w > i "W I ,r - K % , EcLm."j?# PICTURESQUE TOUR THROUGH PART OF EUROPE, ASIA, AFRICA. PICTURESQUE TOUR THROUGH PART OF EUROPE, ASIA, and AFRICA: CONTAINING MANY NEW REMARKS ON THE PRESENT STATE OF SOCIETY, REMAINS OF ANCIENT EDIFICES, &c. WITH PLATES, AFTER DESIGNS Bt JAMES STUART, Esq. F.R.S. and F.A.S. AND AUTHOR OF THE ANTIQUITIES OF ATHENS. WRITTEN BY AN ITALIAN GENTLEMAN. ji(jtA4^^T^ LONDON: PRINTED BY J. DAVIS; FOR R. FAULDER, NEW BOND-STREET. 1793. TABLE O F CONTENTS. LETTER I. IROM Palermo. — Idea that of city. — Defcription of the Flora. — Charnel-houfe of the capuchins. Page i , LETTER II. From Palermo. — Hofpitality of the inhabitants of the place —Their expreffive geftures — Sketch of their character — Or dinary drefs of the women. Page 6 LETTER III. From Palermo.— LET- vi CONTENTS. LETTER IV. From Agrigentum. — Ruins of that country. Page 12 LETTER V. From Malta. — Idea of the town. — Serpents tongues petri fied by St. Paul. Page 14 LETTER VI. From Malta. — Rules of the Order — Government — Ob servations refpe&ing food. — Relation of the enterprifes of the Turks againft Malta. — Conjecture on the probable fate of the order. Page 1 8 LETTER VII Argentiere. — Defcription of that ifland — Hofpitality of the inhabitants — Drefs of the women — Their familiarity with ftrangers. Page 25 LETTER VIII. Salonica. — Our arrival at Smyrna — Mitylene — Tenedos — Troas — Plague during the fiege of Troy. — Lemnos, anciently celebrated for its wines. — Mount Athos, Olympus, Ofla and Pelion. Page 29 LETTER IX. Salonica. — Ramazan, or Turkifli Lent — Form of prayer, and ablution. — Refpe£l of the Turks for fools — Very an cient in the Eaft. Page 36 LET- CONTENTS. vu LETTER X. Salonica.— Defcription of that city — Population. — Jews- Ill treatment of them. — Government, in whom it refides.— Burial places.— Meeting a young Turkifh lady. Page 41 LETTER XI. Salonica. — Difiatisfac'tion exprefled by the Turks on ac count of fome foreign ftiips of war. — Antiquities of Salonica — Caloyers — Dervifes.— Drefs of fome Greek peafants. — Amufements of the Franks at Salonica. Page 46 LETTER XII. Sciato.— Defcription of this ifland. Page £0 LETTER XIII. Zea. — Defcription of this ifland. — Method of making wine. — Remarkable ancient law of this ifland. Page 53 LETTER XIV. Athens. — Porto Rafti — Papas — Olive-trees, called Colym- bades. Page 57 LETTER XV. Athens. — Sentiments infpired by the fight of Athens. Page 59 LET- viii CONTENTS. LETTER XVI. Athens. —Affability of the Greek ladies. — Caimac— Bay- ram, or Turkifli Eafter. — Vifit to the aga. — Singular kind of pipe, called a hookah. — Turkifli mufic. — Sophas. — Vifit to the defpot, or the Greek archbiftiop. — Animofity of the inhabitants towards the cadi. Page 61 LETTER XVII. Athens. — Superb ruins of Athens — The Acropolis — The Parthenon, or temple of Minerva — Temples of Neptune Erec- theus, and of Minerva Poliades — The Pandrofea — Theatre of Bacchus — The Mufeus — Thefeus — Pantheon — The Ilyflus. The fountain Callirrhbe — Stadium. Page 66 LETTER XVIII. Athens. — Lantern of Demofthenes. — Ruins of the temple of Jupiter Olympus. — The ports Phalerea, Munichia, and Pirea. Page 71 LETTER XIX. Athens. — Arch of Adrian. — Mounts Parnes and Pente- licus. — Mount Hymettus — Honey found upon that mount. — Why the ancients built their towns upon eminencies. — Population of Athens. — Luxury alledged againft the an cient Athenians, as the caufe of their corruption and ruin — How ill founded — Efteem in which the Greeks held beauty. — Comparifon between the Athenians and Spartans. Page 74 LET- CONTENTS. IX LETTER XX. Athens. — Opinion of the ancients on the origin of man. — Temple by the Athenians to the unhnowh gods. — Religion of the modern Greeks — Their funeral ceremonies Page 82 LETTER XXI. Smyrna. — Situation of this town — Befefteins — Bazars. — Number of inhabitants — Government — Mofques, fynagogues, churches. Page 88 LETTER XXII. Smyrna. — Recruits. — Environs of the country. Page 95 LETTER XXIII. Smyrna. — Little Bayram. — Camels. — Brutality of a Turk. Page 98 LETTER XXIV. Smyrna. — Empirics. — Greek women. — Limited marriages. Page 10 1 LETTER XXV. Dardanelles. — Promontory Sigeum. — Tomb of Achilles. — The Scamander. — The Hellefpont. — Abidos. Page 106 LETTER XXVI. The Dardanelles. — Plain of Abidos, where Xerxes reviewed b his x CONTENTS. his army. — Refle£tions of Artabanes on the evils of life — Commandants of the two caftles of the Dardanelles — Enor mous fize of the guns of thefe caftles. — A grave called gerida by the Turks. Page 108 LETTER XXVII. Conftantinople. — Departure from the Dardanalles. — Pro- pontides. — Gallipoli. — Ifland of Marmara. — View of Con ftantinople. Page 116 LETTER XXVIII. Conftantinople. — The port. — Ambafladors. — Vifit to the kaimachan. Page 119 LETTER XXIX. State of the Turkifli fleet on its return from the Black Sea. — Reflection on the war of the Turks with Ruffia. — Taverns fliut by order of government. — Converfation with a Turk. Page 125 LETTER XXX. Conftantinople. — Tombs of the grand fignior's children. — St. Sophia. — Front of the feraglio. — Fountains. — Burned column. — The hippodrome. — Number of royal mofques. — Egyptian obeliflc. — Column in bronze. — Subterraneous vault fupported by 100 pillars. — Befefteins. Page 132 LETTER XXXI. Conftantinople. — Proceflionof the grand fignior. — Singular carriages. CONTENTS. xi carriages. — Population of Conftantinople, and the caufes of it. — Infolence of the populace. — General character of the Turks. — They love no nation. Page 140 LETTER XXXII. Conftantinople. — The feraglio — The guns by which it is defended. — Our landing near the garden of cyprefs-trees. — Conftantinople forms a triangle — Circuit of this city — Con tinual charms to be feen in the port. — Canal — The fort of fifties it abounds with. — The Turks bequeath legacies in favour of pigeons, cats, and dogs. Page 147 LETTER XXXIII. Conftantinople. — Toleration of the Turks — To what it is to be attributed. — The eternity of future rewards and punifliments, a fundamental point of the Mahommedan re ligion—Not believed by fome fe£ts.— The hell of Mahomet has feven gates — What the commentators underftand by the feven gates. — Predeftination very ancient in the eaft — In fluence of this dogma. — Opinion which prevails among the Turks, that we ought to diftruft felicity. — The Mahom- medans believe the Old and New Teftament. — Converfation with a dervife, who makes a defence of his religion. Page 152 LETTER XXXIV. Conftantinople. — Greek patriarchs — Their titles — Tribute b 2 which xii CONTENTS. which the patriarch of Conftantinople pays to the port.— Lent of the Greeks. — Idea of their religion. — Hatred of the Greeks towards thofe of the Romiih communion. — Arme nians. — Jews Angular fuperftition. — Sketch of the chara&er of the Turks, Greeks, Armenians, and Jews. Page 161 LETTER XXXV. Conftantinople. — Canal of Conftantinople. — Coup-d'ceils in the Bofphorus. — Cyanean iflands. — Black Sea. — Turkifh mode of making coffee — Great confumption of that article. — Burying places of Conftantinople. Page 167 LETTER XXXVI. Conftantinople. — Frequency of fire — The caufe of it. — Manner in which the Turks fpend their time in coffee- houfes. — Renegadoes. Page 175 LETTER XXXVII. Conftantinople. — Paffion of the Greeks for dancing. — Dervifes of Pera, Tophana, and Scutari. — Morality of cer tain fantons, called Kalender. Page 180 LETTER XXXVIII. Conftantinople. — Count Bonneval's tomb — Some particu lars concerning that famous renegade Page 18c LET- CONTENTS. xiii LETTER XXXIX. Conftantinople. — Idea of the Turks refpedting women. — Harems — Difficulty of feeing them. — Polygamy. Page 1 89 LETTER XL. Conftantinople. — Idea of the progrefs the Turks have made in the mechanic arts. — Phyfic in great eftimation among the Turks. — Their literature. Page 192 LETTER XLI. Conftantinople. — Scerbet — Pipes, &c. Page 196 LETTER XLII. Mycone. — Defcription of this ifland— Character of the inhabitants — Myconian beauties. Page 199 LETTER XLIII. Gibraltar. — Idea of the town. Page 203 LETTER XLIV. Gibraltar. — St. Michael's cavern. Page 207 LETTER XLV. Tunis. — Situation of Tunis — Population of the town. Page 210 LET- xiv CONTENTS. LETTER XLVI. Tunis. — Public fale of negro women. — Vifit to the bey. Page 214 LETTER XLVII. Carthage. — Ruins of Carthage. — Arabs — Their manner of living — Tents. Page 219 LETTER XL VIII. Tripoli. — Account of that city — Ruins of a triumphal arch — Privileges enjoyed there by the Francs. Page 225 LETTER XLIX. Porto Farina. — Adultery feverely punifhed among the Barbarians. — Hiftory of a renegade 229 LETTER L. Toulon. — Population of this city. Page 232 LETTER LI. Marfeilles. — Some account of that city. Page 234 LETTER LII. Leghorn. — Statue of Cofmo I. Page 236 LETTER LIH. Sardinia.— Character of the inhabitants of that ifland. Page 239 ' 'I* . !l Ifflldi ,,.,, ..,l'1'. , LETTERS ON VARIOUS PARTS OF EUROPE, ASIA, AND AFRICA. LETTER I. Palermo, April 29, 1788. W E arrived here four days ago. My want of acquaint ance in the place, is in fome fort compenfatedby the pleafure which novelty infpires. How do I regret being unable to {hare it v&h you ! This capital of Sicily, which is bordered by the Tyrrhene Sea, is fituated at the foot of a chain of mountains which form an amphitheatre around it, and fupply the city with a plenty of clear and falubrious water. As the outfide view of the place is far from prepoffeffing, the traveller feels an B agreeable a LETTERS ON VARIOUS PARTS OF agreeable furprife to find it, on a clofer infpe&ion, a beautiful, extenfive, and well peopled town ; containing, within the circuit of fix miles, 100,000 inhabitants. Two large ftreets, the Cajfero and the Strada Nuova, each a mile long, and which interfect each other at right angles, divide the town into four parts, correfponding with the four principal gates. Thefe ftreets have the advantage of a foot-path, are well paved, and light at night, and are decorated with fplendid buildings. The centre where they meet forms a beautiful o£tagon, called the Piazza Villena, each fide of which pre- fents a beautiful aflemblage of the Doric, Ionic, and Corin thian orders, a fountain, and three ftatues. A fimilar coup d'ceil is not to be met with in any other city in Europe. The public places, ftatues, obelifks, and fountains, are not amongft the objefts moft worthy of notice. The Praetor's fountain, however, from its defign, the beauty of its marble, the great number of animals, monfters, and ftatues with which it is adorned, the difpofition of its baluftrade, and the extent of its circumference, which is 515 feet, panes among the connoifleurs for a chef d'ceuvre of art. The churches are enriched with porphyry, precious ftones, and gold and filver plate, and are ornamented with the moft beautiful marble, efpecially alabafter, which nature, who has dealt moft boun tifully with this ifland, has fupplied it with in abundance. The archite£lure of fome is excellent, and in feveral are to be feen the paintings of the firft Italian mafters. As this climate is calculated to infpire indolence and devotion, you will EUROPE, ASIA, AND AFRICA. 3 will not think it extraordinary that here are no lefs than eighty nunneries and convents. From a like caufe, too, the people are very humane and charitable ; the city affording many public monuments of the benevolence of its inha bitants, as it contains feven hofpitals, and a general afylum for the poor. What a charming country ! Nature has lavifhed on it her choiceft gifts, which art and induftry have united to cultivate and improve. In what terms am I to defcribe the public promenade, called the Flora ? The name itfelf exprefTes much, but it does not convey enough. It is a garden fituated out of the town on the banks of the fea, wherein the enchantments of that of Armida feem in fort to be realized, fince every gloomy idea vanifhes the moment you enter it. Here rows of orange trees, formed into walks, exhale the moft delicious perfume ; while arbours, impenetrable to the rays of the fun, and through whofe cool recedes the fragrant jeflamine ex pands its fweets, feem formed to indulge in pleafing reveries, or for the enjoyment of that tender melancholy which is fometimes the greateft of pleafures. In other parts are fpouting fountains, and ponds gay with the varied luftre of thofe golden fifti which the new world fupplies to the luxury of the old : the murmur of the waters, the warbling of the amorous chorifters, the rich variety of the flowers, whofe delicious effence is wafted by the gentle zephyr through the furrounding atmofphere, and the nymphs B 2 who 4 LETTERS ON VARIOUS PARTS OF who walk there, all contribute to infpire with voluptuout nefs the odoriferous air of this delightful fpot. Summer, more efpecially, is the feafon when the inhabi tants of Palermo frequent this promenade. When the fun, departing from the weftern horizon, remits his fcorching rays, hither they refort in crowds to enjoy the refrefhing breeze, and join the melody of the love-fick tale to the dying murmurs of the waves expiring on the coaft ; foftening the obduracy of the fair, and yielding to all thofe fweet and in nocent emotions which the prefence of thofe we love al ways excites. The fhades of night quickly feem to difperfe, to make way for artificial day, which, in the Flora, appears in a thoufand varied fhapes. Then is feen a promifcuous af- fembly of people, without diftindtion of age, or fex, or rank, joy expreffed in every face ; while many a petty crime againft amorous fidelity efcapes the wandering eye. The charms of mufic now fucceed, and the fighs of lovers afe loft in the harmony of clarionets, hautboys, flutes, and violins. Out of the town, and but a little way from the Flora, is a fpot, whither numbers of people, from time to time, are drawn together. Beneath the church of a Capuchin convent are to be feen a thoufand of our fellow-creatures, who feem all perfectly content with their lot; thefe are deceafed perfons, placed upright in niches. Some of them which have been depofited there upwards of a hundred years, are in fuch a ftate of prefervation, that, to judge of them from the frefhnefs of their beards and fkin, they would not feem to have taken up 5 their EUROPE, ASIA, AND AFRICA. 5 their abode there above a week. At the fight of fuch ob jects, a melancholy fenfation is felt by the fpedtator, which he is unable to reprefs. It is the more painful, as it mor tifies his vanity by deftroying thofe chimerical ideas of feli city, and magnificent projects of greatnefs, which imagina tion delights to form. I experienced it in common with the reft ; but, when its firft effect was paft, I found myfelf capable of contemplating thefe fpeclres at leifure, and un moved. Some there were that ftruck me with horror ; others again excited laughter, and feemed themfelves to laugh " in " their fleep." From all, however, might be gathered this leflbn : that fince we are here but to look around us, then to fall and mingle our afhes with thofe who have gone be fore, we ought to enjoy, while we can, that life whofe com ponent particles are thus fugitive and tranfitory ; nor ought we ever to forget that virtue is our higheft duty and moft exalted pleafure. LET- LETTERS ON VARIOUS PARTS OF LETTER II. Palermo, May 2, 1788. 1 WENT laft night to the theatre, from which I did not return greatly edified. As there is no opera at prefent, the people here amufe themfelves in going to fee Punchinello. A great number of ladies were prefent. Punch uttered a number of filly jefts and obfcene doubles entendres. The la dies laughed more than any body ; and, for my own part, I blufhed for them. What feems extraordinary is, that, after permitting their modefty to be daily hurt at fuch-like exhi bitions, their infidelity fhould be wondered at. True it is, that they are naturally of an amorous complexion ; the cli mate, in conjunction with the fulphur of ./Etna, operating upon them very powerfully : but, for this very reafon, either every moral caufe which may promote this effect fhould be removed, or its confequence ought not to be complained of. Inftead of this, the women are watched, confined, reproved ; and the men have the effrontery even to affect furprife at their being no better. How many hufbands are there here, who, after the example of the Romans, would erect temples to Venus Verticordia ! But after all, as EUROPE, ASIA, AND AFRICA. 7 as La Fontaine would fay, what ufelefs anxiety about a trifle ! for, according to the poet, 'Tis but a trifle when we know it ; Nothing when we don't. It is probable, however, that the men of Palermo would not eafily be brought into this way of thinking. I have lately feen the public library at the Academia Reale, a name given here to the univerfity. The hall is very fpa- cious, and the fuperb ruins of Agrigentum, Segefte, and Sy- racufe, are to be feen there in frefco. This library contains, among others, a great number of Englifh authors. Here are all the works of Swift, Bolingbroke, Hume, Addifon, Chef- terfield, Pope, &c. In general the inhabitants of Palermo are pofleffed of ta lents : to the ftudy of the dead languages they unite that of French and Englifh, which many fpeak, efpecially among the nobility, who have the rage of doing every thing a l'An?- gloife. They make private literary parties, principally for the ftudy of poetry ; for all are poets here by nature. Italy, as you well know, being indebted to Sicily for its firft poetical effays, there are now among them writers not unworthy of Theocritus and Mofchus. The Sicilians are fond of writing in their own language, which is the ancient Sicilian idiom corrupted and fpoiled by a mixture of Greek, Latin, Norman, Arabic, Italian, and French, and which I think very foft and expreffive, efpecially in the mouth of a pretty 8 LETTERS ON VARIOUS PARTS OF pretty woman. The poetical productions of the Archbiftiop Rau are chefs d'ceuvres. Anacreon and Sappho have been lately revived in the verfes of Signor Miele ; he is even fometimes more delicate than the former. I am forry you do not underftand this language ; for I would have fent you his Idyls and Seafons, which, I am perfuaded, would have afforded you pleafure. The ftudy of antiquity is much cultivated here, and fome individuals are in pofleffion of choice collections ; the coun try, and even the capital itfelf, fupplies them with materials. In fact, I underftand that the lances, fhields, helmets, crefts, as well as the chalk pots, and all the trinkets in gold, filver, and omichite marble, which are to be feen in the Mufeum, have been found (and are fo daily) in the Phoenician and Carthaginian monuments without the Porte Neuve. LET- EUROPE, ASIA, AND AFRICA. LETTER III. Palermo, May 1788. I\S the people of Palermo are very fond of foreigners, they have ftiewn me every thing, explained every thing, and indeed loaded me with civilities. They are however re proached with indifference, and even fometimes hatred, to wards their own countrymen ; but this is not an accufation merely of the prefent day, for the ancient Genius of Palermo, kept in the fenatorial palace, is reprefented under the form of an old man, who has a ferpent on his breaft, with this device : Alienos nutrit,fe ipfum devorat. The Palermians are an acute and penetrating people. They are eloquent ; but their eloquence is of that fort which ma- nifefts itfelf lefs by words than geftures : when they become in the leaft heated, their paffions are inftantly pourtrayed on their countenances, and they gefticulate in a more than ordi nary degree. In common too with the reft of the Sicilians, they exprefs themfelves by motions of their hands, feet, head, fhoulders, and eyes. The invention of this latter language is attributed to defpotifm and tyranny, and its origin is dated from the days of the tyrant Gelon. Since women, however, C excel io LETTERS ON VARIOUS PARTS OF excel in it, why not rather affign the credit of its difcovery to fo able and fo indefatigable a tutor as Love ? Has he not, in fome parts of Barbary, invented a language of flowers ? To finifh this fketch of the Palermian character, which in general is that of the Sicilians at large, they are brave, and have fencing-fchools without number. They are paffionately fond of public entertainments, and, during their continu ance, abandon themfelves to fuch tranfports of joy, that one would think they were afraid pleafure was about to ceafe for ever, or that they fhould not live to partake of it again. Love makes them jealous; and revenge blinds them to fuch a degree, as fometimes to make them guilty of murder. They are incapable of diffimulation, hafty, fufpicious, and paf- fionate, on which account they always fucceed badly at court ; and fuch is the litigious charafter of this people, that they prefer going to law, to fettling their differences ami cably. Great fkill is neceffary to govern them, for they are extremely tenacious in this point. About ten years ago, the viceroy Fogliami gave them fuch caufe for diffatisfaction by his conduct, that they had determined to maffacre him; and this they would have effected, had he not faved himfelf in a coal-barge at Medina. The prince Caraminica, who governs them at prefent, has but one inconvenience to fear, which is, that of being compelled to remain for ever amongft them. The ancient Sicilians ere£ted temples to Greedinefs and Gluttony: the moderns ought to pay divine honours toDainti- nefs ; for in no nation upon earth are made fuch quantities of EUROPE, ASIA, AND AFRICA. n of fweet-meats, liqueurs, ices, confectionary, bon bons, in fhort, of every thing fweet and lufcious. Their cajfata, how ever, muft be acknowledged excellent ; it is a fort of tart, the ingredients of which are cream, chocolate, piftachios, Savoy bifcuits, and preferved citron. I muft not forget to mention the ordinary drefs of the women here. Over a black filk petticoat they throw a cloak of the fame ftuff and colour, a part of which they tie round the body: the remaining part they raife above the head, and cover the face with it, fo that the eyes and nofe only are vifible. Ladies of the firft quality have not failed to adopt this drefs, which is fo well calculated to favour private in trigues ; befides, it is at the fame time convenient and eco nomical, efpecially in the fummer feafon, when, as I am told, the women wear no other. L E T- LETTERS ON VARIOUS PARTS OF LETTER IV. Agrigentum, May 1788. 