brought her a _pellice_ of rich brocade lined with sables. I waited
on her into the garden, which had nothing in it remarkable but the
fountains; and from thence she shewed me all her apartments. In her
bed-chamber, her toilet was displayed, consisting of two
looking-glasses, the frames covered With pearls, and her night
_talpoche_ set with bodkins of jewels, and near it three vests of
fine sables, every one of which is, at least, worth a thousand
dollars, (two hundred pounds English money.) I don't doubt but these
rich habits were purposely placed in sight, though they seemed
negligently thrown on the sofa. When I took my leave of her, I was
complimented with perfumes, as at the grand vizier's, and presented
with a very fine embroidered handkerchief. Her slaves were to the
number of thirty, besides ten little ones, the eldest not above
seven years old. These were the most beautiful girls I ever saw, all
richly dressed; and I observed that the sultana took a great deal of
pleasure in these lovely children, which is a vast expence; for there
is not a handsome girl of that age to be bought under a hundred
pounds sterling. They wore little garlands of flowers, and their own
hair, braided, which was all their head-dress; but their habits were
all of gold stuffs. These served her coffee kneeling; brought water
when she washed, &c.--'Tis a great part of the work of the older
slaves to take care of these young girls, to learn them to embroider,
and to serve them as carefully as if they were children of the
family. Now, do you imagine I have entertained you, all this while,
with a relation that has, at least, received many embellishments from
my hand? This, you will say, is but too like the Arabian
tales.--These embroidered napkins! and a jewel as large as a turkey's
egg!--You forget, dear sister, those very tales were written by an
author of this country, and (excepting the enchantments) are a real
representation of the manners here. We travellers are in very hard
circumstances: If we say nothing but what has been said before us,
_we are dull, and we have observed nothing_. If we tell any thing
new, we are laughed at as _fabulous and romantic_, not allowing
either for the difference of ranks, which affords difference of
company, or more curiosity, or the change of customs, that happen
every twenty years in every country. But the truth is, people judge
of travellers, exactly with the same candour, good nature, and
impartiality, they judge of their neighbours upon all occasions. For
my part, if I live to return amongst you, I am so well acquainted
with the morals of all my dear friends and acquaintances, that I am
resolved to tell them nothing at all, to avoid the imputation (which
their charity would certainly incline them to) of my telling too
much. But I depend upon your knowing me enough, to believe whatever
I seriously assert for truth; though I give you leave to be surprised
at an account so new to you. But what would you say if I told you,
that I have been in a haram, where the winter apartment was
wainscoted (sic) with inlaid work of mother of pearl, ivory of
different colours, and olive wood, exactly like the little boxes you
have seen brought Out of this country; and in whose rooms designed
for summer, the walls are all crusted with japan china, the roofs
gilt, and the floors spread with the finest Persian carpets? Yet
there is nothing more true; such is the palace of my lovely friend,
the fair Fatima, whom I was acquainted with at Adrianople. I went
to visit her yesterday; and, if possible, she appeared to me
handsomer than before. She met me at the door of her chamber, and,
giving me her hand With the best grace in the world; You Christian
ladies (said she, with a smile that made her as beautiful as an
angel) have the reputation of inconstancy, and I did not expect,
whatever goodness you expressed for me at Adrianople, that I should
ever see you again. But I am now convinced that I have really the
happiness of pleasing you; and, if you knew how I speak of you
