbs of this immenſe city. It is the rendezvous of the merchants and caravans which come to Con⯑ſtantinople from Armenia and Perſia, and is the only conſiderable town on the Aſiatic ſide of the Boſphorus.

There is a way from the city of Conſtantinople to the ſuburbs of Galata and Pera by land, in making the tour of the harbour, but then there is the ſmall river to croſs, which we have noticed before, at the upper end. In going this way, the road lyes over a ſpacious plain, called the Ocmeidan, where the Turks exerciſe themſelves with their bows and arrows, and where they go in proceſſion at the commencement of a war, to implore ſucceſs on their arms. Near the water-ſide is their great arſenal, where the principal officers belonging their marine reſide. The inhabitants of Galata are chiefly ſupported by the taverns and pub⯑lic-houſes with which this town abounds, and where [188] wine is drunk as cuſtomarily as in other cities, ſtrangers not being here under the leaſt reſtraint, either in their mode of living or of worſhip. Even the Turks them⯑ſelves will ſometimes come here in order to carouſe. The private houſes in Pera are much more ſplendid than thoſe within the walls of Conſtantinople, and chief⯑ly tenanted by the Greeks of high rank, as well as by the foreign ambaſſadors. Two of theſe ambaſſadors, we ſhould have obſerved, are privileged to reſide within the walls of the city; thoſe from the Emperor and the King of Poland; ſo that neceſſity as well as choice obliges the reſt to reſide here. Pera being up⯑on a prominence overlooks, as it were, Tophana, which is ſituated under Pera on the canal oppoſite the ſeraglio. The houſes of Galata, Pera, and Tophana, are ſo ſitua⯑ted, from their being one higher than the other, that they form a kind of amphitheatre, which commands a pleaſant view of the city of Conſtantinople, the harbour, and the ſea.

In the burial place of the Derviſes at Pera, is the tomb of the famous Count de Bonneval, whoſe debts and extravagances obliged him to leave France, and turn Mahometan. The inſcription mentions him to have been a perſon highly eſteemed by the Franks, who beſides having had the good fortune to embrace the only true religion, had likewiſe the additional happineſs to die on the anniverſary of the Prophet. A proof, ſays Biſani, that the Turkiſh beaux eſprits may very juſtly put in their claim for the honour of founding an academy of inſcriptions.

[189]To avoid being circumciſed, this celebrated charac⯑ter, in the French annals, had recourſe to artifice. He never went to public prayers, not even on Fridays, but kept an Iman in his houſe, whom he uſed to term his father confeſſor. He dined frequently with the foreign ambaſſadors, where he partook of every thing that was brought to table, without exception; but at home he eat no pork, not drank any wine, and kept the faſt of Ramazan very rigorouſly. He had a French cook in his ſervice, and any foreigner of his acquaint⯑ance, that choſe to dine with him, had only to ſay Pilau, and a cover was laid for him. To ſhew what a ſingular kind of man he was, we will mention ſome traits of humour in him, which ſeem rather puerile, but which will help to form ſome idea of the eccentricity of his character. In his ſalle à manger, there was a prodigious quantity of birds, among other kinds a great many parrots. As ſoon as the company were aſſembled, and began to talk, the birds immediately ſet up their notes, and the parrots in particular, accom⯑panied them with a noiſe that perfectly ſtunned every one; and this harmonious muſic uſed to delight the count beyond expreſſion. Afterwards, before the din⯑ner was ſerved up, he had a very large diſh brought to him, full of bits and ſcraps of meat. On a ſignal given, all the cats in the neighbourhood were col⯑lected together, to the number of above three hun⯑dred; he then threw out theſe ſcraps of meat to them, which the cats, in contending for, uſed to fight and [190] ſcratch, and tear one another to pieces. This ſkirmiſh among the cats pleaſed him very much. Among them there was one very ſmall and entirely white, but which, contrary to the uſual cuſtom of cats, was very dirty and filthy. The count called this, the king's ſon.

This extraordinary man was always ſinging, Jouiſſons du preſent, l'avenir eſt des ſots, &c. i. e. Let us enjoy the time preſent, and leave futurity to fools. Ambition was the rock he ſpilt upon, and made him commit faults which he could never after retrieve. One evening while there was a concert at the ambaſſador's, he was ſeen in tears. As our firſt ideas, like our firſt habits, preſent themſelves again to our imagination as old age comes upon us, and the preſent moment no lon⯑ger occupies our thoughts, ſo it was with the count; he began at laſt to grow tired of his ſituation, and to regret his country and his religion. He accordingly wrote to his friends to obtain his pardon. Meaſures were, in conſequence, concerted to procure him his liberty, and the Pope was already diſpoſed to receive this prodigal ſon again into the boſom of the church, whom neceſſity had obliged to abjure his religion. But fate, which ſo often counteracts the beſt concerted plans of mortals, did not permit him to enjoy this happineſs: for the gout, to which he was ſubject, attacked him afreſh in his ſtomach, and he died. A prieſt had been ſent to him in diſguiſe, but the Turks [191] finding out who he was, would not ſuffer him to re⯑main in the houſe. He died in a kind of tranſport, ſaying, Quand les cochons ſont ſortis de l'etable, il faut en fermer la porte; i. e. When the pigs have quitted their ſty, the door ſhould be ſhut. Which ſhews, ſays Biſani, that his thoughts were turned towards Chriſtianity, for it is well known the Turks do not like this animal, and never keep any of them. He was made a Baſhaw of two tails, and had an income from the Porte of 12,000 piaſtres a-year.

Tophana, which is the remaining part of the ſuburbs, has its name from being the foundery of cannon, and artillery, for the Turkiſh empire, which are all caſt here.

Including theſe ſuburbs, Conſtantinople is about thirty miles in circumference; but within the walls it is not calculated to be more than eleven or twelve, excluſive of the ſeraglio, which makes an additional three or four miles. There is alſo another ſeraglio, two miles in circumference, called the old ſeraglio, and which is the reſidence of the ſultanas belonging to former emperors.

The unequal heights of this city, ſays Lady M. make it ſeem as large again as it is, though one of the largeſt cities in the world, ſhewing an agreeable mixture of gardens, pine and cypreſs trees, palaces, moſques, and [192] public buildings, raiſed one above another, with as much beauty and appearance of ſymmetry as ever was ſeen in a cabinet adorned by the moſt ſkilful hands, where jars ſhew themſelves above jars, mixed with caniſters, babies, and candleſticks. This is a very odd compariſon, but it gives me, ſays her ladyſhip, an exact idea of the place.

Nothing can be imagined more delightful than the approach to Conſtantinople by water. One is in the midſt of three large arms of the ſea, of which one comes from the north-eaſt, another runs to the north⯑weſt, and the third, formed of the other two, throws itſelf into the White ſea. Theſe three arms of the ſea waſh as far as one can ſee, fields which terminate in little hills, covered with gardens, and villas; and the nearer theſe channels approach the city, the more houſes ſtand upon them, which ſeem to be raiſed one above the other. Among theſe houſes, the fronts of which are painted after various manners, is to be ſeen an incredible number of large domes, cupolas, and minarets, or circular turrets gilt, which overlook the reſt of the buildings.

The verdant foliage of the cypreſſes and other large trees, which are in moſt of the gardens, add very much to the delicious proſpect. The many ſhips which lye in the harbour, make a ſpacious circle of trees, whoſe leaves ſeem ſtripped off on purpoſe to [193] give the ſpectator a full view of all the beauties that lye behind them. And the prodigious multitude of Caicks, gondolas, and other ſmaller wherries, to the number of above 16,000, ſome with ſails, others with oars, ſome on parties of pleaſure, and the reſt for the neceſſary intercourſe of the inhabitants; continually repreſents a ſort of ſea-fight.

In ſhort, let a perſon caſt his eyes in whatever direction, when in the middle of the harbour of this great city, and he will not ceaſe to admire how much nature has contributed towards the beauty and orna⯑ment of its ſituation.

No wonder, therefore, Conſtantine could ſo eaſily give up the pleaſures of Rome, to transfer the ſeat of his empire to Byzantium, and call it by his own name. There is not in the univerſe a city more proper to be the ſeat of an emperor of the world. It overlooks at once, two of the moſt conſiderable diſtricts, and in leſs than a quarter of an hour, orders may be diſ⯑patched from Europe, in which it is ſituated, into Aſia, that ſeems to approach it ſo near, in order to be ſubject to its laws. And ſhould art and nature combine to form a ſituation where beauty and plenty might meet, they would never ſucceed better than in making Conſtantinople what it is.

[194]The land produces all kinds of delicious fruits, which can either pleaſe the eye or gratify the taſte, nor is any thing wanting that conduces either to the comforts and conveniencies, or to the luxuries of life. The water both freſh and ſalt furniſhes every thing that can be required from that uſeful element. The air is admirable, and the continual chirping of an infinite number of birds on the trees, in the gar⯑dens, and upon the cottages, ſeem to proclaim this climate to be the fineſt in the world. The amphi⯑bious creatures, which live ſometimes in the water, ſometimes on the land, and ſometimes in the air, are very numerous, which would induce one to believe, that theſe three elements are here in the higheſt de⯑gree of perfection and temperature.

This prodigality of nature in her gifts, made the Emperor Juſtinian ſay, it was better to abandon all the reſt of the world to live at Conſtantinople, than leave ſo pleaſant a country depopulated, which had been the fate of ſeveral other great cities. On this idea he changed its name into that of the Everlaſting city. However, theſe were not the only names it has received, having had almoſt as many names as maſters.

The caſtle of the ſeven towers, which joins theſe walls, is the firſt building on the landſide, and forms one of the angles of Conſtantinople, that catches the eye in approaching it by the Propontis or White ſea. [195] It was formerly one of the gates of the city, and con⯑ſiſted of four large turrets. The ancients called it the gilded gate, either becauſe the decorations with which it was adorned, were really gilt, or becauſe the public entries were generally made through this gate.

To the four ancient towers of this gate Mahomet II. added three new ones, in order to make it ſtrong enough to keep the treaſures of the empire. It is built of free-ſtone, and environed with a wall and ſeveral ſmaller towers, ſome of which in the year 1754 fell into ruins. It is at preſent uſed as a ſtate priſon.

The beautiful remains of this gate are ſtill admira⯑ble, ſays Chiſhull, though ſuffered by the Turks to be almoſt concealed by a dead wall, and the ſhade of the neighbouring trees. It is a regular and carved arch of white marble, ſupported by two beautiful pillars, adorned in the pilaſters with a ſculpture, repreſenting ſeveral military atchievements, and flanked on each ſide the pillars with twelve tablets of carved work, extremely well performed, containing many poetical ſtories. Among the reſt is that of Hercules and the Nemaean lion; the beaſt prodigious and terrible, but confeſſing its conqueror by an agreeable poſture; Luna and Endymion; a winged pegaſus managed by ſome of the muſes; a portraiture of the known com⯑bat of whirlbats, and an imperial figure, crowned by two celeſtial machines.

[196]This city excels in fine moſques. The moſt re⯑markable is that of St. Sophia. It was built by the Emperor Juſtin, and afterwards enlarged and beauti⯑fied by Juſtinian. The dedication of it, was to the Divine Wiſdom, and for that reaſon, it was called Sophia, a title which the Turks ſtill retain. This church, ſays Le Brun, which is ſquare without, and round within, is alone worth the trouble of a jour⯑ney to Conſtantinople, to have a view of it. The ſituation is very advantageous, being upon an emi⯑nence, in the fineſt part of the town, from whence there is a gradual deſcent to the ſea. It conſiſts of a ſpa⯑cious court, enriched all round with fair and regular cloiſters formed by pillars, ſome of whoſe ſhafts are carved with white marble, ſome with ſerpentine ſtone, and ſome with porphyry; but all the capitals are of the modern Turkiſh figure. Next is the body of the moſque covered outwardly with domes, and ſupported inwardly with four maſſy pillars, from the tops of which riſes a regular cupola, forming the roof of the whole moſque. This dome is not to equalled in the world. It reſembles that of St. Peter's at Rome, only of a much greater circumference, and is ſaid to be one hundred and thirteen feet in diameter, built upon arches, ſuſtained by vaſt pillars of marble, of which the pavement and ſtaircaſe are likewiſe marble. It has two rows of galleries by pillars of parti-coloured marble, and the whole roof is of Moſaic work; its [197] compoſition a kind of paſte, with which counterfeit jewels are made.

A portico or piazza, thirty-ſix feet in breadth, ſupported by marble columns, extends the whole length of the front: this in the time of the Greek emperors ſerved for a veſtibulum. This piazza has a communication with the church by nine large fold⯑ing doors, the leaves of which are braſs, and adorned with bas-reliefs extremely magnificent. The church was painted after the Moſaic manner, with croſſes and images of our Saviour, the Virgin Mary, and other ſaints, which appear ſtill, though the Turks have defaced the heads of them, ſuffering no images in their moſques. There is a tomb in this church, which they imagine to be that of Conſtantine. On the day of their Bairam or paſſover, there are generally above 40,000 perſons aſſembled in it; at which time there are above ſeven thouſand lamps lighted up in the church, beſides above three thouſand in the minarets.

The minarets have the appearance of pillars, and are little hollow towers, four or five feet in diameter, riſing of an equal thickneſs from the corner of the moſque, as high as the cupolas, where a gallery, pro⯑jecting about twenty or thirty inches, communicates with the winding ſtaircaſe, leading there by a ſmall door, always directed eaſtward towards Mecca; the [198] minaret, then diminiſhing about a quarter of its thick⯑neſs, continues to riſe a fifth or ſixth part higher, and ends in a pointed top, covered with lead, and termi⯑nated by a kind of creſcent; the two extremities of which, curved like ſpirals, and brought near together, commonly encloſe the name of God cut in metal.

The floor of this and indeed of all the moſques, is fine marble, and covered with mat, the Mahometans being expreſsly enjoined to take off their ſlippers when they enter them, agreeable to our text of ſcripture, "Take thy ſhoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou ſtandeſt is holy ground."

Different ſultans have built ſmall chapels round this moſque of St. Sophia, which ſerve as tombs for themſelves and their families; in theſe oratories lamps are continually burning, and perſons paid to pray for the ſouls of the deceaſed. Theſe perſons live there, leſt they ſhould loſe time in going and returning. It muſt be acknowledged, however, in order to counter-balance this ſuperſtition, that the cuſtom of giving conſiderable ſums daily to the poor at this moſque, at certain hours, is meritorious and exemplary.

There are ſome other moſques, ſays Chiſhull, which claim the admiration of ſtrangers: the moſque of Sultan Achmet, which exceeds that of St. Sophia in dimenſions, and is built of very fine marble brought [199] from the ruins of Troy and Chalcedon. The mau⯑ſoleum of its founder and his ſultana, are placed in one of the chapels; the coffin is covered with fine em⯑broidery, repreſenting the town of Mecca, and at the head is placed his turban, decked with a tuft of herons feathers, and enriched with precious ſtones. The whole chapel is alſo illuminated with an immenſe number of lamps, and tapers, kept conſtantly burning. Secondly, that of Sultan Bajazet, which though leſs in circumference than the former, is more to be ad⯑mired for its ornaments and workmanſhip. In this moſque on great feſtivals, the Turks are accuſtomed to diſplay the name of the Grand Signor, or ſome be⯑ſieged town on the walls with parti-coloured lamps.

At the feſtival of the great Beiram, the Grand Sig⯑nor goes in proceſſion to this moſque. The cavalcade which iſſues from the ſeraglio on this occaſion, is one of the fineſt ſights in Europe, ſays Lord Baltimore; it conſiſts of vizirs, baſhaws, and all the great civil and military officers of the empire, who go to pay their reſpects to the ſultan. They begin to iſſue forth from the ſeraglio at four o'clock in the morning, and the proceſſion continues till nine. When the Grand Signor appears, there is a deep ſilence every where. The Janiſſaries line the ſtreet, from the palace to the moſque; they are without arms, and ſtand with their arms acroſs, bowing themſelves down only to the Grand Signor and the vizirs, who return their ſalute. [200] I aſked a captain of the Janiſſaries, ſays his lordſhip, why they had no arms? "Arms!" ſaid he, "you infidel; they are for our enemies: we govern our ſubjects by the law."

That of Sultan Solyman, ſays Lady M. is an exact ſquare, with four fine towers in the angles; in the midſt is a noble cupola, ſupported with beautiful mar⯑ble pillars; two leſſer at the ends, ſupported in the ſame manner; the pavement and gallery round the moſque of marble; under the great cupola is a foun⯑tain adorned with ſuch fine coloured pillars, that I can hardly think them natural marble; on one ſide is the pulpit of white marble, and on the other a little gallery for the Grand Signor. A fine ſtaircaſe leads to it, built with gilded lattices. At the upper end is a ſort of altar, where the name of God is written; and, before it, ſtand two candleſticks, as high as a man, with wax candles as thick as three flambeaux. The pavement is ſpread with fine carpets, and the moſque illuminated with a profuſion of lamps. The court leading to it is very ſpacious, with galleries of mar⯑ble with green columns, covered with twenty-eight leaded cupolas on two ſides, and a fine fountain in the middle.

This deſcription, ſays her ladyſhip, may ſerve for all the moſques in Conſtantinople. The model is [201] exactly the ſame, differing only in ſize and the thick⯑neſs of the materials.

In paſſing by a moſque, ſays Sertini, which the preſent ſultan is building, we ſaw in one of the angles a public fountain, very elegantly decorated, with a great number of beautiful marble columns from Seravezza and Arabia. This fountain is ſurround⯑ed with an iron grate or bars, in the inſide of which are a great number of ſilver emboſſed goblets, and a Turk who ſtands there to fill them with water for any perſon who may wiſh to quench his thirſt. This ſer⯑vice is performed gratis to every one, for ſuch was the will of the founder. The Turks, ſays the above author, are naturally inclined to theſe acts of public beneficence: there are even ſome who will leave lega⯑cies, as we have before remarked, for the maintenance of cats and dogs; others again, who will lay out their money in purchaſing birds, merely to give them their liberty, by letting them fly.

About ſix miles from this city are ſome famous aqueducts, built by Valentinian, and repaired after⯑wards by Solyman the Magnificent. The moſt remark⯑able of theſe forms three great and lofty fabrics, that are built over ſo many vallies, between the hills, in order, to convey the water from one hill to another, till it reaches the city. Theſe vallies being very deep, [202] and no arch being ſufficient to raiſe a ſtructure high enough, one bridge is, as it were, erected upon the back of another, arch over arch, till the top of the bridge is on a level with the mountain, a hill from which the water flows. On this upper bridge, is a canal to convey the ſtream, and on each ſide of the bridge is a colonade, through which foot paſſengers can paſs and repaſs.

Theſe aqueducts which ſupply Conſtantinople with water, often ſerve for a boundary to the excurſion of the Turks; but it will eaſily be imagined, it is neither to admire the architecture, nor judge of the ſalubrity of the waters that they go there in crowds. They take great care to carry wine, and every thing with them on which they chuſe to regale; and take their poſt in ſome ruined kioſks, which the emperors built at the ſame time with the edifices, intended to collect the rain water, and convey it to the capital.

Theſe aqueducts, which the Turks have been obliged to ſubſtitute for the ancient ciſterns, are ſo ill-conſtructed, that a compariſon between them and thoſe of the Greeks, muſt make the latter appear a work of great merit. Yet this edifice, built in the time of Juſtinian, is no ways remarkable, either for the boldneſs or the lightneſs of its conſtruction; and ſtill leſs ſo for true taſte. The architect ſeems to have ſtudied only to deceive the eye by a number of maſſes, which appear as if hanging in the air, reſembling in⯑vented [203] cones, with too great an angle at the baſe; for as the valley ſpreads above, the upper part of the bridge is conſiderably longer than the lower.

CHAP. III. Of the Police and the Slaves.

THE guard of the city conſiſts of a body of Janiſ⯑ſaries, with their colonel at every gate. In all the frequented parts there is alſo another corps, and in each of the ſtreets another party of two or three men, and a patrole, continually going their rounds day and night. Theſe men are armed only with cudgels, but they manage them ſo ſkilfully, as to be dreaded as much as if they had fire-arms. In almoſt all the ſtreets, there are likewiſe gates which cut off the communication with other ſtreets. Such is the man⯑ner in which this immenſe city is guarded, where murders ſeldom happen, and where malefactors are almoſt inſtantaneouſly diſcovered on their commiſſion of any crime.

If a robbery or an aſſault is committed here, all the inhabitants of that ſtreet are doomed to bear a part of the puniſhment—ſuch is the invariable law. From whence it follows, that every inhabitant exerts himſelf ſtrenuouſly in driving out any perſon, who begins a diſpute, from the ſtreet where he lives. They are alſo [204] careful that no thief or pickpocket introduces himſelf among them; and being all reſponſible for each other, it is very difficult that any crime can be committed with impunity.

This law ſeems rather ſevere, and in ſome caſes, is very much ſo: for inſtance, if a dead body is thrown up on the ſea ſhore, which has been ſtrangled or mur⯑dered, the inhabitants of the village neareſt to the place where ſuch dead body is thrown up, are obliged to pay a certain fine, if they do not diſcover the parents of the deceaſed.

Each quarter has its tribunal where juſtice is ad⯑miniſtered, in which a Cadi or judge, attended by his clerks, ſits the whole day, to hear complaints and ad⯑miniſter juſtice, which is brought the more ſpeedily to an iſſue, becauſe the payment of the expences imme⯑diately follows.

One of the moſt reſpectable officers of the civil police is the Stambo-Effendi, whoſe power is ſimilar, if not ſuperior to the lord-mayor of London, or the lieu⯑tenant of police at Paris. This poſt is conſidered as the firſt ſtep of a profeſſor of the law, to thoſe great offices of the ſtate, which are in the nomination of the Grand Signor, without any reſpect to ſeniority of rank. This perſon has the inſpection of all ſaleable commo⯑dities, and particularly of the proviſions of the capital. [205] It is his buſineſs to procure an abundance of what⯑ever is requiſite for the ſubſiſtence of the inhabitants; and if any particular article begins to get ſcarce, he endeavours to make an equal diſtribution of it, accord⯑ing to circumſtances. This poſt is always filled by ſome perſon of conſummate prudence and integrity. It is highly lucrative, as there is not a ſingle article or neceſſary of life conſumed in Conſtantinople, from which he does not draw ſome revenue.

He fixes the prices of all kinds of commodities, proclaims them publicly, and takes care, either by himſelf or his officers, that the weights and meaſures are juſt and honeſt. He generally goes round the city once a-month, or oftener, on horſeback, preceded by four Janiſſaries, dreſſed in their habits of cere⯑mony, with their ſtaves in their hands, with one of his attendants by his ſide, holding the ſcales, whilſt another carries the weights, a third the hammer; and the reſt who accompany him are provided with cudgels and other weapons, to puniſh thoſe who are found guilty.

This troop is always preceded by perſons in diſguiſe, who unexpectedly ſeize on the bread of ſome ſhop, or the weights and ſcales of ſome fruit-ſeller, or vender of any other commodity, that may convict a fraudulent dealer.

[206]The bread is then brought to the magiſtrate, and put into the ſcale againſt the weights it ought to weigh, whilſt the baker, already ſeized, and in the pre⯑ſence of the judge, is waiting the ſentence which is to acquit or condemn him to the baſtinado, if not to ſome more ſevere puniſhment; ſuch as having his ear nailed to his ſhop, or even to be hanged, according to the caprice of his judge. But what is moſt remark⯑able, is, that the real baker, the proprietor of the oven, he whoſe knavery ſhould be puniſhed, is not con⯑cerned in this affair; he quietly preſerves the daily profits of the falſe weight, which incurs puniſhment, and leaves to one of his journeymen or the foreman of his ſhop, all the danger and trouble of this ſhame⯑ful practice; who for double pay agrees to perſonate his maſter; and this advantageous poſt is immediately ſolicited by ſome other, when the firſt gets hanged; for ſuch a trifle diſcourages no one. Puniſhments of this ſort, however, are by no means ſo frequently inflicted as they merit.

To theſe precautions, intended to inſure honeſty in the ſale of proviſions, the government adds the right of fixing the price. But things are not paid the leſs for on that account. The multitude is eaſily deceived; they think they have obtained their end, when to remedy the dearneſs of proviſions, the vizir commands them to be ſold at a lower price; and going out incognito, perhaps, orders ſome baker's [207] journeyman to be hanged. No one enquires on what evidence the wretch was put to death, but every one thinks the bread better.