1 QUITTED Palermo with regret ; having begun to feel an attachment to a place, where fuperftition, knowledge, and pleafure are fo happily blended together. Amidft the pidturefque views which prefent themfelves on all fides in coafting round this ifland, the ruins of Agri gentum claim particular regard. Viewing them through our 1 telefcopes, and afterwards with the naked eye, they excited in us an emotion which, as we approached them nearer, ima gination raifed to enthufiafm. At length we landed, and palling over fome delightful valleys in which the charms of na ture are heightened by the furrounding monuments of anti quity, at the diftance of about four miles, we trod under feet the ruins of Agrigentum. Almoft in a direct line, and in the midft of gardens, of which the almond tree conftitutes the principal beauty, are four temples, and the ruins of feve- ral others. They are fituated on a hill which is two miles from Girgenti. The temple of Venus is not entire ; but that of Concord, which has probably ferved as a model for it, has fuftained no injury from the ravages of time. It is of the Doric EUROPE, ASIA, AND AFRICA. 13 Doric order of architefture, compofed of thirteen variegated columns in each wing, and fix in the front. The bafes, chapters, and architraves are entire, and the architecture of the whole is fimple and pleafing. Nothing remains of the temples of Jupiter Olympus and of Hercules, but ruins. Some mutilated columns which have belonged to the latter, are feven feet in diameter. It contained the famous ftatue of Hercules which Verres wifhed to feize, as likewife the celebrated picture of that god, painted by Zeuxis, which he gave to the Agrigentines, becaufe, as he faid, they could never pay for it. Oppofite to the temple is a tomb, fuppofed to be that of Theron, the firft tyrant of Agrigentum, to whom Pindar dedicated fome of his Olympics about three thoufand years ago. This lapfe of thirty ages, the idea of Pindar, Zeuxis, and the tyranny of Verres, againft whom the Roman orator was obliged to employ the full force of his eloquence, made fuch an impreffion on us in contemplat ing thefe ruins, that we did nothing but gaze on, meafure, and rapturoufly admire the fcene before us. There are fome other ruins in the neighbourhood ; and what feems re markable is, that all the ftone of thefe edifices is a kind of concretion formed of oyfter and other fhells, and procured from the mountains on which they are fituated. While we were loft in reflection upon thefe wonders, one of our com pany, who was the moft affected at them, cried out in his en thufiafm, that Pomponace perhaps was not to blame in faying, that Se il mondo non e eterno, per Dio Santo e molto vecchio. LET- 14 LETTERS ON VARIOUS PARTS OF LETTER V. Malta, May 1788. W E did not lofe fight of ^Etna till we entered this port ; for Malta, which is to the fouth of Sicily, is feparated from it only by a channel of twenty-fix leagues. Nature, in forming this port out of the rock, has been fo fportive in the operation, that fhe has made feveral, the entrance to which is as much defended by its fmallnefs, as by two very ftrong caftles which command it. It is furrounded by feveral well fortified towns, which are quite white ; for the villages of La Valette, fuch as Villena and Burmula (which next to La Valette is the moft populous, and the inhabitants of which are much attached to commerce), the ifland St. Michael (whofe caftle St. Elme is one of the two which de fend the entrance of the port), and the fortrefs La Cottonera, may likewife be called little towns all lying round La Valette, as a capital. The free-ftone of the country, which is extremely white, is ufed here to build with ; and as the ftreets are paved with the fame materials, it produces a very pain ful effect on the eyes, efpecially in fummer. The houfes are only two ftories high, and the roofs refemble platforms. The EUROPE, ASIA, AND AFRICA. 15 The balconies are almoft always inclofed, either on account of the heat, or from a motive of jealoufy. I fhould be the more difpofed to attribute this to the latter caufe, as the women look always through gratings or windows, and never fhew themfelves in public. The grand matter's ho tel and St. John's church may be reckoned among the fineft buildings of the place. The roof of the latter is of painted ftone, and the pavement of marble tombs, whofe infcriptions are not always very edifying. In the chapel of the faint are two luftres of maffy gold; and behind the great altar is a beautiful crofs with a St. Sacrament of the fame metal, of moft exquifite workmanfhip, by artifts of the country. The hofpital and the furgery merit attention. The religious li brary, which is open every day, and to which every one may have accefs, contains a number of books, a little ftatue of Hercules in marble, lately difcovered in the country, and a collection of medals and natural productions which have been very lately formed. The inhabitants are of a deep brown, which demonftrates this to be the beginning of the climate of Africa. They are very induftrious, and fpeak Arabic, or rather a jargon in which are many words of that language. The women are, for the moft part, fupported by the humanity of the old commanders, to wards whom, however, their gratitude is not always rigidly confined ; and as the order enjoins celibacy, pretty girls are to be found all over the country whofe virtue is not impreg nable ; fo that, it is probable, the credit of fathering the greateft 1 6 LETTERS ON VARIOUS PARTS OF greateft part of the children born here, may be due to St. John, or his knights. The drefs of the women is Angular : they wear a fhort filk petticoat, which difplays a fine leg and foot, and a neat fhoe and flocking, an article of attire in which they are exceedingly nice and curious. Over a white veil that covers their head they throw a fort of black cloak, fomewhat lefs than that of the Palermians, which, defcending on the fhoulders, inclines a little to the right, and hides the front and one half of the figure, fo that they fee with one eye only. There are neither thieves nor vagabonds in this town, and fo little noife, that one imagines onefelf in a convent. Its commerce confifts in oranges, of which the Maltefe are fo extraordinarily careful, that, in order to improve their growth, they import mould from Sicily : they likewife trade in oats, cumin, anife, and cotton ; the laft of which they manufacture fo well, that their ftockings and bed-covers, on account of their excellence, are in great requeft all over Europe. They export alfo the ftone of the country in large quantities to Sicily, Naples, Barbary, and the Levant. Their little dogs, fo much valued by the ancients, continue to be in great eftimation. Theophraftus,in his chapter on Silly Vanity, fays, That if a vain man loft a favourite puppy, he buried him, with an epitaph fignifying that he was of the Maltefe breed. This ifland is fixty miles in circumference, and con tains 100,000 inhabitants ; for, befides La Valette, and the ancient town Notable, which are two leagues apart, there arc EUROPE, ASIA, AND AFRICA. 17 are fifty towns and villages. The inhabitants believe, that fince St. Paul was in the ifland the ferpents are not poifon- ous ; that the viper will not generate in it ; and that when brought here, it cannot even live. They fhew you the tongues of ferpents petrified by St. Paul, who, as fome learned men affirm, was never in the place. Thefe pretended tongues, however, are nothing but foffil fifh-bones and gloffopetrae. The principal iflands near Malta, which are likewife un der the jurifdidtion of the grand mafter, are Gozo and Co- mino, in which are feveral well fortified little towns. The ifland of Gozo is thirty miles in circumference ; it contains above 10,000 inhabitants, and is in a refpectable ftate of defence. Gloffopetrae and alabafter are found here in abundance. The emperor Charles V. in the year 1530, gave this ter ritory, with the iflands annexed to it, in perpetuity to the religious order of St. John, together with its dependant rights and jurifdiction ; exacting only, as an acknowledgment of faith and homage to the crown of Sicily, an annual tribute to him and his fucceffors of a fparrow hawk and falcon, to be delivered to the viceroy ; which cuftom ftill exifts. D LET- i* LETTERS ON VARIOUS PARTS OF LETTER VI. Malta, May 1788. I HIS order confifts of knights, almoners, and foldiers, of whom the two firft only wear the crofs of the order, that of the others having only three points. The number of knights amounts to upwards of three thoufand. Previous to their admiflion, they are obliged to exhibit proofs of their noble defcent, which differ according to the different languages. They make a vow of chaftity, of obedience, and voluntary poverty. If the frailty of human nature prevents them from a rigid obfervance of the firft of thefe vows, in return they voluntarily fubfcribe to the fecond, and neceffity often com pels them to keep the laft. By another ftatute of their or der, they are bound to perfecute heathens, infidels, and Ma hometans, after the example of the Maccabees, who gave no quarter to the enemies of the people of God ; an idea not very reconcileable, perhaps, to the mild fpirit of the gofpel. The knights of juftice are alone eligible to the pofts of bai liffs, grand priors, and grand mailers : the knights of grace are competent to all excepting thefe. The military brothers are of two forts. Some of them perform the fame functions in EUROPE, ASIA, AND AFRICA. 19 in war, and in the duties of the hofpital, as the knights. Others are deftined to the fervice of religion ; and their employment is to fing the praifes of God in the conven tual church, and to ferve by turns as chaplains on board the fhips and galleys of the order. The brothers of obe dience, that is to fay, the priefts, without being obliged to go to Malta like the reft, make the fame vows, and devote themfelves to the fervice of fome one church of the order, under the authority of a grand prior, or commander, to whom they become fubject, and then they enjoy fome privi lege. There are alfo fome demi-croffes, who, by exprefs permiffion, are authorifed to wear the golden crofs with three points. As by one of the ftatutes the grand mailer is inverted with the power of punifhing the priors, and other brothers of the order, who have been guilty of difobedience or neglect, the latter are continually making their court to him in order to gain his favour, the form of government being rather mo narchical than ariftocratic ; for though in matters of imports ance the grand mafter can do nothing without his council, yet having two votes in himfelf, the balance on this account, as well as from the influence he poffeffes, always inclines in his favour. He has befides the right to coin money, to pardon criminals, and to appoint to the grand priories, and to tha offices of bailiffs and commanders : the knights, whatever au thority they poffefs, are fubordinate to him in every thing not contrary to the ftatutes of the order. He has fixteen pages ; and D 2 when io LETTERS ON VARIOUS PARTS OF when he paffes along the ftreets, it is the duty of the knights inftantly to flop, and falute him with profound refpect. The different nations of which the order is compofed, are called languages. There are eight of them : Provence, Auvergne, France, Italy, Arragon, Germany, Caftille, and England. They have each of them chiefs, who are here called piliers, or conventual bailiffs. The principal of thofe of Provence has the charge of grand commander ; for Raimond du Puy, who about the beginning of the twelfth century formed the rules of the order, was a Pro vencal. The pilier of Auvergne is grand marfhal; that of France is grand hofpitaller; that of Italy, grand admi ral ; and that of Arragon, protector, who was formerly ftyled Drapier. The pilier of Germany is grand chancellor ; and that of England, turcopolier, or general of infantry. The palace of each nation is called an inn, becaufe the knights belonging to it dine and ufually meet in it. Among the regulations relative to diet, the knights are forbidden to bring dogs to the inn, under the penalty of incurring the fep- taine; which confifts in falling feven days fucceffively, and on the fourth and fixth Ferise * to have bread and water only for their fupport ; and to be fubjected to the difcipline, that is, to receive ftripes with a fwitch from a priefl of the order, during the performance of the pfalm Deus mifereatur nojtri. The beft of the matter is, that they are fubject to the fame punifhment ¦v The Feria is a day of the week between Sunday and Saturday. if, EUROPE, ASIA, AND AFRICA. 21 if, on the days when they dine at the inn, they carry away bread, wine, or any thing elfe : a regulation which imprefles us with no very exalted idea either of the delicacy of their fto- machs, or their meals. It may be conceived too, that they are not often convicted of fuch high mifdemeanours ; for the pu- nifhment annexed to them would be too humiliating to per- fons who have proved I know not how many defcents. I need not inform you, that the Turks have made feveral attempts to get poffeflion of this ifland. Gozo firft felt the effects of their fury ; for, not daring to attack Malta, they burned that town, and carried away the inhabitants prifoners, whom they fent to the galleys. About the middle of the fixteenth century, Soliman difpatched a fquadron of fifty fail, fmall veffels not included, with 30,000 men, under the command of a pacha. Muftapha, nephew to the grand fignor, though at the advanced age of feventy years, on account of his valour and experience embarked on board it, as commander of the land forces. This fleet was fo confiderably reinforced on the paffage, that, before it arrived at Malta, it confifted of near one hundred and ninety fail. The Turks difembarked their troops at the port of Marfa Sirocco, and opened their batteries againft the caftle of St. Elme, which they carried in the fourth affault, and took twelve hundred prifoners, among whom were a hundred and twelve knights. They loft, how ever, above four thoufand men on the fpot, and among others, Dragut, king and bacha of Tripoli. They then at tacked the fortrefs St. Michael ; but finding they could not iz LETTERS ON VARIOUS PARTS OF not eafily make themfelves mailers of the place, they endea voured to attack it at the fame time by fea as well as land. A Greek renegado was appointed admiral for the execution of this defign. The attack was fuflained with fuch vigour, that the Turks, after lofing five ftandards, were obliged to retreat. They, notwithftanding, hazarded a new affault on the town of St. Michael and the citadel ; which occafioned much bloodfhed to both parties, and would have finifhed favourably to the Turks, if the brave grand mafter, La Valette, old as he was, had not rallied the knights, who, piqued with honour, attacked the enemy with fuch intrepi dity, that they drove them from the very rampart on which they had placed their ftandard. Under thefe circumftances it was that the king of Spain's fleet landed a body of troops, to fuccour the town on that part of the coaft which is called Meleca. The Turks raifed the fiege on receiving intelli gence of this aid, and Muftapha, at the head of 16,000 men, marched to engage the Chriflians in the plain ofTalmaldil; where he was fo roughly handled, that, after having loft three thoufand men in this battle alone, he precipitately em barked his troops and fled. The fiege was very bloody, and nine thoufand perfons, knights and foldiers, loft their lives in it. For the better defence of the ifland and town, the grand mafter laid the foundations of a new city on mount Sciberras, which after him was called La Valette. Towards the conclu- fion of the fixteenth century, the grand fignor equipped a fleet of ninety fail, and fent it fecretly againft Malta, where the troops EUROPE, ASIA, AND AFRICA. 13 troops were difembarked in the night near Marfa Sirocco. The knights were not to be difmayed by danger or furprife, and behaved fo gallantly, that, after fome fkirmifhes, the Turks were routed, and compelled to reimbark in hafle, and retire to Tripoli. Since that time they have not appeared be fore Malta ; fo that the knights, having no materials for their courage, have funk into a kind of apathy, out of which they are roufed only by occafional difputes on national or indi vidual pre-eminence. The antipathy that fubfifts between the French and Italian knights is, in particular, a fource of perpetual animofity, which, in defiance of the punifhments denounced by the order againft the aggreffor, often terminates in duels. They have further fubftituted the amufements of gaming to the fatigues of war ; and the greater part of them are fo violently addicted to this vice, that they often ruin themfelves, if it happens that they have wherewithal to be ruined. In all probability this order, which vanity, fuperftition, and poverty, have hitherto contributed to fupport, will not be of long duration, and the ifland perhaps will again be come fubjedt to the king of Naples. As the Englifh fac tion compelled the order to make very great retrenchments in their expences, the revolutions in manners and politics which are likely to take place, by making new ones continu ally neceffary, will reduce it into fo poor a ftate, that, be ing no longer able to fupport itfelf, it muft neceffarily ex pire. This, indeed, is pot clear to demonftration ; but I am neverthelefs 24 LETTERS ON VARIOUS PARTS OF neverthelefs ftrongly inclined to fuch an opinion. • It appears to me, that there is but one mean by which it can efcape this threatened diffblution ; which would be, for the knights to renew the offer lately made by them to the Chriftian powers, of clearing the feas, for a moderate fubfidy, of the pirates of Tripoli, Tunis, Algiers, and Morocco. This corps might then be confidered as of real utility ; for at prefent, with its two frigates and galleys, it does but linger out an exiftence ; nor would the failing of its fleet be any longer, as it is now, a fubject for ridicule. Such a plan would be of the more real utility, fince the barbarians, notwithftanding our confuls, our prefents, and that bafe fubmiffion we pay them, always conclude by taking our fhips from us ; — from us, who fupply them with arms, whofe wealth and whofe women are their prey, and who, befides fuffering their depreda tions, encourage a fpirit of apoftacy and villany in our own countrymen, in affording them an opportunity, by abjuring their religion, of plundering their fellow-fubjects. I hope this digreflion has not been tedious ; for though there is little interefling about a bailiff" or a grand prior, it is pleafing to take a view of this fociety of religious warriors, whofe arms have been fo formidable to the Turks when in the fplendour of their power, and whofe efforts infpired them with more terror than thofe of all the Chriftian world befide. We fee, too, in the grand mafter, a monarch at the head of 100,000 fubjects, all fatisfied under his government. LET- EUROPE, ASIA, AND AFRICA. LETTER VII. Argentiere, May 28, 1788. JVlALTA begins to recede from our view : fcarcely is it now vifible above the waves — they overwhelm it — it is no more. The weather is beautiful ; a foft breeze gently preffes our canvafs ; the horizon is bounded by clouds only, through which we feek to pafs. What fervices did not he render to his fellow-creatures, whofe bold and daring fpirit firft ventured on the liquid plain ! Doubtlefs illi robur £s° as triplex circa peElus erat ! But a few days, and we are in the Egean fea. I am called to fee Cythera, that ifland which gave birth to the queen of fmiles. O Venus, fince modefty is at thy fide, we tender thee our vows ! Accept the homage — our offerings are too pure to hurt thy bafhfulnefs. Crete and Ida now appear, and give rife to new emotions, which augment in propor tion as the imagination warms. We are now near the two Sporades, Melos and Antime- los ; we pafs them — and anchor at Cimoli, called by the Greeks Kimoli, and by the Franks Argentiera, on account of the gold and fiJver mines which have been difcovered there, E but ib LETTERS ON VARIOUS PARTS OF but of which the Greeks are filent, left they fhould be obliged by their maflers to work them. This ifland is not far diflant from Milo, and is only eight miles in circumference. The port, which is fmall, is not deep enough to admit fhips of burden. The country is mountainous, ftonv, and almoft barren. Here is none but ciftern water, and very little of that. The fmall por tion of land laid out in agriculture or vineyards, produces fcarcely fufficient for the fupport of the inhabitants ; fo that they eat the grapes, and are obliged to get wine from Milo. The ifland grows likewife a little barley and cotton ; but na ture, which never beftows every thing, has denied it in trees what it has given it in filver. There is a great deal of that terra cimolia to which the ancients, among other properties, attributed that of curing the rheum. It is a fort of white chalk, fat and foapy, heavy, taftelefs, and friable, ufed at pre fent, as it was in the days of Pliny, to whiten linen. I am told, that in the baths at Smyrna they rub the fkin with it. Game, on account of the multitude of fportfmen, is not plen tiful. We have met with fome partridges and hares, how ever ; I (hot at them with my ufual fkill, and you may guefs that I miffed them. The village contains at moft three hun dred fouls. The houfes are fmall and wretched, refembling rather cottages. The churches and chapels, which are very numerous, are better built. There is not a fingle Turk here; but there is a French conful, who does not omit every morn ing tp difplay his flag. We EUROPE, ASIA, AND AFRICA. 