amongst our ladies, you would be assured, that you do me justice in
making me your friend. She placed me in the corner of the sofa, and
I spent the afternoon in her conversation, with the greatest pleasure
in the world.--The sultana Hafiten is, what one Would naturally
expect to find a Turkish lady, willing to oblige, but not knowing how
to go about it; and 'tis easy to see, in her manner, that she has
lived excluded from the world. But Fatima has all the politeness and
good breeding of a court, with an air that inspires, at once, respect
and tenderness; and now, that I understand her language, I find her
wit as agreeable as her beauty. She is very carious after the
manners of other countries, and has not the partiality for her own,
so common in little minds. A Greek that I carried with me, who had
never seen her before, (nor could have been admitted now, if she had
not been in my train,) shewed that surprise at her beauty and
manners, which is unavoidable at the first sight, and said to me in
Italian,--_This is no Turkish lady, she is certainly some
Christian_.--Fatima guessed she spoke of her, and asked what she
said. I would not have told her, thinking she would have been no
better pleased with the compliment, than one of our court beauties to
be told she had the air of a Turk; but the Greek lady told it to her;
and she smiled, saying, _It is not the first time I have heard so: my
mother was a Poloneze, taken at the siege of Caminiec; and my father
used to rally me, saying, He believed his Christian wife had found
some gallant; for that I had not the air of a Turkish girl_.--I
assured her, that if all the Turkish ladies were like her, it was
absolute necessary to confine them from public view, for the repose
of mankind; and proceeded to tell her, what a noise such a face as
hers would make in London or Paris. _I can't believe you_, replied
she agreeably; _if beauty was so much valued in your country, as you
say, they would never have suffered you to leave it_.--Perhaps, dear
sister, you laugh at my vanity in repeating this compliment; but I
only do it, as I think it very well turned, and give it you as an
instance of the spirit of her conversation. Her house was
magnificently furnished, and very well fancied; her winter rooms
being furnished with figured velvet, on gold grounds, and those for
summer, with fine Indian quilting embroidered with gold. The houses
of the great Turkish ladies are kept clean with as much nicety as
those in Holland. This was situated in a high part of the town; and
from the window of her summer apartment, we had the prospect of the
sea, the islands, and the Asian mountains.--My letter is insensibly
grown so long, I am ashamed of it. This is a very bad symptom. 'Tis
well if I don't degenerate into a downright story-teller. It may be,
our proverb, that _knowledge is no burden_, may be true, as to one's
self but knowing too much, is very apt to make us troublesome to
other people. I am, &c, &c.
LET. XL.
TO THE LADY ----.
_Pera, March_ 16. O. S.
I AM extremely pleased, my dear lady, that you have, at length, found
a commission for me, that I can answer, without disappointing your
expectations; though I must tell you, that it is not so easy as
perhaps you think it; and that if my curiosity had not been more
diligent than any other stranger's has ever yet been, I must have
answered you with an excuse, as, I was forced to do, when you desired
me to buy you a Greek slave. I have got for you, as you desire, a
Turkish love-letter, which I have put into a little box, and ordered
the captain of the Smyrniote to deliver it to you with this letter.
The translation of it is literally as follows: The first piece you
should pull out of the purse, is a little pearl, which is in Turkish
called _Ingi_, and must be understood in this manner:
Ingi, Sensin Uzellerin gingi
_Pearl_, _Fairest of the young_.
Caremfil, Caremfilsen cararen yok
_Clove_, Conge gulsum timarin yok
Benseny chok than severim
Senin benden, haberin yok.
