WESTERN PREJUDICES, AND EASTERN TOLERATION.
The etiquettes and punctilious ceremonies of society were doubtless
unknown in the primitive condition of our race.
Modern civilization has put the world into fetters with its laws and
by-laws, which seem the result of some secret combination, as they
are generally known only to the initiated, while the less fortunate
mass of the communities become the laughing-stock of these wiseacres.
The true politeness and generosity which spring from good feeling
and common-sense, are little regarded by the aristocracy of society,
unless you have the open sesame to their doors, which is nothing less
than an entire conformity to their pre-conceived ideas.
A certain air and style, only perceivable to the critics themselves,
is to be maintained; a certain contour of costume rigorously to
be adopted, whether agreeable to the wearer or not--an unvaried and
monotonous similarity must pervade the whole world, or those venturing
to differ, must suffer not only an exclusion from the company of
very agreeable people (barring their prejudices), but an absolute
persecution of ill-sounding epithets--such as vulgar, conceited,
independent, and even the moral character is often libelled.
You must not attend the church of the Rev. ----, unless your hat is
black as a stove-pipe, and with a rim of approved dimensions. The
fastidious ladies of upper-tendom show symptoms of nervous agitation,
as you unwittingly mount their steps in your native head-gear, which
may chance to be a sombrero, or a Turkish fess--what if a TURBAN!
The only occasion on which a foreigner might be permitted to appear
in his own every-day clothes, would be at some fancy ball, as if
in masquerade. All this may do among themselves, but why attempt to
renovate the habits of a life-time in others. Indeed, the Americans are
very exacting, for when did they ever conform to any other nation's
mode of dress? while the moment you set foot on their shores, you
must turn American in toto, or you are no go.
The English are proverbial for their snobbism, and stiff
shirt-collars--yet in London, you may meet the Hindostanee in his
white robes and turban, the Turk in his fess or red cap, and many
others, as they are accustomed to be at home. Still more common is
this variety in Paris, and all over Europe.
Americans, English, and French, traverse the East dressed as they like,
without creating either the sensation of disgust or astonishment in the
beholders. Why, then, this illiberality in the land of freedom? why
force the Chinese, the moment they land, into straight-jackets, or
crown the Osmanli with a sombre stove-pipe, the most uncouth machine,
yclept the hat, which ever any sensible people ventured to place in
so honorable a position.
Nolens volens, the Osmanli, on his arrival in the land of
"Independence," must needs become a Pasha of two tails, reversed
however, as at home these emblems of rank are carried before him; but
now he becomes his own standard-bearer, parading his honors and entrée
to the fashionable world, in the shape of the time-honored dress coat.
To those who have never visited foreign lands, one would suppose,
nothing would be more entertaining than to see an exhibition of habits
and customs of other peoples.
But we must take the world as it is.
Although the manners and dress of the Orientals were, and are still,
in many respects very different from those of their western neighbors,
yet they have displayed a degree of civilization, if we may so speak,
in their toleration of others as they chanced to meet them. English,
Spanish, Italians, Magiars, Greeks, Albanians, Croats, Bulgarians,
Persians, Kurds, and Arabs, walk their streets and enter their houses
without dreaming of changing their costume, or disguising their own
nationality under any garb whatever.
Even the European or American travellers, making half-way attempts
at external conformity to those about them, although they become
perfect caricatures, have free scope to sport the travesties they
make of themselves, and are even treated with civility; yet, judging
from appearances, no one could conceive what parts of the world might
claim the honor of their nativity.
Indeed, the only occasion upon which we remember the Turks to have
taken umbrage at the European costume, was some time ago, when
visitors desired to present themselves before his imperial highness,
their ideas of decency compelled them to furnish each one with a
long pelisse. So far have they yielded their prejudices, as even to
adopt the European military and undress costume, only excluding the
hat; though not without a struggle, as was exemplified when Sultan
Mahmoud ordered the janissaries to doff their cumbersome head-gear,
flowing robes, and ample trowsers.
But alas for the robes and turbans! the cashmere girdles, and yellow
slippers! they are rapidly passing away. The audience-hall of the
Grand Signor, is now filled with an ordinary assemblage--the sultan
and his minister are stripped of the mysterious appendages of their
gorgeous draperies--beneath which, there seemed to breathe no common
soul. How imposing the garb, as they were wont to stand in the august
presence, immovable, impenetrable; each with his majesty of mien,
flowing beard, and portentous silence.
We have seen a fac-simile of an ancient court, or, as it was scarce
thirty years ago, in the days of the father of the present sultan.
Mahmoud was seated on his throne upon an elevated platform; an immense
turban composed of innumerable folds of the purest and finest white
muslin covered his royal head, in the front of which was placed a
magnificent spray of brilliants; his robes of rich silk, were confined
by a girdle of Cashmere's softest and richest fabrics, while over his
shoulders hung a magnificent pelisse, lined throughout with the best
of Russia's sables. Behind him stood his numerous pages, all young,
blooming, and beardless as the fairest maidens, arrayed in robes of
delicate tints.
The Silahdar holding his majesty's sword upright, stood on the right
hand, while the Haznadar, or Lord Steward, was upon the other side
of the sultan.
The Ak-agha, or chief of the white eunuchs, was behind the chair,
an old, woman-like man, beardless and wrinkled. In the group were the
imperial cup bearer, Kahvegee Bashi, coffee server, Kaftan-aghassi,
gentlemen of the wardrobe, etc.
Below the platform, and in front of the sultan, stood in respective
rank, the different ministers of the realm, all robed to the feet in
rich and varied hues, and no two turbans alike. They seemed, indeed,
to be the movers and arbitrary controllers of the destinies of a vast
nation, the secret springs which kept the machine in motion.
A most interesting collection of illustrative models from life, is
carefully preserved at Constantinople, called the Elbisseyi Atiké,
and exhibited at the great square of At Meydan, or the ancient
Hippodrome, near St. Sophia. It is wonderfully true to nature, and
typical of Eastern life, recalling those very characters with their
various avocations, who but a few years ago were all upon the scene,
enacting the very reality of Orientalism.
The different grades of life, the officers under government, civil,
religious, and military, the various trades and callings, and
individuals of both sexes were formerly, each and all, designated by
a peculiar style and appearance. The janissaries were also habited
in various costumes, according to their ranks and employments.
Such was the past magnificence of Turkey, now rapidly losing its
former type of varied external beauty, as it merges from day to day
in the great stream of civilization.