27 We were at the houfe of the chief man of the village, whither the people of the country reforted to us in num bers, as they were very defirous of feeing us, and of hearing news. Their curiofity, their drefs, hofpitality, language, and figure, brought to our minds the pleafing recollection of thofe days in Greece, when a benevolent and generous peo ple ran in crowds to the firft ftranger they met. This chief gave us fome milk, which is all the country produces, and would accept of nothing in return. The ornaments of his houfe, agreeably to the mode and tafte of the country, con fifted in little gilt chalk pots, and pictures of faints drawn with flat faces. His white beard, his grave and majeftic air, and, more than all, his great age and exemplary virtue, have gained him the confidence and love of his country men. They liftened to him with great attention, and fliewed the greateft deference to whatever he faid. I am aflured that, throughout Greece, the rigours of age are greatly foft- ened by the complaifance, fubmiffion, and refpect it univer sally meets with from youth ; from which it would feem, that the reprefentations of the ancients, in this refpect, are lefs the productions of imagination, than faithful copies of nature. Thefe people are all failors, and the greater part excel lent pilots. Befides their own language, they fpeak Italian, French, and even Englifh. The women knit cotton flock- ings, with which they fupply the neighbouring iflands. Their natural fprightlinefs, added to a defire of difpofing of their E 2 com- 28 LETTERS ON VARIOUS PARTS OF commodities, made them fo familiar, that feveral of them took us by the arm, and preffed us to go home with them. This behaviour has given rife to a report, that their virtue is not proof againft feduction, which indeed I underftand to be fo far true, when they are enabled by the fale of it to pro cure the price of an abfolution, the refufal of which they confider as a great calamity. In general they are neither handfome nor ugly ; they have a great deal of embonpoint, and very thick legs, which they efteem a beauty, and, to in- creafe their natural fize, they wear feveral pairs of ftockings. Their drefs is curious and neat : over a fhirt, which buttons down the breaft, and defcends to the middle of the leg, they put a gilt waiflcoat with a red border, which, while it con fines the breaft, does not hinder it from riling ; co this they add a fort of handkerchief which floats behind ; they wear white ftockings, and little boots, with yellow Morocco flip pers, and turbans of various forts. All the children of the village afked us for paras, a Turkifli coin worth about three farthings. The country is truly wretched : neverthelefs great crimes are rare in it. The inhabitants pay an annual tribute to the grand fignior of five piaftres per head, which amounts nearly to a crown. The women and priefts, it feems, are not computed in this capitation. LET- EUROPE, ASIA, AND AFRICA. 2, LETTER VIII. Salonica, June 3, 1788. OURROUNDED by the enchantments of fable, we tra- verfed the Egean fea, with varied emotions of pleafure, rap ture, and aftonifhment at every object we beheld. Every ifland and rock, even the fky, and the fea itfelf, are intereft- ing to the claffical obferver. Hence the world has been peopled with gods, heroes, legiflators, poets, orators, philo- fophers, and artifts ; and with women too, whofe beauty gave animation to the marble under the hands of Phidias and Praxiteles : and when we reflect that nothing more jremains of them but their allies, who can reprefs the heaving figh ? We are now coafting along Ionia. The country of Ho mer prefents itfelf to view, and attracts our whole at tention. On the fhore are handfome buildings, and the flags of various nations are feen flying in the port. A foreft of cyprefles, which commands the town, gives a melancholy, yet majeftic air to the whole country. Thefe houfes, which are of wood, recall to my recollection the capital of the king dom 30 LETTERS ON VARIOUS PARTS OF dom of Crcefus, which was built of reeds. The dread of the plague obliges us to leave this place : it now rages with great fury. Calms, and the approach of night, obliged us to anchor at Lefbos in the harbour of Metelin, which ftands on the ruins of the ancient Mitylene, the very port in which the Athe nians triumphed over the Spartans. Cruel Sappho, un happy Alceus was not unworthy of thy love ! but Phaon's obduracy well revenged' his wrongs. We hear a frightful howling — it proceeds from the terrified Turks; who, not knowing our veffel, are making fires on the caftle to give an alarm, which they further endeavour to fpread by their cries. The fky is ferene ; and now that the greater part of man kind, forgetful of their cares, are wrapped in fleep, thefe wretches are kept awake by their fears ; while we remain upon deck, continuing our converfation on this ifland, which has ftill charms for us. It was formerly renowned for its fertility, the beauty of its women, the excellence of its wines, efpecially thofe of Methymne, and the fldll of its muficians ; the celebrated Arion being a native of this place, as well as Terpander, who put the feven firft firings to the lyre. The number of towns in this ifland was feven, Mitylene, Methymne, Troas, Antiffa, Pyrra, Arifba, and Ereffos the birth-place of Theophraftus, who made this memorable fpeech to his difciples, on his death-bed : " Life " is delufive ; it promifes us great pleafure in the poffef- " fion EUROPE, ASIA, AND AFRICA. 31 " fion of glory ; but fcarcely have we begun to live, when " we are called to die. No paffion is often more fruitlefs " than a love of fame. Neverthelefs, my difciples, be con- " tented : if you fet little value on the efteem of men, you " will fave yourfelves much labour ; if your courage does " not fink under it, glory may happen to be your recom- " penfe. Remember only that there are many ufelefs things " in life, and few which lead to a fure end." We dwelt too with pleafure on the idea of being now in the port of a city formerly fo remarkable for its magni ficent buildings, and whofe theatre furnifhed Pompey the Great with a model for the one he built at Rome, and which contained upwards of 40,000 perfons ; where Epicurus and Ariftotle taught for fome time, and in which Marcellus paffed his days in philofophical retirement after the battle of Pharfalia. This town gave birth to Alceus, the tenth mufe, whofe famous ode we have folemnly recited. The hiflorian Hellanicus was born here ; as was Pittacus, one of the feven fages, who became the tyrant of his country in order to re- flore liberty to it. The riling fun at length gratified our impatience to behold the ifland. It is pretty well cultivated, the foil and climate being very favourable to the production of wine, olives, corn, and figs. A near view of the mofques and houfes ftrangely deranged our laft night's illufions. The Turks foon recovered from their terror ; but we did not go on fhore, on account of the plague, which drove us hence, as it did from Smyrna. This 3 1 LETTERS ON VARIOUS PARTS OF This ifland is to the eaft of Afia Minor, and is a hundred and fifty miles in circumference. Black marble was formerly procured from its quarries. We eaft anchor at Tenedos, Jlatio male fida carinis, oppo site to the kingdom of Priam. In the numerous fummits, the lofty pines, the water and the woods of mount Ida, we be held the original of that picture which the immortal Homer drew three thoufand years ago. Troy is no more ; but this famous city, with the fleet and army of confederated Greece, ftill exift in the pages of Homer and Virgil. There are here. fome magnificent ruins in marble, which, as we were in formed, are the wrecks of a gymnafium of the fecond Troy, one of the eighteen cities which bore the name of Alexander. Thefe ruins are the more venerable, by being embofomed in confecrated groves, and fituated in the middle of a plain wa tered by the Simois, which is afterwards loft under the fum- mit of mount Ida. The like fcourge which hindered us from landing at Smyrna and Lefbos, prevented us from going aftipre here. We wifhed much to tread that earth which has been drenched with the blood of fo many heroes ; but we were obliged to have patience. The ifland of Tenedos, rendered immortal by the retreat of the Grecian fleet, ftill retains its former name, and continues to be inhabited by Greeks, who carefully cultivate its foil. The mufcadine grapes of this ifland are excellent, and much fought after throughout the Levant. The village, as it ap peared from our veffel, is built on ancient ruins, and contains nothing EUROPE, ASIA, AND AFRICA. 33 nothing remarkable. It is one of the iflands reduced by the Perfians in a very extraordinary manner, if we can credit Herodotus, the father of hiflory, who tells us, that the in habitants of Chio and Lefbos, two iflands of confiderable ex tent, together with thofe of Tenedos, were caught by the bar barians in a fort of net ; for the latter, taking each other by the hand, and forming a line from north to fouth, drove the people before them. What feems moft curious is, that the above hiftorian, after having fpoken of the conqueft of the Ionian towns on the continent by the fame fleet, very feri- oufly adds, that the Perfians did not attempt to take the in habitants of thefe in like manner ; for this, fays he, would have been impoffible. Admitting the truth of the former account, nothing feems to have been eafier. In reflecting on the antiquity of the plague in the eaft, I cannot forget that which broke out at Troy during the fiege. It firft attacked the mules and dogs, and afterwards the fol- diers. The poet afcribes it to divine wrath, as the Jewifh pfalmift does the plagues of Egypt, which produced the fame effect. Some commentators affirm, that Providence has dif- pofed things in this manner, to give men time to fee and to repent of their crimes. What a pity that thofe gentlemen themfelves were not then living ! the foldiers would have been warned to be on their guard, and the mules would have been fpared. We paid a vifit to the ifland of Lemnos, called by the Greeks Stalimene, after the name of its ancient capital. It forms a F fquare 34 LETTERS ON VARIOUS PARTS OF fquare of almoft twenty-one miles, and produces vines, corn, &c. which are cultivated by the Greeks. The Terra Lem- nia, of which the ancients have faid fo much, is found here in great plenty. As it is fo celebrated, I fhall mention it alfo, in order to inform you that our pilot endeavoured to perfuade us that it is a remedy for all difeafes ; whence I conclude, that it is good for nothing. Not having landed, however, we did not fee it. Homer fays, that wine was car ried from this ifland to the fiege of Troy ; and I am not furprifed that Juno fent hither for the god of fleep. Hither poor Vulcan was precipitated from heaven ; but the explana tion of this fable is, that there are here a number of fubter- raneous fires. Pliny mentions a famous labyrinth in this ifland, of which he had feen the ruins; whilft that of Crete, fays he, is no more. The hundred and fifty columns of the building, manufactured with a lapidary's wheel, were fuf- pended from a peculiar machine, and might be turned by a child. We flaid here an hour, and afterwards continued our journey. We next beheld Strymon and Stagira. Happy country ! thy Ariftptle will enjoy a fame as lafling as that of his pupil Alexander ! Why does mount Athos hide his head in the clouds ? I have difcovered the reafon : to conceal the blufhes excited by furrounding ignorance and fuperftition, which feem to have taken up their refidence in the fourfcore convents of the Caloyers. Thefe are monks (lazy drones) of the order of St. EUROPE, ASIA, AND AFRICA. 35 St. Bafil, who do very little honour to their founder. They amount to fix hundred in number ; and the convents have artillery to defend them againft banditti. It is faid, that they are in poffeffion of fome very ancient and rare manufcripts ; and that they do not read them, which I can eafily credit. Herodotus tells us, that Xerxes pierced the ifthmus of this promontory. We had now in view Olympus, which feparated Ma cedonia from Theffaly, the valley of which, anciently called Tempe, ftill retains the fame name, and alfo Offa and Pelion. This view, like many others which have de lighted us, would throw a poet into ecftafy ; for we, who are not infpired by the mufes, cannot refrain from admira tion. Some of us are even become poets; and who that breathes this air, in which the mufes were nurfed, and which kindled the fire of the greateft geniufes of Greece, can help catching a portion of enthufiaftic ardour ? We paffed from the gulf Syngiticus to that of Ther- maicus, and anchored in the bay of Thermes, Theffalonica or Salonica, in the country of the Myrmidons. F 2 LET- 36 LETTERS ON VARIOUS PARTS OF LETTER IX. Salonica, June 15, 1788.. J. HANK God, the plague is not here! — The Turks being now in their holy month, the Ramazan, which is their Lent, the minarets of above forty mofques prefent magnificent il luminations every night. As Mahomet received the Koran from heaven in the moon Ramazan, he confecrated it to fail ing, from which it derives its name. This Lent is far more rigid than that of the Roman Catholics ; the Turks not being allowed to eat any thing all the day, and ftill lefs to drink, or to fmoke. Thofe therefore who have nothing to do, go to fleep, to avoid languor ; or gravely lounge on the fopha of a fhop, and kill time by continually turning the beads of a rofary, and looking at the paffengers. Immedi ately after fun-fet, the muezzins, or criers of the mofques, give notice that it is time for Muffulmen to dine ; but their impatience generally anticipates this warning. They then fet about their prayeTS and ablutions with all poffible difpatch, that they may the fooner enjoy their pipe and their coffee. I muft not forget to tell you, that the minarets are towers built EUROPE, ASIA, AND AFRICA. 37 built in the form of fpires, gradually diminifhing upwards, with a gallery at about one third of their height, and termi nating in a point, over which is placed a golden crofs. The criers, entering this gallery through a door which opens eaft- wards towards Mecca, put their hands on their ears as if they were going to flop them, and, firft turning round towards the four cardinal points, repeat thefe words in a tone as if they were chanting : " God is great — God is God — there " is but one God, and Mahomet is his prophet. Come to " good works, haften to prayers, &c." This notice they re peat five times a. day. On thefe occafions many repair to the mofques ; but the greater number pray in their own houfes, or wherever 'they may then happen to be. I dined to day with a Turk. The gates were fliut a little before fun-fet ; and I was waiting at the port for our boat to take me on board. The furgeon of the fhip was with me; and as we knew not what to do with ourfelves, we went into a Turkifli coffeehoufe on the beach, and were extremely happy to find nobody in it but the mafter. The muezzins having at this time begun to call the people to prayers, the coffeehoufe-keeper inftantly betook himfelf to a neighbour ing fountain, knelt down, raifed his eyes towards heaven, then turned them downwards to the earth, which he ap peared to kifs ; and began to wafh his hands, feet, arms, head, neck, ears, nofe and noftrils with a furprifing air of gravity and devotion. Having finifhed his prayers and ablu tions, he fpread out a mat before the door of the coffeehoufe, and 3 s Letters on various parts of and placing upon it a large difh of tinned copper, two feet in diameter, and containing five or fix different forts of meat, he and his fervant fat down together crofs-legged to partake of a repaft. As we looked at him from motives of curiofity, he thought the cravings of hunger were felt as ftrongly at our ftomachs as at his own, and invited us by figns to dinner with him, adding, in Italian, Mangiare, mangiare. This in vitation, an a£t of hofpitality in which the Turks are never deficient, we readily accepted. The difhes confifted of mut ton fleaks, and forced-meat balls filled with fpices, which the Turk feemed greatly to prize, for he obferved to me that it was bono : there were likewife fifh, and pilaw, which con- fifts of dry rice boiled with mutton fat. We ate with our fingers, for in general the Turks ufe neither forks nor fpoons. With refpect to the pilaw, we were obliged to give that up, not liking it fo well, nor being able to manage it fo dexteroufly as our companions, who fwallowed it after having firft made it into balls with their fingers. Their bread is a fort of cake pretty well tailed : the Turks ufe no other, or at leaft give the preference to this above every other kind. As it is not cuftomary here to drink during meals, the two Muffulmen got up to go to perform ablution, and to drink at the foun tain ; and we went on board our veffel. You know that idiots make their fortunes in Mahommedan countries, or at leaft live very much at their eafe, without being obliged to work for their bread. In one corner of the coffeehoufe was a negro woman fitting upon a mat, naked, or EUROPE, ASIA, AND AFRICA. 3, or at leaft nearly fo ; fhe was very old, and frightfully ugly, but of this fhe was not fenfible : fhe fwallowed every thing offered to her, even tobacco, which fhewed that fhe had really loft that reafon which the gods, fays an ancient, gave us in a fit of anger. She had no cares, however, and but few wants, which were even anticipated by the hu manity of her protectors. She had been fupported by the piety of true believers ever fince fhe was ten years of age. I faw likewife a madman amufing himfelf with caning the Janif- faries in the ftreet. This refpect of the Muffulmen for maniacs often extends even to adoration. On this occafion I fhall relate to you a ftory from the Bibliotheque Orientate of Herbelot. — A caliph of Bagdad, having heard that there was a madman who pretended to be the Deity, ordered him to be brought before him, to examine whether he was really infane or an impoftor. For this purpofe he thus addreffed him: A few days ago a man was brought before me, charged with counterfeiting infanity, and wifhing to pafs as an envoy from heaven : I committed him to prifon ; and the confe- quence was, that he was tried, and condemned to lofe his head. The fool immediately replied : You acted as one of my good and faithful fervants : your conduct is to me highly agreeable ; for I did not bellow the gift of prophecy on that wretch, nor did he receive any miffion from me. On hear ing this, the caliph was almoft ready to fall down on his knees and adore him, for the Turks believe that fuch people are infpired by the Spirit of God. This idea may lay claim to 40 LETTERS ON VARIOUS PARTS OF to the fandtion of antiquity, and is to be met with, at leaft to a certain degree, even in polifhed focieties, as well as among favage tribes. Does this arife from an idea that the lofs of reafon is to be accounted a happinefs referved alone for the favourites of heaven ? or do the Turks think that thefe people refemble thofe gods, who, according to the Pagan mythology, were not remarkable for their wifdom ? LET- EUROPE, ASIA, AND AFRICA. 41 LETTER X. Salonica, June 1788. JL HIS town is fituated clofe to the end of a gulf, and terminates on the declivity of a mountain : it is flanked by two old ruinous caftles on the fide next the fea, and by two others towards the land. It is from five to fix miles in cir cumference, and is furrounded by a pretty ftrong wall. The houfes are of wood painted red, and edged towards the roof with black : on the corners of them there is frequently a verfe of the Koran, or fome fcrap of poetry written in gilt letters. They are decorated with terraffes ; and the courts are often ornamented with cyprefs-trees, which the Turks, who are of a melancholy turn, greatly delight in. The prin cipal part of the ftreets, on account of the heat of the fun, are covered with wood, which does not tend to make them more wholefome, as it prevents a proper circulation of air. Others fwarm with fparrows, doves, crows, ravens, and ftorks, and alfo with dogs and cats. No one dare moleft thefe ani mals ; for the Turks, though they do not, like the Egyptians, exalt them into deities, would, like them, confider the per- fon who injures them as a murderer, and treat him accord- G ingly- 4i LETTERS ON VARIOUS PARTS OF ingly. The fhops are fattened with fmall bolts ; for, thanks to the influence of religion ! there are here no thieves. The furrounding country is well cultivated, and abounds with partridges, hares, pheafants, hedgehogs, and a great number of tortoifes. The inhabitants of this place are computed at 80,000 : the Jews, who have feveral fynagogues here, amount to 23,000 ; the Greeks and Francs to 20,000 ; and the remainder are Turks. The Greeks and Latins have their refpective churches, in which they may pray as much as they pleafe without fear of moleftation. The ftreets in which the Jews live, may be known by their flench. The Jeweffes are in general dirty ; fome of them may be feen, efpecially on Saturdays, who are handfome, clean, and well dreffed. As we were going out of the Jewifh quarter, the children came in crowds to afk us for paras, to which they were encouraged by their mothers, with a view probably of infpiring them with an early tafte for the property of others. The Jews however do not meet here with the beft of treatment. If a Turk has occafion' for the fervice of a Jew, he feldom fails to honour him with the epithet of pimp or cuckold, or with fome other title equally refpectable. The Jews, it is true, are not much af fected by contempt, and even bad treatment, provided they are well paid. They are the principal venders of provifions, and in this bufinefs acquit themfelves with much ability, they exercife the functions alfo of boatmen, porters, ufurers, brokers, &c. The EUROPE, ASIA, AND AFRICA. 