_You are as slender as the clove!_
_You are an unblown rose!_
_I have long loved you, and you have not known it!_
Pul, Derdime derman bul
_Jonquil_, _Have pity on my passion!_
Kihat, Birlerum sahat sahat
_Paper_, _I faint every hour!_
Ermus, Ver bixe bir umut
_Pear_, _Give me some hope._
Jabun, Derdinden oldum zabun
_Soap_, _I am sick with love._
Chemur, Ben oliyim size umur
_Coal_, _May I die, and all my years be yours!_
GUl Ben aglarum sen gul
_A rose_, _May you be pleased, and your sorrows mine!_
Hasir, Oliim sana yazir
_A straw_, _Suffer me to be your slave._
Jo ho, Ustune bulunmaz pahu
_Cloth_, _Your price is not to be found._
Tartsin, Sen ghel ben chekeim senin hargin
_Cinnamon_, _But my fortune is yours._
Giro, Esking-ilen oldum ghira
_A match_, _I burn, I burn! my flame consumes me!_
Sirma, Uzunu benden a yirma
_Goldthread_, _Don't turn away your face._
Satch, Bazmazum tatch
_Hair_, _Crown of my head!_
Uzum Benim iki Guzum
_Grape_, _My eyes!_
Til, Ulugorum tez ghel
_Gold wire_, _I die--come quickly._
And, by way of postscript:
Beber, Bize bir dogm haber
_Pepper_, _Send me an answer._
You see this letter is all in verse, and I can assure you, there is
as much fancy shewn in the choice of them, as in the most studied
expressions of our letters; there being, I believe, a million of
verses designed for this use. There is no colour, no flower, no
weed, no fruit, herb, pebble, or feather, that has not a verse
belonging to it; and you may quarrel, reproach, or send letters of
passion, friendship, or civility, or even Of news, without ever
inking your fingers.
I FANCY you are now wondering at my profound learning; but, alas!
dear madam, I am almost fallen into the misfortune so common to the
ambitious; while they are employed on distant insignificant conquests
abroad, a rebellion starts up at home;--I am in great danger of
losing my English. I find 'tis not half so easy to me to write in
it, as it was a twelvemonth ago. I am forced to study for
expressions, and must leave off all other languages, and try to learn
my mother tongue.--Human understanding is as much limited as human
power, or human strength. The memory can retain but a certain number
of images; and 'tis as impossible for one human creature to be
perfect master of ten different languages, as to have, in perfect
subjection, ten different kingdoms, or to fight against ten men at a
time; I am afraid I shall at last know none as I should do. I live
in a place, that very well represents the tower of Babel: in Pera
they speak Turkish, Greek, Hebrew, Armenian, Arabic, Persian,
Russian, Sclavonian, Walachian, German, Dutch, French, English,
Italian, Hungarian; and, what is worse, there are ten of these
languages spoken in my own family. My grooms are Arabs; my footmen
French, English, and Germans; my nurse an Armenian; my house-maids
Russians; half a dozen other servants, Greeks; my steward an Italian;
my janizaries Turks; so that I live in the perpetual hearing of this
medley of sounds, which produces a very extraordinary effect upon the
people that are born here; for they learn all these languages at the
same time, and without knowing any of them well enough to write or
read in it. There are very few men, women, or even children here,
that have not the same compass of words in five or six of them. I
know, myself, several infants of three or four years old, that speak
Italian, French, Greek, Turkish, and Russian, which last they learn
of their nurses, who are generally of that country. This seems
almost incredible to you, and is, in my mind, one of the most curious
things in this country, and takes off very much from the merit of our
ladies, who set up for such extraordinary geniuses, upon the credit
of some superficial knowledge of French and Italian.
AS I prefer English to all the rest, I am extremely mortified at the
daily decay of it in my head, where I'll assure you (with grief of
heart) it is reduced to such a small number of words, I cannot
recollect any tolerable phrase to conclude my letter with, and am
forced to tell your ladyship very bluntly, that I am,
Your's, &C. &c.
LET. XLI.
TO THE COUNTESS OF B----.
AT length I have heard from my dear Lady B----, for the first time.