Is it not ſingular ſo great a contempt for humanity ſhould be accompanied by the moſt abſurd benevo⯑lence towards animals the leaſt uſeful to ſociety? While government enforces the moſt rigorous mono⯑poly of the corn conſumed in the capital, by an ex⯑action ruinous to the cultivator, and a diſtribution leſs burthenſome to the baker than the conſumer, it allows ſo much per cent. in favour of turtle doves. A cloud of theſe birds, ſays Baron Tott, conſtantly alight on thoſe veſſels which croſs the port of Con⯑ſtantinople uncovered, in order to carry the commo⯑dity to the magazines, or the mills. The boatmen never oppoſe their greedineſs. This permiſſion to feed on the grain, collects them together in great numbers, and familiariſes them ſo much, that I have ſeen them ſtanding on the ſhoulders of the rowers, watching for a vacant ſpot where they might fill their crops in their turn.

The Turks are great lovers of order. He who brings his proviſions to market firſt, has the privilege of vending them before thoſe who come after him; but then he is not to exact more than a fixed price for them. If he ſells any kind of proviſions what⯑ever, dearer than the price put upon them by the [208] proper officer appointed for that purpoſe, he is liable to be puniſhed. This puniſhment is of three kinds, according to the nature of the offence; hanging, the baſtinado, or ſome pecuniary fine. The baſtinado is inflicted on the ſoles of the feet.

The Divan is a tribunal open to every one; to ſtran⯑gers as well as natives. A grand council is always held once a-week, on Tueſday evening, in the ſeraglio of the Grand Signor, who is preſent, without ſhewing himſelf, at a latticed window above the place where the grand vizir ſits, which is oppoſite the door of the council-room where every one enters. In this man⯑ner he can hear the debates and the orders given by the grand vizir, and the reſt of the miniſters, without being ſeen.

There is, perhaps, no monarch ſo acceſſible as the Grand Signor. All his ſubjects indiſcriminately, Mahometans, Chriſtians, and Jews, may preſent him a petition every Friday as he goes publickly to the moſque. The form uſual on ſuch occaſions, is ſingu⯑lar, and merits being deſcribed: Thoſe who imagine themſelves aggrieved, and determine on preferring a complaint immediately to the ſultan, range themſelves in a line in the ſquare fronting the great gate of the ſeraglio. Each perſon carries a kind of match or wick on his head lighted, and ſmoaking, which is con⯑ſidered as the allegorical emblem of the fire that con⯑ſumes [209] his ſoul. When the emperor paſſes along and ſees the ſmoke, he ſtops, and gives orders to ſome of his attendants to collect the petitions, which he re⯑ceives and puts in his boſom. Muſtapha III. who was very attentive to public buſineſs, always uſed to read the petitions himſelf, and has frequently, in con⯑ſequence, performed ſome very exemplary acts of juſtice, that do honour to his memory.

In their courts of judicature, there have ſometimes been bold and reſolute pleaders, who ſeeing or ſu⯑ſpecting ſome prevarication in the judges, have had courage to cry out in open court, Haſſir yakarum, "I will light up the match."

On each ſide of the grand vizir are the two chief juſtices of Romania and Natolia, and the reſt of the judges, according to their reſpective rank; but theſe are not ſeated. No advocate is employed in any ſuit; every one pleads his own cauſe. When a memorial is preſented to the grand vizir, if the requeſt it con⯑tains be granted, he ſigns it with his name; but if it is refuſed, he tears the memorial in pieces, and there the matter ends. All cauſes are decided very expe⯑ditiouſly, becauſe in general they depend upon viva voce evidence; but if any cauſe ſhould be at all in⯑tricate, the grand vizir refers the inſpection of it to ſome officer under him, and directs him to make his report upon it within a limited time.

[210]Every thing relative to religion and the morals of the people, the grand vizir leaves to the deciſion of the two chief juſtices without appeal. Mondays and Fridays are vacation days; but on all other days the divan is open either at the ſeraglio, or at the grand vizir's. Nothing is more aſtoniſhing, ſays Habeſci, than to ſee a grand vizir, who has, oftentimes, had ſcarce any education, direct ſo vaſt an empire as the Ottoman, and govern it perfectly well.

Lady C. relates, that while ſhe was at Conſtanti⯑nople, the captain pacha introduced a lion into the divan, which he had taught to follow him about like a dog; but the miniſters were ſo terrified, that ſome of them jumped out of the windows, and one of them was very near breaking his neck in flying down ſtairs; and the high admiral and his lion were left to ſettle the councils of the day together.

Great miſrepreſentations having been made re⯑ſpecting the ſtate of ſlavery in the Ottoman empire, we ſhall take this opportunity, though it does not come immediately under the article of police, of removing an odium from a condition of life, which by the de⯑grading appellation given to it, has induced men to believe that ſlaves in general lead a life of ſorrow, pain, and oppreſſion.

[211]The ſlaves who ſuffer hardſhips in Turkey, are either criminals ſent to the gallies, or priſoners taken at ſea by the Ottoman corſairs; the government ſends out two or three zebecks in a year, more to keep up an ancient cuſtom than with the view of taking priſoners. The commanders have ſtrict orders to attack none but Malteſe veſſels; and if they take any of the inhabitants of that iſland, they are brought in triumph to Conſtantinople, amidſt the acclamma⯑tions of the Turks, and are ſent on board the row gallies to hard labour, being chained to the oars. The number of galley-ſlaves is likewiſe increaſed, by thoſe ſent annually from the ſtates of Barbary to the Grand Signor, amongſt whom there are ſubjects of almoſt every European nation; but the major part of them are Neapolitans, Genoeſe, and Spaniards. Among thoſe ſent by the Tuniſians a few years ſince, was a grandee of Spain, who was known at Conſtan⯑tinople by his dignity of deportment and ſolemn gravity; for ſome private reaſons, his friends would not ranſom him, and no foreign protection could ſave him from the gallies, where he worked ſeveral years; however, on a peace with Ruſſia, ſome perſons found means to intereſt Prince Repnin in his favour, and he was releaſed; but it is ſuppoſed the change of air, and a different mode of life, hurt his conſtitution, for he died at an inn on the road as he was returning to Spain. Another ſpecies of ſlaves are thoſe ſtolen by the Turkiſh marauders from Georgia, Mingrelia, [212] and other Greek ſettlements, in their infancy. The ſervitude of theſe is not ſevere, for the merchants clothe them well, and feed them with the beſt provi⯑ſions that they may ſell them, to the greateſt advantage. A handſome girl is ſold to ſome Turkiſh lord, who treats her according to her beauty and good behavi⯑our; ſhe may or may not chance to be his concubine, and by good fortune ſhe may be his wife. As to the boys they are ſold to maſters, who inſtruct them in ſuch accompliſhments as are proper for young Turkiſh gentlemen; they are genteelly cloathed, well fed, and ſleep upon excellent beds; their whole ſervice con⯑ſiſts in waiting in the antichambers to carry in pipes, coffee, ſweetmeats, &c. to their maſters, and in taking care to keep the apartments and the wardrobe in order. If they are faithful and good muſſulmen, they generally marry their maſter's daughter. By this channel they riſe in the ſtate, eſpecially if they are diſtinguiſhed for perſonal valour; and at this preſent time, moſt of the baſhaws of provinces, and great officers of the Porte, have originally been ſlaves.

A third ſort of ſlaves in Turkey, are priſoners taken in time of war. In the late war with Ruſſia, all the priſoners taken by the Turks were ſold as ſlaves. They took a great quantity from different countries, who were all confounded under the name of Ruſſians, becauſe they were not muſſulmen. One of the articles of the peace ſtipulated, that all the priſoners of war [213] ſhould be releaſed on both ſides. The individuals among the Turks, who had bought great numbers of Ruſſian priſoners, were very much embarraſſed by this article, but they relied on the difficulty of their being diſcovered by the Ruſſian ambaſſador, as they were concealed in their houſes, and diſperſed all over the Turkiſh empire.

An intrepid little man, however, a Georgian by birth, named Sergio, undertook the difficult taſk of being agent for the Ruſſian priſoners at Conſtanti⯑nople. Armed with the Firman of the Grand Signor, he went about in ſearch of Ruſſian ſlaves, and took away by force even thoſe who had embraced the Mahometan religion. Amongſt the reſt was a Ruſſian girl, who had been taken priſoner during the war, and having been brought to Conſtantinople, was ſold to a ſcherif of the race of Emirs, who had married her. The huſband enraged at the pretenſions of Sergio, turned him out of doors, and was on the point of caning him; but the undaunted Sergio inſtantly repaired to the vizir, to whom he ſhewed the Grand Signor's man⯑date, which allowed no exceptions of religion or ſitua⯑tion; the vizir was very much perplexed, but at length replied, if the woman perſiſted in being a Mahometan, it would be impoſſible to recover her; but if ſhe would voluntarily turn Chriſtian again, the Emir muſt give her up. Her huſband was very rich and very fond of her; he therefore made no doubt ſhe would [214] remain firm in the Mahometan faith. This confi⯑dence made him readily obey the ſummons of the vizir to attend him at the divan, and bring his wife with him, to anſwer the claim of Sergio. Being come before him, the vizir aſked her if ſhe would remain a Maho⯑metan, or return back to her old religion; ſhe replied, ſhe would live and die a Chriſtian. The vizir on this, decreed that Sergio ſhould take away the woman: the huſband was quite diſtracted, and the more ſo as his wife was with child. As his laſt reſource, he inſiſted the child ſhould not be removed out of the Ottoman empire, "For it is mine, ſaid he, and belongs to the ſacred family of Mahomet, wearing green turbans." Sergio had the courage to reply in full divan—"If the child is born with a green rag upon his head, it will be a certain proof that it is a deſcendant from Mahomet; if not, Mahomet has nothing to do with it, and it belongs to Chriſt." There was no ſtanding the force of this argument, and the woman was given up, and ſent to her Ruſſian friends.

This Sergio made all the Turks tremble, and they dreaded him much more than they did Prince Repnin; though before he arrived at Conſtantinople, they thought of nothing leſs, than that he was coming to ſwallow up the city, and enforce every article of the peace with the utmoſt rigour.

[215]Their apprehenſions of his excellency aroſe from an extraordinary incident that happpened at Adria⯑nople. By the preliminary articles of peace, it was agreed, that the Ruſſian ambaſſador, who ſhould be ſent to Conſtantinople to conclude the definitive treaty of peace, ſhould have a certain number of troops in his ſuite, and that they ſhould be allowed to paſs through the towns and cities of the Ottoman empire ſword in hand. In conſequence of this ſtipu⯑lation, Prince Repnin and his attendants, marched into Adrianople in this manner: it ſtruck the Janiſſaries that this was the etiquette of conquerors; they con⯑ſidered it as a national affront, and flew to arms; the Ruſſians were not to be intimidated, and fought their way through the Janiſſaries, though greatly inferior in numbers; ſeveral of them were killed in the ſkir⯑miſh, and two or three of the Ruſſians; after which the prince continued his journey to Conſtantinople, but ſent a courier to inform the Porte of what had happened. The vizir was in the utmoſt conſternation, and hardly knew how to impart this humiliating in⯑telligence to the Grand Signor; at length, however, a ſecret council was held, the reſult of which was, that the vizir and the aga of the Janiſſaries ſet off private⯑ly for Daud Bacha, a pleaſant village, where it is uſual for the foreign ambaſſadors extraordinary, to ſtop a little, in order to adjuſt the formalities of their en⯑trance into Conſtantinople, as it is only a few miles diſtant. But the negociation could not be kept ſecret; [216] the Janiſſaries at Adrianople had contrived to ſend information of the inſult, as they termed it, to the Janiſſaries at Conſtantinople, who vowed vengeance againſt the Ruſſians, if the prince ſhould attempt to enter the capital ſword in hand. The arrangement of this delicate affair took up ſeveral days. In the end, a medium was reſolved upon, which ſatisfied both parties. The Porte, however, iſſued ſtrict orders that no perſon ſhould be in the ſtreets when the ambaſſa⯑dor make his entry, intending thereby to avoid the expoſure of the imbecillity of government in ſuffering ſuch an article to be inſerted in the preliminaries; and the meanneſs of evading it in part by the following modification: It had been ſettled between the prince and the vizir, that the former, in conſideration of a few purſes ſhould enter the city with his ſword only half drawn out of his ſcabbard, and that his ſoldiers ſhould obſerve the ſame formality with their ſabres.

In this manner the proceſſion, which was very ſplendid, paſſed through the ſtreets of Conſtantinople, crowded with people of all ranks, notwithſtanding the prohibition. As for the Janiſſaries, they were ſatis⯑fied with having humbled the pride of the Ruſſians; and the ambaſſador, like moſt other ambaſſadors, made the glory of his nation give way to his private intereſt. This entry likewiſe changed the ſentiments of the Turks reſpecting him; for when they ſaw him in the midſt of his ſplendid and numerous retinue, and upon [217] ſuch a ſolemn occaſion as an embaſſy for concluding a peace between two potent empires, indulging him⯑ſelf in all the levities of a French petit-maitre, eager only to pull off his hat every inſtant to the Greek ladies, who were at the windows, and kiſſing his hand to ſome, and bowing to others, as he paſſed along, ſo contrary to the Turkiſh idea of dignity, their fear was turned into contempt, and the ſequel will ſhew they were not miſtaken: for although the empreſs had given very poſitive orders in her negociations with the Porte for a reſtitution of priſoners of war, and had allowed half a piaſtre a-day for their ſupport, till they were ſent to Ruſſia, (each piaſtre is four ſhillings) yet Prince Repnin, ſays Habeſci, would ſcarce receive the ſlaves who ran away from their maſters, and took ſhelter at his hotel ſoon after his publick entry. I ſaw forty-three women lodged very miſerably in three chambers, with only ſtraw to lye on; to whom his excellency allowed only the ſixteenth part of a piaſtre, or five paras a-day; for their ſubſiſtence. The conſequence was, that the greater part of theſe poor women ſtole away to the Turks, and eighty-one perſons of his excellen⯑cy's retinue deſerted from him, and embraced the Ma⯑hometan religion.

However, ſuch was the dread of the Turkiſh govern⯑ment, leſt any freſh miſunderſtanding ſhould happen between the two courts, that when Prince Repnin was on the point of returning home, the Porte, adds H. [218] offered to reſtore him all the Ruſſians who had quitted his ſervice, which was an infraction of their laws; for having embraced the Mahometan religion, they were become Turkiſh ſubjects.

The number of black and white ſlaves brought yearly to Conſtantinople, is ſaid to amount to near 20,000. None but Turks are allowed to purchaſe any, under the moſt ſevere penalties. The ſlave⯑market is in the middle of the city. It forms a quad⯑rangle, ſurrounded with apartments for white ſlaves, and in the area underneath, ſit the black ones almoſt naked. The white female ſlaves are dreſſed up in very gaudy colours when they are expoſed for ſale, and ſome of them fetch a great price, and are very proud of it. They are by no means unhappy; from being next to ſavages they are well fed, well dreſſed, and treated with great urbanity. They are taught a variety of things, get into good families, women as well as men, and oftentimes acquire great riches.

With reſpect to their being in a ſtate of ſlavery, many ſituations in life, ſays Lord Baltimore, are much more ſo. If a ſlave is determined to quit his maſter, he is obliged to diſpoſe of him to ſome other perſon; and as far as I could obſerve, ſays his lordſhip, if they are in the leaſt handſome, they are exceſſively proud, haughty, hardened, obſtinate and ferocious; and re⯑quire, indeed, a Turk to have to deal with them. [219] The Turks inſpire them with the utmoſt diſdain and hatred of the Chriſtians.

It may not be amiſs to give ſome idea here of the Georgian and Circaſſian ſlaves, whoſe beauty is ſo much celebrated. Georgia and Circaſſia are not more enſlaved than any other province, more immedi⯑ately ſubject to the Grand Signor. The ſlaves from theſe provinces are furniſhed by the Leſguis Tartars, who are ſituated between the Caſpian and Black ſeas, and are perpetually at war with the Georgians and Circaſſians. Theſe Tartars carry over to the eaſtern coaſt of the Black ſea, the ſlaves they have taken, and ſell them to the Turkiſh merchants, who come thither at certain times. It is uſual, likewiſe, for parents in theſe countries to ſell their own children to the mer⯑chants, who afterwards educate them in ſuch accom⯑pliſhments as will enhance their value: an indecent dance accompanied by caſtanets is the moſt valuable of all others ^*.

Georgia is divided into two parts, one of which was ſubject to the Ottoman emperors, and the other under the dominion of Perſia. At preſent they are entirely independent, having thrown off the yoke of the Turks [220] as well as the Perſians. Tott, ſays Peyſonel, ſhould not have neglected informing his readers, that Circaſſians alone have the honour of being admitted to the ſultan's bed. The Turks, ſays he, have an anecdote univer⯑ſally believed among them, that one of the Ottoman emperors of the laſt century, having ſlept part of the night with a Georgian ſlave, aſked her towards morning, if it was almoſt day? She replied with vulgar ſimplici⯑ty, ſhe believed it was, becauſe ſhe felt a certain preſſing neceſſity, which ſhe uſually experienced about break of day. The emperor was diſguſted, and diſ⯑miſſed her. A few days after he put the ſame queſtion out of curioſity to a Circaſſian, who ſupplied the place of the diſgraced Georgian. She anſwered, ſhe per⯑ceived the approach of Aurora, for the morning zephyr already wantoned in her hair.

The prince delighted with the delicacy of her reply, declared with an oath, no Georgian ſhould, from that time, be admitted to the bed of himſelf or his ſucceſſors.

Neither the Greeks, the Armenians, nor even the Jews, are ſubject to a natural ſlavery any more than the Turks. The deſpotiſm of the ſultan cannot ſeize the perſon of a young girl, whatever deſires ſhe may have excited in him; and though we ſtill find among the Greeks the ſame beautiful forms, which ſerved as models to Praxiteles, the Turkiſh annals furniſh no example of ſuch an enormity.

[221]Lady M. has a ſimilar remark in one of her letters. You deſire me, ſays her ladyſhip, to the perſon to whom ſhe is addreſſing herſelf, to buy you a Greek ſlave, who is miſtreſs of a thouſand good qualities. The Greeks are ſubjects and not ſlaves. Thoſe who are to be bought in that manner, are either ſuch as are taken in war, or ſtolen by the Tartars from Ruſſia, Circaſ⯑ſia, or Georgia; and are ſuch miſerable, awkward, poor wretches, that you would not think any of them worthy to be your houſe-maids. 'Tis true that many thouſands of them were taken in the Morea; but they have been moſt of them redeemed by the charitable contributions of the Chriſtians, or ranſomed by their own relations at Venice. The fine ſlaves that wait upon the great ladies, or ſerve the pleaſures of the great men, are all bought at the age of eight or nine years old, and educated with great care, to accompliſh them in ſinging, dancing, embroidery, &c. and their patrons never ſell them, except it is as a puniſhment for ſome very great fault. If ever they grow weary of them, they either preſent them to a friend, or give them their freedom. Thoſe that are expoſed in the markets, are always either guilty of ſome crime, or ſo entirely worthleſs, as to be of no uſe at all.

CHAP. IV. Of the Court, Seraglio, &c.

IT is difficult to form a juſt idea of the Ottoman empire, without being previouſly made acquainted with what is meant by the SERAGLIO and the PORTE; they having both ſo intimate a connexion with the go⯑vernment, that it is neceſſary to underſtand them thoroughly, to comprehend the ſyſtem of Turkiſh policy.

When the Turks ſpeak of the ſeraglio, they do not mean the apartments in which the Grand Signor's women are confined, as we are ſo apt to limit the meaning of the word, but the whole incloſure of the palace in which the Ottoman monarch reſides, toge⯑ther with his houſehold; that is to ſay, all the officers, guards, women, and ſlaves employed in his immediate ſervice. The extent of this vaſt incloſure might very well ſuffice for a moderate town; it entirely occupies the ground upon which the ancient city of Byzantium ſtood, that is to ſay, one of the ſeven hills on which Conſtantinople is built. Its circumference is very near ſix Engliſh miles; there are nine courts within it, moſt of them large quadrangles; the buildings have never been exactly numbered, as no perſon is per⯑mitted to take down an exact account of them; but [223] the number is almoſt incredible, and they are moſt part of brick; but the kitchens and what is called the trea⯑ſury are very ſuperb, and built of ſtone or marble: the whole is covered with lead, and the domes and turrets are ornamented with gilt creſcents. The arch which ſurrounds the ſeraglio, is thirty feet high, with battlements, embraſures, and towers, in the ſtyle of ancient fortifications. It is called the new ſeraglio, to diſtinguiſh it from the old one, built by Conſtantine. It is ſituated oppoſite to Scutari, except one part, which is at the very entrance of the harbour, and faces the arſenal at Pera. On this ſide, at a ſmall diſtance upon, the ſea ſhore, there is a Kioſch, or ſummer-houſe, for the recreation of the Grand Signor iti ſultry weather. It is an irregular building, of about ſixty feet in cir⯑cumference, and twenty in height, conſiſting of one large ſaloon, very magnificently furniſhed, and having a ſeat of maſſy ſilver, ſo placed, that the monarch can have a view from both ſides of the hall, as well as from the door.

There are nine gates to the ſeraglio, but only two of them can be called magnificent; the firſt is the en⯑trance from the ſquare of St. Sophia; this gate is very ſuperb, and will be frequently mentioned hereafter, as it is from this Porte or gate, that the Ottoman court takes the name of the Porte, or the Sublime Porte, in all public tranſactions and records. On one ſide of this gate may be ſeen the pyramids of heads [224] that have been cut off, with labels denoting the crimes of the owners, faſtened upon the ſculls. The ſecond gate leads to the firſt interior court, and is ſupported by marble pillars, but it is not ſo ſtately and magnificent as the firſt. The reſt are not worth notice, except a little gate on the ſide next Scutari, through which the grand vizirs are let out privately, when they are ſent into exile, and at ſuch times they have generally a large barge ready to convey them away without being ſeen.

A perſon may walk all round the wall that ſurrounds the ſeraglio. In that part which rather leans over the ſea, facing the arſenal, there are two chambers with three latticed windows, where the Grand Signor frequently places himſelf, and hears what the paſſengers ſay as they go along, without being ſeen.

There is an Arabic inſcription over the great gate in gold and azure, ſignifying that that gate, and the palace of the ſeraglio, were built by Mahomet II. The guards who do duty here have no other arms but a ſmall ſtaff, which they carry in their hands. Even the Janiſſaries themſelves are ſeldom ſeen with any offenſive weapons, and ridicule the Franks for wearing ſwords as part of their dreſs, aſking them if they mean to attack the dogs with them, by which they are ſometimes purſued in troops, and forced to draw in their defence. This circumſtance is attri⯑buted to the novelty of their dreſs. But to return to [225] the ſeraglio; through this gate we enter the firſt court, which is open to every one. Here ſtands the in⯑firmary, in which people are ſo well attended and taken care of, that they will frequently, it is ſaid, counterfeit ſickneſs to get admittance. They have, likewiſe, the privilege of drinking wine in all the Turkiſh hoſpitals, and this is another inducement: wine being conſidered by the Turks as a kind of medicine.

On the left ſide of this court ſtands an old building with a cupola, that was formerly a Greek church, in which their armour and trophies are depoſited. In this ſquare are alſo the mint, and apartments on both ſides, for the inferior ſervants of the ſeraglio. The ſecond court, into which any perſon may enter, is occupied by the court of the Divan. The walls are paved with marble, and there are ſeveral large graſs plats in it, ſurrounded with trees and fountains in the middle. All round this court there is a piazza of no great height, but not ill built, ſupported by a great number of marble pillars. On the oppoſite ſide is the Aſna or treaſury, and the ſtables, in which are ſome of the fineſt horſes in the world, kept purpoſely for the Grand Signor's own riding. It is impoſſible to conceive any thing more ſplendid and brilliant than the bridles, ſaddles, houſing, and other furniture, with which the horſes are equipped on any public occa⯑ſion, being enriched with precious ſtones and reful⯑gent [226] with gold, ſilver, and other ornaments. But neither the treaſury or ſtables, where this rich furni⯑ture is depoſited, have any thing very magnificent in their architecture.

The kitchens are alſo on the left hand of this court, which contain ſeveral large handſome buildings, with cupolas over them, but with no chimnies, holes being made in the cupola to let out the ſmoke; for the hearth is always in the middle of the room, as uſed to be the cuſtom in our great halls, and is ſtill ſo in our colleges and inns of court.

No perſon but the Grand Signor, is allowed to ride through the ſecond court; and there is ſuch an univerſal ſilence obſerved through the palace, that notwithſtanding the immenſe number of people who reſort to it, there is not the leaſt appearance of noiſe and buſtle, but every thing is as huſhed and ſtill as if no perſon lived in the ſeraglio; and the converſing by ſigns, contributes to this not a little; for if any perſon wiſhes to advance himſelf at court, he muſt accuſtom himſelf to ſuch ſort of converſation, and which the Grand Signor is ſaid to underſtand extremely well.