43 The country is governed in regard to criminal matters by a Mollah, a name which denotes a Cadi or judge of fuperior rank. The police is under the infpection of a Pacha, a title given only to viziers and governors ; and in his abfence it is directed by the Mouffelin. Thefe offices are bought, or ob tained by intereft. The government, properly fpeaking, is in the hands of the Janiffaries, who adt here like petty defpots. Some of them, when in a ftate of intoxication, have, merely to gratify their fanguinary difpofition, or in order to try their powder, fhot a Greek or a Jew. Others of them commit the like enormities through treachery, and in cold blood. The principal articles of commerce here are cotton and wool, which, when manufactured into ftuffs, are fold by the Franks for three times the value of the raw materials : leather, carpets, and tobacco for fmoking, which is ufed throughout all the Levant. The burial-places are out of town, near the fea-fhore. At the end of each grave two large flones are fixed in the earth. Thofe of people of distinction are of marble; and on one of them is cut out the turban peculiar to the rank of the de- ceafed. Clofe to the fide of fome of thefe flones young cy- prefs-trees are planted. Near fuch burial-places I faw foun tains, where in a fort of niche was depofited a wooden cup for the convenience of perfons defirous of quenching their thirft. In the upper part of the town, are the tombs of thofe who G 2 have 44 LETTERS ON VARIOUS PARTS OF have fallen victims to the plague. Whilft we were walking there, indulging in vain and melancholy reflections on the numberlefs calamities which afflict mankind, fome Turkifli children amufed themfelves in throwing ftones at us with a fling, to which they added other compliments ufually be llowed on the Franks, calling us ghiaour, that is to fay, infidels. They would have continued this diverfion, which to us was not very agreeable, as we were defcending into a valley where they would have never miffed us, had not a venerable old man, who fortunately for us was defined to pafs that way, prevented them. On our return to the town we met a pretty Turkifh girl about fifteen or fixteen years old. Her eyes, the only part of her which we could fee, were the finefl I ever beheld. When we approached clofe to her, one of our company was fo imprudent as to make figns to her, which is here the moft effectual way to get affaffinated. A boy who accom panied her, at this loft all patience ; looked at us fiercely, though it was with the fiercenefs of a child, and, laying his hand on his little dagger, faid fomething to us in a menacing tone, which, as we were unacquainted with his language, we did not underftand. As we were not defirous that other Turks fhould come up to explain it to us, we turned down another ftreet. While we were here a Frank killed a Turk, and took re fuge on board our fliip. Thefe two people, who were in timate EUROPE, ASIA, AND AFRICA. 45 timate friends, had been dining together, notwithftanding their difference of religion ; and the Frank taking up the other's piftol, it went off by accident, and difpatched his un fortunate companion. The poor wretch was fo affected at this misfortune, that he was immediately taken ill, and it is more than probable that it may occafion his death. L E T- 46 LETTERS ON VARIOUS PARTS OF LETTER XI. Salonica, June 1788. Jl* O R fome days after our arrival here the weather was extremely cold, but at prefent the heat is infupportable. The putrid fever, which rages in the country at this time of the year, has already begun to make its appearance. Some of our failors have caught it, and this has determined us to de part hence immediately. There are two Englifh frigates now lying in the port, which gives fome umbrage to the Turks, whom war and the rigours of fafting render fufpicious. They fay it is a long time fmce any men of war were feen here. " Laft month," fay they, " v/e were vifited by two French fhips, and " now two Englifh ones have arrived. This, in time of war, " does not look well." Some of them in fact are fo much diffatisfied at this circumftance, that I yefterday obferved a Turk flourifli his fabre in the air, on feeing two officers pafs his fhop, as if he meant to have cut off the heads of thefe infidels. He did this, it is true, when he was pretty certain he could exhibit his bravado with impunity, that is to fay, after the officers had gone by. This EUROPE, ASIA, AND AFRICA. 47 This town, to which Cicero was banifhed at the inftiga- tion of the rapacious Verres, ftill contains fome remains of antiquity, both facred and profane. In the mofque of S. Sophia is to be feen an antique green pulpit, in which, ac cording to tradition, St. Paul preached to the Theffalonians. The Turks hold this relic, from which -was inculcated a religion different from that of the true believers, in great veneration. This mofque was formerly a Greek church, and is pretty well built : but that of S. Dimitri is fuperior in this refpect, for it contains fome beautiful columns of ancient red and green granite. At fome little diftance is an amphi theatre half buried in the earth, and ornamented with bas- reliefs. In another place is the portico of an ancient tem ple, the columns and figures of which are much mutilated : many of the latter poffefs confiderable merit, particularly a Leda. In many ftreets may be feen chapiters, columns, and ftones of marble, with Greek infcriptions, which the Turks have employed in the conftruction and emhellifhment of their fountains. I went to /ee the Caloyer monks, in order to learn if there are really any manufcripts concerning mount Athos, and of what antiquity they are ; but I found thefe poor wretches fo ignorant that they fcarcely underftood the modern Greek, and fo indigent that they were under the neceffity of labouring to gain a fubfiftence. The dervifes or Turkifh monks, who, to prefent the more ridiculous fcene to a foreigner, are al ways 43 LETTERS ON VARIOUS PARTS OF ways to be found in company with the Greek ones, are not fo miferable. I faw two of them walking together, who in their drefs very much refembled the Cordeliers. The elder wore a large cap ; the younger had a fmaller and Shorter one ; and as" he difcovered more folly than his companion, he was thought to be more divinely infpired, and confe- quently was more refpected. The Mahommedan Lent not laying any reftraint upon the fenfe of fight, we were every day vifited by numbers of Turks who came to view our veffel. They admired every thing they faw, and devoutly killed time by continually counting their rofaries : the beads of thofe worn by the Turkifh petits-maitres are of tranfparent ftones ; and they are fufpended from the girdle by fmall filver chains. They have gold watches, and the hilts and fcabbards of their fabres are covered with filver of curious workmanfhip. Some Greek country girls, very Singularly dreffed, came likewife to fee us. Over a woollen robe with a white ground inter mixed with feveral glaring colours, they wore a fort of loofe gown without fleeves, of the fame ftuff, which in part covered the bofom, the reft of which was half concealed by a necklace of Turkifh coins, intermixed with antique medals ; their hair, interwoven with flowers, hung loofely over their Shoulders. They formed a circular dance round a mufician, who, with his lute, modulated a tune fuited to their Steps, and fung divers couplets, which they repeated after him. Confuls EUROPE, ASIA, AND AFRICA. 49 Confuls from France, England, Venice, Ragufa, and Naples refide here. The Englifh and French engrofs the chief trade. Naples fends no Ships to this port. The amufements of the Franks confift in fiffiing, hunting, and billiards. In winter they have balls, efpecially during the time of the Carnival ; but always under that restraint which the ferocity of the Turks and the defpotifm of the Janiflaries infpire. The greater part of them therefore ftay here only in the hope -of being able to return to their own country with a fufficient fortune to live at their eafe. I Shall conclude by remarking, after Strabo, that the Thef- falians, who inhabited this country, were the firft who made ufe of long robes to defend themfelves from the cold, in imitation of thoie people fituated to the north of Greece : this cuftom afterwards became common throughout that country, and even among people who, living under a warm climate, ought rather to have worn as little drefs as poffible. H LET- 50 LETTERS ON VARIOUS PARTS OF LETTER XII. Sciato, June 23, 1788. W E have juft now come to anchor in a very fine port to the eaft of this ifland. The village has been built only four years ; it is therefore very fmall, and contains no more than 200 inhabitants. The women, though certain of not incur ring the fate of Helen, fled at our approach : I, however, faw fome among them whofe features were fweet and regular ; and whofe looks were animated and interefting. The people are very affable ; they have only one church, one papas or prieft, who now and then fays mafs ; and not a fingle Turk is to be found among them. The papas can read fluently, which in this country paffes for a fign of great erudition ; he confefles, communicates, and fometimes excommunicates — but he never preaches : and in this he does right; for, being as little acquainted with that art as any of his brethren, he would only weary them to no purpofe. Behind the fandtuary of the church, is a pedeftal with an ancient infcription. You will no doubt fcarcely believe me when I affure you that the fine arts are cultivated in this place. There is a painter EUROPE, ASIA, AND AFRICA. 5. painter here ; but it is needlefs to add that he is not an Apelles. The principal neceffaries of life, which are not very plentiful, are imported from Salonica and Smyrna : there is here however abundance of tobacco and brandy. Fruit-trees are rare ; but the ifland produces corn and wine, which the inhabitants keep in cafks bedawbed with refin, as do likewife thofe of the neighbouring ifland of Scopelo, where it is in great plenty. It keeps well in this manner, but it contradts a moft difagreeable flavour. Honey is likewife procured here : it fmells Strongly of thyme, and is very cheap. Game is fcarce, confifting only of a few pigeons and par tridges : we were not lucky enough to kill any ; but we were in fome meafure indemnified for this lofs by the affability of a Shepherd who made us a prefent of a pail of milk, for which he would not accept any thing. On our return from Shooting, we went to reft ourfelves at the tavern, where we dined on a large lamb roafled on a wooden fpit, which, like the heroes of Homer, we prepared ourfelves. Whilft we were enjoying our repaft, which was not the lefs delicious for its Simplicity, the peafants brought us fome copper medals, for the moft part collected from the neighbouring iflands of Peparethos, Scopelo, &c. and fome from Chalcis and Iftria, ancient cities in Eubcea, &c. A perfon here is commiflioned to buy all thefe medals, and to fend them to the French conful at Salonica, who has a fine collection. A Greek, who called himfelf a phyfician, came on board of us yefterday; he praifed everything, and flattered every H 2 body. $t LETTERS ON VARIOUS PARTS OF body. Speaking to his companion of me, he faid I was an angel, and this with a very ferious air. The reafon was, that he wanted a French book, having lately learned that language : though his flattery had completely difgufted us, I gratified his wifhes. On this occafion Juvenal occurred to my mind ; I thought of one of thofe people whom he defcribes when he fays, Adulandi gens prudentiffima, laudat Sermonem indofti, faciem deformis amici. The hills of this ifland are covered with holy thiftle, cen taury, thyme, fage, and calamint, which at fun-fet perfume the air, and render the nights extremely delightful. To-day the fouth- eaft wind was fo hot, that we expected to have been Stifled. We are told that this wind occafions putrid fevers ; and on that account our ftay here will not be long. LET- EUROPE, ASIA, AND AFRICA. 53 LETTER XIII. Zea, June 28, 1788. J. HIS ifland, which is twenty miles in circumference, and has a fine port Sheltered on every Side from the wind, was the country of Simonides, the philofophical poet, of whom Pindar was the difciple, and of the peripatetic philofopher Arifto. The village is fituated on an eminence three miles from the fea, and perhaps on the fame fpot where formerly Stood Cartea, one of the two ancient towns of the ifland. The other, Coriffia, was probably on the way to this village ; and the brook that runs along the fide of the road, was undoubt edly the Elifla, by which it was watered. Here Neftor, on his return from the Trojan war, built the temple of Pallas Nedufia. Strabo, when relating this in his tenth book, makes mention likewife of a law of the ifland, by which it was enacted, that every perfon who exceeded the age of fixty fhould be poifoned. On this occafion, he quotes the words of Menander, whence it may be inferred that the above law met with his approbation. " What a wife law, O Phania, is " that of the Ceans ! to take life from thofe who are no " longer ;4 LETTERS ON VARIOUS PARTS OF " longer capable of enjoying it !" It is very probable that the magiftrates of this ifland might have been affected with the fpleen. The inhabitants of this ifland, who are all Greeks, governed by their own magiftrates, amount to about 5000. There are forty papas, and feven or eight convents of monks. Crimes are not frequent here, and feldom extend beyond petty larceny. The people manufacture wool, of which they make cloth fufficient for their own ufe. The water of this vil lage, which is confidered as the beft in the iflands, is of a very diuretic quality. Plenty of red wine is to be met with here, and may be purchafed on very reafonable terms. Great part of it, both in colour and tafte, might pafs for Bur gundy ; and fome merchants, it is faid, fell it for fuch at Conftantinople. This wine is fo delicate that it will not keep long ; at the end of three months it is good for nothing. The grapes from which it is produced, are expofed to the fun for eight or ten days. Lefs pains are taken with the common wine, as the grapes intended for making it are dried only three or four days. Great quantities of barley, filk, gall- nuts, and wine, are exported from this ifland. Game is in great abundance ; for, without the affiflance of dogs, we killed an immenfe number of partridges. There is an Englifh vice-conful in the village, who of ficiates in the fame capacity to other nations. He came on board our veffel, accompanied by his daughters, one of whom appeared to be a young lady of great talents; that is to fay, She EUROPE, ASIA, AND AFRICA. 55 fhe talked a great deal more than her Sifters, who paid much deference to her, becaufe fhe had travelled. She boafted fo highly of this advantage, that it excited a curiofity in us to enquire where She had been : but we could not help laugh-. ing when She told us ferioufly that She had been at Athens. As to medals, none are found here but after heavy rains ; and as thefe were all befpoke for the Englifh ambaffador at Conftantinople, we could not procure any of them. On both fides the valley, which leads to the village, there are gardens, which the Greeks cultivate as well as they can. We entered one of them with our captain ; and fuch was its luxuriance, that we were obliged to be careful of our fleps, for fear of treading under foot the productions with which the ground was covered, and to floop continually to avoid doing injury to the fruits and bloffoms above our heads. So great was the profufion of apples, pears, plums, mulberries, apricots, and ripe lemons, which laft diffufed a delightful odour through the air, that they feemed all to grow upon the fame tree. We tafled them all : and we found fome black mul berries of a prodigious fize, which were peculiarly excellent. The gardener, whofe agreeable countenance increafed the re- fpedtability of age, not fatisfied with giving us the range of the garden, treated us with a bafket of the choiceft fruits he could gather, and begged us to carry them on board with us ; and it was with the utmoft difficulty that we could prevail on him to accept a little money in return. He introduced us to his two daughters, whofe only ornaments were innocence and beauty j 5 6 LETTERS ON VARIOUS PARTS OF beauty ; for the Simple gowns they wore did not quite cover their bofoms, and expofed their naked legs : a fweet blufh, which enhanced their beauty, overfpread their cheeks when they faw every eye fixed upon them. The father affured us, that, poor as he was, he valued thefe two treafures beyond all the riches in the world : he thanked Heaven, he faid, for bleffing him with them, while his only prayer was to breathe his laft in their arms. This amiable family exhibited, in all its charms, the picture of a country life, which alone per haps admits of thofe pure joys to which ambition is a ftranger. How fweet in thefe moments was the recollection of the old man's difcourfe to Erminia ! ' We are going to fet fail ; for the difadvantage of this port is, that a veffel cannot get out of it with a north wind : on this account one was detained here laft year two months. LET- EUROPE, ASIA, AND AFRICA. 37 LETTER XIV. Athens, July 14, 1788. W E landed at Porto Rafti, the ancient Panormum, and came hither by land. In our voyage from Zea, we faw no thing remarkable, except Long Ifland, which is only a little way from it. This ifland, in which Paris tailed the firft fruits of his conqueft, is at prefent barren and defolate. Near Porto Rafti is a fmall village, the inhabitants of which are ex tremely poor. The papas even feel the effects of the general mifery, being obliged to labour for their living like the meaneft of their flock : one of them, from whom we hired affes, fol lowed us on foot from the harbour to the village. He wifhed, as I imagine, by impofing on us, to indemnify himfelf in fome meafure for the extortions of the Turks, as he demanded much more than his due for the hire of his animals. This induced the Englifh conful, refident at Athens, who was with us, to afk him if he was not affiamed to make fuch a charge, and to tell him that he wanted fome Turks to deal with. This poor wretch, though a papas, received a month ago a hundred ftrokes on the foles of his feet. He was ac- I cufed, 5 8 LETTERS ON VARIOUS PARTS OF cufed by fome of his countrymen with having fupplied pro visions to a Ruffian man of war, which appeared one even ing for a few moments in the port. The fact is, that this veffel was a French frigate ; but, as he neither knew nor could prove that circumftance, he was obliged to fubmit to the punishment. We met with nothing remarkable on the road, except a fuperb lion couchant, in marble, which the aga bellows on the public, but which fome one lefs generous will probably one day convert into private property. The country is almoft depopulated, and prefents to the view nothing but brambles and thorns. In all this fpace there are but two or three fmall villages. It is only in the environs of Athens that agriculture is again perceptible. Olives grow here as for merly, and have loft nothing of their reputation. Thofe called colymbades, which the ancients pickled, and ufed to create an appetite, have not changed their name among the modern Greeks. They are ftill prepared in the fame man ner, and feem not to have loft their former quality. Thefe olives are in great requeft throughout all the Levant. LET- EUROPE, ASIA, AND AFRICA. j I IIP i" ism mmm mm m mmm li jfe! BlJif L ai m$m .m '^SaKfoB IP? 