I am persuaded you have had the goodness to write before, but I have
had the ill fortune to lose your letters. Since my last, I have
staid (sic) quietly at Constantinople, a city that I ought in
conscience to give your ladyship a right notion of, since I know you
can have none but what is partial and mistaken from the writings of
travellers. 'Tis certain, there are many people that pass years here
in Pera, without having ever seen it, and yet they all pretend to
describe it. Pera, Tophana, and Galata, wholly inhabited by French
Christians (and which, together, make the appearance of a very fine
town,) are divided from it by the sea, which is not above half so
broad as the broadest part of the Thames; but the Christian men are
loth to hazard the adventures they sometimes meet with amongst the
_levents_ or seamen, (worse monsters than our watermen) and the women
must cover their faces to go there, which they have a perfect
aversion to do. 'Tis true, they wear veils in Pera, but they are
such as only serve to shew their beauty to more advantage, and would
not be permitted in Constantinople. These reasons deter almost every
creature from seeing it; and the French ambassadress will return to
France (I believe) without ever having been there. You'll wonder,
madam, to hear me add, that I have been there very often. The
_asmack_, or Turkish veil, is become not only very easy, but
agreeable to me; and, if it was not, I would be content to endure
some inconveniency, to gratify a passion that is become so powerful
with me, as curiosity. And, indeed, the pleasure of going in a barge
to Chelsea, is not comparable to that of rowing upon the canal of the
sea here, where, for twenty miles together, down the Bosphorus, the
most beautiful variety of prospects present themselves. The Asian
side is covered with fruit-trees, villages, and the most delightful
landskips (sic) in nature; on the European, stands Constantinople,
situated on seven hills.--The unequal heights 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 public buildings, raised one above another,
with as much beauty and appearance of symmetry, as your ladyship ever
saw 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 an exact idea of the
thing. I have taken care to see as much of the seraglio as is to be
seen. It is on a point of land running into the sea; a palace of
prodigious extent, but very irregular. The gardens take in a large
compass of ground, full of high cypress-trees, which is all I know of
them. The buildings are all of white stone, leaded on the top, with
gilded turrets and spires, which look very magnificent; and, indeed,
I believe there is no Christian-king's palace half so large. There
are six large courts in it, all built round, and set with trees,
having galleries of stone; one of these for the guard, another for
the slaves, another for the officers of the kitchen, another for the
stables, the fifth for the divan, and the sixth for the apartment
destined for audiences. On the ladies side, there are, at least, as
many more, with distinct courts belonging to their eunuchs and
attendants, their kitchens, &c.
THE next remarkable structure is that of St Sophia which is very
difficult to see. I was forced to send three times to the
_caimairam_, (the governor of the town) and he assembled the chief
_effendis_, or heads of the law, and enquired of the _mufti_, whether
it was lawful to permit it. They passed some days in this important
debate; but I insisting on my request, permission was granted. I
can't be informed why the Turks are more delicate on the subject of
this mosque, than on any of the others, where what Christian pleases
may enter without scruple. I fancy they imagine, that, having been
once consecrated, people, on pretence of curiosity, might profane it
with prayers, particularly to those saints, who are still very
visible in Mosaic work, and no other way defaced but by the decays of
time; for it is absolutely false, though so universally asserted,
that the Turks defaced all the images that they found in the city.
The dome of St Sophia is said to be one hundred and thirteen feet
diameter, built upon arches, sustained by vast pillars of marble, the
pavement and stair-case marble. There are two rows of galleries,
supported with pillars of party-coloured (sic) marble, and the whole
roof Mosaic work, part of which decays very fast, and drops down.
They presented me a handful of it; its composition seems to me a sort
of glass, or that paste with which they make counterfeit jewels.
They shew here the tomb of the emperor Constantine, for which they
have a great veneration.
THIS is a dull, imperfect description, of this celebrated building;
but I understand architecture so little, that I am afraid of talking
nonsense, in endeavouring to speak of it particularly. Perhaps I am
in the wrong, but some Turkish mosques please me better. That of
sultan Solyman is an exact square, with four fine towers in the
angles, in the midst is a noble cupola, supported with beautiful
marble 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 fountain, 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, the little gallery for the grand
signior. A fine stair-case leads to it, and it is built up 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 vast
number of lamps. The court leading to it is very spacious, with
galleries of marble, of green columns, covered with twenty-eight
leaded cupolas on two sides, and a fine fountain of basins in the
midst of it.
THIS description may serve for all the mosques in Constantinople.