At the bottom of the upper court is the divan, in which the councils of ſtate are held, and where juſtice is likewiſe adminiſtered. And beyond this court no ſtrangers are admitted, except ambaſſadors, who paſs [227] on to the hall of audience where the Grand Signor's throne is erected, and which is encircled with pearls and precious ſtones. This room is very magnificently furniſhed; its roof and ſides glitter with gold and azure, beſides being adorned with very fine paintings, after the Perſian manner.

Some travellers, it is ſaid, have found means of viſiting the more interior parts of the ſeraglio, and among others, one who attended a clock-maker that had been ordered to repair ſome of the curious clocks which had been preſented to the Grand Signor. They were conducted by a black eunuch into the hall of the haram, where there was an Engliſh clock out of order. The whole hall, ſays this traveller, was lined with China tiles, and the cieling of the cupola adorned with azure and gold. In the middle of the hall was a fountain, the baſon of which was of fine green marble, having the appearance of Jaſper.

Theſe artificial fountains are very frequent in the Turkiſh apartments, and ſerve for the ablutions which precede their prayers, as well as to entertain the eye; eſpecially in the harams of the women, who never go into their moſques without having the Alcoran pre⯑viouſly read to them, in ſuch places as theſe, which ſerve as ſo many chapels. Theſe halls have large windows, which are not only glazed, but they have, likewiſe, bars or lattices before them, and ſophas all [228] round the room, or elevated wide ſeats covered with rich carpets, where the ladies ſit and amuſe themſelves with viewing the gardens, and enjoy the refreſhing breezes which are occaſionally waſted into them from the Propontis.

From this hall, our traveller was conducted through ſeveral little rooms, like the cells of monks, only ex⯑celling them very much in the richneſs of the furniture; particularly in one, where there was a fine pendulum that wanted putting to rights. The clock ſtood on a maſſy ſilver table before a looking glaſs, the frame of which was ſilver, gilt, and curiouſly carved, and embel⯑liſhed with foilage in bas-relief. Two lofty ſtands of maſſy ſilver ſtood on each end of a rich ſopha, which had a covering of plain green ſilk, under which, on its being uncovered, there appeared a very rich brocade with a gold ground, the cuſhions being of green velvet very richly worked. This chamber was adorned more than the hall, with paintings and orna⯑ments; but the loweſt part of the window frames were higher than the talleſt man could reach; the glaſs was likewiſe painted, but without any living creature re⯑preſented upon it. On his return back he was led through ſeveral fine halls and chambers, the floors of which were covered with rich Perſian carpets, and the rooms ornamented with fine ſophas and gilded cielings. The gardens he went through, were full of groves of cypreſs trees and different kinds of evergreens, [229] planted without any order or regularity. About twenty yards from the ſtaircaſe, leading into the gar⯑dens, was a pillar of granite marble. It conſiſted of one ſingle ſhaft, larger in circumference, and about one third higher than Marcian's pillar, and ſtood upon a ſquare pedeſtal, adorned with ſome mutilated feſ⯑toons and Latin inſcriptions; but they were ſo defaced, that it was impoſſible to diſcover any thing upon them but the name of Juſtinian, it being dangerous to ſtop long enough to copy any of the inſcriptions.

Theſe gardens, ſays Chiſhull, are wild and unculti⯑vated, affording nothing pleaſing to the eye, but what nature has furniſhed them with; an admirable ſituation riſing into convenient aſcents, and capable of infinite improvement, if they were in the hands of any Chriſ⯑tian prince. The whole plat of ground, called the gardens of the ſeraglio, is ſo covered with cypreſs and other trees, as to reſemble a grove, through which ſhady walks are cut, where pleaſure-houſes of various ſorts are ſeen; the moſt eminent and remarkable of which is that called the Blue Kioſh, fronting the town of Scutari.

In the ſides of one of the kioſhs are three orbicular ſtones of fine porphyry, the middlemoſt of which is curiouſly poliſhed, and ſerves to reflect the proſpect of the ſeraglio and adjoining city, like a looking-glaſs. At the farther end of theſe gardens are the entire [230] walls of an ancient Chriſtian church, and near it the Grand Signor's aviary, where are kept the hens of Grand Cairo, that are remarkable for having blue gills and feathers, curiouſly coloured with grey circles, and in the centre of each circle a ſpot of black.

Beſides the above buildings, there are many others in which the inferior officers reſide, and where all the proviſions and neceſſaries for the ſeraglio are depo⯑ſited; particularly on the left hand of the entrance quite down to the water ſide, there are prodigious piles of wood, which ſome thouſands of Baltagis or wood cleavers are continually employed in cutting into billets, and carrying to the different apartments. On the oppoſite ſide is a large ſquare, where thoſe who are intended for military employments are taught their exerciſes, at which the ſultan is ſometimes preſent.

The number of perſons inhabiting this immenſe pile of building, is in proportion to its ſize. On the beſt authority, ſays Habeſci, that of perſonal knowledge, I can ſay that nearly 10,000 perſons conſtantly reſide in it. The grooms and thoſe who conſtitute the corps of guards, make the major part of that number.

[231]The following is a very exact liſt of the inhabitants and their reſpective employments:

This is the number of perſons who uſually reſide in the ſeraglio, except that of the women, which is increaſed or diminiſhed according to the taſte of the reigning ſultan.

The proviſions in the ſeraglio are dreſſed by ſuch of the agliam-oglams as are brought up to cookery. They begin their buſineſs early in the morning, for the Grand Signor riſing early, there muſt always be ſomething ready for his breakfaſt. His dinner hour is ten o'clock in the morning, and he ſups at ſix in the afternoon, both ſummer and winter. His manner of ſitting down to table, is with his legs acroſs, after [232] the Turkiſh faſhion, with a rich embroidered napkin ſpread before him. He carves for himſelf, but uſes neither knife nor fork, his meat being ſo tender and delicately dreſſed, that he eaſily pulls it in pieces with his fingers. He makes uſe of two wooden ſpoons; with one he takes his ſoups, and with the other his ſyrups. Dinner or ſupper over, he waſhes his hands in a gold baſon ſet with precious ſtones. He ſcarce ever ſpeaks at table, except to ſome favourite aga, to whom he ſometimes throws a loaf as a mark of favour.

The queen and ſultanas are ſerved at the ſame time, but in copper diſhes, except the ſultan be with them. Their food may truly be ſaid to come from far. Their ſherbet is made of ſnow water, brought to Conſtanti⯑nople at a very great expence, and kept under ground. Their only cheeſe is Parmeſan furniſhed from Venice. The bread is made of wheat brought from Burſa, reckoned very white and ſavoury; the reſt comes from Greece. Their rice, lentils, and other pulſe, are the produce of Egypt. Great quantities of ſugar are uſed in ſherbets, but they eat very little ſpice except pepper. The honey ſerved up at the ſultan's table comes from Chio, but the reſt from Walachia and Moldavia. Their oil is had from Greece, but that which the Grand Signor eats comes from Candia and Zant. Their butter comes from the borders of the Black ſea and the Crimea. They eat ſcarce any butter or milk, except it be in clouted cream. Very little fiſh is eaten at Conſtan⯑tinople [233] by the Turks, though the ſea yields great plenty, and therefore the Chriſtians purchaſe it very cheap. The ſeraglio is plentifully ſupplied with fruit from the ſultan's garden; and as large preſents are frequently made to him, a great deal of it is ſold, and the money given to the Grand Signor for his pocket-money. The utenſils of the ſultan's kitchens are of braſs, but kept ſo clean and bright as to do the eye good.

It muſt be obſerved, that the individuals who com⯑poſe this immenſe houſehold are moſt of them born of Chriſtian parents, who have been made captives in time of war, or ſtolen at a very early age in time of peace. It being a maxim with the Ottoman empire, to be ſerved only by perſons who are unacquainted with their native country, their parents, or their reli⯑gion; they being the more likely to be attached to the prince, by whom they are protected and well taken care of.

When one of theſe children is preſented to the ſeraglio, they firſt examine very minutely if he has any corporeal defect; if ſo, he is not accepted, though his countenance ſhould ſpeak very much in his favour; the Mahometans believing that a brave mind can⯑not exiſt in a body materially deformed. But on the contrary, if they meet with ſuch a perſon as they wiſh for, they write down his name, and the country he comes from, in a regiſter which remains in the [234] chancery of the private treaſury of the Grand Signor, and give the treaſurer an order to pay him his daily penſion, which is four aſpers a-day. He is then ſent to be educated in one of the old ſeraglios, either of Pera or Conſtantinople. Here it may be neceſſary to remark, that there is a ſeraglio at Pera, to which the Grand Signor goes two or three times a-year to ſpend the day; and it is chiefly in this edifice, that thoſe ſlaves who are deſtined for his perſonal ſervice are brought up. Thoſe that remain in the ſeraglio of Conſtantinople for their education, are principally thoſe who are raiſed to poſts and dignities of the greateſt conſequence, after having gone through the uſual exerciſes.

Such was the cuſtom when the Turkiſh conqueſts furniſhed a conſiderable number of theſe children as ſubſtitutes to thoſe who were promoted to other em⯑ployments. But as at preſent the Chriſtians are more careful to guard their children from the rapacious hands of the Turkiſh emiſſaries, this ſource for ſlaves has failed, and they are obliged to confine their an⯑cient cuſtom of furniſhing the ſeraglio with Chriſtian ſlaves to pages only. Thoſe Chriſtian princes who formerly preſented a certain number of boys and girls, as an annual tribute for the ſervice of the Grand Signor, have refuſed to pay this tribute any longer. Prince Heraclius, who governs Georgia ſo admirably, ſhook off this inhuman tribute during the late war [235] between the Turks and the Ruſſians; and ſince that time, none but the pages are children of Chriſtians.

We will now relate the manner in which the ſe⯑raglio is guarded; it being well known that it is watched very ſtrictly. The whole circuit is confined to the care of the Boſtangis, or gardeners, who form the firſt guard: the ſecond is compoſed of the Baltagis, or of thoſe who are employed in furniſhing the firing for the ſeraglio, theſe are armed with an axe; to them ſucceed the guard of the white eunuchs; and the fourth and laſt corps are the black eunuchs, who are neareſt the perſon of the monarch.

The number of 3,500 perſons which are employed for the ſervice of the ſtables, will at firſt ſeem very great; but if the great quantity of horſes to be taken care of is conſidered, our ſurprize will inſtantly vaniſh. Theſe horſes, which belong particularly to the monarch, and which no other perſon muſt mount, are in num⯑ber 3,000, which number can neither be increaſed nor diminiſhed: ſuch being the law or cuſtom. Whenever a good horſe is preſented for the perſonal ſervice of the Grand Signor, and is accepted, they part with that which is of the leaſt value: and when a horſe dies or loſes any of his good qualities, he is parted with, and another immediately purchaſed in his room; by this means the fixed number of three thouſand is always kept up. Theſe horſes are all procured either from [236] Arabia or Egypt, as being in much greater eſtimation than thoſe in Natolia or Romania.

In order to inſure the beſt horſes for the ſervice of the Grand Signor, there is an old law enjoining, under pain of death, that all perſons who bring any horſes to Conſtantinople, with a view to diſpoſe of them, ſhall firſt make an offer of ſuch horſes to the equeries of the ſeraglio.

All the horſes are divided into three ſeparate ſtables; the firſt contains 1,800, the ſecond 700, and the third 500. There are alſo 400 mules in another ſtable, kept for tranſporting the ſultan's baggage and that of his ſuite, when he goes into the country. Such a number of mules is the more neceſſary, as there are no waggons in Turkey.

To the number of horſes which more particularly belong to the Grand Signor, muſt be added thoſe that belong to the principal officers of the ſeraglio, which are very numerous. The Kiſlar-Aga, or chief of the black eunuchs, has 300 for his own private uſe, and the reſt of the miniſters in proportion. Even the pages have each of them no leſs than three horſes. We may therefore reckon, ſays Habeſci, without the leaſt exaggeration, that there are 6000 horſes in the Grand Signor's ſtables.

[237]This number, it is true, would not require 3,500 perſons to look after them; but as theſe men are obli⯑ged to go and come different ways, and have like⯑wiſe to take care of themſelves, as well as their horſes, ſuch a number ſeems indiſpenſably neceſſary.

The environs of this place, ſays Seſtini, are very mountainous, and the vallies full of paſtures for the horſes and mules of the Grand Signor's ſtables. Theſe horſes, which come chiefly from Arabia, are ſome of the fineſt that the world can produce. The grooms for the moſt part are Tartars, Bulgarians, or Arabians. They live under tents during the time that the mules and horſes are ordered to remain out at graſs, which gives a very pictureſque view to the country round.

The day that theſe horſes are firſt brought to graſs, the groom obſerves ſome kind of ceremony on entering the paſtures, at the concluſion of which, one of their horſes has all his hair ſhaved off, and is even écorché; the horſe which comes in laſt, always undergoes this ceremony, which they do with a view to avert what they call the evil looks, and every other misfortune that may befall theſe animals. This ſuperſtition, though equally ſingular as it is ridiculous, may be traced back to the moſt remote antiquity.

The neatneſs of theſe grooms round their tents is ſo great, that little ſquare buildings on the borders of the [238] canal, at different diſtances, are appropriated for privies, ſo conſtructed, that the water may carry every thing away with it.

The Boſtangis, who form the firſt exterior guard of the ſeraglio, have their chief, who is called Boſtangi-Baſhaw; he is in general ſuperintendant, not only of the imperial gardens that are in the city of Conſtanti⯑nople, but likewiſe of all the other buildings, fountains, gardens, and delicious places deſtined for the Grand Signor's amuſement. The juriſdiction of the Boſtangi-Baſhaw extends to the mouth of the Black ſea; and having under his inſpection all the villages on the coaſt of Conſtantinople and the Boſphorus, he draws very great revenues from his office. When the ſultan goes upon the water, it is the Boſtangi-Baſhaw who has the conducting of the barge; he is ſeated behind the ſultan, and guides the helm according to his orders; having an opportunity by this means to converſe freely with the Grand Signor, he is particularly eſteemed and re⯑ſpected. The Sultan Muſtapha cauſed the heads of three Boſtangi-Baſhaws to be cut off, becauſe the barge had been agitated too much by the ſea.

The Boſtangi-Baſhaw lives without the walls of the ſeraglio; his habitation, however, communicates with the ſeraglio itſelf. It is in the palace of this miniſter that the torture is applied to malefactors, or ſuch as are ſuſpected to be ſo. Among all the people who com⯑poſe [239] the ſeraglio, the Boſtangis are the proudeſt, rudeſt, and moſt cruel.

To the Boſtangis ſucceed the Baltajir, or cleavers and carriers of wood to the different apartments of the ſeraglio. This claſs forms the ſecond guard; they wear the ſame uniform with the others, except, that the Baltagis have a little blue collar, diſtinguiſhing them from the Boſtangis, by its very long point which deſcends to their breaſts: and they both wear a large ſcarlet cap above half a yard high. Theſe wood clea⯑vers are very expert in the exerciſe of running, leaping, and boxing; and above all, are very ſkilful in throwing the lance, and in all other bodily exerciſes that have a tendency to make them robuſt and active.

The cooks and confectioners are likewiſe taken from this corps. The former wear a very fantaſtical cap made of ſhining hair, forming a point turned backwards. The latter wear a cap of camels hair, in the ſhape of a ſugar loaf, and of a dark yellow colour. The butchers were likewiſe formerly taken from this corps, and wear the ſame kind of cap with the con⯑fectioners. There are alſo a great number of domeſtics in livery, who wear a ſhort dreſs made of gold ſtuff, with a cap of gilt metal, ornamented with a large plume of feathers, which originally belonged to this corps; as were the menial ſervants of the officers be⯑longing to the ſeraglio. But Chriſtian ſlaves being [240] now grown very ſcarce, the Turks are obliged to be ſerved in all the above-mentioned offices, by poor people, who obtain their places for a livelihood.

Of all the oriental nations, none give way to their ſenſual inclinations ſo much as thoſe who profeſs the Mahometan religion. This accounts for the ſultans having their women guarded always by eunuchs; for love and jealouſy are their ſtrongeſt paſſions. All the Turks of rank and faſhion adopt a ſimilar cuſtom.

In the ſeraglio, the white eunuchs form a kind of body-guard to the ſultan: and the black ones to the women of the Haram. The chief of the white eunuchs has command over all the pages and white eunuchs of the court: three very conſiderable officers, the Grand Chamberlain, the principal Major Domo, and the go⯑vernor of the pages are dependent upon him. There are alſo inferior officers belonging to the white eunuchs. From the white eunuchs are ſelected ſome of the curates of the royal moſques, who are very glad of theſe ap⯑pointments, which generally yield very fine incomes; one moſque in particular produces an hundred ducats a-day.

The black eunuchs are employed chiefly to guard the women; formerly they were imperfectly caſtrated much in the ſame manner as the caſtrati of Italy. But Sultan Muſtapha, predeceſſor to the reigning emperor, [241] having entertained ſome ſuſpicions, ordered that from that time all the black eunuchs ſhould be entirely cut, which method is ſtill followed. Their chief is called the Kiſlar-Aga, that is, the Aga of the women of the ſeraglio, as he has the general ſuperintendance of the Haram, which is that part of the ſeraglio where the women are kept. Beſides the income he draws from the royal moſques, he has a thouſand ways of amaſſing immence riches. The blackeſt of the eunuchs are brought from Africa.

All the pages of the ſeraglio are the ſons of Chriſ⯑tians made ſlaves in time of war. The incurſions of Turkiſh robbers in the neighbourhood of Circaſſia and other Chriſtian countries, afford means of ſupplying the ſeraglio, even in time of peace with ſuch children. The city of Akeſka was the rendezvous of theſe robbers; its ſituation in the vicinity of Georgia was very con⯑venient for them; as they could aſſemble two or three thouſand horſemen, and make unexpected irruptions into Georgia, and carry off the inhabitants, and every thing they could lay their hands on: they afterwards brought thoſe ſlaves that were fitteſt for the ſeraglio to Conſtantinople, and the reſt were ſold at Zoſerum, from whence they were diſperſed all over the Turkiſh empire. But ſince Prince Heraclius has refuſed the accuſtomed inhuman tribute already mentioned, and put a ſtop to the irruptions of the Turkiſh banditti and the Tartars, the Georgian ſlaves are ſeldom to be met [242] with, and it is with the utmoſt difficulty that the uſual number of pages can be kept up.

When one of theſe Chriſtian children is firſt ad⯑mitted into the ſervice of the ſeraglio, he is put under the direction of the chief of the white eunuchs, who places him either in the great or little ſchool. In the great chamber or ſchool, there are uſually 600 chil⯑dren, and in the leſſer 300. Theſe children are brought up under a very rigid diſcipline, and taught firſt of all, modeſty and politeneſs. They are then inſtructed in the Mahometan religion, and in the Arabian and Perſian languages, in order to enable them to ſpeak the Turkiſh with greater propriety, and as it is ſpoken in the ſeraglio. Their cloathing is very neat, and their diet good and wholeſome. They lye in large chambers, and have ſeparate beds placed in rows; between every third or fourth bed, there lyes a white eunuch; theſe eunuchs watch them very cloſely to keep them from unnatural vices, which the people in the ſeraglio are very much given to. When theſe youths are old enough to bear the fatigues of ſtrong bodily exerciſe, no pains are ſpared to render them robuſt, active, and valiant. They are likewiſe inſtruct⯑ed in the mechanic as well as liberal arts.

From theſe chambers they take the braveſt and moſt capable, to employ them about the perſon of the Grand Signor: they afterwards diſtribute the reſt, [243] according to their capacity, either in the ſervice of the treaſury of the ſeraglio, or in the repoſitory for drugs and cordials, which are carefully prepared for the uſe of the Grand Signor and his women. From the ſervice of the treaſury and this repoſitory, are taken thoſe who are eſteemed moſt worthy to be promoted to more important charges in the ſeraglio. By virtue of their employments, they are admitted to the pre⯑ſence chamber, and to the private apartments of the ſeraglio, ſo that they can ſee and ſpeak to the Grand Signor almoſt at any time.

In the room of him who quits the ſeraglio entirely, another is appointed from the body of the pages. Such is the order of rotation to the offices of the ſe⯑raglio, and the gradations of ſervices through which they paſs before they quit it, that it ſeldom happens any officer leaves the palace before he is turned of forty; a time of life when he may be ſuppoſed moſt capable of conducting the weighty affairs of ſtate, with which he may be entruſted. Moſt commonly on leaving the ſeraglio, they are raiſed to the dignity of baſhaws, or agas of the Janiſſaries, or generals of the cavalry, and ſometimes inſtantly appointed grand vizirs. It is pleaſing to ſee them take leave of their friends and acquaintances in the ſeraglio, adds Habeſci, as the ceremonies they uſe on ſuch occaſions demon⯑ſtrate a very refined taſte, and nothing further would [244] be wanting to convince a bye-ſtander that the Turks were a moſt polite people.

Contrary to the ideas of all other civilized nations, the Turks ſet little value on the ſciences; they al⯑ways prefer men of valour to men verſed in the ſciences, for any high office: yet, notwithſtanding their ſlight opinion of the ſciences, they cultivate ſome of them in the ſchools. They teach the youth of the ſeraglio to read and write; they then make them learn Arabic, as their books of religion and the laws of their empire are written in that language. It is not till they have perfectly learnt the Arabic, that they are taught the Perſian language, which being melodious and ſprightly, corrects the harſhneſs of the Turkiſh. They then teach them arithmetic, and by ſuffering their reading Perſian novels and romances, replete with gallantry and lively animated expreſſions, the youth acquires a gay and ſprightly turn of mind. Be⯑ſides theſe ſtudies, ſome of them apply themſelves to learning the Alcoran by heart, others tranſlate valu⯑able books from the Arabic and Perſian into the Turkiſh language, and each youth makes his remarks and annotations on them for the inſtruction of the ignorant: many apply themſelves to the Perſian and Arabic poetry, and ſucceed admirably well. The ſtudy of muſic, likewiſe, occupies a good part of the time allotted for the inſtruction of theſe young men: moſt certainly the Turkiſh muſic is barbarous with [245] reſpect to the terrible noiſe it makes; but it is alſo certain that it has its ſoftneſs, and harmony which may very well be reliſhed. Except the above-men⯑tioned ſciences, and a ſlight knowledge of medicine and aſtronomy, the Turks are, in general, extremely ignorant.

That nothing may be wanting to the ſplendour and oſtentation of the Ottoman court, there are a number of mutes and dwarfs kept. Perſons of this deſcription, who, in other courts, ſerve only to amuſe the prince, at the Turkiſh court are employed, not only for the amuſement of the ſultan, but to inſtruct the pages in an art which is not practiſed in other countries. This art conſiſts in making themſelves underſtood by ſigns, out of reſpect to the Grand Signor, that he may not be diſturbed by the ſound of their voices. There are in the ſeraglio 140 of theſe mutes, who being born deaf, cannot expreſs themſelves but by ſigns. At night they lye in the great chamber of the pages, and are in the ſchools in the day, where they teach the young Chriſtian ſlaves to comprehend very long diſcourſes on different ſubjects in this manner. Two or three of the oldeſt of theſe mutes are admitted to the cham⯑ber of the ſultan for his amuſement. The dwarfs are employed in the ſame manner. If a dwarf happens to be a mute, he is very much prized; and if an eunuch, likewiſe, he is conſidered as a prodigy, and no pains [246] or expence ſpared to procure ſuch a rarity. We will now ſpeak of the women.

All the women in the ſeraglio are for the ſervice of the Grand Signor. No perſons whatever are per⯑mitted to introduce themſelves into the firſt gate that encompaſſes the haram, that is, the apartments in which the women are ſhut up. It is ſituated in a very remote part of the incloſure of the ſeraglio, and looks upon the ſea of Marmora. No perſon can poſſibly ſee theſe women, except the ſultan and the eunuchs. If any of them goes out of the ſeraglio, on an excur⯑ſion into the country, with the Grand Signor, the journey is made either in a barge or in a cloſe car⯑riage; and there is a kind of covered way made with linen curtains from the door of their apartment to the place of embarking, or getting into the carriage. All theſe women have the ſame origin as the pages, and the ſame means which are employed to procure the boy ſlaves, are uſed to ſupply the haram with women. The handſomeſt only, or thoſe who give hopes of being ſuch, are received into the ſeraglio, who muſt all be virgins. They, like the pages, are divided into two chambers, and their manual employment conſiſts in learning to ſew and embroider. With reſpect to their mental and perſonal accompliſhments, they are taught only muſic, dancing, voluptuous attitudes, and ſuch other allurements, as decency forbids expatiating upon, by which, ſays Habeſci, they endeavour to excite [247] the paſſions of the ſultan. The number of women kept in the ſeraglio, depends on the pleaſure of the Grand Signor. Sultan Selim had near 2,000, Sultan Mahmud had but 300; and the preſent emperor has nearly 1,600.