'WBSM'Mi EUROPE, ASIA, AND AFRICA. fi9 Upon the hill which is to the fou'th-eaft of the citadel, is the marble monument of Philopappus, a Roman conful. This : hill was called Mufeus, from the poet of that name, who was a difciple of Orpheus, and who came hither to re- .cite his verfes ; and, indeed, it has a double title to this appellation, .as, according to Paufanias, it contained the fe-; pulchre of that poet. From this place we1 went to view the temple of Thefeus, which- is now at fome distance from the town, though it, formerly ftood in the centre of it ; it is almoft entire, and built of-thetike marble, andin the-fame Style of architecture as that of Minerva. The bas-reliefs of the frize and the metopes Teprefeht the battles of the Centaurs and the Lapithse, together with the principal actions of Thefeus, and are for the moft part in,-pretty ggod prefervation. You will doubtlefs expect to heir that^I found within the pidture mentioned by Pau fanias, and faid to have been areprefentation of the combat of the Lapithse and Centaurs, in 'which Thefeus killed one of the-latter. There are indeed pictures, but very grotefque ones. Thefe facred walls have been covered with the images of faints, which1 I fcarcely deigned to look at. I flopped, ".however, to read fome characters infcribed on them ; but, to my great mortification, they contained only the names of fome of thofe travellers, who in vain feek for that immor tality which flees from them. To the fouth-eaft of the Acropolis there are feventeen fluted columns of the Corinthian order, Six feet in diameter, and 70 LETTERS ON VARIOUS PARTS OF snd fixty feet high, which formed part of the pantheon built by Adrian. This pantheon contained one hundred and twenty' columns, all of Phrygian marble ; and the boxes were orna<- mented with the fame. There were in it likewife apartments decorated with pidtures and ftatues, and cielings covered with alabafter and gold. The temple contained the library: and gymnafium of Adrian, in which were one hundred co lumns of African marble. The Ilyffus, which ufually wafhes the bottom of the Mu- feus, is at prefent dry. We neither faw the Lyceum, nor the temple of the Illyffian Mufes, which was Situated on its banks ; but we were delighted to find the fountain Callirrhoe, which has its fource in the bed of this river, and ftill retains its ancient name. On the oppofite Shore we walked over the Stadium, the fpot where the Panathenean games, that is to fay, the races and public games of all Attica, were cele« brated. LET- EUROPE, ASIA, AND AFRICA: 7' LETTER XVIII. Athens, July 1788^ lNEAR the hbfpital of the French Capuchins there is a Singular marble building, with fix fluted pillars of the Corin-s thian order. It is built in the form of a lanthern ; and the top is cut into fcales, and terminates in a very whimfical or-a hament. It is called to Fanari tou Demojlhenis, or the lanthern of Demofthenes ; as it is fuppofed that the orator Shut himfelf Up here, that he might the better ftudy the difficult and di vine art of eloquences The bas-reliefs, however, on the frize, which reprefent fome of the actions of Hercules, feem to in dicate that this monument belonged to that hero. It is noW clofe to an hofpital of monks ; we may therefore fay, that chance often brings the moft contradictory things together* The tower des Vento is another curious edifice, constructed of marble, in an odtagonal form. Andronicus Cyrrheftes, by whom, as Vitruvius informs us, it was built, engraved on each of its faces the figure of a wind blowing from that particular quarter : thefe figures have large wings, but their cheeks are not puffed up. On this tower there was a fmall . pyramid, over which was a Triton of bronze, which, with a wand, It LETTERS ON VARIOUS PARTS OF wand, pointed out the direction of the wind ; the artift having contrived the figure in fuch a manner, that it fhifted according to its variation. On each fquare was a fun-dial, fome lines of which are ftill vifible. This building ferves at prefent as an afylum to fome dervifes. Near the bazar, or market-place, are the remains of a fa mous temple of the Olympian Jupiter, which was half a mile in circumference. The columns are large and beautiful : they are fluted, and of the Corinthian order. In the vicinity of this temple was the tomb of Deucalion, and the hole through which the waters of the deluge fubfided : a confe- crated cake is every year thrown into it, in commemoration of this terrible event. A little further Hands the frontifpiece of a temple, dedi cated to Rome, and to Auguftus, with fluted columns of the Doric order. To enumerate every thing here worthy of notice, would require long time ; for, befides thefe prin cipal monuments, there are the remains of feveral temples ; and on all fides pillars, chapiters, infcriptions, and bas-reliefs, which the Greeks ufually place at the top of their doors. M. Le Roi gives a very particular and fatisfadtory defcrip tion of them. We have him conftantly with us, as well as Spon, and Paufanias, who appears to us more interefting than either ; for, by tranfporting us back to antiquity, he has enabled us to difcover various monuments by the pofition of their ruins, whereas the reft ferve only to deprive us of the pleafure of conjecture. The vi IliiiEl m EUROPE, ASIA, AND AFRICA. 7j The ports of Athens are not now what they were for merly. Phalerea, which is almoft three miles in circumfe rence, has not a good bottom, and Ships in it are obliged to keep at a great distance from each other. Munichia is now abandoned, becaufe it has no proper anchoring-ground. It is a mile and a half from the port of Phalerea, and two from Piraeum ; but,by land the distance is lefs. Near thefe ports there are ruins ; but it is not known of what buildings they are the remains. The entrance into Piraeum is fo narrow, that two frigates cannot pafs it abreaft : it, however, has a good bottom, and is Sheltered on' all fides from the wind. It was capable of containing four hundred fail, according to Strabo ; and one thoufand, according to Pliny : a number which thefe writers, had they feen the Size of our modern fhips, would probably have considerably diminished. We in vain fought for the town of Pirseum, its beautiful porticos, and the tomb of Themiftocles. No traces whatever exift of thofe long walls which joined Athens to Phalerea and Pirseum. The fields interfected by the road to the port, and which were called the Street ofPyraum^ inftead of thofe fuperb buildings with which they were formerly embellifhed, prefent to the modern traveller only corn, olive-trees, and vineyards. The heat is fo intenfe, and has fatigued me to fuch a de gree, that I am unable to accompany Mr. F to Eleufis. I remain, however, highly ple^fed at Athens ; and the only inconvenience I Suffer, in this pure and Serene climate, is the regret which I feel at being obliged to leave it. L LET- 74 LETTERS ON VARIOUS PARTS OF LETTER XIX. Athens, 1788. 1 HIS city had formerly thirteen gates, and was twenty- two Roman miles in circumference. It is probable that the Adrian arch conducted to that part of the town which was rebuilt by that emperor. Upon the portal is the following infcription : " This is the city of Adrian, and not of The- " feus :" and on the fide next the town, " This is Athens, " which was the city of Thefeus." The fituation of this place, added to the magnificence of its buildings, which are almoft all conftrudted of marble, muft have rendered the view of it highly Striking, efpecially on the fea-fide and towards the entrance from Piraeum. In the flat coun-. try, rendered fertile by the Iliffus and the Eridan, a rock rifes between two hills, the Mufkus and Mount Anchefme, on the Summit of which Cecrops built the town of Cecropia, changed afterwards into a citadel, in the happy days of Athens. The Acropolis was embellished with the moft beau tiful monuments of art, amongft which the temple of Mi nerva arofe fuperbly eminent, being then vifible, as it is now, from every avenue that conducted to the city ; while nothing was to be feen on all fides but temples, porticos, gymriafia, and EUROPE, ASIA, AND AFRICA. 75 and theatres, containing an innumerable quantity of ftatues; for of thefe 3000 were remaining even in the days of Pliny. The mountains Parnes and Pentelicus, the one celebrated for bears and wild boars, and the other for its quarries, from. which marble was procured to build the temples of Athens, are Situated at a little diftance from the city, the one to wards the north, and the other towards the eaft. Mount Hymettus, which is a fhort league to the fouth- eaft, contained formerly mines of filver : the honey produced on it was held in great eftimation ; and an ancient geographer remarks, that the belt was to be met with near thefe mines. We purchafed fome of it which had the colour of gold. It will keep, it is faid, a long time, and is in great requeft at Conftantinople. This mountain was likewife famed for its quarries of Statuary marble, as well as for its filphium and its thyme. We were naturally induced, by the pofition of Cecropia, to enquire the reafon why the ancients built their towns on eminences. Plato and Thucydides, I think, have both treated of this fubjedt. It is probable that the recent recollection of fome deluge firft gave rife to this cuftom ; and when popu lation increafed, and this idea, together with the devaftation it had occasioned in the world, became effaced by time, men defcended into the plains. They may, however, have made choice of riling grounds, like the favages of modern times, with a view of defending themfelves with more eafe in cafe of an attack. Perhaps, too, they were induced by the former L 2 motive 76 LETTERS ON VARIOUS PARTS OF motive to build their temples on the higheft mountains; though, according to the remark of an ancient writer, they may have done this with a view of approaching nearer to the gods, in order that their prayers might be the better heard. The population of Athens has undergone great changes. When the Egyptian Cecrops fettled in Attica, a thoufand years before the modern sera, and founded Cecropia, the num ber of its inhabitants amounted only to 20,000. The neceffity of augmenting the Strength of this riling colony, and of pro viding for its defence, caufed the freedom of the city to be indifcriminately granted to all who fettled in it. In time, this privilege being abolished, with that neceffity which gave rife to it, the inhabitants of Athens, in the days of Pericles, were lefs numerous than in thofe of Cecrops : under the government of Demetrius Phalereus, there were 1000 more than under either. Befides thefe, however, there were 10,000 foreigners, and 400,000 flaves. The latter cultivated the lands, contributed to the amufement of the people, and were em ployed in the loweft and moft fervile offices. Athens, at pre fent, contains no more than 1 2,000 inhabitants, including the Turks, the number of whom is very fmall indeed. The lands are now tilled by Greeks, who perform all kinds of labour, pay taxes to thefe Turks, contribute to their amufement, and meet with nothing in return but oppreffion and harfh treament. The revolutions which have happened in the government of this place, are no otherwife important than as they ferve to Shew the influence which they fucceffively had on the character EUROPE, ASIA, AND AFRICA. 77 character of the Athenians, as well as the glorious epoch when they were great in every refpect. You, who read hiftory, are not to learn, that Athens was at firft governed by kings, then by the people, afterwards by the four hundred, then by the thirty tyrants, and then again by the people ; after which it fell into the hands of the Romans : nor is it necef- fary for me to inform you, that it was only while the re publican form of government exifted among them, that thefe people excited the admiration and aftoniShment of the world. Some declaimers inveigh bitterly againft Pericles, for having, as they fay, encouraged the fine arts with no other view than to ruin the republic; and this calumny has been further propa gated by many, whofe talents qualify them only to repeat the thoughts of others. This tafte for elegance, however, having previoufly exifted among the Athenians, Pericles, by encourag ing it, did, in fadt, no more follow the natural bent of his own genius, while he cultivated that of others : and what crime was there in this ? Such things are formed, and develop themfelves, like the diamond in the bowels of the earth. Befides, I leave to thofe better acquainted with the fubject, to decide what connection there is between the ruin of a country and en couragement given to the fine arts. But, as additional reafons to prove that the Athenians were a degenerated people, they are reprefented as having been immerfed in luxury ; and the number of their feafts and courtefans is mentioned as a proof of this affertion. To thefe courtefans, however, Greece was indebted for the mafter-pieces of its fculptors and painters, as were 78; LETTERS ON VARIOUS PARTS OF were its philofophers and men of letters, for the mildnefs of their morals, and the elegance of their manners. Socrates,. it is well known, was poliShed by Afpafia ; and Pericles, charmed by wit, made her his miftrefs. Archeanaffa of Co lophon was beloved by the divine Plato, who even wrote verfes in her praife ; and the tragedian Sophocles, tragic as he was, fell in love in his old age with the courtefan Theorida. Leontium converfed publicly with Epicurus in his gardens, Lais was at the fame time the friend of the philofopher Ariftippus, the orator Demofthenes, and the cynic Dio genes. She was fo finely proportioned, that the painters, when they wifhed to reprefent a beautiful bofom, always took hers for a model. Phryne furnifhed Apelles with a model of Venus rifing from the fea, when, during the Cereales and feftival of Neptune, in the face of all Greece,, She loofened her golden hair and purple robe upon the beach. It was during his connection with Gnide that Praxiteles executed his celebrated Venus of that name ; and fuch was his regard for this courtefan, that he offered her the choice of a fatyr, or a moft fuperb cupid, with a curious infcrip- tion on it, expreffive of the fculptor's regard for her ; but fhe made choice of the latter, and conveyed it to Thefpis, her native country. Two circumftances respecting Phryne evidently Shew, that in thofe days the profeffion of a cour tefan, to which fate condemns fo great a number of the fair fex, was not branded with the fame infamy as it is at pre fent ; and that thefe women amaffed immenfe and almoft incredible . Sim, | : , , cj Allium •'ni/ '* i» !' , ;,i" '5 EUROPE, ASIA, AND AFRICA. 79 incredible fortunes. The firft is, that a golden ftatue of Phryne, executed by Praxiteles, was erected at Delphos, on a pillar of Penthelican marble. It was placed between Archi damus king of Sparta and Philip Amyntas, with this in- fcription: " Phryne of fhefpis" This occafioned the cynic phi- lofopher Crates to fay, " Behold the fruits of Grecian intem- " per ance .'" The other is, that Phryne offered to rebuild the walls of Thebes, on condition that they Should bear the fol lowing infcription : " Phryne rebuilt thefe -walls "which Alex- " ander dejlroyed." Thefe women were beheld in fo favourable a light, that their lives and bons mots were recorded ; for wit constituted a part of their profeffion. Ariftophanes of Byzan tium reckoned upwards of one hundred and thirty in Athens : Apollodorus and Gorgias make them amount to a ftill greater number ; and Athenseus enumerates thofe whom thefe au thors had omitted, and relates fome of their repartees. It was perhaps on account of their beauty that the Greeks were fo indulgent towards them ; for beauty was held in high efti mation, as the following anecdote fufficiently Shews : Two women were propofed in marriage to Archidamus of Sparta, the one beautiful and poor, the other ugly but rich. As the love of money is as old as the world, Archidamus thought proper to make choice of the latter. This conduct was blamed by the Ephori, who condemned the king to a cen- fure, " becaufe he thought rather of giving them puny kings than " kings." In regard to the luxury with which the Athenians are re proached, 80 LETTERS ON VARIOUS PARTS OF proached, as being the occafion of their ruin, I know not what to fay. One thing is certain, that thefe reproaches are very ancient ; for every age has produced fnarling cynics, who, becaufe they themfelves are incapable of relifhing the enjoy ments of this life, are out of humour with every thing. The following is the defence made by an ancient in Athenseus to this charge : " It is the peculiar privilege of freemen, to in- " dulge in voluptuoufnefs and pleafure ; for, by thefe means, " the mind is refrefhed and expanded. Labour is the pro- " vince of wretches and flaves ; and it tends to contract " and debafe the foul. Luxury prevailed in Athens ; but " thofe who addicted themfelves to it, were the fame who " conquered at the battle of Marathon, and defeated the in- " numerable armies of Afia." As the corruption of the Athenian character, however, is never mentioned without contrafting it with that of the Spartans, to which it is conftantly oppofed, it may not be amifs to compare the refpedtive excellencies of thefe two people, in order to determine to which the preference be longs. The Spartans defpifed riches, were temperate and frugal from habit, loved glory and their country, were obe dient to the laws, and poffeffed the moft heroic courage : but thefe people condemned deformed or puny children to death, on the idea that they could never make good foldiers ; and as if it had been impoffible for them to be ufeful in counfel, or in any other manner : they likewife treated their Slaves barbaroufly, and were infenfible to modefty, filial tender- nefs, EUROPE, ASIA, AND AFRICA. 81 nefs, &c. The Athenians denied themfelves no pleafure ; they paid the fame attention to a feaft, or a play, as to their religious myfteries, or public affemblies ; they were mild and humane ; hofpitable as well as generous, fenfible and inge nious, amiable, induftrious, and brave ; for, to mention only one inftance of their valour, it was this people that delivered Greece from the flavery of Xerxes. They, indeed, had their vices ; for, in this world, there is no good without its con comitant evil : but, in my opinion, thefe vices were not only more tolerable than thofe of the Spartans, but even prefer able to the virtue of the latter, which in other words was brutality. Should you ftill continue fceptical on this point, confult Thucydides, who has drawn a very favourable por trait of the Athenians, which is the lefs to be fufpedted of partiality, as it was Sketched out by a Lacedemonian. M LET- 8a LETTERS ON VARIOUS PARTS OF LETTER XX. Athens, 1788. J.N reading hiftory, nothing has Struck me more than the readinefs with which the ancients, and efpecially the vulgar, adopted a certain opinion refpedling the origin of man. They in general believed, that man, like plants, was produced by a ftrange prolific effort of our common mother the earth, whofe children they called themfelves. As every thing how ever is fubjedt to change, this opinion afterwards gave place to others as well founded, and which have obtained equal credit. The Athenians, infected with this univerfal folly, Styled themfelves contemporaries with the fun ; and affirmed, that they Sprung from the bofom of that earth which they in habited. For this reafon, they wore in early times, accord ing to Thucydides, golden grafhoppers in their hair, from a belief that the earth gave birth to thefe infects. The religion too of the Athenians, and of the Greeks in general, was of a very fingular nature. Thefe ingenious people, whofe imagination fpurned the boundaries of nature, deified every thing, and by thefe means multiplied the bril liant phantoms of mythology. Without this happy eccentricity of EUROPE, ASIA, AND AFRICA. S3 of the human mind, the fine arts would probably have been neglected by the Greeks, and we Should confequently have fuftained an irreparable lofs ; for, if we have attained to any degree of perfection in thefe purfuits, we are undoubtedly indebted for it to them. What I confider as the moft amiable feature in polytheifm, and what in my opinion Should induce us to view it with the more indulgence, is, that while it flattered the imagination, without alarming the heart, it infpired the moft liberal tole ration. In the days of Hefiod, the Athenians had upwards of 30,000 gods : they even then thought, however, that they had not a fufficient number ; for, after having admitted among their deities thofe of every other nation, they erected, in the vicinity of Phalera, a temple to the unknown gods. St. Paul was defirous of eftabliffiing the Chriftian religion in Athens ; and it would doubtlefs have been tolerated there, had it been previously admitted and approved by the Areopagus. For this reafon, he was cited to appear before the council to explain to them his doctrine : and, though he did not en tirely gain his point, he made fome profelytes, notwithftand ing the infipid farcafms thrown out againft him by the phi lofophers. I am at a lofs to account, however, for his be ginning his addrefs in thefe terms : " Athenians, you have erected a temple to the unknown god : it is that God -whofe tnijfwnary lam. The temple was dedicated to the Gods ; which deftroys the happinefs of the allufion. M 2 Even 84 LETTERS ON VARIOUS PARTS OF Even revelation itfelf has been unable to extinguish, in the modern Greeks, that powerful propenfity towards fuper ftition which fo eminently distinguished their anceftors. It is true, that, as every thing has degenerated among them, they have nothing now to fet in competition with theSaturnalia and Cerealia, and thofe numerous other feftivals of old, no lefs grateful to the mind than to the heart. Yet the ancient to leration being left out of the queftion, they ftill retain many fuperftitious rites and ceremonies, which bear fome affinity to thofe of antiquity. What they may boaft as exclusively their own, are frequent Lents and confeffions, their paying paras for abfolution, and damning all thofe who are not of the fame religion as themfelves ; and efpecially the Latins and the Pope, whom they folemnly excommunicate once a year. To the temples of Thefeus and Minerva have fucceeded thofe of St. George and Panagia, whom they refpect very much ; though they are not a little difcontented, if they do not grant them whatever they afk. During the feftivals dedicated to thefe faints, the ancient Bacchanalia are re vived ; for their fole occupation then confifts in Singing, dancing, feafting, and praying. They pay the Turks a tax, which perhaps is more galling to them than the lofs of their liberty, for permiffion to enjoy themfelves without re straint during this feafon. They believe in apparitions : and the priefts, who do not, leave them in quiet pofieffion of an opinion not unfriendly to EUROPE, ASIA, AND AFRICA. Ss to their own interefts. Their ceremonies refpedling the dead are too Singular and curious to be omitted. They waSh the body previous to interment. If it be a young girl, they crown it with a garland of flowers, and drefs it in her belt clothes. Mourners are appointed, whofe office it is to pronounce an eulogium on the deceafed ; while the relations, diffolved in tears, exprefs their grief by rending their clothes and tear ing their hair : they even go fo far as to deny themfelves reft and food for fome days. The ceremony is finished by a re- paft, which the nearefl relation is obliged to give. This cuf- tom is very ancient, as may be feen by the following paffage of Lucian, who treats the fubjedt with fuch livelinefs of de fcription as is calculated to difpel unneceffary forrow. " They " put a piece of money into the mouth of the deceafed to " pay the boatman, without confidering whether it be coin " current in the country he is going to : befides, I Should " think it better not to give any thing, that Charon might " be obliged to fend him back again. Their next care is to " wafh the body — as though there were no water to be had " below, or that the perfon going was on his arrival to aflift " at a feftival : befides this, they perfume the body, crown " it with flowers, and drefs it in rich apparel, for the purpofe, " I fuppofe, that it may not catch cold on the road ; or left, " when it comes to its journey's end, it Should not be treated " with the refpect due to its rank. All this is accompanied " with fobbing and tears, lamentations and regret, in order "to 86 LETTERS ON VARIOUS PARTS OF " to keep time to a mafter of the ceremonies, who prefides " on the occafion ; and who enumerates paft miferies in a " melancholy Strain, with a view to extort tears from his " audience, fhould they be unable to Shed any without this " contrivance. Some of them begin to tear their hair, and " others to beat their breafts, or fcratch their faces. Others " again rend their clothes, and put duft upon their heads, and " throw themfelves on the earth, or daffi themfelves againft " the walls ; fo that the dead man feems to be the happieft " of the whole group ; for whilft his friends and relations " are thus tormenting themfelves, he is placed aloft, wafhed, " cleaned, perfumed, and crowned, as if he were going on " a vifit. His father or mother, if he has any, then embrace " each other, with fuch ridiculous lamentations, that, were " he capable of perception, he would be ready to burft with " laughter." You may find the reft in the chapter on mourning. In returning towards the Ship, we met on the road a re- fpedlable old man, who was fmoking, and enjoying the frefh air under a tree. We took him for a Shepherd belonging to fome flocks in the neighbourhood : but in this we were greatly miftaken ; he was no lefs a man than the aga's brother, and chief of a little village near which we had juft paffed. The exceffive heat, added to the need which we had of fome re- frefhment, obliged us here to halt ; and though we were pro vided with provifions, the conful treated us with a pail of milk. EUROPE, ASIA, AND AFRICA. 