The model is exactly the same, and they only differ in largeness and
richness of materials. That of the sultana Valida is the largest of
all, built entirely of marble, the most prodigious, and, I think, the
most beautiful structure I ever saw, be it spoken to the honour of
our sex, for it was founded by the mother of Mahomet IV. Between
friends, Paul's church would make a pitiful figure near it, as any of
our squares would do near the _atlerdan_, or place of horses, (_at_
signifying a horse in Turkish). This was the _hippodrome_, in the
reign of the Greek emperors. In the midst of it is a brazen column,
of three serpents twisted together, with their mouths gaping. 'Tis
impossible to learn why so odd a pillar was erected; the Greeks can
tell nothing but fabulous legends, when they are asked the meaning of
it, and there is no sign of its having ever had any inscription. At
the upper end is an obelisk of porphyry, probably brought from Egypt,
the hieroglyphics all very entire, which I look upon as mere ancient
puns. It is placed on four little brazen pillars, upon 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; the last I took in my pocket-book,
and it is as follows:
_Difficilis quondam, dominis parere serenis
Jussus, et extinctis palman portare tyrannis
Omnia Theodosio cedunt, sobolique perenni_.
Your lord will interpret these lines. Don't fancy they are a
love-letter to him.
ALL the figures have their heads on; and I cannot forbear reflecting
again on the impudence of authors, who all say they have not; but I
dare swear the greatest part of them never saw them; but took the
report from the Greeks, who resist, with incredible fortitude, the
conviction of their own eyes, whenever they have invented lies to the
dishonour of their enemies. Were you to believe them, there is
nothing worth seeing in Constantinople, but Sancta Sophia, though
there are several large, and, in my opinion, more beautiful mosques
in that city. That of sultan Achmet has this particularity, that its
gates are of brass. In all these mosques there are little chapels,
where are the tombs of the founders and their families, with wax
candles burning before them.
THE Exchanges 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 the merchandize is disposed
in the same order as in the New Exchange at London. The _besisten_,
or jeweller's quarter, shews so much riches, such a vast quantity of
diamonds, and all kinds of precious stones, that they dazzle the
sight. The embroiderer's is also very glittering, and 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.
I KNOW, you'll expect I should say something particular of the
slaves; and you will imagine me half a Turk, when I don't speak of it
with the same horror other Christians have done before me. But I
cannot forbear applauding the humanity of the Turks to these
creatures; they are never ill used, and their slavery is, in my
opinion, no worse than servitude all over the world. 'Tis true, they
have no wages; but they give them yearly clothes to a higher value
than our salaries to our ordinary servants. But you'll object, that
men buy women _with an eye to evil_. In my opinion, they are bought
and sold as publicly, and as infamously, in all our Christian great
cities.
I MUST add to the description of Constantinople, that the _historical_
pillar is no more. It dropped down about two years before I came to
this part of the world. I have seen no other footsteps of antiquity,
except the aqueducts, which are so vast, that I am apt to believe
they are yet more ancient than the Greek empire. The Turks indeed
have clapped in some stones with Turkish inscriptions, to give their
natives the honour of so great a work; but the deceit is easily
discovered.--The other public buildings are the hanns and
monasteries; the first are very large and numerous; the second few in
number, and not at all magnificent. I had the curiosity to visit one
of them, and to observe the devotions of the dervises, which are as
whimsical as any at Rome. These fellows have permission to marry,
but are confined to an odd habit, which is only a piece of coarse
white cloth, wrapped about them, with their legs and arms naked.