Theſe two chambers have windows, but they look only on the gardens of the ſeraglio. Among ſuch a great number of women, there is not a ſingle ſervant; and the method in which they wait on one another is not a little peculiar: the laſt entered waits upon the one who entered before her, and likewiſe upon her⯑ſelf, ſo that ſhe who is at the head of the liſt, is ſerved, without having any one to wait upon, and ſhe who entered laſt, has no one to wait upon her. They all ſleep in ſeparate beds, and between every fifth, there is a preceptreſs ſtationed to ſuperintend their conduct. Their head governeſs is called Katon Kiaia, or the governeſs of the noble young ladies. If there is a ſultana mother, ſhe forms her court from their cham⯑ber, having liberty to take as many young ladies as ſhe thinks proper.

The Grand Signor very frequently permits them to walk in the gardens of the ſeraglio. On ſuch oc⯑caſions all the workmen are ordered to retire, and black eunuchs are placed in every corner, with drawn ſabres, and others ordered to walk round the gardens, to prevent any perſon from looking at them. Should [248] any one be found in the gardens at this time, either through ignorance or inadvertence, he is inſtantly put to death, and his head brought to the feet of the Grand Signor, who rewards the eunuchs very liberally for their vigilance. Sometimes the Grand Signor himſelf goes into the gardens when the ladies are there, and it is then, that by dancing, ſinging, enticing atti⯑tudes, and other alluring geſtures, they practiſe all their little arts to endeavour to enſnare his affec⯑tions.

It is generally imagined the Grand Signor may take to his bed all the ladies of the ſeraglio whenever he is ſo inclined; this is a vulgar error; it was ſo in former times, but the immenſe preſents which it is uſual to give to thoſe ladies who are ſo favoured by the Grand Signors, determined them to make regula⯑tions, that have been adopted by all their ſucceſſors, in which the number, time, and etiquette of cohabi⯑ting with them is limited. It is true the ſultan can, if he pleaſes, break through theſe rules, but he ſeldom does, eſpecially, as beſides the immenſe expence in preſents, it may likewiſe coſt the lives of thoſe girls whom the prince is ſo partial to. In the reign of Sultan Achmet, above 150 women were poiſoned, who, by their allurements, had enticed the Grand Signor to be connected with them, contrary to the eſtabliſhed etiquette. The ſultan is not permitted to take a vir⯑gin to his embraces, except upon ſome extraordinary [249] feſtival, or great rejoicings. On theſe occaſions, if he wiſhes a freſh companion for his bed, he goes into the ladies apartment, who are ranged in files by their governeſſes, and intimates the one he wiſhes to have: the ceremony of the handkerchief, which the ſultan is ſaid to throw to the favoured fair, is an idle tale, without any foundation. When the Grand Signor has fixed on the lady he has deſtined to be the new partner of his affections, all the others follow her to the bath, waſhing and perfuming her, and after having dreſſed her very ſuperbly, conduct her ſinging, dan⯑cing, and rejoicing to the Grand Signor's bed-cham⯑ber, who, on ſuch occaſions, is generally already in bed to receive her. As ſoon as the new-elected fa⯑vourite enters the chamber, introduced by the prin⯑cipal eunuch upon guard, ſhe kneels down, and when the ſultan calls her, gets into bed at the foot, except the ſultan ſhould order her, as a ſpecial favour, to approach at the ſide. After a certain time, on a ſignal given by the ſultan, the governeſs of the ladies enters the apartment with her ſuite, and conducts her back to the women's apartment: if, by good fortune, ſhe becomes pregnant and is delivered of a boy, ſhe has the appellation of Aſaki Sultaneſs, or ſultana-mother. On the birth of the firſt ſon, ſhe has the honour of being crowned, and the liberty of forming her court. Eunuchs are alſo aſſigned her for her guard. No other ladies, though delivered of boys, except the firſt, are either crowned or entertained with any extraor⯑dinary [250] magnificence; they have, however, ſeparate eſtabliſhments, with very handſome appointments.

Thevenot ſays, that in the Grand Signor's bed cham⯑ber, there are large wax tapers burning all night, and Mooriſh women ſitting by them. And that on theſe nights he ſleeps in a chamber belonging to the haram, or women's apartments. And, in the morning, on his riſing, changes all his dreſs and leaves them to her he ſlept with, beſides whatever money was in his pockets; and that on his returning to his own apart⯑ments, he ſends immediately a preſent of jewels, money, and magnificent dreſſes of greater or leſs value, according as he was captivated with her charms.

After the death of the ſultan, the mother of the male children are ſhut up in the old ſeraglio, from whence they can never come out, unleſs one of their ſons aſcend the throne. The old ſeraglio was the palace of Conſtantine the Great: it is ſituated nearly in the centre of Conſtantinople; there theſe ſultanas are confined, as alſo thoſe ladies of the new ſeraglio who are indiſpoſed. Thoſe who are brought to bed of girls, are allowed the privilege of marrying, when the ſultan dies, of which they generally avail them⯑ſelves, to ſome of the principal perſons of the empire, who are very glad to have them for their riches, and the connexions and patronage which they generally have in the ſeraglio.

[251]Lady M. mentions a favourite ſultana, who on being preſented with an abſolute order to leave the ſeraglio, and chuſe herſelf a huſband among the great men of the Porte, at the deceaſe of the ſultan, threw herſelf at the feet of his ſucceſſor, and begged him to poignard her, rather than uſe his brother's widow with that contempt. She repreſented to him, in agonies of ſorrow, that ſhe was privileged from this misfortune, by having brought five princes into the Ottoman family; but all the boys being dead, and only one girl ſurviving, this excuſe was not received, and ſhe was compelled to make her choice. She choſe Bekir-Effendi, then ſecretary of ſtate, a Turkiſh nobleman above fourſcore years old, to convince the world, that ſhe firmly intended to keep the vow ſhe had made of never ſuffering a ſecond huſband to ap⯑proach her bed; and him ſhe choſe as a mark of her gratitude, ſince it was he that had preſented her, at the age of ten years, to her late lord. But ſhe never permitted him to pay her one viſit, though ſhe had been fifteen years in his houſe when lady M. viſited her, and ſhe was then but thirty-ſix, but paſſed her time in uninterrupted mourning, with a conſtancy very little known in Chriſtendom.

All thoſe ladies who have been connected with the deceaſed ſultan, but borne no children, are ſhut up for life in the old ſeraglio; thoſe with whom he has [252] had no intercourſe, remain in their apartments for the new Grand Signor.

Baron Tott, in his remarks on the Ottoman empire, ſays, that the daughters and ſiſters of the Grand Signor, when married to the vizirs and great men of the em⯑pire, dwell in their ſeparate palaces; but that all the male children, who are born to them, are inſtantly ſmothered by the perſon who delivers the mother. This, ſays he, is the moſt public of all their laws, and that which is leaſt infringed. No attempt is made to conceal theſe horrible aſſaſſinations; a deſpicable fear is the cauſe of them, more than the intereſt of the throne.

The daughters, who alone eſcape this murderous law, only preſerve the title of ſultana, by adding to it that of hanum, common to all women of tolerable fortune; and their children of both ſexes, whom theſe princeſſes may preſerve, now enter into the general claſs of the people, and are not diſtinguiſhed by any title. Born of a grand-daughter of the emperor, the influence of paternal notice, no longer reaches them: the great grandfather has loſt ſight of them in the ob⯑ſcurity of their birth.

It may not be amiſs to obſerve, before we finiſh this account of the ſeraglio, that unnatural vices reign in it to exceſs, not only among the pages, but alſo [253] among the ladies. The violent exceſſes of the pages, and their ſhameful amours with thoſe who are placed about the perſons of the monarch, might lead to very dangerous conſequences, if fire and ſword were not employed to reſtore tranquillity. But notwithſtanding the utmoſt vigilance of the eunuchs and their gover⯑nors, theſe vices are not to be entirely eradicated. Indeed, how can it be expected, when it is well known, ſays Habeſci, that almoſt all the ſultans have themſelves been guilty of ſuch crimes. Sultan Amurath was ſo enamoured of a young Armenian, that he made him his ſword-bearer. Mahomet IV. paid ſuch public homage to a young Greek, that all the court noticed it; he was declared chief favourite, with great cere⯑mony, and became deſpot of the empire. We could produce examples more modern and very recent, but thoſe already mentioned ſufficiently prove the contagion is ancient, and deeply rooted, and that it can never be extirpated. It is too general among the Mahometans.

The moſt indecent practices are alſo very common in the apartments of the ladies. Nor is it to be won⯑dered at, in girls well fed, leading an idle undiſturbed life, and whoſe chief employ is to prepare themſelves for ſenſual delights. Notwithſtanding the fatal doom that awaits them on diſcovery, the violence of their paſſion hurries them precipitately to their ruin. Alas! how many of theſe unhappy girls are thrown, [254] tied together, in guilty couples, from the ſeraglio into the ſea! In the reign of Muſtapha III. ſome hun⯑dreds thus fell victims to their incontinence; and not a year paſſes even at preſent, though their governeſſes are ever on the watch, without ſome ſuch ſacrifice, ſo ſhocking to humanity!

CHAP. V. In continuation.

HAVING now given as full and deſcriptive an account of the ſeraglio and its interior regula⯑tions, as is to be met with; it remains, only to ſpeak of the pomp and ſplendour with which the ſultan gives audiences to the ambaſſadors of foriegn powers, and of the grandeur and magnificence which attend him on other public occaſions.

The Turks take care that no ambaſſador ſhall be admitted to their audiences, but at certain times, when the Grand Signor is prepared to diſplay all the pomp and ſplendour of the court. For this reaſon, they are commonly appointed on the days of paying the mili⯑tary eſtabliſhment. The formalities of ſuch audiences merit a detail, and we ſhall fix on one given to a Venetian ambaſſador, as ſurpaſſing thoſe of the miniſ⯑ters of other nations.

[255]The reader ſhould be apprized that the Ottoman court retains all the ancient oriental magnificence, in its numerous train, ſumptuous apparel, coſtly jewels, and luxury, ſo often deſcribed by other writers; and that it is fond of diſplaying every external appearance of grandeur that can impreſs the minds of its ſubjects or ſtrangers with awe, ſurprize, and terror. A hint neceſſary to be given to reconcile to the reader that great and unbecoming haughtineſs ſo viſible in ſome part of their conduct on theſe public occaſions.

On the day appointed for the royal audience, the ambaſſador with his dragoman and ſecretary, embarks on board a very ſuperb galley, from the arſenal at Galata, belonging to the Grand Signor; its chief orna⯑ments, and the entire outſide of which, are of pure maſſive gold. Upon their landing, the ambaſſador and all his train, (for he is preceded not only by all his houſhold, but by all the Venetian ſubjects either at Pera or Conſtantinople,) are received by the Chiaus Bachi, or commanding officers of the police, who conduct them to a building on the ſhore near at hand, to which the Grand Signor occaſionally reſorts to enjoy the cool ſea breezes; here refreſhments are provided, and ſome time is ſpent, while the order of the entry is adjuſted. The proceſſion then moves on ſlowly, in the following manner:

[256]Firſt, three hundred Janiſſaries on foot, dreſſed in their habits of ceremony, the chief article of which conſiſts of long bonnets of white cloth, which deſcend a conſiderable length over their ſhoulders; their head cook cloſes the rear, habited in a black pellice, covered with ſilver chains, to which are ſuſpended in miniature, and likewiſe in ſilver, all the utenſils of a kitchen. He is followed by ſixty chiaus on horſeback, headed by their officer. After them thirty-ſix ſlaves belonging to the ambaſſador, dreſſed in his liveries, with their chief. Next to them, the ambaſſador's maſter of the horſe, his horſe led by ſix grooms in rich liveries. Then the major-domo, and another officer on horſeback, at the head of fifty-ſix horſemen be⯑longing to the ambaſſador, covered with liveries ſtill more ſuperb than the former. Next, his excellency's chief page on horſeback, followed by ten other lads who are linguiſts, and ſix dragomen or interpreters on horſeback. A colonel of the Janiſſaries ſurrounded by ſix chiocadars leads up the ſecond diviſion of this pro⯑ceſſion. Laſt of all, follows the ambaſſador in a robe of purple velvet, embroidered with gold flowers, wearing a ducal cap, and mounted on a ſtately horſe, richly capariſoned, and ſent to him by the Grand Sig⯑nor: on each ſide of the ambaſſador's horſe, ſix ſlaves in rich liveries. Three noble Venetians, two ſecre⯑taries of embaſſy, and two others follow his excellency, and after them, all the Venetians on horſeback. This proceſſion paſſes on in this order to the ſeraglio, and [257] laſts two hours from the time of the ambaſſador's landing.

Having entered the Sublime Porte, in the firſt ſquare an immenſe number of guards are drawn up, through the middle of which, as they fall back, his excellency paſſes on horſeback to the gate of the ſecond ſquare, where he alights; no perſon, except the ſovereign, being permitted to paſs that gate on horſeback. There he is met by the dragoman of the Porte, and after a few minutes paſſed in the ſecond ſquare, his excellency aſcends the flight of ſteps lead⯑ing to the divan chamber, preceded by the Chiaus Bachi, and the maſter of the ceremonies, very richly dreſſed, and both carrying ſilver maces, which they ſtrike againſt the ground like walking ſticks. The grand vizir being already ſeated on his ſopha to re⯑ceive petitions and memorials.

The divan chamber reſembles Weſtminſter-hall, but is neither ſo long nor ſo lofty: the breadth ap⯑pears nearly the ſame. It is badly lighted by a large dome in the centre, and at the upper end are the tribunals of the grand vizir, exactly in the ſame poſi⯑tion, and raiſed in the ſame manner above the hall, as the paſſage between the courts of chancery and king's bench, leading to our houſe of commons. Behind the vizir's ſopha, and no great height above his head, is a ſmall window, grated with iron bars double gilt, within [258] which the Grand Signor is ſeated; he cannot be diſtin⯑guiſhed, but it is known when he is there, by the bril⯑liancy of the large diamonds in his turban. In one angle, at a diſtance from the vizir, but at the ſame end of the hall, are ſeated on ſophas, the two chief-juſtices of the Ottoman empire; their heads covered with large turbans, the one white, the other green. From an opening in the wall at the left angle, there is an en⯑trance into a ſecond hall, which ſeems united with the firſt; and in this there are a great number of other high officers of ſtate ſeated on ſophas according to their rank.

But the poor ambaſſador has a great deal to ſuffer in the divan chamber before he proceeds any further. The audience of an ambaſſador is the time of all others choſen to preſent, publicly, a great number of peti⯑tions and memorials to the vizir, purpoſely to ſhew his authority. While this buſineſs goes forward, the vizir ſends the dragoman to his excellency, with com⯑plimentary meſſages to fill up the time. The next trial of his patience is, iſſuing the money for payment of the military eſtabliſhment for ſix months. And as a proof of their oſtentation, it will often happen that the day of giving audience to an ambaſſador cannot be put off till it is due; in which caſe, to the great joy of the military, it muſt be paid in advance, for they will not omit this diſplay of their riches. It may indeed, happen the ſix months are expired, and then the payment is put off to the day of audience.

[259]The money is all brought into the divan chamber in bags called purſes, and flung upon the ground without any order. The grand vizir orders one of them to be opened and counted pro forma. The firſt troops to be paid are the Janiſſaries, of whom not leſs than 20,000 are aſſembled in the outward courts, before the Sublime Porte, upon occaſion of the audi⯑ence of an ambaſſador, as impatient to receive their pay as to have the order given to receive what they call the Miniſters; being a kind of rice ſoup, given to them on ſuch days, by the Grand Signor. The colo⯑nel of the oldeſt regiment of the Janiſſaries appears firſt, at the door of the divan chamber, when he is called in, and as many bags as will pay him and his men, are flung out of the door down the ſteps, upon which he retires bowing all the way, and conſtantly facing the tribunal, ſo that he walks out backwards. The colonel of every regiment does the ſame; but before the ſecond enters, the money belonging to the firſt muſt be cleared away, which is done by throwing the bags through an aperture like a window into the ſquare below; where the Janiſſaries of his regiment count the money again, and then carry it off to their quarters as faſt as poſſible; he who can carry away moſt being moſt eſteemed by his officers. This abſurd ceremony laſts three hours, and it requires the patience of a Stoic to ſit it out.

[260]When this buſineſs is finiſhed, three tables are co⯑vered for dinner, one before the vizir, another before the Tefterdar, and a third before the Niſſangi. The ambaſſador alone dines at the vizir's table, and his ſuite at the other two. This repaſt is very ſhort, though the number and variety of the diſhes are inconceivable. Theſe are all ſerved up in green china, and one at a time according to the Turkiſh faſhion, but then they are re⯑moved every two of three minutes; the ſervants, how⯑ever, who attend, uſe equal diſpatch in laying the beſt parts on the plates of their gueſts, who, if they like what is ſerved on their plates, may let the next diſh paſs without exchanging it. After dinner the ambaſſador re⯑turns to his ſeat, and the Reis-Effendi preſents to the vizir his memorial requiring an audience of the Grand Signor. The vizir reads and ſigns it, then wraps it up in a piece of embroidered ſilk, and ſeals it; over this cover he puts a ſheet of white paper and a private mark; and then delivers it to the Chiaus Bachi, who carries it to the Grand Signor. Upon the return of that officer with the ſultan's anſwer, the vizir quits his ſopha, and goes to the door of the divan chamber to receive it. He touches it with his forehead, as an act of ſubmiſſion; then returns to his place, opens and reads it, after which he gives orders that the ambaſſador ſhould be conducted through the ſecond hall, where the other great officers are a [...]ra [...]ged, as before mentioned, and where the Chiaus Bachi attend with the preſents brought by the ambaſſador for the Grand Signor; [261] from thence he proceeds to an open ſaloon, the door of which opens into the Grand Signor's apartments. Here his excellency and his attendants put on their caftans. As ſoon as the proper officers have opened this door, the ambaſſador is introduced by the grand vizir and the aga of the Janiſſaries, ſupported on each ſide by two capici-bachis. In this manner his excel⯑lency and his train enter the preſence-chamber, where the Grand Signor is ſeated on his throne, conſiſting of a ſopha raiſed ſeveral feet from the ground, and placed in the upper corner of the room, on the right hand; with upright cuſhions to ſupport his back and arms, if he chuſes it; theſe cuſhions are richly em⯑broidered, and adorned with pearls and other jewels; the canopy over the throne is extremely magnificent; made of crimſon ſatin, lined with white ſatin, and faced with plated gold, interſperſed with brilliant diamonds and pearls. But nothing can exceed the ſplendour of the ſultan's dreſs, his turban and caftan being al⯑moſt covered with jewels: the ambaſſador then bows to the Grand Signor, and addreſſes him in a ſhort harangue, in the Venetian language, the purport of which is to aſſure his ſublime highneſs, that the re⯑public of Venice ardently deſires to cultivate an eternal friendſhip with his highneſs and all his ſubjects. His credentials are then delivered to the grand vizir, who places them on the throne. Upon this the ſultan ſpeaks a few words to the vizir, charging him to de⯑liver an anſwer on his part to the ambaſſador, that he [262] will grant peace, friendſhip, and protection to him and his countrymen throughout the empire. The ambaſſador then makes his bow and retires.

As the ambaſſador and his train reach the ſecond court, where their horſes are left, before the vizir can get ready with his immenſe ſuite, his excellency is obliged to wait ſome time before this parade is adjuſ⯑ted; for, upon this occaſion, the vizir and all the other great officers of the ſeraglio go before the am⯑baſſador to conduct him out of the Porte on his return; after which they ſeparate, the ambaſſador and his train proceeding towards Pera, and the vizir at⯑tended by the other officers going to his own houſe. The proceſſion, therefore, from the ſecond ſquare of the ſeraglio to the ſtreet, though ſhort, is very magnifi⯑cent.—Such was the etiquette attending the reception of an ambaſſador from the republic of Venice.

A remarkable political axiom in the Turkiſh laws reſpecting their impriſoning the foreign miniſters, has been totally overlooked by all writers upon their ſyſtem of government, which we think it right to notice: perhaps they were ignorant of the fact. The Ottoman court conſiders every ambaſſador as having two diſtinct characters, the one repreſentative, the other perſonal. In the exerciſe of the firſt, they view him as repreſenting his ſovereign, and in this light treat him with great reſpect, and even allow that he [263] may aſſume the tone of a maſter, and ſtate his demands to the Grand Signor, complaining of any infringe⯑ment of treaties, or acts of injuſtice committed by the Turks againſt the ſubjects of the ſtate he repreſents, and even to inſiſt upon ſatisfaction in the moſt peremp⯑tory terms.

But if he offers to threaten them with an approach⯑ing war, or proceeds nearly to a declaration of it, before he leaves their dominions, they ſay he has a perſonal character, which is that of hoſtage given by way of aſſurance and ſecurity to the court to which he is ſent, and where he reſides, that he will not violate the treaties ſubſiſting between them; and in this capa⯑city they make him reſponſible for the rupture with which he threatens them; and juſtify their diſregard to the univerſal law of nations, which declares the perſons of ambaſſadors to be ſacred, even in time of war.

Though there is no diſtinction of title between the foreign miniſters reſiding at Conſtantinople, yet greater honours are ſhewn to ſome than to others. As ſoon as the Imperial ambaſſador arrives on the Turkiſh frontiers, he and all his ſuite are maintained at the expence of the Grand Signor till his return, be his ſtay ever ſo long. The ſame conduct was obſerved with reſpect to Prince Repnin, ambaſſador-extraordi⯑nary from Ruſſia; but this was upon a very particular [264] occaſion, namely, to negociate a peace, and is no pre⯑cedent for other miniſters from the ſame court. The Imperial ambaſſador, likewiſe, brings very rich pre⯑ſents to the Grand Signor, who ſends back to the em⯑peror preſents ſtill more valuable by his ambaſſador at Vienna; whereas the ambaſſadors of France, Eng⯑land, and Holland, make very conſiderable preſents to the ſultan, who makes no acknowledgments what⯑ever in return. Theſe preſents the Grand Signor lays a kind of claim to from thoſe powers for the per⯑miſſion granted them to ſend miniſters to reſide at his court, and for the protection and privileges allowed to their trading ſubjects.

There is a peculiar diſtinction ſhewn the Venetian ambaſſador, beſides that of a public entry, namely, to fire a number of mortars on St. Mark's day, ac⯑cording to the age of the doge, and to keep the feſtival with as much noiſe and mirth as his people ſhall think proper. This is never permitted to the ambaſſador of any crowned head, even on ſuch occaſions as the birth-days, marriages, or coronations of their reſpec⯑tive princes.

The homage they pay the emperor of Germany is very great; and in caſes where they have had reaſon to complain of the conduct of the Imperial miniſter at Conſtantinople, they have ſuppreſſed their complaints, [265] and quietly ſubmitted to the violation of their moſt ſacred rights.

An inſtance of this kind occurred during the late war between the Ruſſians and the Turks, of ſo ſingular a nature, that it merits an ample recital of all its cir⯑cumſtances. The ceremony of expoſing the ſacred ſtandard of Mahomet, by carrying it in grand proceſ⯑ſion through the principal ſtreets of Conſtantinople, previouſly to its being tranſported to the camp, is a ſolemnity held in the higheſt veneration by the Turks, and ſo ſacred, that they will not permit any perſon of what ever rank or religion, beſides Muſſulmen to ſee it; on which account, three days before the day of the proceſſion, heralds are ſent into every ſtreet of Con⯑ſtantinople, to proclaim, that on ſuch a day the ſtand⯑ard of Mahomet will be carried through the city, on its way to the army, and that no perſon who are not Mahometans are to be in the ſtreets, through which it paſſes, or even looking into them, from any of the houſes, on pain of death. Notwithſtanding this public prohibition, the Imperial miniſter, unmindful of his public character, which ſhould have made him more delicate than a private individual on ſuch an occaſion, was perſuaded to gratify the curioſity of his wife and two daughters, who were determined to ſee this grand proceſſion. For this purpoſe he hired a chamber in the houſe of a moulah or lawyer, the price of which was fixed at fifty piaſtres; two days before the ſolem⯑nity [266] was to take place, the miniſter found out a more convenient apartment, at an inferior price, which he immediately took, and relinquiſhed the firſt. The moulah in vain repreſented that Europeans generally kept their word, but more eſpecially miniſters in pub⯑lic characters; he was refuſed every kind of ſatisfaction, and diſmiſſed with taunts, the miniſter well knowing that no tribunal would dare to proceed againſt him; and that though the order of moulahs have the moſt powerful intereſt with the government, yet their dread of offending his royal maſter was ſuperior to every other conſideration. The moulah ſubmitted in ap⯑pearance, without murmuring, but ſecretly vowed vengeance, and only waited a proper opportunity to gratify this darling paſſion in the breaſt of a Turk.