3 7 milk. We made a moft delicious meal ; but the old man would not partake of it, and even refufed to tafte the wine which we offered him, though we were told he was no enemy to this liquor. The kind of faddle and Slirrup made ufe of in this country is fo inconvenient, and had fatigued me fo much, that, at my arrival at Porto-Rafti, I found myfelf incapable of accompanying fome of our gentlemen to Marathon. L ET- S3 LETTERS ON VARIOUS PARTS OF LETTER XXI. Smyrna, Auguft 1788. jVLlDSUMMER being over, the plague has now ceafed ; for this kind of putrid fever lofes its malignancy as the in- tenfe heat of the feafon decreafes. The Greeks have now forgotten that this contagion exercifed its fury amongft them, as one may fay, only a moment ago ; that it tore from their affectionate arms their friends and relations; that their own lives were divided between the defpair excited by thefe loffes, and the conftant apprehenfion of falling victims themfelves to a fimilar fate. They are now in Jiigh fpirits : they dance, fing, and play, and think only of enjoying the pleafures of life ; in which they do right. In the evening the air refounds with the harmony of their voices attuned to mufical instru ments, fb that one would imagine their days pafs in a con tinual round of feafting and merriment. This town is Situated at the foot of a hill, on the extremity of the gulf. The principal part of it, as in the days of Strabo, is built on a mountain, the other on the banks of the fea. This geographer reprefents it as being formerly the moft beautiful city in Afia ; and it is ftill entitled to the fame dif- tindtion. EUROPE, ASIA, AND AFRICA. 89 tindtion. TJie houfes, like thofe throughout all Turkey, are constructed of wood, painted of different colours, and are generally only one Story high. Thofe Situated along the port, and inhabited by the Turks, are extremely pretty. They have kioches, or beautiful terraces, where the inhabitants meet every evening to enjoy the cool air. The moments they fpend in thefe places are moft delightful. For my part, I am in raptures with them. Loft in. an ecftatic reverie, every prefent and paft crowds forward to enchant the imagination. The Structure of the houfes ; the drefs of the ladies, their deport ment, voice, figure, and even language, which I regret that I am not acquainted with ; the purity and ferenity of the at- mofphere ; the various national Standards flying in the port ; thofe diftant views, in which earth and fky are brought to gether ; but above all the Meles, a little rivulet at the end _ of the rue des Francs, on whofe banks the prince of poets was born. — that painter of nature, who ftill charms us by his im mortal pictures — all thefe together form to me a fcene in- expreffibly delightful. The centre of the town is inhabited by Armenians and Jews ; and the upper part by the Turks, whofe houfes are here and there Shaded by tall cypreffes. On the gate of the old caftle, which commands the place, and which was built by the Genoefe, is a Greek infcription not now legible. A coloffal head is to be feen, funk into the wall ; faid, but I will not vouch for the truth of it, to be that of the amazon Smyrna. N A little 90 LETTERS ON VARIOUS PARTS OF A little way in the country are the ruins of fome ancient walls, called the bath of Diana. The befejleins are large fquare buildings constructed of free ftone, with brick vaults for cielings. They were erected to preferve the merchandife from fire ; or from pillage, in cafe of a revolt. They contain a great number of warehoufes and Shops, filled with gold and filver ftuffs, muflin, filk, cotton, goat-Skins, carpets, furs, and even precious ftones. Every befejlein contains one fort of goods : the gates of them are Shut before fun-fet, and are never opened during the Bayram. Thefe buildings deferve attention, lefs on account of the infinite variety of merchandife which they contain, than of the diverfity of people who refort to them. Jews, Turks, Greeks, Armenians, Catholics, and Proteftants, flock together with one common defign, it is true, of over-reach ing one another ; but with a fpirit of toleration the more ex traordinary, as their religions are the lefs calculated to in fpire it. The ftreets are very narrow and dirty. In fome of them it is poffible to ftep from the windows of one houfe into. thofe of the oppofite one. That of the Franks is pretty wide ; but there is one in the Turkifh diilridl which is con siderably wider. The number of inhabitants is eftimated at 130,000. Of thefe there are 26,000 Greeks, 7 or 8,000 Armenians, 10,000 Jews, 4 or 5,000 Franks, and the Turks make up the remainder. The firft of thefe are rajas, or tributaries to the grand feignor, who are dependent on his. tribunals. EUROPE, ASIA, AND AFRICA. 9i tribunals. The Franks here, as throughout all Turkey, ac knowledge only their own confuls. The country is governed by a cadi, who has under his command the moujfelin, or lieutenant of police, and the captain of the janiffaries. The cadi is a judge, who determines points of law and religion ; but when thefe are doubtful they are referred to the mufti. As thefe offices are ufually obtained either by money or in trigue, and are feldom the reward of merit, it often happens that the cadi and the mouffelin, inftead of governing a coun try, think only of ruining it. The following paffage in Her bert's Bibliotheque Orientale feems to confirm the truth of this obfervation : " A dodtor, having been made cadi of a " town, hired lodgings, when he firft entered on his office, " at the houfe of the mouffelin his lieutenant. This man gave " him during his ftay the bell reception in his power ; and " treated him in every refpect as a fubaltern would do his " fuperior : but being as yet ignorant of his name, he very " civilly afked him what it was. The cadi anfwered, I have " the character of being a terrible fellow here, where I have " exercifed the office of cadi ; and am therefore known by " the name of the azrael cadi (Azrael is the name of the " angel of death, who, according to the oriental writings, " feparates the foul from the body). The lieutenant, on hear- " ing this tremendous title, faid, And as for me, I am called " here fcheitan, or the devil; it is furprifing that our two names " fhould fo well accord together. We are here in a town, " the inhabitants of which are very wicked, not having the N 2 " fear Ii LETTERS ON VARIOUS PARTS OF " fear of God before their eyes. We will act therefore in " concert together ; you in tearing the fouls of the people " from their bodies (that is to fay, in pillaging them by ava- " ricious extortions), and I by making them renounce their " faith, and plunging them into the depth of defpair (by ex- " traordinary vexations) — otherwife we Shall not gain our " ends." In other refpedts, the Turkifh jurifprudence is fubjedt to the fame inconveniences as our own ; fo much are men every where alike. The fame author relates the following inftance : " Khedher Bey, furnamed Fadhel al " Roum, converting with his friends on the difficulties which " arife in the exercife of judicature, one of the company " faid, In my opinion, the greateft difficulty that occurs is, " when one of the parties is rich, and the other poor. " Khedher Bey replied, I find none in this cafe ; for it is " clear, that the rich man will gain his caufe, and the poor " man lofe it : but the great difficulty is, when both are " equally rich and powerful. If you, being a poor man, have " a law-fuit with one who is rich and powerful, above all " things never go to the cadi ; for he will not fail to con- " demn you. My advice is, that you Should inftantly defift " from your purfuit ; or throw yourfelf at the feet of your " adverfary, from whom you will obtain more juftice than " from the judge." Mofques and fynagogues are here very numerous. The Greeks have feveral churches, but the Armenians have only one. The Latins have two convents ; one of Capuchins, and the other EUROPE, ASIA, AND AFRICA. 9J other of Francifcans. There is here a Greek, an Armenian, and a Latin biffiop. The English have neither biShopric nor archbishopric ; but they have an hofpital for feamen. The ftreet inhabited by the Franks is full of Shops. The coffee- houfes are in the European Style, and abound with every convenience. What renders them in a particular manner agreeable is, that the Italian, French, Dutch, German, Engliffi, Illyrian, and other languages are fpoken in them, as they are reforted to by the natives of all thefe countries. But what appears moft Strange is, to find there Francifcans, Capuchins, caloiers, papas, and Turkijh fantons, who, by the diverfity of their drefs, and the variety of their opinions and characters, prefent at once, both to the eye and the mind, a contraft equally Sinking and fantaftic. Such a fpectacle is nowhere elfe to be met with. The commerce of Afia Minor is centred in Smyrna ; a very flourishing trade being carried on by the English, Dutch, and French, with this city. The former of thefe fend con siderable quantities of cloth hither ; and the French, be sides trading in this article, import cochineal, indigo, wine, liqueurs, fweetmeats, pepper, cinnamon, cloves, Silks, fattins, ironmongery, &c. Italy fends Silks ; Venice brufhes, paper, and glafs ware. Smyrna, in return, trades with every nation in the wool of the Angora goat, fome of which is qleven | inches long ; ftuffs made of it, Perfian Silks, fponges, carpets, opium, frankincenfe, hides, cotton both fpun and raw, raifins, figs, &c. There are confuls here from Ragufa and Venice, 94 LETTERS ON VARIOUS PARTS OF Venice, which likewife trade with this place, as well as from France, England, and Holland. Naples likewife fends a con ful, though it has no trade with Smyrna. The gulf is filled with Shoals on the fide next Eolia and Ionia, efpecially towards that part commanded by the caftle, which is at the diftance of more than two leagues from the town ; and in no condition to defend the paffage from veffels, which, oh account of the flats, are obliged to come nearer to it. The Venetian Ships anchor before this caftle ; for, Since the laft war which the Turks had with that republic, they have not been allowed to enter the bay, which is very fpa- cious. There are at prefent two hundred veffels in it, which on feftivals never fail to difplay their flags. They even fome times make the furrounding country refound with the noife of their artillery. This bay abounds with fifti ; and great quantities of birds, efpecially pelicans. A wind blows every day at noon from the gulf, which is called imbatto. The fea becomes then ruffled by degrees, till it rifes into high furges. The people of the country pretend that this wind cools the atmofphere, and renders it healthy. Pliny mentions an earth or chalk refembling white lead, which was found at this place, in a field belonging to one Theodotus, from whom it took its name. He fays, it was ufed to paint Ships. LET- EUROPE, ASIA, AND AFRICA. gS LETTER XXII. Smyrna, September 1788. J.N confequence of the arrival of fome recruits, who are to be fent to Conftantinople when they amount to a fufficient num ber, Franks, Jews, Armenians, Greeks, and even Turks them felves, find it neceffary to keep their Shops Shut, as thefe fellows make it a practice to enter any they fee open, to rob them, and to demand money, which they even extort by force, no one being able to deny them any thing without the greateft danger, and even without a rifk of lofing their lives. As no one is executed here in time of war, thefe people may commit every outrage with impunity. Though the Shops are Shut, they however find means to play tricks. One of them obferving that an Armenian had a handfome gold watch, went up to him, and, aSking him what it was o'clock, fnatched the watch from his hand ; but he promifed to reftore it for thirty piaftres, which he faid he was in great want of. The Simple man counted out the money, and the recruit made off with both watch and money, which had well nigh coft the Arme nian his life. An Italian merchant, who had formerly ill treated a Turk, has not dared to make his appearance fince the latter has en- lifted. 96 LETTERS ON VARIOUS PARTS OF lifted. The Turk had threatened to be revenged on him ; he has kept his word, and is determined to kill him. The mer chant, alarmed at this menace, has abfconded, and caufed money to be offered to the enraged Muffulman : the latter, however, is inflexible. He fays he is refolved, in order to keep the reft of the infidels in awe, to kill one who has prefumed to offend a true believer : but in this he confults rather his paffion than his interefts ; for he will Shortly be obliged to depart, and then, no revenge, no money. The environs of this city are charming : they abound with villages, and country-houfes belonging to the Franks, Greeks, and Turks, which are occafionally interfperfed with vines and cypreffes, altogether forming a moft delightful retreat. The gardens are cultivated by Greeks with very little la bour ; for thefe people need only to turn up the earth, and it almoft fpontaneoufly produces whatever they wifh. The only ripe fruits which you can procure here, are grapes and figs, both of which are of a fuperior quality. No peaches, apricots, or good pears are to be had here in a ftate of maturity, for the following reafon. When a Turk enters a garden, he takes the belt fruits without paying for them ; cr, if he does pay, he gives much below their real value. The Greeks, there fore, in order to avoid this inconvenience, as well as the punifhment they would fuffer in cafe of a refufal, gather and fell them before they are ripe. How much are thefe people to be lamented, in being fubjected to fuch rapacious tyrants ! Yefterday EUROPE, ASIA, AND AFRICA. 97 Yefterday afternoon a Shock of an earthquake was felt here. The Sky was on a fudden overcaft, and a heavy rain enfued, which continued for upwards of two hours. In a little time after the ftorm ceafed, to the great relief of the Greeks, who being always terrified by thefe events have recourfe to Panagia. O LET- ')'i LETTERS ON VARIOUS PARTS OF LETTER XXIII. Smyrna, 1788. TOR fome days paft the Turks have been celebrating the feftival of the Kutchuk, or Little Bayram, which falls eight weeks after that of the Burick, or Great Bayram : thefe are the two principal feftivals they have in the whole year. They have facrificed on this occafion a great number of fheep, the greater part of which had gilded horns : this cuftom is very ancient in the eaft. I faw fome camels here to-day for the firft time. Thefe animals, whofe figure fhocks our ideas of proportion, are, how ever, very ferviceable to man. You doubtlefs know, that they carry confiderable burdens ; that they kneel down to receive their load, and rife when they are fufficiently laden ; and that they can endure hunger and thirft a long time, being capable of travelling two days together without either eating or drinking. What appears ftill more furprifing is, that they can difcover water under ground, and fmell it at a confiderable diftance. A celebrated ancient hiftorian feems to afcribe the like quality to other animals ; for he fays, that wild affes found water by the fame means ; and adds, that fome perfon availed . EUROPE, ASIA, AND AFRICA. 99 availed himfelf of this difcovery to acquire merit. In this manner men have been always impofed on. A circumftance occurred to-day, which confirms me more and more in the bad idea I entertain of the Turks. One of ' them was walking upon the beach near fome Englifh failors, who were filling their cafks with water ; and though he ob- ferved his children, who accompanied him, throwing ftones every now and then at the feamen, he was fo far from checking, that he encouraged them in this amufement. This conduct, however, was not fuffered to remain unpunished ; for he received a blow from one of the failors, which brought him to the ground. As there is always a number of people on the quay, the failor foon loft fight of the Turk, and re turned to join his companions. An Engliffi marine, ignorant of what had paffed, was walking Slowly behind. The enraged Turk ran towards him with a piftol in his hand (for in war time every body here carries arms, which they are forbidden to do in time of peace), and was on the point of firing it, when a French merchant, fettled in the country, laying hold of him, alked him, in the Turkiffi language, why he wiffied to com mit murder ? The Turk made no reply ; and the marine, now becoming fenfible of his danger, made his efcape, with out even thanking his deliverer, whom he left engaged with the Turk, who feemed now defirous of wreaking his whole vengeance on him. Finding however that he had to do with a powerful man, and that he could not efcape from him, the Turk began to cry out, Haften, true be- O 2 lie vers ! ioo LETTERS ON VARIOUS PARTS OF lievers ! haften, faithful fervants of Mahomet ! come and be hold the infult with which an infidel is treating one of your brethren ! — The populace immediately ruffied upon the poor Frenchman, and were about to exercife their religious fero city againft him, when a venerable old man of fome dis tinction, piercing the crowd, addreffed them as follows : " Leave this honeft merchant, who has committed no other " crime than that of preventing a man from Shedding inno- " cent blood. I have been a fpedtator of the whole tranfac- " tion." They then Slopped : the nobleman made an addrefs in behalf of the Chriftian ; and, after reproaching the Turk with his bafenefs, carried his civility fo far as to attend the merchant home. I am juft informed that this nobleman is one of thofe whofe great riches make them dread the bowftring. There are many in the fame predicament ; but they always find means to keep at a diftance the fatal emif- faries. LET- EUROPE, ASIA, AND AFRICA. LETTER XXTV. Smyrna, 1788. J. HE Levant is the country of empirics ; for every ftranger in it, who pretends to be a phyfician, is always well received. He then acquires the right of murdering his fellow-creatures with impunity, and is liberally rewarded for it. There was formerly a great number of thefe quacks, or at leaft it ap pears fo ; for whenever the Turks fee a Franc, they take him either for a phyfician or a merchant. At prefent an Italian and a Frenchman have the precedency of their rivals, be caufe they are both very impudent and very proud, and talk as much as quacks endowed with fuch qualities can do. Empirics of both thefe nations, who in their own country would be hardly qualified to Shave any poor wretch, who by mifery might be compelled to employ fuch pitiful fcrapers, affume here airs of the utmoft importance, while gold flows like torrents into their pockets. In this they are undoubtedly right : thus goes the world, which is divided be tween two defcriptions of men, knaves and fools. The latter are not a match for the former, who have fenfe enough to fee this, and villany enough to take advantage of it as a prin ciple 102 LETTERS ON VARIOUS PARTS OF ciple which directs their conduct. The Greeks never apply to any ftudy, for they are better employed : they Sing, they pray, and they dance ; and all this amufes and recreates their minds. Few of them, therefore, can attend properly to phyfic ; and they have not a fingle able phyfician among them. Smyrna is a pleafant fpot to a foreigner who travels either for inftrudlion or amufement, as agreeable fociety is to be met with, both in the town and the country, where diverfions of every kind may be found. The confuls and mer chants every night give avant-foupers , in which the charms of focial intercourfe are heightened by thofe of dancing and finging. The women of quality here, unite the character of faithful wives to that of tender mothers : you would believe them to be the fame that Homer has defcribed. Their chief employment is embroidery, in which they excel. Several of the young ladies draw neatly ; and the greater part of them play on the forte piano, or the guitar. Befides their own language they fpeak French, and fome of them underftand Englifh and Italian. Mrs. B. who has travelled a good deal, is miftrefs of both thefe languages. It is difficult to fay, whe ther fhe poffeffes more fenfibility or wit. Metaftafio, who knew her at Vienna, found many charms in her conver fation, and had a great efteem for her. This poet made her a prefent of his works, to which fhe is fo paffionately at tached that She has learnt the fineft paflages by heart. Her talents, however, have not infpired her with that vanity and felt- EUROPE, ASIA, AND AFRICA. 