Their order has few other rules, except that of performing their
fantastic rites, every Tuesday and Friday, which is done in this
manner: They meet together in a large hall, where they all stand with
their eyes fixed on the ground, and their arms across, while the
_imaum_ or preacher reads part of the alcoran from a pulpit placed
in the midst; and when he has done, eight or ten of them make a
melancholy concert with their pipes, which are no unmusical
instruments. Then he reads again, and makes a short exposition on
what he has read; after which they sing and play, 'till their
superior (the only one of them dressed in green) rises and begins a
sort of solemn dance. They all stand about him in a regular figure;
and while some play, the others tie their robe (which is very wide)
fast round their waist, and begin to turn round with an amazing
swiftness, and yet with great regard to the music, moving slower or
faster as the tune is played. This lasts above an hour, without any
of them shewing the least appearance of giddiness, which is not to be
wondered at, when it is considered they are all used to it from their
infancy; most of them being devoted to this way of life from their
birth. There turned amongst them some little dervises, of six or
seven years old, who seemed no more disordered by that exercise than
the others. At the end of the ceremony, they shout out, _There is no
other god, but God, and Mahomet his prophet;_ after which, they kiss
the superior's hand, and retire. The whole is performed with the
most solemn gravity. Nothing can be more austere than the form of
these people; they never raise their eyes, and seem devoted to
contemplation. And as ridiculous as this is in description, there is
something touching in the air of submission and mortification they
assume.--This letter is of a horrible length; but you may burn it
when you have read enough, &c. &c.
LET. XLII.
TO THE COUNTESS OF ----.
I AM now preparing to leave Constantinople, and perhaps you will
accuse me of hypocrisy, when I tell you 'tis with regret, but as I am
used to the air, and have learnt the language, I am easy here; and as
much as I love travelling, I tremble at the inconveniencies attending
so great a journey, with a numerous family, and a little infant
hanging at the breast. However, I endeavour, upon this occasion, to
do, as I have hitherto done in all the odd turns of my life; turn
them, if I can, to my diversion. In order to this, I ramble every
day, wrapped up in my _serigee_ and _asmack_, about Constantinople,
and amuse myself with seeing all that is curious in it. I know you
will expect that this declaration should be followed with some
account of what I have seen. But I am in no humour to copy what has
been writ so often over. To what purpose should I tell you, that
Constantinople is the ancient Byzantium? that 'tis at present the
conquest of a race of people, supposed Scythians? that there are five
or six thousand mosques in it? that Sancta Sophia was founded by
Justinian? &c. I'll assure you, 'tis not for want of learning, that
I forbear writing all these bright things. I could also, with very
little trouble, turn over Knolles and Sir Paul Rycaut, to give you a
list of Turkish emperors; but I will not tell you what you may find
in every author that has writ of this country. I am more inclined,
out of a true female spirit of contradiction, to tell you the
falsehood of a great part of what you find in authors; as, for
instance, in the admirable Mr Hill, who so gravely asserts, that he
saw, in Sancta Sophia, a sweating pillar, very balsamic for
disordered heads. There is not the least tradition of any such
matter; and I suppose it was revealed to him in vision, during his
wonderful stay in the Egyptian catacombs; for I am sure he never
heard of any such miracle here. 'Tis also very pleasant to observe
how tenderly he and all his brethren voyage-writers lament the
miserable confinement of the Turkish ladies, who are perhaps more
free than any ladies in the universe, and are the only women in the
world that lead a life of uninterrupted pleasure, exempt from cares;
their whole time being spent in visiting, bathing, or the agreeable
amusement of spending money, and inventing new fashions. A husband
would be thought mad, that exacted any degree of economy from his
wife, whose expences are no way limited but by her own fancy. 'Tis
his business to get money, and hers to spend it: and this noble
prerogative extends itself to the very meanest of the sex. Here is a
fellow that carries embroidered handkerchiefs upon his back to sell.
And as miserable a figure as you may suppose such a mean dealer, yet,
I'll assure you, his wife scorns to wear any thing less than cloth of
gold; has her ermine furs, and a very handsome set of jewels for her
head. 'Tis true, they have no places but the bagnios, and these can
only be seen by their own sex; however, that is a diversion they take
great pleasure in.