In the very moment that the holy ſtandard was paſſing through the ſtreet in which the ambaſſador, his lady, and two daughters had taken a chamber, and as it approached the houſe, from a window of which, half opened, they were looking at the ſplendid ſhew, the moulah ſet up a loud cry, that the holy ſtandard was profaned by the eyes of infidels, who were view⯑ing it through the latticed window of ſuch a houſe. The multitude, which was immenſe, as all ranks of people attend ſuch a ſolemnity, inſtantly took the alarm, and a party, conſiſting of near three hundred enraged Janiſſaries, detached themſelves from the proceſſion, and broke open the door of the houſe, [267] determined to ſacrifice to the prophet, thoſe daring infidels, who had profaned his holy ſtandard. The imprudent miniſter in vain repreſented to them, that he was the Imperial ambaſſador; he was inſtantly knocked down, and the inner doors being forced, they found the ambaſſadreſs, whom they ſtripped of her jewels and cloaths, and nothing but her age protected her from further inſults. As for the young ladies, they had fallen ſenſeleſs upon the floor in a ſwoon, from which they were only recovered by the extreme torture of having their ear-rings torn from them with ſuch violence, that part of their ears went with them; they were likewiſe ſtripped to their ſhifts, and what they ſuffered beſides, no mortal can tell: it was reported that ſome of the Janiſſaries had compaſſion on their youth and beauty, and the wretched ſituation to which they were reduced, while another party were deaf to all entreaties: be this as it may, after they had plundered them, they retired, and in the evening this deplorable family were ſecretly conveyed to Galata.

As ſoon as the grand vizir received information of the horrid outrage committed on the perſon of the ambaſſador and the ladies, he communicated it to the Grand Signor, who condeſcended to ſend him compli⯑ments of condolence and excuſe in his own name, ac⯑companied with a rich pelice, which is a diſtinguiſhing token of peace in Turkey; and as his ſublime highneſs knew the miniſter loved money, a very handſome ſum [268] was ſent to him privately, and ſeparate purſes to the ladies, beſides jewels far ſuperior to thoſe the Ja⯑niſſaries had taken from them. Having received ſuch ample indemnifications, the whole family ſeemed per⯑fectly ſatisfied; and the young ladies related the ad⯑venture to their Chriſtian friends, in a manner that did no great credit to their modeſty.

Had the piece finiſhed with this act, all would have been well; but, unfortunately, the Divan thought ſomething was due to public decorum, and that an ex⯑ample of ſeverity was requiſite in point of policy, that other foreign miniſters might be aſſured of the ſafety of their perſon and property. The ſtricteſt ſearch was, therefore, made to diſcover the individuals guilty of theſe perſonal inſults and indignities to the ambaſſador and the ladies, without effect: but the heads of 300 perſons, Janiſſaries, and others concerned in the riot, were cut off, and information ſent to the ambaſſador of this bloody execution, with a requeſt to know, if that would ſatisfy him? To which he replied, ſo far as re⯑ſpected his own perſon and family, he was ſatisfied; but that having ſent diſpatches to Vienna on the ſubject, he could ſay no more till they arrived. The courier, impatiently expected by both ſides, at length arrived, and brought ſuch an anſwer as might be expected from ſo diſcerning a prince as the emperor. It contained no complaints againſt the Porte, but an order of recall to the miniſter, couched in ſuch terms that ſtruck [269] him to the heart, for he inſtantly fell ſick, and either died by his own hands, or a natural death, in a few days. His wife and daughters ſoon after returned privately to Vienna, where the ſtory of the young ladies had arrived long before them, and was repreſent⯑ed in ſuch a light to the Empreſs Dowager, then living, and abſorbed in devout exerciſes, that they were ordered to retire to a convent for the remainder of their life.

Baron Tott relates a ſingular trait of the late empe⯑ror, which accords little with that immenſe ſtate and ſplendour with which the Turkiſh emperors receive ambaſſadors from foreign powers. This prince, ſays he, violent and haſty in his temper, but weak, im⯑patient, and curious to exceſs, exhibited to us, on our return from the ſeraglio, when Mr. De Vergennes had his audience as ambaſſador, a very ſingular ſcene. We ſaw him diſguiſed like a profeſſor of the law, ac⯑compained by two of his officers, who appeared as footmen; he had ſtopped in a ſtreet to ſee us go by, and as we paſſed on into the Acmeidan or Hippodrome, we preſently perceived he had overtaken us, and was running by our ſide, but ſlackening his pace when he came up to the ambaſſador, he accompanied him to the end of that ſquare, and then beginning to run again, he croſſed the ſtreet in front of the proceſſion, and entering one of the gates of the ſeraglio, went out of it again near the ſea, to meet us when we were to [270] take water. There he remained till our departure, and then returned again to his palace; and we ſaw no more of him.

I remarked, adds the baron, during the whole time this prince kept us company in the Hippodrome, where we were ſurrounded by numbers, whom curioſity had drawn together, no one gave the leaſt ſign or intima⯑tion which could diſcover him, though every one knew him and trembled at his preſence: but depotiſm tyrannizes over every thing, and forces its ſlaves to diſſemble even the very fear it inſpires.

On the oppoſite ſide of the canal, nearly adjoining to Scutari, is a very magnificent kioſh or pleaſure-houſe of the Grand Signor's, ſituated at Chalcedon, a town of ancient note of which, but little remains are to be ſeen. It had formerly two very celebrated temples, dedicated, one to Apollo, the other to Venus. When Chalcedon was an eminent city, Scutari was an ignoble village; but by the contrary events of fate, the former is now reduced to nothing, and Scutari is a fair and ſpacious city. Its canal, among other names, had that of Fretum Chalcedonium.

The ſituation of this kioſh is very pleaſant; it is in the centre, and on the higheſt ſpot of a very fine garden. Moſt of the walks are ſhaded with trees, and there are ſeveral noble parterres of very con⯑ſiderable [271] length. They all end at the kioſh, from whence there is a moſt delightful proſpect.

It was the natural beauty of this place that inclined Soliman II. to build this kioſh, where he might retire occaſionally with ſome of the ladies of the ſeraglio. And for this purpoſe he had a ſtately ſopha built in a place a little higher than the reſt, furniſhed with quilts, cuſhions, and rich carpets, and ſurrounded with marble baluſtrades. This ſopha is a ſquare and placed in the middle of a large baſon of the ſame form, which is inſenſibly filled with a great many caſcades, ſo high as to be fit to bathe in.

Soliman, who took as much pleaſure in the delights of Venus, as he did in thoſe of Mars, had this place enriched with all the voluptuous ornaments, which the ſkill of Mahometan artiſts could invent, and often croſſed over from his ſeraglio at Conſtantinople, that he might indulge himſelf more freely in thoſe extra⯑vagant pleaſures to which his inclinations prompted him.

From Lady C.'s late account of Conſtantinople and its environs, it ſhould ſeem theſe kioſhs are no longer the reigning taſte. The ſultans, ſays ſhe, formerly built different palaces or pleaſure-houſes, on the bor⯑ders of the canal, which are now forſaken. There is one on the Aſiatic ſide, in the midſt of a fine garden, [272] falling to ruin very faſt: there are, however, ſome very magnificent looking-glaſſes and furniture ſtill re⯑maining in it, and what ſeems very abſurd, theſe are not removed, but ſuffered to fall and periſh as it may pleaſe the wind and rain. No one being permitted to touch or remove any thing, the Porte and the public are equally loſers; the garden, large enough to make a beautiful park, is left quite wild, and as no perſon goes into it, one of the moſt beautiful ſpots on that coaſt, juſt facing the ſeraglio, is loſt to every one. This is the caſe with every royal reſidence, which when aban⯑doned by the caprice of the ſovereign, is neither de⯑moliſhed nor even unfurniſhed, but ſuffered to con⯑tinue in the ſame manner as if it was inhabited.

That we may enable our readers to form ſome idea of the ſplendour of the country ſeats of the great men of the Ottoman empire, we ſhall give Lady M.'s deſcription of one on the banks of the canal, belonging to a Grand Vizir, who married a ſultana, daughter of the reigning ſultan. It is ſituated, ſays ſhe, on one of the moſt delightful parts of the canal, with a fine wood on the ſide of a hill behind it. The extent of it is prodigious; the guardian aſſured me there are near eight hundred rooms in it; it is certain the num⯑ber is very large; and the whole adorned with a pro⯑fuſion of marble, gilding, and the moſt exquiſite painting of fruit and flowers. The windows are all ſaſhed with the fineſt chryſtaline glaſs brought from [273] England, and here is all the magnificence that can be ſuppoſed in a palace founded by a vain luxurious young man, with the wealth of a vaſt empire at his command.

But no part of this palace is more to be admired, than the apartments deſtined for the bagnios. There are two built exactly in the ſame manner, anſwering to one another; the bath, fountains, and pavements, are all of white marble, the roofs gilt, and the walls covered with Japan china. Adjoining to them are two rooms, the uppermoſt of which is divided into a ſopha, and in the four corners are falls of water from the very roof, from ſhell to ſhell of white marble, to the lower end of the room, where it falls into a large baſon, ſurrounded with pipes that throw up the water as high as the room. The walls are in the nature of lattices, and on the outſide of them, there are vines and woodbines planted, that form a kind of green tapeſtry, and give an agreeable obſcurity to thoſe delightful chambers. I ſhould go on, ſays ſhe, and let you into ſome of the other apartments, all worthy of being deſcribed; but it is harder to deſcribe a Turkiſh palace than any other, being built entirely irregular. There is nothing that can be called front or wings; and though ſuch a confuſion is pleaſing to the ſight, yet it would be very unintelligible in deſcription. Suffice it, therefore, only to add, that the chamber, deſtined for the ſultan, when he viſits his daughter, is [274] wainſcoted with mother of pearl, faſtened with emeralds like nails. There are others of mother of pearl and olive wood inlaid, and ſeveral of Japan china. The galleries which are numerous and very large, are adorn⯑ed with jars of flowers, and porcelane diſhes of fruit of all ſorts, ſo well done in plaſter, and coloured in ſo lively a manner, that it has an enchanting effect. The garden is ſuitable to the houſe, where harbours, foun⯑tains and walks are thrown together in an agreeable confuſion. There is no ornament wanting, but that of ſtatues. Thus it may be ſeen, that thoſe people are not ſo unpoliſhed as they are repreſented. It is true their magnificence is of a different taſte from that of Europeans, and perhaps of a better. One is apt ſometimes to think they have a right notion of life. They conſume it in muſic, gardens, wine, and delicate eating, while we are tormenting our brains with ſome ſcheme of politics, or ſtudying ſome ſcience, to which we can never attain, or if we do, cannot perſuade other people to ſet that value upon it we do ourſelves. It is certain what we feel and ſee is properly, if any thing is properly, our own; but the good of fame, the folly of praiſe, are hardly purchaſed, and when obtained, poor recompence for loſs of time and health. We die and grow old before we can reap the fruit of our labours; conſidering then, what ſhort-lived weak ani⯑mals men are, is there any ſtudy ſo beneficial, as the ſtudy of preſent pleaſure?

[275]The Grand Signor's dreſs differs very little from that of other perſons, except in length and richneſs. His turban is like that of the baſhaws, except only that he wears plumes and breeches, which they do not. He ſleeps upon velvet mattreſſes, or ſuch as are made of gold cloth, covered in ſummer with ſheets, embroi⯑red with ſilk, and in winter with furs. When he ſleeps in his own apartments, two old women keep watch in his chamber to light him, if he chuſes to count his beads at the hours of prayer, which are twelve at night, and two hours before day-break. The women's dreſs is much like that of the men's, for they wear breeches and buſkins, and ſleep in them, wearing thin ones in ſummer, and thick ones in winter.

When he goes to the moſque on Fridays, he is ac⯑companied through the city by all the baſhaws and grandees, beſides a large retinue of ſervants who walk by his ſide. The people, as he goes along, follow him with repeated acclamations of health and happi⯑neſs, which he returns by a nod. If he goes abroad by water, he is carried in his barge covered with crim⯑ſon velvet, richly embroidered, under which he ſits, his officers ſtanding all round him. If by land, he is always on horſeback.

It appears even at other times his retinue is very ſplendid. I went, ſays Lady M. to ſee the Grand Signor, in his paſſage to the moſque. He was pre⯑ceded [276] by a numerous guard of Janiſſaries, with vaſt white feathers on their heads, as alſo by the ſpahis and boſtangis—theſe are foot and horſe guards, and the royal gardeners, which are a very conſiderable body of men, dreſſed in different habits of fine lively colours; ſo that at a diſtance, they appeared like a parterre of tulips. After them came the aga of the Janiſſaries, in a robe of purple velvet, lined with ſilver tiſſue, his horſe led by two ſlaves richly dreſſed. Next him the Kiſlar-Aga, (this is the chief guardian of the ladies of the ſeraglio) in a deep yellow cloth, which ſuited very well to his black face, and lined with ſables. Laſt came his ſublime highneſs arrayed in green, lined with the fur of a Muſcovite fox, ſup⯑poſed to be worth a thouſand pounds ſterling, and mounted on a fine horſe, decorated with jewels. Six more horſes richly capariſoned, were led for him; and two of his principal courtiers bore, one his gold, and the other, his ſilver coffee-pot on a ſtaff; another car⯑ried a ſilver ſtool for him to ſit on. It would be too tedious to tell all the various dreſſes and turbans by which their rank is diſtinguiſhed, but they were all extremely rich and gay, to the number of ſome thouſands.

CHAP. VI. Of Adrianople.

THIS city is 144 miles from Conſtantinople, and was anciently called Oreſtes, but now receives its name from the Emperor Adrian; it was the firſt European ſeat of the Turkiſh empire, and has been the favourite reſidence of many ſultans. Its ſituation is very fine, and the country round it very beautiful; but the air is extremely bad, and the ſeraglio itſelf is not free from the ill effects of it. The town, gardens included, is eight miles in compaſs. The river Maritza, an⯑ciently the Hebrus, on which the city is ſituated at the place where it receives the Tunſa and the Harda, is dried up every ſummer, which contributes very much to make it unwholeſome. In winter it is a large and ſpacious river, but with a ſlow ſtream. There are two noble bridges over it. The city which is fair and compact, riſes gently from the banks of this river; the exchange is very ſpacious, being above half a mile in length; the roof arched, and kept extremely neat. It holds three hundred and ſixty-five ſhops, furniſhed with all ſorts of rich goods, expoſed to ſale in the ſame manner as at Exeter-'change, in London, but the pavement is kept much neater, and the ſhops are all ſo clean, that they ſeem juſt painted. Idle people of all ſorts, walk here for their diverſion, and amuſe them⯑ſelves [278] with drinking coffee or ſherbet, which is cried about as oranges and ſweetmeats are in our play-houſes.

Near it is the Sherſki, a ſtreet of a mile in length, full of ſhops of all kinds of fine merchandize, but exceſſive dear, nothing being manufactured here. It is cover⯑ed on the top with boards to keep out the rain, and that merchants may meet conveniently in all weathers. The Beſiſten near it, is another exchange, built upon pillars, where all kinds of horſe furniture are ſold; and glittering every where with gold, rich embroidery, and jewels, it makes a very agreeable ſhew.

In moſt of our accounts of Turkey, ſays Lady M. it is obſerved, that their houſes are the moſt miſerable pieces of building in the world. On the contrary, ſays ſhe, the manner of building here appears to me very agreeable and peculiarly adapted to the country. 'Tis true they are not at all ſolicitous in this city to beautify the outſides of their houſes, and they are generally built with wood, which is the cauſe of many inconveniencies, but this is not to be charged to the ill taſte of the people, but to the oppreſſion of the govern⯑ment. Every houſe, at the death of its maſter, is at the Grand Signor's diſpoſal, and therefore no man cares to enter into any great expence, which he is not ſure his family will be the better for. All their deſign is to build a commodious houſe, that will laſt their lives, and they are very indifferent if it falls [279] down the year after. Every houſe, great and ſmall, is divided into two diſtinct parts, joining together only by a narrow paſſage. The firſt houſe has a large court before it, and open galleries all round it, which to many people will appear very agreeable. The gallery leads to all the chambers, which are commonly large, and with two rows of windows, the firſt being of painted glaſs; they ſeldom build above two ſtories, each of which has galleries. The ſtairs are broad, and not often above thirty ſteps. This is the houſe be⯑longing to the lord, and the adjoining one is called the haram, that is, the ladies apartment; it has alſo a gallery running round it towards the garden, to which all the windows are turned, and the ſame number of chambers as the other, but more gay and ſplendid, both in painting and furniture. The ſecond row of windows is very low, with grates like thoſe of convents, the rooms are all ſpread with Perſia carpets, and raiſed at one end of them, about two feet. This is the ſopha which is laid with a richer ſort of carpeting, and all round it a ſort of couch raiſed half a foot, covered with rich ſilk, according to the fancy or magnificence of the owner. Some are of ſcarlet cloth, with a gold fringe; round about this are placed, ſtanding againſt the wall, two rows of cuſhions, the firſt very large, and the reſt little ones; and here the Turks diſplay their greateſt magnificence. They are generally bro⯑cade, or embroidery of gold wire upon white ſatin. Nothing can look more gay and ſplendid. Theſe ſeats [280] are alſo ſo convenient and eaſy, that a perſon accuſ⯑tomed to them will never endure chairs again whilſt he lives. The rooms are low, which ſome people think no fault, and the cieling is always of wood, generally inlaid or painted with flowers. They open in many places with folding doors, and ſerve for cabinets, more conveniently than ours. Between the windows are little arches to ſet pots of perfume, or baſkets of flowers. But what is moſt pleaſing, is the faſhion of having marble fountains in the lower part of the room, which throw up ſeveral ſpouts of water, giving at the ſame time an agreeable coolneſs, and a pleaſant daſhing found in falling from one baſon to another. Some of theſe are very magnificent. Each houſe has a bagnio, which conſiſts generally in two or three little rooms leaded at the top, paved with marble, with baſons, cocks of water, and all conveniences for either hot or cold water.

The harams, or women's apartments, are always built backwards, removed from the ſight, and have no other proſpect than the gardens, which are incloſed with very high walls. There is none of our parterres in them; but they are planted with high trees, which give an agreeable ſhade, and a very pleaſing view. In the midſt of the garden is the kioſh, that is, a large room, commonly beautified with a fine fountain in the midſt. It is raiſed nine or ten ſteps, and incloſed with gilded lattices, round which vines, jeſſamines, [281] and honeyſuckles make a ſort of green wall. Large trees are planted round this place, which is the ſcene of their greateſt pleaſures, and where the ladies ſpend moſt of their hours, employed by their muſic or em⯑broidery. In the public gardens there are public kioſhs, where people go that are not ſo well accom⯑modated at home, and drink their coffee, ſherbet, &c. Neither are they ignorant of a more durable manner of building; their moſques are all of free ſtone, and the public khans or inns, are extremely magnificent; many of them taking up a large ſquare, built round with ſhops under ſtone arches, where poor artificers are lodged gratis. They have always a moſque joining to them, and the body of the khan is a moſt noble hall capable of holding three or four hundred perſons; the court extremely ſpacious, and ſurrounded by cloiſters, that give it the air of our colleges; and this, no doubt, is a more reaſonable piece of charity, than the founding of convents.

The greateſt beauty of this city, and as ſome think of the whole empire, is the moſque of Sultan Selim the ſecond, built by him out of materials brought chiefly from the ruins of Famaguſta in the iſland of Cyprus. Yet the area not being ſquare, nor ſupported with ſuch rich or correſpondent pillars, four only excepted, that adorn the front, I eſteem it, ſays Chiſhull, inferior to the two noble moſques of Solyman and Achmet, at Conſtantinople.

[282]It is ſituated very advantageouſly in the midſt of the city, and in the higheſt part of it, making a very noble ſhew. The firſt court has four gates, the inner⯑moſt, three. They are both of them ſurrounded with cloiſters, with marble pillars of the Ionic order, finely poliſhed, and of very lively colours, the whole pave⯑ment is of white marble, and the roof of the cloiſters, divided into ſeveral cupolas or domes, headed with gilt balls on the top. In the midſt of each court are fine fountains of white marble, and before the great gate of the moſque, a portico with green marble pillars, which has five gates, the body of the moſque being one prodigious dome. It has two rows of marble galleries on pillars, with marble baluſtrades, the pave⯑ment is alſo covered with Perſian carpets. It is no ſmall addition to its beauty, that it is not divided into pews, and encumbered with forms and benches like our churches; nor are the pillars, which are moſt of them red and white marble, disfigured by the little tawdry images and pictures, that give Roman Catholic churches the air of toy ſhops. The walls ſeem to be inlaid with ſuch very lively colours, in ſmall flowers, as to give them at firſt ſight the appearance of precious ſtones. In the midſt, hangs a vaſt lamp of ſilver, gilt; with at leaſt two thouſand of a leſſer ſize. This muſt look very glorious when they are all lighted; but being at night, no women are ſuffered to enter.

[283]Under the large lamp is a great pulpit of carved wood, gilt, and juſt by, a fountain to waſh, which is an eſſential part of their devotion. In one corner is a little gallery encloſed with gilded lattices for the Grand Signor. At the upper end of a large niche, very like an altar, raiſed on two ſteps, and covered with gold brocade, are two ſilver gilt candleſticks, the heighth of a man, and in them white wax-candles as thick as a man's wriſt.

This moſque is adorned with four regular and beau⯑tiful minarets, each of which has 244 ſtairs leading into the uppermoſt balcony. Each minaret has three bal⯑conies, that imitate the capitals of pillars, between which the whole body of the column is regularly channelled. One of them is remarkable for having three ſtaircaſes winding one within another, ſo that three prieſts may aſcend to each of the balconies without meeting one another. It is from theſe balconies that the Imans call the people to prayers. From the up⯑permoſt of them, ſays Chiſhull, we had an opportunity of viewing the ſeveral parts and precincts of the city, the plat of the ſeraglio, the courſe of the rivers, and the face of the country below, with the buſy cares of the ſeveral mortals wandering about like ſo many ants on that ſpot of earth then ſubject to our eye.

Adjoining to one of theſe moſques is a mad-houſe, a noble building of a circular figure, covered with a [284] regular cupola, and having a large area in the middle, with a ciſtern of water; but conveniently divided all round into chambers made arch-ways, and opening on one ſide into the area. Here the madmen are kept, who are all furniſhed with clean mats, and tied cloſe down to the pavement by an iron chain faſtened about their necks for greater ſecurity.

For ſome miles round this city, the whole ground is laid out in gardens, and the banks of the rivers are ſet with rows of fruit trees, under which the better claſs of people divert themſelves every evening, not with walking, that not being one of their paſtimes; but a ſet party of them chuſe a green ſpot, where the ſhade is very thick, and they ſpread a carpet, on which they fit drinking their coffee, and are generally at⯑tended by ſome ſlave who has a fine voice, or plays on ſome inſtrument. Every twenty paces one of theſe little companies may be ſeen, liſtening to the daſhing of the river; and this taſte is ſo univerſal that the very gardeners are not without it. I have often ſeen them and their children, ſays Lady M. ſitting on the banks of the river and playing on a rural inſtrument, per⯑fectly anſwering the deſcription of the ancient fiſtula, being compoſed of unequal reeds, with a ſimple but agreeable ſoftneſs in the ſound. There is not a ſingle inſtrument of muſic, ſhe adds, among the Greek or Roman ſtatues, that is not to be found in the hands of the people of this country. The young lads generally [285] divert themſelves with making garlands for their favourite lambs, which they paint and adorn with flowers; and who are lying at their feet all the time they are ſinging or playing. Such are the ancient amuſements here, and which are as natural to them as cudgel-playing and foot-ball to our Britiſh ſwains: the ſoftneſs and warmth of the climate forbidding all rough exerciſes, which were never ſo much as heard of amongſt them; and naturally inſpiring a lazineſs and averſion to labour, which the great plenty indulges. Theſe gardeners are the only happy race of country people in Turkey. They furniſh all the city with fruits and herbs, and ſeem to live very eaſily. They are moſt of them Greeks, and have little houſes in the midſt of their gardens, where their wives and daughters take a liberty not permitted in the city, that of going unveiled. Theſe wenches are very neat and hand⯑ſome, and paſs their time at their looms under the trees.