103 felf-fufficient air fo infufferable in moft women who dabble in literature. In what terms am I to defcribe her Sifters ? They poffefs both beauty and wit, two powerful talifmans which never fail to charm ; and whoever vifits thefe ladies, muft confequently become enamoured of them. The Mifs W are all amiable young ladies. Modefty and the graces feem in them to have peculiar attractions. A Mifs Am , whofe name is expreffive of the paffion fhe infpires, without being beautiful poffeffes a je ne fcai quoi which fafcinates more than beauty itfelf. Her palenefs, the mild radiance of her fine eyes, and her air tending to a foft melancholy, but too well announce the fenfibility of her heart. Not to love her, one muft never have feen her. And who would not be captivated by the vivacity of Mifs B ? The pidturefque drefs of the Greeks ferves as a relief to their beauty. Their mode of confining the bofom, however, does not prevent it from rifing to the fight, which reminds me of thefe two verfes of Dante : Vedeanfi le lor poppe a dondoloni Ufcir d.el fen che parean ventri vani. ' In general they have very large breafts ; and I am furprifed that, among the many things they inherit from their ancestors, they have loft the fecret of preventing their growth. Diofco- rides, lib. v. fays, that, for this purpofe, the ancients made ufe of a ftone, found in the ifland of Naxos, which, when pulve- rifed, was applied to the breaft. They ftill inherit from their anceftors 104 LETTERS ON VARIOUS PARTS OF anceftors their cuftom of painting the face as well as the eyebrows, and adopt the like colours, necklaces, jewels, &c. They retain likewife the zone or embroidered girdle, which they often fallen with a fparkling buckle of precious ftones. Their winter dreffes are very coftly : they are of a gold cloth, lined with ermine, or with other furs equally expenfive, and coft fometimes three hundred piaftres. This is carrying luxury to a great extent : but it muft be acknowledged, that fafhion does not very often require drefs to be changed. On the contrary, fo little do they affect variety in this refpect, that the women of Chio choofe rather to carry an unwieldy burden, and appear hump-backed, than to acquire an un constrained and eafy air, by renouncing their ancient modes : fo much is fuperftition connected with attachment in thefe matters. As to the head-drefs, it is not uniform ; fome wearing a part of their hair twifted, and pendent over their cheeks ; while that of others is fuffered to flow negligently around their Shoulders : fome tie it in a knot, and ornament it with flowers, precious ftones, and heron feathers. When they go abroad, they cover their faces with a white veil trimmed with gold fringe, and are ufually followed either by their Slaves or female fervants. The Turks make a point of refpedling their modefty. The young girls, who always remain at home, are employed either in embroidery, or in looking through lattices at the paffengers : they are allowed to go out only on days of feftiyity, and even then they muft go EUROPE, ASIA, AND AFRICA. 105 go at an early hour, in order that they may not be feen. I made the fame remark at Athens ; but fome here do not carry their rigour in this refpect fo far. A cuftom prevalent throughout the Levant, which fome find very ufeful and convenient, is that of limited marriages. They are common among the Turks, as well as the Chrif- tians ; and the huSband engages to the woman by a written promife, authorifed by the cadi, to keep her for a certain fpecified time, under the penalty of forfeiting a ftipulated fum of money. LET- 106 LETTERS ON VARIOUS PARTS OF LETTER XXV. Dardanelles, Oct. 25, 1788. UlIR departure from Smyrna has coft us tears. The ap- prehenfion of never beholding it again, has attached us the more ftrongly to this city, towards which our looks are ftill directed. Adieu, Chloris ! adieu, Sylvia ! adieu, perhaps, for ever. Again we fee Tenedos and Troy. A fullen filence, which is eloquently pathetic, reigns around them. Cape Ja- niffary in Phrygia is the ancient promontory Sigeum, the arfe- nal and port of the Achaians. Something like a tomb is to be feen here. I wifh it may not be that of Hector, or of Patro- clus and Antilochus. Perhaps it is that of Achilles. Right — fomebody told me that it had been lately difcovered by the affiduity of Mr. de Ch . After paffing this cape, we perceived a large caftle Situated on a river, which is the Scamander, called by the ancients Xanthus ; it takes its fource in mount Ida, and, joining the Simois in a valley, dis charges itfelf into the Hellefpont — that fea in which the un happy Helle was drowned, in her attempt to convey the golden fleece to Colchis with her brother Phryxus. On the Greek EUROPE, ASIA, AND AFRICA. 107 Greek cape of the Thracian Cherfonefe, or Promontory of Maftufia, there is likewife a village and a caftle built op- pofite to each other by Mahomet IV. to defend the entrance of the ftraits of Gallipoli, ^hich are here a league and one-third in width. This we are now palling ; and have already entered the ftraits, in fpite of a Shot fired at us from the caftle on the European fide, from a fufpicion only that ours may be a Ruffian veffel. As we advance up, the ftrait grows narrower ; and, though we are more than thirty leagues from mount Athos, we have not yet loft fight of its fummit, covered with fnow. Dardanea, from which the Dardanelles feem to derive their name, was probably Situated there ; for the cape, which forms a hollow, muft be the Promontorium Rheteum where Ajax's tomb was placed. We draw near to the two caftles of the Dardanelles, and the villages ; and are come to anchor at Abydos, in Phrygia minor, called by the Turks Aidos. Night is now come on ; and a light which we fee from a town, reminds us of the fignal of Hero. The noife of the fea, which by its murmurs feems to bemoan the love and the death of Leander, ferves to increafe the illufion. We are going to read the poem of Mufeus on the fubjedt. It is pleafing thus to meditate upon the heroes of antiquity, on the very fpot celebrated by the poets. P 2 LET- ids LETTERS ON VARIOUS PARTS OF LETTER XXVI. Dardanelles, Oct. 27, 1788. J. DINED to-day with a friend at the Englifh conful's, who is a Jew. There are none but Turks and Jews in the village ; and it is through the medium of the latter that the Franks tranfadt all their bufinefs here, and in general through out all the Levant. They are the confuls, or at leaft the vice-confuls, and interpreters of all nations. The conful pre- fented his daughter to us, who is likewife his nephew's wife. She walked barefooted, and wore a large necklace of Turkifh fequins, which hung down over her breaft. Deftitute of beauty, of elegance, or wit, She fmiled from time to time ; and thefe fmiles gave us reafon to think that She had a foul, a point refpedling which her firft addrefs had made us fomewhat dubious. As the place of honour is here the corner of the fopha, my friend was obliged to accept it ; but he was not on that account much more at his eafe. Rofa- folis was ferved up to us in a very fmall glafs ; and after wards a copper-tinned diSh was placed on a Stool a foot high : they then gave us plates, knives and forks, and a napkin : the Jews, EUROPE, ASIA, AND AFRICA. 109 Jews, as ufual, did without them ; and what to me appeared very fingular, they had put a cloth under the Stool. The dinner was very frugal, and concluded with pilau, which the conful and his children ate with wooden fpoons from the fame plates they had made ufe of during the whole repaft. Thefe young people, out of refpect for their father, were feated in the alcove. The mother and daughter did the honours of the houfe, and even ferved us at table. A great number of fmall plates, containing dried grapes without ftones, which are brought from Smyrna, preferved wild plums, and the feeds of fage, which grows in the iflands of the Archipelago, Aleppo piftachios, which are very much efteemed, grey peas, better parched than thofe of Sicily, as they are foaked before they are put into the fhovel, &c. were ferved up by way of deffert. Though we had none but ex cellent old Dardanelle wine, the Jews would not tafte it. When our repaft was finished, the young lady poured water on our hands, and then ferved up coffee. Formerly the Jews ufed not to touch any diSh -from which a ftranger had eaten. At prefent they intermix with people of all perfuafions, though they have not laid afide their fuperftition ; but they find it advantageous to be fociable. The Jews live in a feparate district. The conful's houfe is genteelly furnilhed ; the fophas are covered with damaSk, ornamented with gold fringe. The windows are of coloured glafs, with which Venice fupplies all the Levant. There are lattices in feveral rooms, through which one can fee every thing no LETTERS ON VARIOUS PARTS OF thing that paffes in the great hall. I afked if thefe were made with this intention, but I was told that they were not. This I can fcarcely believe, when I confider the fufpicious temper of thefe people. Yefterday we traverfed the plain of Abydos, where Xerxes drew up his army in order of battle, that he might have the pleafure of feeing it file off; at which he was fo much affected, that, king as he was, he cried when the review was over. From the top of a fuperb building of white ftone, he beheld the continent covered with his foldiers, and the Hellefpont with his Ships. This view at once threw him into aftoniffi- ment, rapture, and tears, which occasioned the following reproach from his uncle, Artabanes : " Your actions, mighty " prince, are not uniform ; for in one moment you pafs from " exceffive joy to exceffive forrow." Xerxes replied, " I " cannot refrain from entertaining fentiments of pity, when " I reflect on the brevity of human life ; for of fo many men " whom I now behold, not one will be alive one hundred " years hence." " But are we not," replied Artabanes, " ex- " pofed during our lives to many accidents more worthy of " commiferation ? Is there a Single individual of all thefe, " or of the whole human race, who, in the Short career of " life, would not rather have died than lived ? The perpe- " tual calamities and miferies from which no one is exempt, " fo embitter the happieft of our days, that life, though really " Short, feems of a terrible length ; and death is the only *' relief to which unhappy mortals can look forward." Xerxes, EUROPE, ASIA, AND AFRICA. m Xerxes, who, like all fovereigns, in whofe minds reflections of this nature remain no longer than their vanity is interefted in them, then faid : " Since the condition of man is fuch as " you defcribe, let us ceafe to reflect upon it ; far be every " melancholy idea from us ; and let us think only of the " brilliant fuccefs we have in view," &c. together with other extravagancies, which you may find in Herodotus, from whom this paffage is taken. There is a great deal of game on the mountains ; we met with hares and partridges every ftep we took. The Turks are pious Gymnofophifts : they fpare thefe animals, which is more than they would do a Chriftian, if they could murder him with impunity. The frigate having obtained leave from the grand fignor to go to Conftantinople, it became neceffary to Shew the firman to the commandants of the two caftles. We went firft with the conful to the mollah to get it figned by him. This man very ingenioufly begged us to inform him, whether the maker of thofe beautiful double cryftal cups, which were formerly brought from England, was dead, as none of them, he faid, had been feen here for fome time ; he concluded, by afking us for a telefcope, or a china or glafs cup. The lieutenant replied, that all thefe fort of things had been broken in a ftorm. As we were departing, the Jew told us that we had fat too near the mollah, which was not proper. In this he was right ; for we did him too much honour in fitting with him under the fame alcove. We determined, however, in LETTERS ON VARIOUS PARTS OF however, not do fo at the houfe of the commandants, but to fit oppofite to them during our vifit. Abraham perceived, and gave us credit for our docility. The commandant of the Afiatic caftle is an old man, who Struggled' fo much with deafnefs, blindnefs, ficknefs, and death, that the Jew had a great deal of difficulty to make him comprehend the motive of our vifit. He took up the firman, clapped a pair of fpectacles upon his big nofe, arid tried five or fix times to read it. The poor wretch, how ever, whether he could not fee, or either could not or had forgot how to read, was unable to underftand it. All this time the Jew was making game of him ; but forefeeing that he would be able to make nothing of it, he adopted the ex pedient of reading it to him, in the prefence of one of his fervants. The falute the caftle was to pay to the frigate on her palling was mentioned. The commandant, who never opened his mouth without giving rife to reflections on death, replied in a faultering tone, that he Should difcharge his duty, if he received a handfome prefent. This the Jew managed in the beft manner he could ; and it is to be pre- fumed, that he did not forget himfelf. Every thing being now fettled, we reimbarked to go to the commandant of the European caftle at Sextus, which was formerly the moft con fiderable town in the Cherfonefus, and which at prefent is but a mean village. Though the caftles are only two miles apart, we had a good deal of difficulty to get over from the one to the other ; for, owing to the narrownefs of the ftrait in EUROPE, ASIA, AND AFRICA. 1.3 in this place, the current is very rapid. This commander was a fine fellow, and more learned than the former ; for, upon receiving the firman, he, without ceremony, gave it to one of his fervants, frankly acknowledging that he had never been taught to read. He feemed to wiffi that we Should make him a prefent of a piece of cloth ; but he was highly pleafed when given to underftand that he was to touch a good fum of piaftres, and promifed to acquit himfelf of his duty to our fatisfadtion. He requefted us to give him (for thefe people always afk) a knife, a penknife, and a pair of fciffars. It muft be allowed that under commanders fo lit tle attached to money, and fo very much affiamed to con- fefs it, the place muft be impregnable. We faw feveral Chriftian Slaves at work in the caftle : thefe are the em peror's foldiers, whom the Turks have made prifoners of war. When they were firft brought hither, they were fuf- fered to walk about, and employed in eafy labour ; but three or four having made their efcape, the reft are become fuf- pedted, and have confequently been put in irons. On our return to the Afiatic village, I landed at the caftle with the conful, who was feverely reprimanded by one of the officers for having brought a Frank into it in time of war. The great guns are of brafs, and feem to be formed of two pieces joined together with fcrews : they are on a level with the water, and fixed upon old carriages. The bore of them is almoft a foot and a half in diameter ; and they are loaded Q_ with ii4 LETTERS ON VARIOUS PARTS OF with bullets of granite, which, as I am affured, weigh up wards of one hundred pounds. There are likewife culverins, which carry balls of fixty pounds. But the time which muft neceffarily be required to load thefe guns, added to the dif ficulty of working fuch cumbrous artillery, efpecially when we confider the unSkilfulnefs of the Turks, feems to me to render it in a great meafure ufelefs, fince it would be unable to make but one difcharge : and confequently, if an enemy were willing to facrifice a part of his fleet to the firft fire, and had the wind in his favour againft the current, he would have very little to fear. If to this be added, the fituation of thefe caftles, which feem placed rather to deftroy each other than to defend the paffage, it will be obvious how eafily it might be forced. On this you may the more fafely rely, as thefe obfervations agree with the joint remarks of connoiffeurs and non-connoiffeurs on the fubjedt, which is a proof of their being founded in truth. I afterwards went to the conful's houfe, to fettle fome little accounts. The queftion was, what we were in his debt. He made out the account, then made it out again ; and, think ing that he had made a mistake not to his own advantage, he began it afrefli with more eagernefs than ever. His wife, brother, and children, finding that the amount was ftill uncertain, began to calculate likewife. They were all loft in reflection : when fpoken to, they made no reply ; for their fouls, fixed on the lofs of a Single para, rendered them inca pable EUROPE, ASIA, AND AFRICA. ,15 pable either of feeing or hearing. At laft the fum was fet tled : we then paid it ; and, having made our prefents, joy feemed to beam forth on their countenances. I faw fome Turkifh noblemen on a fpacious plain, amufing themfelves at the gerida. This is a game to which they are much attached, and which I had not leifure to obferve at Smyrna. They were on horfeback, and divided into two parties, each being provided with a flick two feet long, which they darted at each other ; and afterwards picked it up with an agility no lefs furprifing, than the dexterity with which they threw themfelves on the neck of the horfe in order to avoid their adverfaries blow, who always made a feint at one to get a blow at another. Amongft the fpecta- tors drawn together by this amufement were fome dervifes dreffed in white felt, with cowls and long tunics. They wore large amber talifmans about their necks, which they look upon as prefervatives, not only againft witchcraft, but likewife againft fwords and bullets ; and, feemingly by way of further precaution, they wore piftols, and a poniard in their girdle. Qji LET- Jit LETTERS ON VARIOUS PARTS OF LETTER XXVII. Conftantinople, Nov. 15, 1788. A FURIOUS north wind, which has lafted for fome days, having at length abated, the frigate has paffed this fame ftrait, croffed by Xerxes three thoufand years ago, on a bridge of feven hundred boats, with an army of I know not how many millions (for Herodotus fails me), to go and fub- due Greece ; in which, however, he mifcarried. The Turks paffed it long after, but with more fuccefs ; for they pene trated beyond the Danube, and reduced under their authority all the intermediate country. The two caftles faluted us with guns loaded with ball ; and the bullets making ducks and drakes in the water, Slightly grazed the frigate, and at laft dropped near the villages. The two Shores fwarmed with people ; and the frigate returned the falute when She got be tween the two forts. The Hellefpont, Xerxes, Leander, and Hero ! What a contrail in the emotions excited by thefe names ! and how much is the fate of Leander to be envied ! Thy grandeur, Xerxes, was but vapour ; for, a prey to ambition, thou wert incapable EUR6PE, ASIA, AND AFRICA. ti7 incapable of any folid enjoyment ! But Leander is loved ; and his paffion conftituted the happinefs of his life. Thefe ideas occur fo naturally in this voyage, that every one of us, at the moment, felt love to be fuperior to ambition. To the right of Abydos is a fine garden, in which Hands a pretty houfe, furrounded with cyprefs trees, belonging to the captain pacha. Beyond Setus, to the left, is a large Greek village called Mayta, the ancient Madytos. The Propontides foon after appeared to the north, in the opening of which is Gallipoli : this is the firft town which the Turks took in Europe, under Amurath I. Oppofite to this is Lampfacus in Afia Minor, fo celebrated formerly for its wine, that Xerxes, on that account, gave it toThemiftocles. It was called Priapus, that god being worshipped here. This Was the country of Me- trodon, the companion of Epicurus, who refided here himfelf a long time. We now defcry the ifland of Marmara, which gives its name to the fea formerly called Propontides. It is the ifland of Cyrica or Proconneffus : it was formerly joined to the continent by means of two bridges. But Byzantium now prefents itfelf to our view. It is impoffible for me to defcribe the impreffion I felt on the firft fight of Conftantinople. As. this city is built upon feven hills, riling gradually and infenfibly above each other till they terminate on the Shores of the Bofphorus, it appears like a town that has a beginning, but no end. Superb mofques, ornamented with domes and lofty minarets (the moft diftinguiffied of which, that, of St, Sophia, has ferved AS nS LETTERS ON VARIOUS PARTS OF as a model to the reft), rife above the houfes, whofe varied colours of red, white, and black, are agreeably broken by the cyprefs trees, which feem to arife out of the centre of the buildings. To this picture add that of the feven towers, and the feraglio, whofe cupolas, as well as the pyramid of the divan, are covered with lead, and terminate in gilded balls, the brightnefs of which is heightened by the lofty trees that furround them. The feraglio feems to be joined to Afia, and to extend along the Shore where Scutari now Stands, on the fcite which was formerly occupied by Chryfopolis, or the city of gold. This profpect is fo Striking, that the eye cannot long re main fixed upon it without being dazzled ; fo that an ob- ferver is obliged to turn towards the neighbouring fields, which nature feems to have formed on purpofe to relieves the fight. LET- EUROPE, ASIA, AND AFRICA. 