To thoſe who viſit this province of Turkey, Theo⯑critus will no longer be looked upon as romantic: he has only given a plain image of the way of life among the peaſants of his country, who, before oppreſſion had reduced them to want, were probably employed as the better ſort of them are now. Had he been born a Briton, his Idyllium would have been filled with deſcriptions of threſhing and churning; both which are unknown here, the corn being all trodden out by oxen, and butter unheard of.

[286]Many of the cuſtoms, and much of the dreſs, re⯑corded in the writings of Homer, will ſtill be found retained by the inhabitants of this country. The prin⯑ceſſes and great ladies paſs their time at their looms, embroidering veils and robes, ſurrounded by their maids, who are always very numerous, in the ſame man⯑ner as we find Andromache and Helen deſcribed. The deſcription of the belt of Menelaus, exactly reſembles thoſe that are now worn by the great men in Turkey, faſtened before with broad golden claſps, and em⯑broidered round with rich work. The ſnowy veil that Helen threw over her face is ſtill faſhionable. Their manner of dancing is certainly the ſame that Diana is ſaid to have danced on the banks of the Eurotas. The great lady ſtill leads the dance, and is followed by a troop of young girls, imitating her ſteps; and if ſhe ſings, make up the chorus.

My firſt ſurprize being over, I vainly endeavoured by nicely examining her face to find out ſome imper⯑fection, and was clearly convinced of the error of that vulgar notion, that a face exactly proportioned, and perfectly beautiful, would not be agreeable; nature having done for her with more ſucceſs, what Apelles is ſaid to have eſſayed by a collection of the moſt exact features to form a perfect face. Add to all this, a behaviour ſo full of grace and ſweetneſs, ſuch eaſy motions with an air ſo majeſtic, yet free from ſtiffneſs and affectation, that could ſhe have been ſuddenly tranſported upon the moſt polite throne of Europe, nobody would think her other than born and bred to be a queen, though educated in a country we call bar⯑barous. To ſay all in a word, our moſt celebrated Engliſh beauties would vaniſh near her.

She was dreſſed in a caftan of gold brocade, flowered with ſilver, very well fitted to her ſhape, and ſhew⯑ing to admiration the beauty of her boſom, only ſhaded by thin gauzes. Her drawers were pale pink, her waiſtcoat green and ſilver, her ſlippers white ſatin, finely embroidered; her lovely arms adorned with [289] bracelets of diamonds, and her broad girdle ſet round with diamonds; upon her head a rich Turkiſh hand⯑kerchief of pink and ſilver, her own fine black hair hanging a great length, in various treſſes, and on one ſide of her head ſome bodkins of jewels.

Her fair maids were ranged below the ſopha, to the number of twenty, very much reſembling the pictures of the ancient nymphs. I did not think all nature could have furniſhed ſuch a ſcene of beauty. She made them a ſign to play and dance. Four of them immediately began to play ſome ſoft airs on in⯑ſtruments, between a lute and a guitar, which they accompanied with their voices, while the others danced by turns. Nothing could be more artful or more proper to raiſe certain ideas. The tunes ſo ſoft;— the motions ſo languiſhing! accompanied with pauſes and dying eyes!—half falling and then recovering themſelves in ſo artful a manner, that the coldeſt and moſt rigid prude upon earth, could not have looked upon them without thinking of a ſomething not to be ſpoken of.

When the dance was over, four fair ſlaves came into the room, with ſilver cenſors in their hands, and perfumed the air with amber, aloes wood, and other ſcents. After this they ſerved me coffee upon their knees, in the fineſt japan china, with ſoucoups of ſilver gilt. The lovely Fatima entertaining me all this while [290] in the moſt polite and agreeable manner. When I took my leave, two maids brought in a fine baſket of embroidered handkerchiefs; ſhe begged I would wear the richeſt for her ſake, and gave the others to my woman and interpreteſs. I retired through the ſame ceremonies as before, and could not help thinking I had been ſome time in Mahomet's paradiſe; ſo much was I charmed with what I had ſeen.

This deſcription of Lady M.'s reception by the fair Fatima, may ſerve to give ſome faint idea of the beauty, ſplendour, and elegance that reign in the harams of the Turkiſh officers of ſtate, not only in Adrianople, but throughout the eaſt. Beauty in general, adds Lady M. is more common here than with us. It is even ſurpriſing to ſee a young woman that is not very handſome. They have naturally the moſt beautiful complexions in the world, and generally large black eyes. They generally ſhape their eye-brows, and both Greeks and Turks have the cuſtom of putting round their eye-brows a black tincture, that at a diſ⯑tance or by candle-light, adds very much to the black⯑neſs of them.

The ladies in this city have in reality more liberty than we have. No woman, of what rank ſoever, is permitted to go into the ſtreet without two murlins, one that covers her face, all but her eyes; and another that hides the whole dreſs of her head, and hangs half [291] way down her back. Their ſhapes are alſo wholly concealed by a thing they call a Ferigée, which no woman of any ſort appears without; this has ſtrait ſleeves, that reach to the fingers ends, and it laps all round them not unlike a winding ſheet, reaching to the feet. In winter it is of cloth, and in ſummer of plain ſtuff or ſilk. In this dreſs there is no diſtin⯑guiſhing the great lady from her ſlave. It is impoſſible for the moſt jealous huſband to know his wife, when he meets her, and no man dare touch or follow a wo⯑man in the ſtreet.

This perpetual maſquerade gives them entire liberty of following their inclinations without danger of diſ⯑covery. The moſt uſual method of intrigue is, to ſend an appointment to the lover to meet the lady at a Jew's ſhop, which are as notoriouſly convenient as our houſes in London, where they ſell India goods; and yet even thoſe who don't make uſe of them, do not ſcruple to go to buy pennyworths, and tumble over rich goods, which are chiefly to be found among that ſort of people. The great ladies ſeldom let their gallants know who they are; and it is ſo difficult to find it out, that they can very ſeldom gueſs at her name, whom they have correſponded with for half a-year together. It may eaſily be imagined the number of faithful wives is very ſmall in a country where they have nothing to fear from a lover's indiſcretion; neither have they much to apprehend from the reſent⯑ment [292] of their huſbands: thoſe ladies that are rich, having all the money in their own hands.

Moſt of the rich tradeſmen in this city are Jews. That people have incredible power in this country. They have many privileges above all the natural Turks themſelves, and have formed a very conſiderable commonwealth here, being judged by their own laws. They have drawn the whole trade of the empire into their hands, partly by the firm union among themſelves, and partly by the idle temper and want of induſtry in the Turks. Every baſſa has his Jew, who is his "homme d'affaires;" he is let into all his ſecrets, and does all his buſineſs. No bargain is made, no bribe received, no merchandize diſpoſed of, but what paſſes through their hands. They are many of them im⯑menſely rich, but they take care to make little public ſhew of it; though they live in their houſes in the utmoſt luxury and magnificence.

Horſes are not put here to any laborious work, nor are they at all fit for it. They are beautiful and full of ſpirit, but generally little, and not ſo ſtrong as the breed of colder countries; very gentle, however, with all their vivacity, and alſo ſwift and ſure-footed. The beaſts deſtined to the plough are buffaloes. Theſe are larger and more clumſy than an ox; they have ſhort thick black horns cloſe to their heads, which grow turning backwards. It is ſaid this horn looks [293] very beautiful when it is well poliſhed. They are all black, with very ſhort hair on their hides, and have extremely little white eyes, that make them look like devils. The country people dye their tails, and the hair of their forehead red, by way of ornament.

They carry all their burdens on camels. Theſe animals are much higher and far ſwifter than the fleeteſt horſe, but very ill ſhaped, and diſproportioned. They are never thoroughly tamed; the drivers take care to tie them one to another with ſtrong ropes, fifty in a ſtring led by an aſs, on which the driver rides. There are ſometimes three hundred of them in one caravan. They carry the third part more than a horſe; but 'tis a particular art to load them, becauſe of the hunch on their backs.

The ſeraglio is built in a flat verdant plain, at the foot of the city, between the Hebrus and the Tunſa; but more immediately on the banks of the latter. It is ſurrounded almoſt on all ſides with a thick grove of beech and elm, which forms the reſemblance of a park from within the walls of the ſeraglio, and from the city affords a very beautiful proſpect, the whole coun⯑try round being very bare of wood. A ſquare wall encloſes the fabric, which is truly mean, and of a con⯑fuſed intricate figure; but, as it is commonly ſaid, well contrived for convenience. The walls are plain free ſtone, and the covering lead. Nothing can be more [294] grateful to the eye, than the ſight of this level verdant ſituation; and yet on account of its lowneſs and too near approach to the rivers, no ſituation can be more unwholeſome. It ſeems to ſtand on the very ſpot where Conſtantine gave that famous defeat to Licinius.

Philippopolis is a pretty large town near this city, ſituated on a riſing ground in the way to Conſtanti⯑nople from the lower part of Germany. The country from hence to Adrianople is the fineſt in the world. Vines grow wild on all the hills, and the perpetual ſpring they enjoy makes every thing gay and flouriſh⯑ing. This town was firſt founded by Philip father of Alexander the Great, from whom it received alſo its name. In 1360 the Turks made themſelves maſters of it. The neighbouring country abounds remark⯑ably in rice. The flouriſhing ſtate of the ſciences and beaux arts, among the Greeks, has been chiefly owing to the Thracians; but at preſent there is ſcarce a perſon of any eminence in literature through all Romania.

In this town there is a ſect of Chriſtians that call themſelves Paulines. They ſhew an old church, where they ſay St. Paul preached, and he is their favourite ſaint, after the ſame manner that St. Peter is at Rome; neither do they forget to give him the preference over the reſt of the apoſtles.

CHAP. VII. Of the People, &c.

THE number of inhabitants in this great empire is very diſproportionate to the extent and good⯑neſs of the country; and may be attributed to three cauſes: peſtilence, polygamy, and war. This accounts for ſuch large tracks of fine ſoil lying waſte; though the avarice of the governors is likewiſe in part culpable for this deſolation.

Some years ſince, owing to the tyrannical oppreſſion of the baſhaws of the provinces, the people removed their perſons and effects to the capital in ſuch numbers that it was impoſſible to find room for them and the old inhabitants: the divan, therefore, publiſhed an order, that all thoſe families who had not been eſtab⯑liſhed twenty years in the city ſhould leave it, and guards were placed at the gates, to prevent the arrival of any more ſubjects from the provinces.

The inhabitants conſiſt of various nations, of Turks, Greeks, Armenians, Servians, Boſnians, Bulgarians, Walachians, and Tartars, with no ſmall number of Jews, eſpecially at Conſtantinople and in Sclavonia.

[296]The Turks are ſtigmatized among the Chriſtians as a ſlothful, ſtupid, and inhuman people; but they by no means are ſo wicked and dreadful, as the French and other writers have thought proper to repreſent them. Turkey is not without men of talents, probity, and honour; and there are many very benevolent, liberal, ingenious, and enlightened characters to be found in every part of the empire. No people are more punctual in their dealings than the Turks. In compaſſion and love towards our neighbour, they excel all the reſt of mankind. One ſtriking mark of their charity, is their building khans or public inns, called by the Aſiatics caravanſeras, for the accommodation of travellers, which are to be met with in almoſt every little village. In theſe every traveller of whatever religion or country he be, may continue three days gratis; and in many of them he is, likewiſe, found in victuals. The Turks are very fond of erecting theſe buildings, conſidering it to be a work of charity, and which will be acceptable to God.

With the ſame laudable view they ſearch out the beſt ſprings, and dig wells, which, in thoſe countries, are a luxury to the wearied traveller. In their de⯑meanour the Turks are rather hypocondriac; they are grave, ſedate, and paſſive; but when their minds are agitated by paſſion, they are furious, raging, and ungovernable: in matters of religion, tenacious, ſuper⯑ſtitious, and moroſe. The morals of the Aſiatic [297] Turks are ſaid to be far preferable to thoſe of the European. They are more hoſpitable to ſtrangers, and if there be any vices among them, thoſe of avarice and inhumanity reign chiefly among their great men.

Not only the caravanſeras, and wells, or ciſterns, but likewiſe the roads and bridges in Turkey are kept in repair by the labour and induſtry of private indi⯑viduals, who conſider it a work of charity which will be highly accepted by Heaven, to provide for the entertainment and comfort of the weary traveller; even thoſe who live by their daily labour, and have nothing elſe to contribute, will ſpend part of their time gratuitouſly in this employment; and it is ſaid in the eaſtern part of the empire, that the hoſpitable natives, like Abraham of old, will invite ſtrangers as they paſs through their towns to their tents and houſes, and contend for the honour of entertaining them.

Piety, ſays Peyſonnell, and not ſuperſtition, as Tott affirms, has multiplied the Namas-Giahs, and the foun⯑tains have been conſtructed by humanity and charity. Thoſe who founded the latter, very juſtly eſteemed it a highly meritorious action to relieve the thirſty paſ⯑ſenger in the ſtreets, or the parched traveller on the roads, and to ſupply them witth the means of making thoſe ablutions which muſt infallibly precede their prayers. Many have even carried their benevolence [298] ſo far as to aſſign ſums of money for furniſhing ſnow during the ſummer, that thoſe who drink at theſe fountains, may render the water more cool and re⯑freſhing.

To the ſlaves and ſervants who are about them they behave very commendably, and frequently much bet⯑ter than the Chriſtians do to theirs. In the firſt years of their ſervitude theſe people ſuffer moſt, eſpecially if they are young; as the Turks endeavour partly by fair means, and partly by threats, to bring them over to their own religion; but theſe trials being over, cap⯑tivity is nowhere more tolerable than in Turkey; inſomuch that if a ſervant underſtands any art or trade, the only thing he can want is his freedom, being ſup⯑plied with every other thing he can wiſh for.

As there is a great mixture of inhabitants throughout the empire, ſo is there more particularly in the capital. If Conſtantinople had no other inhabitants than Turks, it would not be half ſo populous as it is. The Greeks, Armenians, and Jews form a conſiderable body of its citizens. The Greeks are the moſt nume⯑rous; and though they have loſt the confidence of the Turkiſh government as a nation, they ſtill preſerve as individuals an influence greater than that of any other Chriſtian ſubjects of the Ottoman empire. The governments of Moldavia and Walachia are always beſtowed on Greeks, where they exerciſe a ſovereign [299] authority almoſt independent of the Porte. There are at Conſtantinople many deſcendants from the an⯑cient families of Greece; who have preſerved their pedigrees entire, but they bear no other marks of their antiquity than the names of the illuſtrious perſons from whom they deſcend, and a few uſeleſs privileges which they enjoy in conſequence of their noble birth. Almoſt all the great and opulent Creeks live at Fanari, a ſuburb at a ſmall diſtance from Conſtantinople, but which joins the chain of buildings continued on from the walls of that city, in the ſame manner as Newington and Vauxhall are adjoining to London.

The dragomen of the Porte, and of all the towns on the frontiers, are Greeks. The Turks place a great confidence in theſe men, knowing their family con⯑nexions, and that all their hope of life are centered in Turkey.

Great numbers of Greeks, likewiſe, embrace the eccleſiaſtical life, and by means of patronage at the Porte, obtain benefices in the Greek church and the dignities of biſhops and patriarchs. Other Greeks ſhut themſelves up in the numerous monaſteries throughout Turkey. Such are the reſources of the better ſort. As to the common people, they are engaged in com⯑merce and the mechanic arts; the ſea ſervice alſo employs great numbers, and many of them work in the arſenal. In general they are very poor; and as [300] they deſpiſe the Armenians and all other Chriſtians, not of their own church and nation, they have a great number of enemies.

It may not be amiſs to obſerve in this place, that there are about forty ancient Greek families reſiding in Conſtantinople, called Motſellemin, that is, Remit⯑ters. They are the deſcendants of the malcontents, who, at the fall of the Greek empire, betrayed their country and their ſovereign, by joining with the Turks, who laid ſiege to the city, and putting it into their hands, from which circumſtance they have derived their name. They enjoy to this preſent time, the privilege of wearing yellow ſlippers and red drawers like the Turks, and are exempt from the annual tribute paid by other Chriſtians ſubjects of the Ottoman em⯑pire. Trifling immunities, ſays Haheſci, for ſo great a crime! They are, however, univerſally deteſted, and are obliged to live ſecluded from ſociety; for if they attempt to mix in company, they are immediately reproached with the treachery of their anceſtors.

The Greeks, ſays Buſching, who are the ancient inha⯑bitants of the country, live intermixed with the Turks, and in ſeveral places, particularly in the iſlands, out⯑number them. In Conſtantinople alone, it is com⯑puted there are no leſs then four hundred thouſand. They are accuſtomed to ſervitude, and prefer living under the Turkiſh exactions, to the ſpiritual tyranny of [301] the Pope; but they muſt be very cautious of not giving even the leaſt colour for ſuſpicion of their holding correſpondence with the enemies of the Porte, or of meditating a ſedition. It is uſual, for greater ſecu⯑rity in caſe of war with the Chriſtian powers, to diſarm them. All Greeks from the age of fourteen, pay annually, at the beginning of the Turkiſh feaſt of Bayram, a capitation tax, which amounts to about a ducat, and receive a note of it. The eccleſiaſtics are aſſeſſed higher; a deacon paying two ducats and an Archimandrite four; but the biſhops, archbiſhops, and patriarchs pay large ſums, generally as much as the arbitrary avarice of the grand vizir and baſhaws ſhall think proper to require. The taxes on merchants are eſtimated according to the value of the commodi⯑ties they import. The Turks every where lay hold of all opportunities to extort money from the Greeks, but eſpecially from the clergy. In return for this tribute they enjoy the protection of the Ottoman Porte, and are maintained in the quiet poſſeſſion of their properties, inſomuch that no Turk is to inſult them, take any thing from them, or intrude themſelves into their houſes againſt their will; and in caſe of any ſuch injuries, they are certain of expeditious juſtice againſt the delinquents. The Greek women are exempt from all taxes, as are likewiſe great numbers of other Greeks who ſerve in the navy, or elſewhere. It ſometimes happens, indeed, that a Greek girl of diſtinguiſhed beauty, is taken away, and carried to the ſeraglio; [302] but it is a miſtake to ſuppoſe that Chriſtian women in general, are forced away from their parents to be brought up in Mahometaniſm: when any thing of this kind is done, it muſt be in provinces remote from Conſtantinople.

The Armenians, another people ſubject to the Turks, contribute greatly to the population of the capital. Their number in the city and its environs is computed at 60,000. The major part are merchants, and in general they are very rich. Moſt of the bankers are Armenians. They are ſectaries following the doctrine of Eutyches, who denied the exiſtence of two natures in Chriſt, the divine and human; maintaining that the firſt only exiſted under the appearance of the latter. They have their patriarch at Conſtantinople, a nume⯑rous prieſthood and ſeveral churches: a great part of them profeſs the Roman Catholic religion; theſe have no churches, but reſort to the chapels of the foreign ambaſſadors. The Armenians, in general, bear a very good character; they are pious, faithful, honeſt, and polite to every one; but the Turks will not employ them in any ſervice whatever; yet they avail themſelves of their opulence by extorting money from them under various pretences.

The Jews come next under our conſideration. Their number in and about Conſtantinople is aſtoniſhing; they reckon 40,000 families, which on a moderate [303] Calculation make 200,000 perſons. They are ſubject to a kind of ariſtocratical government among them⯑ſelves; and it ſeldomor ever happens that they appeal from the ſentences of their own judges to the Turkiſh tribunal. They poſſeſs great riches, and live as much at their eaſe, as they can do in a Chriſtian country; for the Turks eſteem them much more than they do Chriſ⯑tians. There is not a ſingle branch of art or commerce which they do not carry on. Every Turkiſh family, as well in Conſtantinople as Adrianople, who are of any note, have Jews familiar in their family. One may judge from this, of the number and quality of their protectors—a circumſtance which makes them haughty and inſolent to the Greeks and other Chriſ⯑tians. All the inferior officers in the cuſtoms, are Jews. The factor to the Aga of the Janiſſaries is a Jew, and perhaps the moſt conſiderable one in the city. They are not permitted to purchaſe lands, which is the only privilege refuſed them. Their intercourſe with the Turks of rank gives them a knowledge of their private affairs, and of their ſecrets, which they turn to no ſmall account as pimps and ſpies. A fo⯑reign ambaſſador may know more of the ſtate of the Turkiſh cabinet, by gratifying the avarice of a Jew, that being his ruling paſſion, than from any other channel whatever.

With reſpect; to the external conſtitution of the Turks, they are generally robuſt and well ſhaped, of [304] a good mien, and gracious countenance, and patient under hardſhips; this renders them fit for war, to which they inure themſelves from their youth. Per⯑ſons of rank ſeldom train up their children to any other profeſſion, from an idea, that no glory is com⯑parable to that acquired in war. It ſeldom happens that any Turk is lame or crooked; Le Brun remarks, that one may meet with more crippled ill-ſhaped people in one town of Europe, than in all the Grand Signor's empire. They almoſt all arrive to a great age, for which this very natural reaſon may be aſſigned, that they never eat any thing but what is good and wholeſome, without attending like Chriſtians to the delicacy and variety of diſhes, which is often very prejudicial to the ſtomach and the more noble parts. Hence it is, that they are ſeldom indiſpoſed, and ſcarce ever troubled with thoſe diſorders ſo common among us, ſuch as the gravel, ſtone, gout, &c. This is owing in part to their baths as well as to the temperance of their diet. The women are no leſs well ſhaped than the men. Lady M. has remarked that they have naturally the moſt beautiful complexions in the world.

They generally ſhape their eye-brows with a black tincture, and dye their nails of a roſe colour. Baron Tott ſays, that the drug ſo much uſed in Aſia for this purpoſe is a black impalpable powder, ſo volatile as to ſpread itſelf like a fine down, upon a ſmall braſs [305] wire, fixed in the cork of the bottle which contains it. The method of uſing it is to take out the wire, to which the cork ſerves for a handle, without its touching the edges of the bottle, which would rub off the powder, and apply its extremity to the interior corner of the eye, reſting upon it the two eyelids, and drawing it ſoftly towards the temples, in order to leave within the eyelids two black ſtreaks, which give to fine eyes a harſhneſs they do not naturally poſſeſs, and which the Turks take for an air of tenderneſs.

What will appear much more extraordinary, is, that the men themſelves, and even old men, are guilty of this coquetry. The uſe of the Surma, is almoſt general. It is true, they pretend it ſtrengthens the ſight, but it is more certain that its effect is not very pleaſing. Every thing in this country which can contribute to preſerve beauty, or ſupply the want of it, is eagerly ſought after.

The cuſtom of tinging the eyebrows and eyelaſhes is not ſo frequent among the common people, and ſeems to belong more peculiarly to opulence, and a kind of inactivity neceſſary for this ſpecies of beauty; for it is certain that this impalpable powder, placed ſo carefully on the edge of the eyelids, would ſpread itſelf very diſagreeably on any profuſe perſpiration. Yet the lower rank of people, whoſe labour impoſe daily a tax on wealthy idleneſs, have alſo their peculiar decora⯑tion: [306] it conſiſts, as in moſt uncultivated nations, in covering their arms and legs, and ſometimes their breaſts, with figures drawn by punctures, and which, before they are indented, are rubbed over with ſome colour that ſinks, and is retained. The blue colour produced by gunpowder is the moſt common, and prejudice furniſhes moſt of the ſubject matter for this ſtrange ornament. The names of Jeſus and Mahomet diſtinguiſh the Chriſtians and the Turks, who are fellow-labourers; and gallantry comes in forks ſhare in the embelliſhment. Amorous verſes are often to be ſeen mixed with paſſages of the Koran; but the ſpecies of gallantry intended, is not always ſo preciſely aſcer⯑tained as that it may not be miſtaken.

The Chriſtians are not more ſickle in their manner of decorating their perſons, than the Turks are con⯑ſtant to their peculiar mode of dreſs. They do not ſo much as know what it is to make any alteration in their faſhions. That kind of dreſs which was worn many centuries ago is ſtill in uſe among them. It is grave, manly, and pleaſing to look at, and contributes not a little to let off the handſome ſhape and mien of both ſexes.

A ſtranger who arrives at Conſtantinople and ſees ſuch a concourſe of different people all dreſſed in the oriental habit, muſt be at a loſs to diſtinguiſh one from the other. There are ſome diſtinctions however; [307] though their dreſs to a ſtranger may appear uniform. The Greeks wear a kind of turban of black lamb's ſkin, narrower on the crown than that of the Arme⯑nians, with black drawers and black ſlippers. The Armenians, on the contrary, wear purple drawers and red ſlippers. The Turks wear yellow ſlippers; and Sultan Muſtapha, who forbid any Chriſtians to wear the ſame under pain of death, ordered, likewiſe, that they ſhould wear red ſlippers; but the haughty Greeks, reſolving to be diſtinguiſhed from the Arme⯑nians, preſented a petition to that monarch, that they might be allowed to wear black, which was granted on conſideration of a pretty large ſum paid into the emperor's private treaſury. The Jews wear drawers and ſlippers of a ſky blue colour; their turban is entirely different from that of the Chriſtians, and they have two bunches of hair hanging down by the ſides of their ears. Theſe people are very fond of appearing what they are, leſt they ſhould be miſtaken for Chriſtians. But there are ſome privileged perſons both Greeks and Jews, who are allowed to wear yellow ſlippers, and ſcarlet drawers, the ſame as the Turks; ſuch as the dragomen or interpreters, and the Motſellemins, thoſe Greeks we have already noticed, and who are likewiſe exempted from any annual tribute. As the city of Conſtantinople is crowded with inhabitants, it is very eaſy for the Greeks and others to diſguiſe themſelves in the Turkiſh dreſs, to avoid paying it; but if the former are diſcovered, their heads are ſtruck [308] off, unleſs they turn muſſulmen. But if Europeans are found diſguiſed in a Turkiſh habit, their effects alone are confiſcated, unleſs they will redeem them on the ſame condition.

To ſhew how rigorous they are in enforcing this law, the reigning Grand Signor was walking one day in diſguiſe through the ſuburbs of Fanari, attended only by two favourite domeſtics, a black and white eunuch, when he met a young man who wore three peliſſes one above another, and who had, likewiſe, a very rich pipe in his mouth, and to add to this luxury, he had on yellow ſlippers; the ſultan imagined he muſt either be ſome dragoman, or the ſon of ſome bey, or at leaſt ſome privileged Greek; curioſity in⯑duced him to order an enquiry to be made, and it was found that he was only the ſon of a Greek butcher at Fanari, upon which be ordered his attendants to put him inſtantly to death upon the ſpot. Such is the ſtrictneſs with which laws and ordinances are enforced in that empire. Stern people contend, it is the leaſt cruelty never to pardon the infringement of any law which has once been tranſgreſſed.

But to return to their dreſs; they wear their drawers next to their ſkin, and over the drawers is their ſhirt; next to that, the doliman, a kind of caſſock reaching down to their heels with ſtrait ſleeves which they but⯑ton on the wriſt. In ſummer this doliman is made of [309] callico, or ſtriped muſlin; and in winter of ſatin, or ſome ſuch ſtuff, which is uſually quilted. They then girt themſelves about the waiſt with a ſilk ſcarf, or leathern belt, which is about three inches broad, and faſtened by a gold or ſilver buckle. At their belts they gene⯑rally hang a couple of daggers, the handles of which are inlaid with gold and ſilver, and ſometimes with precious ſtones. Biſani mentions a pacha having one that coſt ten thouſand guineas. Over the doliman they wear a ferigée or night-gown, which, in winter, thoſe who are rich enough, have lined with valuable furs. This ferigée is very much like our looſe great coats, only longer; it reaching to the heels; it has alſo very large and long ſleeves, and being thrown looſely over the doliman, ſerves inſtead of a cloak. The lower part of the body is not only covered with the drawers and the ſhirt, but the men wear over theſe, a pair of red cloth breeches, which come down to their heels like trowſers, and at the bottom are faſtened to leathern pumps, of a yellow colour, which they call Meſtes. The Papouches are of the ſame colour, and made very much like our ſlippers. The heel of their Papouches is even with the reſt of the ſole, except that it has a ſemicircle of iron, in the form of an horſe-ſhoe upon it. The Meſtes correſpond with our ſocks, and the Papouches with our ſhoes, except that they do not draw up behind. Their heads are covered with a crimſon velvet cap, without brims, about which they wind a white or red turban, made of a ſcarf of very fine muſlin [310] or ſilk ſtuff many ells long, and by the faſhion of it, the rank and quality of any perſon is known. No one, but a Turk, is allowed to wear a white turban. This part of their dreſs they never take off but when they retire to reſt. The privilege of wearing a green tur⯑ban is only granted to thoſe perſons who can prove themſelves deſcended from their prophet Mahomet. Theſe are called Scheriffs or Emirs, which ſignify nobles, and there are great numbers of them: becauſe, if the daughter of an Emir is married to a Turk who is not ſo, and has a ſon, he is an Emir by his mother's ſide, and enjoys the ſame privileges as if he was de⯑ſcended from the male line. The women who are of this deſcent are diſtinguiſhed by a piece of green ſtuff, faſtened to their Talpock or head dreſs.

The attire of the ladies of Conſtantinople, has a ſingular air of grandeur and magnificence in it, far ſurpaſſing the dreſſes of the women of other countries, and much more becoming.

The firſt part of the dreſs is a pair of drawers, very full, that reach to the ſhoes, and conceal the legs more modeſtly than petticoats. Mine, ſays Lady M. in a deſcription of part of her own Turkiſh dreſs, were of a thin roſe-coloured damaſk, brocaded with ſilver flowers. Over this hangs a ſhift of a fine white ſilk gauze, edged with embroidery. This ſhift has wide ſleeves hanging half way down the arm, and is cloſed [311] at the neck with a diamond button; but the ſhape and colour of the boſom is very well to be diſtinguiſhed through it. The antery is a waiſtcoat made cloſe to the ſhape, of white and gold damaſk, with very long ſleeve sfalling back, and fringed with deep gold fringe; this generally has a diamond or pearl button. The caftan of the ſame ſtuff with the drawers, is a robe exactly fitted to the ſhape, and reaching to the feet, with very long ſtrait falling ſleeves. Over this is the girdle of about four fingers broad, which all that can afford it, have entirely of diamonds, or other precious ſtones; thoſe who will not be at the expence, have it of exquiſite embroidery, on ſatin; but it muſt be faſtened before with a claſp of diamonds. The curdée is a looſe robe they throw off, or put on, according to the weather, being of a rich brocade, (mine, ſays Lady M. is green and gold) either lined with ermine or ſables; the ſleeves reach very little below the ſhoulders. The head dreſs is compoſed of a cap called a talpock, which is in winter of fine velvet, embroidered with pearls or diamonds; and in ſummer of a light ſhining ſilver ſtuff. This is fixed on one ſide of the head, hanging a little way down with a gold taſſel, and bound on, either with a circle of diamonds, (as I have ſeen ſeveral) or a rich embroidered handkerchief. On the other ſide of the head, the hair is laid flat, and here the ladies are at liberty to ſhew their fancies; ſome putting flowers, others a plume of heron's feathers, and in ſhort, what they pleaſe; but the moſt general faſhion is a [312] large bouquet of jewels, made like natural flowers, that is the buds of pearls, the roſes of different coloured rubies; the jeſſamines of diamonds, the jonquils of topazes, &c. ſo well ſet and enamelled 'tis hard to imagine any thing of that kind ſo beautiful. The hair hangs at its full length behind, divided into treſſes, braided with pearl or ribband, which is always in great quantity. I never ſaw in my life, ſays Lady M. ſo many fine heads of hair. In one lady's, I have counted a hundred and ten of the treſſes, all natural; but it muſt be owned that every kind of beauty is more com⯑mon here than with us.

The head dreſs of the Turkiſh ladies, ſays Le Brun, is ſo contrived, that they can put it on and take it off without undoing it, and it will ſerve them for ſeveral days together; after which they give it a different faſhion, according to the ſeveral taſtes and the fancies of the wearers. This head dreſs is ſo heavy, on ac⯑count of its largeneſs, that it is a perfect burthen to them in ſummer. There are ſome of the Turkiſh ladies, who only wear a fur cap on their heads, others again wear a large round platine after the faſhion of the Jewiſh women, except that it leans on the fore⯑head, riſes up behind, and has on each ſide, a feather faſtened to it, and large plumes of black feathers hang from the ears, which dangle down on their boſoms. Others again encircle their heads with a cap made up of a great many handkerchiefs of different colours, [313] worked in gold and ſilver, to which they faſten all ſorts of trinkets, compoſed, as Lady M. has remarked, in the ſhape of noſegays, and which are made of wrought gold, and ſet round with precious ſtones, while others wear only natural flowers, ſuch as pinks, &c.

Lady Craven deſcribes the dreſs in which the Turkiſh ladies walk about the ſtreets, as conſiſting of a large looſe robe of dark green cloth, covering them from the neck to the ground, over that, a large piece of muſlin, which wraps over the ſhoulders and the arms, and another that goes over the head and eyes; ſuch coverings, ſays ſhe, confound all ſhape and air ſo much, as to give them the appearance of walking mummies; and men or women, princeſſes or ſlaves, may be equally concealed under them.

The dreſs of one of the ſultanas that Lady M. went to viſit, apppears to have been ſo ſurprizingly rich, that the particulars of it, we believe, will not be un⯑intereſting. She wore a veſt called Dualma, which differs from a caſtan by longer ſleeves, and folding over at the bottom. It was of purple cloth, fitted to her ſhape; and thick ſet, on each ſide down to her feet, and, likewiſe, round the ſleeves with pearls of the very beſt water, of the ſame ſize as their buttons com⯑monly are, that is about the bigneſs of a pea, and for theſe buttons there are large loops of diamonds, in the form of thoſe gold loops ſo common on birth-day coats. [314] This habit was tied at the waiſt with two large taſſels of ſmaller pearls, and embroidered round the arms with diamonds. Her ſhift was faſtened at the bottom with a great diamond, ſhaped like a lozenge, her gir⯑dle as broad as the broadeſt Engliſh ribband, entirely covered with diamonds. Round her neck ſhe wore three chains which reached to her knees; one of large pearl, at the bottom of which hung a fine coloured emerald, as big as a Turkey egg; another conſiſting of two hundred emeralds, cloſe joined together of the moſt lively green, perfectly matched, every one as large as a half-crown piece, and as thick as three crown pieces; and another of ſmall emeralds, perfectly round. But her ear-rings eclipſed all the reſt. They were two diamonds, ſhaped exactly like pears, as large as a big hazle nut. Round her talpock, ſhe had four ſtrings of pearls very large, the whiteſt and moſt perfect in the world, at leaſt enough to make four necklaces, faſtened with two roſes, conſiſting of a large ruby for the middle ſtone, and round them twenty drops of clean diamonds to each. Beſides this, her head dreſs was covered with bodkins of emeralds and diamonds. She wore large diamond bracelets, and had five rings on her fingers, except Lord Camelford's, the largeſt I ever ſaw in my life. 'Tis for jewellers to compute the value of theſe things, but according to the common eſtimation of jewels, her whole dreſs muſt have been worth an hundred thouſand pounds. This I am ſure, that no European queen has half the quantity, and the [315] Empreſs of Germany's jewels, though very fine, would look extremely mean near her's. This is the ſultana who threw herſelf at the ſultan's feet, on being ordered by him at his coming to the throne, to leave the ſe⯑raglio, and chuſe herſelf a huſband among the great men of the Porte; and requeſted him in agonies of ſorrow rather to poniard her than treat his brother's widow with that contempt.

Though the Turks are ſo ſumptuous in their dreſs, yet they are not in general ſo expenſive in their diet; and if Europeans are ſo abſurd as to hurt their con⯑ſtitutions by their luxurious mode of living, it is not ſo with the Turks, who for the moſt part are ſatisfied with a ſlender bill of fare, and carry, as it were, their kitchen along with them. Their moſt uſual food, which they call pilau, is rice, boil'd up with the broth of a fowl, or ſome other meat. This is ſuffered to boil till all the liquor is evaporated, and the rice becomes perfectly dry. If they have no meat (according to Le Brun) they boil up their rice with butter and water; ſometimes they put curds into it, and add a little ſaffron in order to colour it; at other times they put honey into their rice. But the moſt uſual method is to ſeaſon it with a great deal of pepper, in order to give it a reliſh. Thoſe who can afford it, put a fowl in it, or a piece of beef or mutton, which by this means eats very tender.

[316]Their table is the ground, or elſe a ſmall table raiſed about a foot from it, round which they all ſit croſs-legged like ſo many taylors. Their table-cloth is a large piece of Spaniſh leather, which they call the Sofra, and inſtead of a napkin, they make uſe of a long piece of blue linen, which goes all round the table. When they are ſeated, the uſual grace before dinner is, Biſmillah, that is, in the name of God. When they have dined, their grace is equally ſhort, and ſimilar to the ſnorteſt of ours: for they only ſay Hamah dilah, i. e. God be praiſed: and immediately waſh their hands.

If they have any other diſh, beſides their boiled rice, which among the common ſort of people ſeldom happens, then this is ſerved up laſt, as is the cuſtom at the tables of people of faſhion; and it is eaten with wooden ſpoons. Fowls are ſerved up whole in the pilau, and pulled to pieces by one of the company: as to beef and mutton, whether it is roaſted or boiled, it is always cut into ſmall pieces before it is ſerved up. The Turks ſeldom drink at their meals; but when dinner is over, a large jug of water is placed on the table, of which every one drinks as he likes, and then grace is ſaid. Among people of quality, in⯑ſtead of a table they have a kind of large raiſed diſh with a little brim, which they call a Sime. This they put on the Soſra, and upon this Sime, thoſe diſhes that contain the victuals are placed one after another; for [317] the Turks never place more than one diſh at a time upon the table, and when the laſt diſh is taken away, the Sime is likewiſe remo [...]d, and the deſert ſerved up of the Sofra.

They make their bread freſh every day, and, in order to have it exceedingly light, put into it a great quantity of leaven. It is generally very coarſe and not unlike our ſea-biſcuits in ſhape and ſize, only a little thicker. The common people make it ſerve for a plate to put their meat on, and thus eat both at once.

They have a way of roaſting their meat which gives it a very delicate taſte; this is by cutting it into ſmall pieces and putting them upon a thin ſpit, with a ſlice of onion between each piece; for the onions of this country have incomparably a more delicious taſte than thoſe that grow in more northern climes. The Greeks frequently eat them as we do cheeſe or butter at the concluſion of their meals. In all the parts of Turkey that I travelled through, ſays Le Brun, I fur⯑niſhed myſelf with theſe onions when I could meet with them, and found that eating them with a little bread and ſalt made a very dainty repaſt. This makes me no longer wonder, he adds, that the Egyptians ſhould have laid out ſuch large ſums on this vegetable, during the building of their pyramids, as hiſtorians informed us they did.

[318]Oil is likewiſe an ingredient which they very fre⯑quently uſe as a ſauce to moſt of their meats, without its being in the leaſt offenſive. For the oil in this country is very clear, ſweet, and pleaſant to the palate; ſo that with a little ſalt it maybe eaten upon bread in⯑ſtead of butter. A little juice of lemon or a few drops of vinegar put into ſome oil, and mixed up with a little pepper and ſalt, make an excellent ſauce for many kinds of fiſh; and this in time becomes ſo palatable, that a perſon, who is a little uſed to it, can do very well without butter, were it ever ſo good. For, in ſhort, cuſtom is ſecond nature, and in general, what is agree⯑able, and pleaſing, in the uſe of different kinds of food, conſiſts only in this. Thoſe things to which we have been uſed from our childhood, ſeem natural to us as long as we live; and each country has ſomething pecu⯑liar to itſelf, which it knows not how to part with, merely from the force of habit. I have often obſerved, adds Le Brun, who was a Dutchman, that the Greek women in Conſtantinople married to our merchants, would never eat any of the cheeſe and butter ſent them from Holland, though it was generally ſome of the beſt of the kind, but would prefer eating olives and blanched beans, though they were half rotten, in the ſame manner as the Italians eat ſmall artichokes with pepper and vinegar. The Turks, likewiſe, roaſt artichokes upon a gridiron with a little oil, pepper, and ſalt put between the leaves, which give them a very great reliſh, and take off that flabby taſte which they have, when boiled, a [...] is our manner of dreſſing [319] them. The Turks have, likewiſe, another method of dreſſing them, and that is by cutting them into quarters and frying them. The common people live very much upon raw cucumbers and melons, for a great part of the year; which they eat without any kind of previous preparation; and inſtead of bread, they eat cakes, made of meal, which they bake upon the hearth, and carry along with them when they travel. Their diet, in ſhort, like their faſhions, never alters from one century to another; and though no people are more extravagant in their dreſs, there are none more temperate in their food than the Turks.

The dinner which is ſerved up to the Grand Signor, ſays Le Brun, is preſented by the gentleman ſewer, in a large diſh all at once. He ſits at table after the Turkiſh faſhion, and has a rich embroidered napkin put before him to preſerve his cloaths, and another is tied round his arm with which he wipes his hands. The diſhes and plates are all either china or Terra⯑ſigillata, which is ſaid to be good againſt poiſon.

There are ſome who pretend he is ſerved in gold plate; but this ſeems rather improbable, as the Turks look upon it to be a ſin to eat off gold or ſilver, which is the reaſon they uſe wooden ſpoons.

When the ſultan removes to any of his other palaces, he is always ſerved in china, and ſo are the foreign [320] ambaſſadors, when entertained by the grand vizir, previous to their public audience.

The Turkiſh coffee-houſes are generally built like their kioſhs, admitting the air on all ſides, which makes them exceedingly cool. They are the rendezvous of the indolent in every ſtation of life. The vizir, the captain pacha, and the ſultan himſelf, frequently go there in diſguiſe to hear what is ſaid of them; for the conduct and moſt minute actions of the people in power, are equally the topic of converſation, and ſcrutinized with as much rigour in Turkey, as in any other countries.

Their other liquor is ſherbet, which is their uſual drink; this is made either of honey and water, with the juice of lemon, and a little roſe-water to give it an agreeable perfume; or elſe of lemon, water, and ſugar. This liquor is very pleaſant, and a perſon may make a kind of paſte or cake from the different ingredients, to take with him on his journey, which requires only a little freſh water poured upon it, to make a very agreeable and refreſhing liquor.

The moſt important and reſpectful of the ceremo⯑nies in waiting upon a Turkiſh nobleman, is the preſenting of ſherbet, which is always followed by an aſperſion of roſe-water and perfumes of aloes. This [322] ſherbet, ſays Baron Tott, ſo much talked of in Europe, and ſo little known, is made of conſerved fruits diſ⯑ſolved in water, but with ſo much muſk as almoſt to deſtroy the taſte of the liquor. Thus the vaſe once filled, ſuffices for the viſits of the week. I uſed it very ſparingly, ſays he, as I likewiſe did the conſerves brought with the coffee, and in the ſerving of which, they never change the ſpoon. The ſame ceremony was repeated in the anti-chamber in favour of my lacquey, who was far from practiſing my abſtemiouſneſs on this occaſion: his appetite leſs delicate, refuſed no⯑thing; he ate whatever they gave him; ginger, com⯑fits, and conſerves; and ſwallowed at a ſingle draft all the ſherbet.

This ſobriety of the Turks does not ſuit the genius of the northern nations, who love plenty of wine and ſtrong liquors, as well as good eating. A ſack of rice every year, with a few jars of butter, and ſome dried fruits are ſufficient proviſion for a very numerous family. And it is to this temperance, chiefly, that the people of the eaſt are indebted for their healthy and robuſt conſtitution.

The Turks are likewiſe paſſionately fond of ſweet-meats, and all kind of perfumes; which they have in much greater perfection, than in the ſouthern parts of France, and Italy.

[323]We ſhall conclude this account of their mode of living, as to their diet, with Lady M.'s dinner at the widowed ſultana's, whoſe profuſion of jewels we have already noticed. She gave me a dinner, ſays Lady M. of fifty diſhes of meat, which, after their faſhion, were ſerved up one after the other, and was extremely tedious. But the magnificence of her table was cor⯑reſpondent to her dreſs. The knives were of gold and the hafts ſet with diamonds. But the piece of luxury which grieved my eyes, was the table-cloth and napkins; theſe were all tiffany embroidered with gold, in the fineſt manner, in natural flowers. It was with the utmoſt regret I made uſe of theſe coſtly nap⯑kins, which were as finely wrought as the fineſt hand⯑kerchiefs that ever came out of this country. It is needleſs to mention, they were entirely ſpoiled before dinner was over. The ſherbet, which is the liquor they drink at meals, was ſerved in china bowls; but the covers and ſalvers were maſſive gold. After dinner, water was brought in gold baſons, and towels of the ſame kind with the napkins, which I very unwillingly wiped my hands upon; and coffee was ſerved in china, with gold ſoucoups or ſaucers.

The firſt week, ſhe adds, their cookery pleaſed me extremely, but after that, I began to grow weary of their table; but I attribute this to cuſtom, and am very much inclined to believe that an Indian, who had never taſted of either, would prefer their cookery to [324] ours. Their ſauces are very high, all the roaſts very much done. They uſe a great deal of very rich ſpice. The ſoup is ſerved for the laſt diſh; and they have at leaſt as great a variety of ragouts as we have. The entertainment always concludes with coffee and per⯑fumes, at the tables of the ſultanas; and after this cere⯑mony, they command their ſlaves to dance, and play on their guitars.

The luxury of the baſhaws and great men of the Porte, in regard to the furniture of their houſes is exceſſive. Baron Tott's deſcription of the chamber in which he and his lady ſlept at a country villa be⯑longing to one of the Grand Signor's dragomen, where he went for a few days on a viſit, will ſerve to give ſome faint idea of the general magnificence of the apartments of their great men, added to what we have already extracted from Lady M. reſpecting the palaces of the ſultanas in Adrianople. The time for taking our repoſe was now come, and we were conducted, ſays he, into another large room, in the middle of which was a kind of bed without bedſtead or curtains; though the coverlid and pillows exceeded in magnificence the richneſs of the ſopha, which, likewiſe, ornamented the apartment. Fifteen mattreſſes of quilted cotton about three inches thick, placed one upon another, formed the ground-work, and were covered by a ſheet of Indian linen, ſewed on the laſt mattreſs. A coverlet of green ſatin, adorned with gold embroidery in em⯑boſſed [325] work, was in like manner faſtened to the ſheet, the ends of which turned in, were ſewed down alter⯑nately. Two large pillows of crimſon ſatin overlaid with the like embroidery, in which there was no want of gold or ſpangles, reſted on two cuſhions of the ſopha, brought near to ſerve for a back, and intended to ſupport our heads. A ſmall octagonal tower inlaid with ebony and mother of pearl, ſtood by the ſide of the bed, and ſerved for a table; upon it was placed a large ſilver candleſtick, which held a yellow wax can⯑dle two inches thick, and three feet high, the wick of which, nearly as thick as one's finger, produced a very diſagreeable ſmoke. Three china ſalvers, filled with conſerves of roſes, flowers of orange, and lemon peel, with a little golden ſpatula, the handle of tortoiſeſhell, to ſerve for a ſpoon, and cryſtal veſſel full of water, ſurrounded this obſcure luminary, which was intended to burn all night: a precaution not to be neglected in a country where there is ſo much reaſon to fear the ravages of fire. Such were our accommodations at the dragoman's; and I could not but expect to paſs a very indifferent night. The taking of the pillows entirely away would not have been a bad reſource, if we had had any bolſter, and the expedient of turning the other ſide upwards only ſerved to ſhew they were embroi⯑dered on both ſides. We at laſt determined to lay our handkerchiefs over them, but this did not prevent our being ſenſible of the emboſſed ornaments under⯑neath. It will readily be ſuppoſed we were no ſlug⯑gards; [326] and indeed it was with no ſmall ſatisfaction we ſaw the morning appear, reſolving to procure more commodious pillows the night following.

In their cuſtoms, adds the baron, they ſeem as fond of imitating us, (the French) as the French are of imitating the Engliſh. I have ſeen a Greek lady at Conſtantinople, take olives up with her fingers at din⯑ner, and afterwards put them on a fork, to eat them after the French faſhion. If the drinking of healths be no longer the mode with the French, it is not the leſs agreeable to find this ancient practice ſtill remain⯑ing in other countries. Our Greeks did not omit this ceremony, and the men even performed it ſtanding, with their heads uncovered: and what may appear leſs refined, the ſame tumbler of wine ſerved the whole circle of gueſts. After dinner, in which there was more profuſion than elegance, the company ſeated themſelves upon a ſopha, in the ſame room in which it had been ſerved up. Pipes ſucceeded coffee; they began a converſation on the faſhions, which concluded in ſcandal, and in this too I found their imitation of French manners very perfect. In the mean time the young girls amuſed themſelves with a ſwing, hung at the other end of the room, which ſome ſlaves put in motion; the women, likewiſe, expreſſed a deſire of partaking in this amuſement, and were placed in the machine, and their places when vacant, were ſupplied by our gentlemen with long beards. The games of back⯑gammon, [327] cheſs, and panguelo, a kind of berlan, con⯑cluded the diverſions of the day.

This Greek, as well as all thoſe who are ſufficiently opulent to imitate the Turks, was accuſtomed to ſleep after dinner on his ſopha, while a woman by driving away the flies with a great fan made of feathers, ren⯑dered the air he breathed cool, and refreſhing; other ſlaves, on their knees at his feet, rubbed them gently with their hands. This Aſiatic luxury would, no doubt, permit ſuſpicion to go greater lengths, with reſpect to theſe particulars; and his ill uſage of the ſlaves for the moſt trifling offences, ſhould convince us that where the facility of gratifying our deſires is unbounded, all ſenſe of delicacy and feeling is loſt.

The Turks have ſeldom any chimnies in their houſes, but they have ſomething far better and more agreeable to warm themſelves by in winter; this is a chafing-diſh placed under a table covered with a large quilted counterpane: thoſe who are deſirous of warm⯑ing themſelves put this counterpane upon their knees, and by that means a very agreeable warmth is com⯑municated to all parts of the body. In the houſes of the Turkiſh nobles, a ſmall covering of ſilk or ſatin brocaded in gold or ſilver, is thrown over the large one, worked by ſome of the ladies of the family.

[328]The middle rank of people among the Turks, have no other chamber to ſleep in, than that which ſerves them to live in during the day. A ſlave comes about the time that the family uſually retires to reſt, and ſpreads a mattreſs for each perſon, over which he puts a quilt for a covering, and a pillow to reſt the head upon. The Turks do not undreſs themſelves, as we do; but ſleep in their drawers and waiſtcoats. In the morning the ſlave comes again, rolls up the mattreſſes and quilts in a bundle, and carries them to the cloſet from whence he took them.

The uſual mode of ſalutation among the Turks is, a little inclination of the head without taking off the turban; and laying the right hand to the breaſt. Their uſual expreſſion on this occaſion is, Peace be with you; to which the reply is nearly ſimilar, Peace be with you, and the mercy of God. It appears from ſcripture, this was the ancient manner of ſalutation, and is a very grave one. When it is a perſon of diſtinction whom they ſalute, they bow ſo low as to take up the hem of his garment, and kiſs it.

Among other things in which the Turks differ from us, is the place of honour; they look upon the left hand to be more honourable than the right, becauſe it is the ſide on which the ſword is worn, and conſequently a perſon has the command of his arms who walks on the right hand. No Europeans, however, as we have [329] obſerved before, wear ſwords in Turkey, nor do even the Janiſſaries themſelves ever wear their ſabres, except they are going on actual ſervice. Another particular in which the Turks differ very much from the Chriſtians, is the ſhaving of their heads and letting their beards and whiſkers grow to a great length; and the larger and longer they are, the more a man is eſteemed. They even ſwear by their beard, and look upon it as a great affront to touch any perſon's beard, though it ſhould be in ſaluting him, which is a com⯑mon cuſtom among them. As ſtrange as we may think it to ſee them with their long beards, they think it equally ſo to ſee us with our long tails and perukes. They have a ſaying, that the Devil neſtles in a large head of hair; and it is for this reaſon, ſays Le Brun, that they leave on their heads, only a ſmall tuft of hair.

I was here convinced of the truth of a reflection I have often made—that if it were the faſhion to go naked, the face would be hardly obſerved. I per⯑ceived that the ladies of the moſt delicate ſkins and fineſt ſhapes, had the greateſt ſhare of my admiration, though their faces were ſometimes leſs beautiful than thoſe of their companions. To tell you the truth, I had wickedneſs enough to wiſh ſecretly that Mr. — the painter, could have been there inviſible. It would have very much improved his art to ſee ſo many fine women naked in different poſtures, ſome in converſation, ſome [332] working, others drinking coffee or ſherbet, and many lying negligently on their cuſhions, while their ſlaves, generally young girls of ſeventeen or eighteen, were employed in braiding their hair in ſeveral pretty fancies. In ſhort 'tis the woman's coffee-houſe, where the news of the town is told and ſcandal invented. They generally take this diverſion once a-week, and ſtay there at leaſt four or five hours.

All the men who go into theſe baths, either ſhave themſelves clean from hair, or extirpate it by a pre⯑paration, and go into the water naked, except a napkin round their waiſt. After they have been ſome time in them, one of the ſlaves comes and ſtretches their legs and arms, bending them backwards and forwards ſeveral times to make the joints ſupple. He then carries him to another place where are ſeveral cocks of hot water, with which he waſhes him all over with ſoap and water, and then rubs him thoroughly dry with a camblet bag or ſome ſuch coarſe ſtuff. Theſe bags are ſquare, and ſerve to cleanſe the body from all manner of filth. They anſwer the purpoſe of fleſh bruſhes, uſed by the ancients, which were of metal, and every perſon is at liberty to bring his own rubbing cloth. But the Turks who are not very ſcrupulous in drinking after one another out of the ſame glaſs, and eating off the ſame plate, or even in wearing the cloaths of one who died of the plague, make no ſcruple [333] of being rubbed with the ſame cloth which another has uſed, provided it be only rinced once or twice.

The obligation which their religion impoſes on them to bathe frequently, has occaſioned all their nobles, and great men, to build baths in their own houſes; and they are ſo expert in the management of them, that the ſame fire not only heats their baths, but ſerves alſo to dreſs their victuals.

The Mahometans are ſo extremely particular in their ablutions, that left any accidental dirt upon their bodies ſhould pollute them, they not only waſh themſelves thoroughly in the ordinary bath, but cleanſe every part of their bodies thoroughly.

Even waſte paper is held in great veneration among the Mahometans; they never putting it to any ſordid uſe, nor even do they tread on it, leſt any part of it ſhould contain thoſe letters with which the name of God is written. If they find a piece in the ſtreet, they take it up, kiſs it, and even put it very reſpect⯑fully in ſome hole of a wall. This reſpect that they have for paper proceeds from the veneration they have for the Alcoran, which when they carry about them, they never ſuffer to deſcend lower than their girdle.

The cleanlineſs ſo ſtrongly recommended by the laws of their holy religion, has made them erect neceſ⯑ſary [334] houſes in different parts of the city, and eſpeci⯑cially round about the moſques, which in their lan⯑guage they call [...]dophano or places of ſhame. Theſe houſes are kept very neat and clean, with either a fountain of clear water running through them, or water let into them with a cock and baſon.

Was this cuſtom adopted in the great cities of our Chriſtian monarchs, it would tend very much to their ornament as well as to their cleanlineſs.

CHAP. VIII. Of their Character, Cuſtoms, Manners, and Amuſement.

THE morality of the Turks conſiſts principally in works of charity: they extend their practice of this v [...]rtue ſo far as to build, as we have already ob⯑ſerved, public [...]nns for the convenience of travellers; bridges to paſs rivers, and aqueducts and reſervoirs to provide water for public uſe. They, likewiſe, erect public ſchools and [...]ſ [...]itals for the ſick and poor. Perſons of rank, [...] [...]ſh to immortalize their names, build a moſque at their own expence. But their cha [...]ty in ſome [...] [...]ate and ſuperſtitious. For [...] for feeding dogs, and [...] or any beaſt of burthen to the extreme of what they can carry. That part of [335] their morals moſt worthy of imitation is their extreme reſignation to the will of God; they have no word in the Turkiſh languiſh to expreſs blaſphemy, ſuch is their veneration for the Deity; and they never ſpeak of un⯑dertaking any thing without ſaying "if it pleaſe God."

Uſury is looked upon as a great ſin, and never practiſed. They are guilty, however, of great extor⯑tion upon the Franks, but then it is generally through the inſtigation of the Jews and Chriſtians, who envy one another, and ſeek each other's ruin.

They are ever loyal to their prince, whom they highly reverence, and to whom they pay implicit obe⯑dience; are never known to betray him, but ready to die for him whenever he commands it, and never quarrel or fight among themſelves, owing to that wiſe precept of Mahomet, commanding the Turks to abſtain from the uſe of wine.

The Turks never engrave any thing upon their ſeals but the name and age of the perſon who is to wear them; their religion forbidding them either to engrave any figure or even to keep any by them. The form of their cornelians is different from ours; they general⯑ly wear the rings on their fingers cut in the ſhape of a ſquare.

If there are many ſimple and abſurd cuſtoms and opinions among the Turks, there exiſts likewiſe much [336] generoſity and magnificence in their conduct, when in an opulent ſituation. No miniſter of the Porte has an interview with a foreign ambaſſador, or ſtranger of any rank, without making him ſome preſents; which they return according to their opulence or inclination to be noble.

The manner of living of a Turk, ſufficiently wealthy to have nothing to do, is to go out every day, and take his ſeat in the ſhop of a dealer of tobacco. There, under the pretence of trying the different ſorts, he ſmoaks ſeveral pipes without paying any thing; and beſides enjoys the proſpect of the paſſengers; who on their part, admire the indolent gravity of the Turk, and the reſpectful demeanour of two or three ſervants who ſtand by his ſide, with their hands croſſed before them. In this poſition, the firſt liver-ſeller who paſſes, ſtops, and brags of his ability to bring together all the cats in the neighbourhood, cracks a ſew jokes to divert his excellency, and obtains permiſſion to begin his operations. The paſſengers gather round; by ſome art of his, the cats aſſemble, in a twinkling; at the watch⯑word the ſhoulders of the dealer are covered with them, they hang about his cloaths, and he makes haſte to feaſt his friends for their alacrity. The important perſonage for whoſe diverſion the ſcene is intended, pays the performance; and the European, who does not underſtand the language, or underſtands it but ill, and does not live among the Turks to ſtudy their [337] genius and manners, believes he has ſeen an act of charity, publiſhes it as ſuch, and only propagates an error, ſays Tott, who ſeems to view every action of the Turks with an evil eye.

As a proof of their exceſſive indolence, Lady C. mentions having ſeen a Turk lying on cuſhions, ſtriking ſlowly an iron, which he was ſhaping into a horſe-ſhoe, his pipe in his mouth all the time: nay, what is more, among the higher order of the Turks there is an invention which ſaves them the trouble of holding the pipe, two ſmall wheels are fixed on each ſide the bowl of the pipe, and thus the ſmoaker has only to puff away, or let the pipe reſt upon his under lip, while he moves his hand as he pleaſes. Perhaps it is fortunate for Europe that the Turks are idle and ignorant; the immenſe power this empire might have, were it peopled by the induſtrious and the ambitious, would make it the miſtreſs of the world. At preſent it only ſerves as a dead wall to intercept the commerce and battles which other powers might create with one another.

The quiet and paſſive Turk will ſit a whole day by the ſide of a canal, looking at kites flying or children's boats. I ſaw one, ſays Lady C. who was enjoying the ſhade of an immenſe plantane tree, his eyes fixed on a kind of bottle, diverted by the noiſe and motion of it, while the ſtream kept it in motion. How the [338] buſineſs of the nation, under ſuch indolence can go on, ſeems extraordinary: the cabinet is compoſed general⯑ly of ignorant mercenaries; the Vizir was only a water-carrier to the high-admiral, the high admiral himſelf only a ſervant in Algiers:—This was in the year 1776. Places are obtained at the Porte by intrigue; each placeman, each ſultaneſs has her creatures to provide for, and their plots to promote them. Ver⯑ſailles has not more intricate intrigue than the Porte; is it to be then wondered at, that the Turk is a predeſ⯑tinarian in moſt things, ſince it is neither birth nor abi⯑lities that give him place or power, nor is there gene⯑rally any viſible or juſt reaſon why heads are ſtruck off?

The populace at Conſtantinople are more inſolent than in other countries; ſo much ſo, that it is by no means ſafe for a ſtranger to walk the ſtreets unaccom⯑panied by a Janiſſary. A Greek lady, ſays Biſani, return⯑ing home through a great crowd of Turks that were aſſembled together on ſome occaſion, one of them ſaid, in the hearing of her interpreter, Oh! how I ſhould like to blow out the brains of that infidel! At another time a Turk having met a poor Greek as he was walk⯑ing out, ſtopped him, and ſaid this day I promiſed to offer up to God and his prophet Mahomet the head of an inſidel, and immediately ſhot him dead. He kept out of the way for a few days, but having in the mean time obtained his pardon from the relations of the de⯑ceaſed, by means of a ſum of money, appeared again [339] with more inſolence than ever. When we were at the Dardanelles, adds this author, one of my friends walk⯑ing by himſelf on the ſea-ſhore, was knocked down by a party of Turks without the leaſt provocation, merely as they ſaid, for the ſake of buffetting a Chriſtian. Such is the character of the common people, who always carry their zeal for religion to great lengths.

The fury of the Turks, however, rarely breaks out in haſty violence; they never fight duels, but they aſſaſſinate; and it is in this manner all their quarrels terminate, for they ſeldom if ever come to an accom⯑modation. The offended party publickly ſharpens his knife or prepares his fire-arms; ſome friends en⯑deavour to appeaſe, others to excite and encourage him to the murder; but no means are taken to pre⯑vent the crime threatened by theſe preparations. Its commiſſion however muſt be preceded by intoxication. Wine inſpires the Turk with the courage neceſſary for the gratification of his revenge; having worked himſelf up to the proper pitch, he ſallies forth from the tavern, and from that time the offender has no hopes of ſafety, but from the unſkilfulneſs of his antagoniſt. If the murder be effected, and the guards who never have any other arms but ſtaves, purſue the aſſaſſin, he will then give proofs of real courage, and defend him⯑ſelf like a lion; guilt ſeems to have ennobled him; and if he be overpowered, the threats of his comrades terrify the relations of the deceaſed into an accommodation, [340] which leaves the criminal in full enjoyment of the high eſteem he has acquired by this heroic action. This is no exaggeration: Such a one has killed this or that man is never ſaid, but by way of panegyric; he who has killed ten, is the hero of his quarter; there is no merry-making without him; his friendſhip is eſteemed a ſafeguard.

It is therefore only ſome hired aſſaſſins, among the Turks, ſome Chriſtians or Jews who furniſh examples of public puniſhment, as an atonement for the crimes they have committed. In this caſe, the culprit is brought to the Porte, and there receives his ſentence, the execution of which, is attended with no ſolemn parade; they may even be ſeen ſometimes puſhing through the crowd, and talking all the way with him, who is to execute them. The criminals only have their hands tied, and the hangman holds them by their girdle; then is the time to negociate with the friends of the deceaſed, and to endeavour to bring about the accommodation. There have been bargains of this kind broken off merely through the avarice of the per⯑ſon condemned. Such aſſertions ſeem beyond the bounds of probability; but if they be true, it is doubt⯑leſs, becauſe under deſpotic governments, riches are of much importance, life of but little.

Nothing is wanting to complete the barbarity of the Turks, ſays Baron Tott, but to imitate the late cuſtom [341] of the French, in extending the puniſhment of a crime, ſo as to load with infamy thoſe innocent perſons who have the misfortune of being related to the criminal. But they, on the contrary, engrave on his tomb-ſtone the name of the deceaſed, and the puniſhment he ſuf⯑fered. I have known, continued he, a European very ill received by a Grecian lady of conſequence, whoſe huſband had been hanged for ſome intrigue at court; becauſe he thought proper to lament her miſ⯑fortune, and dwelt particularly on the kind of death the deceaſed had ſuffered. What kind of death would you wiſh him to have died? cried the lady in a rage: know, ſir, that no perſon of my family ever died like a Baccal. A baccal is a retail grocer; they commonly die in their beds; it is this low ſtation of life which is uſually oppoſed by the Turks to the moſt diſtinguiſh⯑ed. The European was thunderſtruck, and left her, wiſhing each of her relations a like reputable end.

Murder is never purſued by the king's-officers as with us. It is the buſineſs of the next relations to re⯑venge the dead perſon; and if they like better to com⯑pound the matter for money (as they generally do) there is no more ſaid about it. It is natural to ſup⯑poſe that this deſect in their government, ſhould make ſuch tragedies very frequent; on the contrary, they are extremely rare; and proves that the people are not cruel by nature. I do not think, ſays Lady M. they deſerve, in general, the barbarous character we [342] give them. I am well acquainted with a Chriſtian woman of quality, who made it her choice to live with a Turkiſh huſband. She was a Spaniard, and at Na⯑ples with her family; coming from thence in a felucca, accompanied by her brother, ſhe was attacked by the Turkiſh admiral, boarded and taken. The ſame ac⯑cident happened to her that happened to the fair Lucretia ſo many years before her. But ſhe was too good a Chriſtian to kill herſelf as the heatheniſh Roman did. The admiral was ſo much charmed with the beauty and long ſuffering of the fair captive, that, as his firſt compliment, he gave immediately liberty to her brother and attendants, who made haſte to Spain, and in a few months ſent the ſum of four thouſand pounds, as a ranſom for his ſiſter. The Turk took the money, which he preſented to her, and told her ſhe was at her liberty. But the lady very diſcreetly weigh⯑ed the different treatment ſhe was likely to find in her native country. Her relations (as the kindeſt thing they could do for her in her preſent circumſtances) would certainly confine her to a nunnery for the reſt of her days. Her infidel lover was very handſome, very tender, very fond of her, and laviſhed at her feet all the Turkiſh magnificence. She anſwered him very reſolutely, that her liberty was not ſo precious to her as her honour; and as he could no way reſtore that, but by marrying her, ſhe requeſted him to accept the ran⯑ſom as her portion, and let her have the ſatisfaction of knowing that no man could boaſt of her favours [343] without being her huſband. The admiral tranſported at this liberal propoſal, ſent back the money to her relations, ſaying he was too happy in her poſſeſſion to need a reward to keep her. He conſequently married her, took no other wife, and the lady as ſhe herſelf declared, never had the leaſt reaſon to repent the choice ſhe had made. It may be ſaid that ſhe fell in love with her raviſher; it is, however, more candid to preſume that ſhe acted wholly on motives of honour, though ſhe might naturally be ſtruck with his gene⯑roſity—a principle found among the Turks of rank.

It is a degree of generoſity to tell the truth, and it is very rare that any Turk will aſſert a ſolemn falſe⯑hood. I don't ſpeak of the lower ſort, for as there is a great deal of ignorance, ſo there is very little virtue among them; and falſe witneſſes are much cheaper than in Chriſtian countries; ſuch wretches not being puniſhed (even when they are publicly detected) with the rigour they deſerved.

In order to avoid the effects of debauchery among the common people, the taverns are ſhut up on their ſolemn feſtivals. The ſeal of police is affixed to the door of every tavern; but a little wicket is contrived underneath, which affords an entrance, and requires only a little ſtooping to evade the law, and get drunk unmoleſted.

[344]The three days of the Bayram, occaſion ſome ſoli⯑citude on the part of government, to prevent the diſorders which may ariſe from intoxication. The Ramazan, which precedes the holidays, is the lunar month, appointed for a faſt, and the time when it happens annually, advances eleven days. The time of abſtinence, which Mahomet has copied from the Lent of Chriſtians, conſiſts among the Turks, as that did in the primitive church, in taking no nouriſhment while the ſun is above the horizon. It is therefore eaſy to perceive, that the Ramazans, which fall near the winter ſolſtice, are much leſs difficult to obſerve than thoſe which happen in the midſt of ſummer, from the exceſſive heat and length of the days which accompany this ſeaſon of faſting. But the claſs of labouring people ſeems alone to bear all the rigour of the Rama⯑zan. Deprived during the day of a glaſs of water to quench their thirſt, or even refreſh their lips, the ſetting of the ſun only brings them a frugal repaſt and ſhort repoſe, to be ſhortly interrupted by the hour of prayer, and quick return of day.

This faſt wears a quite different appearance among perſons of fortune; it is only luxury ſleeping in the arms of hypocriſy, and awaking merely to give itſelf up to good cheer, muſic, and whatever can recompence ſenſuality for the uneaſineſs of abſtinence.

[345]Obliged to wait the time preſcribed by law, and anxious to ſee it arrive, a Turk, during the Ramazan, is perpetually counting the hours and minutes, ſur⯑rounded by all the clocks and watches he poſſeſſes. It is then that Geneva receives the greater part of that tribute which its induſtry impoſes on the Turks. But the moſt regular watch is not ſufficient to deter⯑mine the moment of the ending of the faſt. It is an⯑nounced by the criers of the moſques placed in the galleries, the minarets, who obſerve there the diſap⯑pearance of the ſun, and he of Sancta Sophia gives the firſt ſignal. At that inſtant the impatience of the Turks knows no bounds, and they inſtantly ſeize on their pipes, this being the firſt of their wants.

Yet if the Turks wait till the ſun diſappears before they allow themſelves any nouriſhment, they take no leſs care to aſcertain the commencement of their new moon, when the Ramazan begins. They have in general but little confidence in aſtronomical calcula⯑tions, except as the commencement of a feſtival. It is alſo remarked, that the moon dedicated to abſtinence has commonly but twenty-eight days, and the perſons appointed to obſerve this planet always perceive a little of the lateſt, the firſt ray of light of the Ramazan moon; but, to make amends, are far leſs ſcrupulous in announcing the appearance of that which begins the Bayram, and is uſhered in by a diſcharge of artillery from all the different batteries.

[346]The ſeaſon of the Bayram is alſo a ſeaſon of luxury; every individual procures, gives, or receives new dreſſes. It is likewiſe the time for parties of pleaſure of all kinds, which uſually produce diſorders and op⯑preſſion on the part of the Turks; who, new cloathed and well armed, are ſpread in every village for three or four leagues round Conſtantinople, and think they may commit every extravagance with impunity, and exact what they pleaſe from the unfortunate Greeks.

There are no theatres, no maſquerades, nor any public amuſements at Conſtantinople, except the Donalma, or rejoicings on the birth of the Grand Sig⯑nor's children. Fourteen days feſtivity are allowed when the firſt child is born, whether prince or princeſs; and ſeven for the reſt. All the bezars, khans, and other public buildings, are illuminated, not excepting the moſques, upon whoſe turrets lamps are placed, and kept burning all night. The ſtreets are, likewiſe, illuminated, and the ſhops kept open, to diſplay every rare and ſplendid commodity, not for ſale but for ornament; no trade being ſuffered during theſe public rejoicings. The common people are every where in perpetual motion, running up and down the ſtreets, and entering the houſes of perſons of rank, who ſit upon ſophas in an outer apartment, finely illuminated, to receive all kinds of viſitors, who may freely ſeat themſelves on the ſophas of the firſt officers of ſtate, even upon that, on which the grand vizir himſelf [347] is ſeated; who is obliged to offer refreſhments at his own expence to all comers, in honour of the emperor, who may poſſibly be one of his gueſts in diſguiſe. This circumſtance, and their knowing if he is not pre⯑ſent, that he is well informed of every thing that paſſes, makes the Turkiſh nobility, and particularly the great officers of ſtate, exert their utmoſt efforts to diſplay the greateſt magnificence and hoſpitality poſſible on ſuch an occaſion; for their fortune often depends on the expence they put themſelves to, in honour of this feſtival; ſome of them having been promoted on ac⯑count of their liberality, and others turned out of their office, and diſgraced, for their penuriouſneſs.

An infinite number of little troops of dancers and ſingers diſtribute themſelves in all parts of the city, and are well paid for contributing to the public joy. No perſon can be taken up for any crime during the Donalma, and priſoners are ſet at liberty, provided they can find ſecurity for returning to their priſons when the rejoicings are over. In a word, it is a per⯑fect carnival, and more ſplendid than that of Venice. But the perſons who diſtinguiſh themſelves moſt on theſe occaſions, are the foreign miniſters, who do it at the expence of their ſovereigns, and at the ſame time gain the good will of the Grand Signor. Prince Repnin, ambaſſador from Ruſſia, was too great a poli⯑tician to be ſparing of expence during the Donalma that happened in his time. On the contrary, ſays [348] Habeſci, he far ſurpaſſed all his brethren. The illumi⯑nations at his hotel were ſo magnificent and coſtly, that they attracted the admiration of all ranks of people: the Grand Signor himſelf went twice to ſee them, and entering the hotel with other ſtrangers, paſſed through the apartments ſo well diſguiſed as not to be known.

We ſee practiſed again, ſays Baron Tott, at theſe rejoicings, the manners of ancient Rome during their Saturnalia. Slaves enjoy a reſpite from their labours, and are permitted to be merry in the preſence of their maſters, and even at their expence. New actors come forward on the ſtage, and preſent the great with a view of their follies, while they, now on a level with the rabble, are obliged to join in the laugh.