119 LETTER XXVIII. Conftantinople, Nov. 16, 1788. 1 T was not without fome fort of fatisfadtion that we found ourfelves benighted and becalmed before the feven towers ; for the fun, before he quitted the horizon, had fo gilded Con ftantinople, that our fight failed us by continually looking at it. The moon, however, foon came to reftore light to the earth ; the heavens were not obfcured by a fingle cloud ; the deep filence of nature was interrupted only by the foft zephyrs which gently fanned our fails, and the noife of the dolphins which fported around the veffel. Every thing invited us to take' a fecond view of Conftantinople, which feemed now to have affumed a filver tint. We could have gazed for ever on this fuperb eity without being tired. Our eyes were fometimes fixed on the feraglio, which we beheld with fecret emotions of jealoufy mixed with pity : fometimes, and not without in terest, we directed them to the feven towers ; and at others, we turned them with pious veneration towards the mofques, which we took all for St. Sophias. Reft became at length neceffary : fleep, with its enchantments, Stole upon us to aid thefe fcenes ; and we awoke in the port of Conftantinople. What i*o LETTERS ON VARIOUS PARTS OF What furprife ! what aftonifhment ! We found ourfelves in a lake, whofe boundaries were Europe and Afia, without knowing how we had entered it. What a noble profpedt ! On its banks are Conftantinople, Pera, and Scutari : the inter mediate fpaces are filled with villages, gardens, and neat country houfes. We found the more difficulty in difpelling this charming illufion, as the entrance into the port cannot be feen from the place where we have anchored. The water is covered by a prodigious number of boats, for the moft part varnifhed and gilt. They are filled with perfons of both fexes, whofe eaftern drefs muft appear pleafing in the eye of a foreigner : they cut the fea with aftonifhing rapidity, eagerly contending which Shall be foremoft. The boats of the Bof- tangi form a kind of variety which contributes to make the fcene more picturefque, the robes and Singular caps worn by thefe people being of a very bright and lively fcarlet colour. I have been on Shore : what a difagreeable contrail ! The ftreets are narrow, dirty, and full of cats and dogs. The Turks are not fo ferocious as they were reprefented to me, notwithftanding the prefent ftate of war, which often ren ders them little difpofed to difcharge the duties of hof pitality- The foreign ambaffadors and envoys are very attentive to travellers : two of them in particular, more fo than the reft, are Sir R A the Engliffi ambafiador, and Comte de L envoy from Naples. The former is well verfed in the EUROPE, ASIA, AND AFRICA. m the character of the Turks, and has neglected nothing to gain their affections ; in which he has fucceeded. His converfa tion, therefore, will make one better acquainted with the manners of the Turks than all the books published on the fubjedt. This gentleman is of an amiable, cheerful, and mag nificent difpofition. He has formed a very fine collection of fcarce medals. Count de L is no lefs amiable, and will leave lafting fentiments of efteem in the minds of thofe who have had the pleafure of his acquaintance ; for age ren ders more interefting a man who to the focial graces adds fuch uncommon talents for communicating pleafure and in struction. The countefs, who to the talents of her own fex joins the good fenfe of a philofopher, is every way worthy of fuch a huSband. The young count, who poffefles a knowledge of the principal languages of Europe, with a profound Skill in po litics, is modeft and interefting. He has written in French an account of a journey he made to the Crimea, when the emprefs of Ruffia was there ; and though he did not publiffi it at that time, it is not yet too late, if his modefty will per mit him. There are only four ambaffadors here. That of France ranks firft; the Engliffi ambaffador is next; after him comes the bailo of Venice ; and laftly, the ambaffador of Holland. The reft, fuch as thofe of Spain, Sweden, Pruffia, and Naples, have the title only of envoys. There is likewife an agent here from Poland, and a conful from Ragufa. The ambaffadors only are permitted to have audiences of the grand fignor; R and 122 LETTERS ON VARIOUS PARTS OF and this they are allowed but once, which is on their arrival. The reft only fee the vizier, or the kaimachan his lieutenant, and governor of Conftantinople. The new envoy of Pruffia being about to obtain his audience of the kaimachan, gave us leave to accompany him. The following is an account of the ceremony. The janiffaries of the envoy in habits of ceremony, two by two, preceded the ciocadar, or honorary attendants, who came in the like order, followed by the domeftics in laced liveries. The envoy was dreffed in gold brocade, and feated in a chair borne by fix ciocadars; the interpreters, chancellors, people of his country, and other foreigners, and laftly, his pages fol lowing behind. In this order we went down to Top-hana, a fuburb of Pera and Galata on the channel fo called on account of the cannon-foundry, a building adorned with feveral domes, and Situated at the diftance of one hundred paces from the fea. In this part of the fuburbs there are fuperb mofques, and beautiful fountains ; and on the Shore is a large quantity of brafs cannon piled in order. I remarked, one which was twenty-one feet long, and one foot diameter in the bore ; and another which could difcharge eleven bullets at once from eleven different mouths. The Top-gi bafci, governor of Pera, is the commandant of Top-hana. But to proceed with my narrative, I Shall inform you, that the envoy, accompanied by his interpreters and chancellors, embarked in a handfome gilded boat, attended by a number of barks. On his landing at Conftantinople, the janiffaries and domeftics EUROPE, ASIA, AND AFRICA. 123 domeftics ranged themfelves in the fame order as before ; and we found horfes ready harneffed on the Shore. The ex- pence on thefe occafions is defrayed by the porte, which fixes the day of audience; and that appointment muft be kept, let the weather be what it may. As we went along the Turks ridiculed us, and fome of them heartily curfed us. When we arrived in the court of the kaimachan's palace, thofe whofe office it was to take charge of the horfes prefented themfelves to help us to difmount, which was done without the leaft confufion ; and they then begged paras. We af- cended a magnificent Stair-cafe, covered with carpeting, into a fpacious hall, the ceiling of which was carved and gilt, and where nothing was to be feen but beautiful carpets and fophas covered with gold brocade. The interpreter then made his appearance, to inform the envoy that he could not fee the kaimachan immediately, becaufe he was at prayers ; the ordi nary pretext of Turkiffi vanity, which is gratified in making vi- fitors wait. After dancing attendance in the antichamber for about ten minutes we were uffiered into a faloon, larger and more elegantly furniffied than the firft. It was full of Turks, who on the appearance of the kaimachan made way for him to pafs between them, pronouncing aloud, and at feveral times, fome words which we did not underftand. This noife was fucceeded by a profound filence. The kaimachan fat down on a Stool in a corner of the room, with his back turned towards us. The envoy and his interpreter placed themfelves oppofite to him in the fame corner, and we all remained R 2 Standing. i*4 LETTERS ON VARIOUS PARTS OF ftanding. The latter read the credentials which the minifter prefented, and explained them to the kaimachan ; and after mutual compliments coffee was introduced, which was ferved up by feveral fervants, in order that no preference or dif- tindlion might be Shewn. When all was over, the envoy re turned to his hotel with the fame retinue. LET- EUROPE, ASIA, AND AFRICA. 125 LETTER XXIX. Conftantinople, Nov. 30, 1788. AT Smyrna Ships are allowed to ring their hour bells as much as they pleafe. Here the cafe is otherwife, for all is Silence in the prefence of defpotifm. Ours was rung for the firft days, but it rang no longer. This act is contrary to the Mahomedan religion ; and people are very religious in this country, you know, as is indicated by the name of the' city * IJlambul, or the feat of the true faith. It is faid, how ever, that the noife interrupted the grand fignor's repofe, and that of his wives, whofe number, we are told, amounts to more than five hundred ; and one of them being fick, even fifes and flageolets are obliged to be mute alfo. The Turkifh fleet, confiding of forty-fix fail, is juft arrived from the Black Sea. This is only one third of the number which failed thither. It is reported that the captain pacha will be difgraced, which would be according to order, at leaft according to that obferved by the Turks. They wiffi * The name the Turks give to Conftantinople. it, 126 LETTERS ON VARIOUS PARTS OF it, however, to be believed that the remainder of the fleet continues in the Black Sea. — All trick and impofture throughout. I have been round the port in a boat, in order to get a near view of the Turkifh Ships. The port, the entrance of which is only feven hundred feet wide, is immenfe, and of fuch depth, that large Ships are perfectly fafe even along-fide the quay. It never requires to be cleaned ; for the currents which come from the Black Sea, daffiing againft Cape Bofphorus, are repelled by thofe which enter at the point of the feraglio ; and then running back to the right, throw the mud towards the freffi water, which, in returning, unites with thefe cur rents, and carries with it the Slime collected on the coafl. The freffi water river, the ancient Barbyfes, is at the end of the port ; and the fpot -where the mud commences, is marked- by flakes driven into the water. This port cannot be beheld without delight ; the two Shores from time to time prefenting charming diftant views and beautiful buildings, which feem to float upon the fea. Be fore you reach the terfana or arfenal, Stands the marine hof- pital, a vaft edifice, ftrongly built, and painted in a Singular manner. The captain pacha's villa, which is only at a little diftance, is pretty neat. At the end of the arfenal is a fuperb palace belonging to the grand fignor, moft elegantly gilt. The windows of it are coloured ; and upon the gratings are land- fcapes tolerably well painted. The melancholy filence which reign3 around this place ; the difficulty of procuring accefs to EUROPE, ASIA, AND AFRICA. 12Y to it ; and the voluptuous air that one breathes around it, all tended to make us concert projedts which we ffiall never be fo happy as to realife. We likewife faw the grand fignor's fmall galleys and large boats, which were lying under cover near the arfenal : they are enriched with magnificent cano pies, ornamented with a profufion of gold, difpofed with much tafte. The port is continually covered with boats filled with peo ple of every country and religion. The Turks make a point of going thither every day ; and the Greeks, Armenians, Jews, and Francs, very often, efpecially on their feftivals. The Turkish women never fail to go thither, even in bad weather. They are attended by their Slaves : if they have none, they go alone, as their huffiands never deign to ac company them. It is faid, that many abufe this liberty for purpofes of gallantry ; and as their mode of dreffing makes it difficult to know them again, it has often happened that the boatman has carried his own wife to the arms of her gallant. There are at prefent no more than fixteen Ships of the line in the port. Two of them are well built, having been construc ted under the direction of M. Le R , lately recalled by France. The reft are built in the Turkish manner, heavy and unwieldy. The Stern of a frigate of twenty-eight guns is as large as that of one of our fifties. I leave you, therefore, to guefs the height of their Ships of the line. The galleries are ornamented with carved work, and arabefque, partly painted n8 LETTERS ON VARIOUS PARTS OF painted and partly gilt. The beak-heads are decorated with a gilt lion, having on his head a crown. Thofe who under ftand naval architecture fay, that their fire-fhips are pretty well constructed. The arfenal built by Mahomet II. con tains a prodigious quantity of wood ; and in the docks are veffels of different rates. To the fcandal of predeftination, the feamen and janif faries every day come to blows with their cutlaffes. The latter at leaft fay, that they have performed great exploits, fuch as burning villages, carrying away plunder and Slaves, and cutting off the heads of thofe whom they were unable to fubdue(as a proof of this, they wear a little feather of filver tinfel on their turban, if they have killed but one ; two, if they have killed two, &c.) ; whilft the mariners on the other hand have nothing to oppofe to this, but a lift of the Ships wliich the Ruffians have taken or burned. I know not what to fay to the Turkifh war. Predeftination and numbers may prolong it fome time ; but thefe advan tages are not infinite, and the Turks poffefs no other. They have no discipline either by fea or land, or at leaft none worthy of that name ; and they expofe themfelves to bullets with the fame ardour that the enemy feek to avoid them. Their manoeuvres are very complicated. The guns on board their Ships are difpofed with fo little order, that a twenty- four pounder is placed next to a twelve ; and they are not famous for working them in a Skilful manner. To this we may add, that their fuperftition itfelf makes againft them, as EUROPE, ASIA, AND AFRICA. 12c) as one of their prophecies imports, that Conftantinople Shall one day fall again into the hands of its original mafters, the Infidels. Were they to receive a great check, this prophecy might be fulfilled. The Greeks too favour the Ruffians in fecret, becaufe they are of the fame religion ; and hope by their means to free themfelves from the yoke of their de- fpots. Befides all this, the Turks are exhaufted, taxes in creafe, adts of extortion and oppreffion are multiplied, the plague comes every year periodically, and almoft always fol lows a war, and the troops are not paid, &c. circumftances which would decidedly make in favour of Ruffia, if the other powers of Europe did not fet bounds to her ambition. But an enterprife really generous, interefting to humanity, and which would infure glory to all the potentates who con curred in it, would be to co operate with the emprefs in driving the Turks from Europe, to reftore the Greeks to li berty, and to leave them the right of governing themfelves. We fhould then fee thefe people roufe from the lethargy into which they have been plunged for fo many centuries, and Shew themfelves worthy of their anceftors. Modern corruption however is fo great, that though we may wiffi fuch a project to be realifed, it is greatly to be feared that it will never take place ; becaufe other nations, from a puerile apprehenfion of fuffering in their commerce, would never permit a people to become independent who would foon furpafs them, in the fame manner as their anceftors furpaffed all their cotem- porary nations. S War i3o LETTERS ON VARIOUS PARTS OF War has rendered the Turks more religious ; for fuper ftition always derives force from public calamity. Govern ment have ordered the taverns which they formerly tolerated to be Shut. Thefe public places were kept by Greeks, who, to increafe their cuftom, often procured boys to dance in them. They were indeed forbidden to fell wine to a true believer ; but every body knows that a tavern is not a place where one ought to look for water. Befides, the Turks can drink brandy ; for, as they fay, Mahomet prohibited only wine : and by this evafion they can quiet their confciences. Some of them however do drink wine. It muft be allowed to every religion, to have fome finners and infidels among its pretended votaries. A Turk, who was in England with the laft ambaffador from Tripoli, and who fpeaks Engliffi fluently, came to dine on board our veffel. The following is a part of our con verfation. — Why do you drink wine ? Becaufe I cannot help it ; befides, it is but reafonable that I Should get drunk with wine, fince others do it with opium, which I do not like. — If you do not eat pork in public, you will in private. Would not God, who is every where, fee me ? — Are you forry that your children are dead ? I knew not what to do with them ; God had given them to me, he has taken them away. — Why have you but one wife, fince you are permitted to have four ? Becaufe one is fufficient, and, befides, I am not rich enough to maintain feveral ; for the cuftom here, is not the fame as with you, where the wife pays the hufband to take her. — Are EUROPE, ASIA, AND AFRICA. ,3, Are you allowed to part with your wives ? Yes, if there are fufficient caufes on both fides. — Is it true that, before you take your firft wife, you muft entruft her one night to the care of another man ? The law orders it fo, that we jmay more narrowly examine into the motives which induce us to repudiate our wives ; but this inconvenience may fome times be avoided by means of money. — What think you of thofe who make love to their friends wives ? Oh, that is not proper. — Where ffiall you go after death? God only: knows ; for we are unlike you Chriftians, who know every thing.— He drank pure wine, and tailed of every diffi, that, as he faid, he might not commit Sin in doing otherwife. S 2 LET- i3» LETTERS ON VARIOUS PARTS OF LETTER XXX. Conftantinople, Nov. 1788. Y ESTERD AY we went to fee the mofque of St. Sophia. At the end of the firft ftreet, to the right, as you enter Con ftantinople by the Fiffi-.gate, Stands a very Singular building. It is a fmall edifice with a dome; and the garden, which is clofe to it, is furrounded by a colonnade : we took it to be the country-feat of fome nobleman, but we found that it was the burying-place of the grand fignior's children. Through the windows and gratings we perceived a fine hall, contain ing nine or ten coffins covered with Stuff elegantly em broidered in gold and Silver. Thefe coffins were placed be tween golden chandeliers. Thofe of the boys were dif tinguiffied by the golden turbans, with which they were or namented. At the fight of this faloon, a failor faid, with a good deal of humour, that, if he were allured of being fo well accommodated after his death, he would have no ob jection to take his departure from this life immediately. Such is the corruption of the Turks at prefent, as a dervife told me, who fpoke feveral languages, that they do every thing EUROPE, ASIA, AND AFRICA. 133 thing for money. This complaint is well founded. Every in fidel, provided he pays a fequin or five piaftres, is allowed to fee the temples of the true believers, all the feven mofques. The Imam of St. Sophia did not refufe us accefs to the mofque, but he ftipulated that he Should be paid before hand ; which is at once a proof of the politenefs of the Turks, and of their being free from miftruft. We entered by a veftibule which led to the gallery of the temple. It is cuftomary with us, on paying a vifit, or on offering up our prayers to the Almighty, to uncover the head, which fome times occasions colds ; the Turks, to teftify the fame refpect, pull off their Shoes or- Slippers at their entrance, and carry them in their hand as we do our hats. We neither pulled off our hats nor flippers ; and the Imam, whom our piaftres had rendered tractable, took no offence at our conduct. There is nothing in the dome of St. Sophia that will furprife any one who has feen that of St. Peter. The Grecian architect, however, who constructed this dome at a time when the arts were loft to his country, ought not to be denied his Share of praife. Ypu would imagine that it was juft about to fall — at firft view it infpires the beholder with terror, which, fome fay, is the effect intended by the architect. The gallery, which is wide, and like the whole mofque paved with Cyzicum marble, is embellifhed with colonnades. On the pavement were croffes in bas-relief, which the Turks, on account of their diflike to them, have partly defaced, leaving only the upright part. The columns are' of ancient green marble, 134 LETTERS ON VARIOUS PARTS OF marble, porphyry, African marble, and granite. But, what wretched chapiters ! fome of which the earthquakes have occafioned to incline downwards, and have been fecured with plates of iron. This church was built by Juftinian, upon the destruction of thofe erected by Conftantine and his fucceffors by earth quakes or fire ; and it is faid he was fo pleafed with it, that he exclaimed, / have furpaffed Solomon ! This church has fuftained confiderable injury from fire and earthquakes; and though it has been always repaired, it is neverthelefs in a ruinous condition in feveral parts. It fronts the eaft, and is built in the form of a Greek crofs : according to the account of thofe who have meafured it, it is two hun dred and fifty-two feet long, and two hundred and twenty- eight wide. Where the principal altar formerly ftood, there is now a fort of niche, containing a large Alcoran, covered with a green veil, and placed between two flambeaux, which are lighted only during feftivals. On one fide of the altar is a balcony with gilded lattices, referved for the grand fignior when he attends prayers, which, to prevent murmur ing and infurredtions among the people, he is obliged to do every Friday, fometimes in one mofque, and fometimes in another, without any exemption from bad weather, or even from ill health. Friday is held facred by the Turks, in like manner as Saturday is by the Jews, and Sunday by the Christians ; many of them, however, work on it. You know it was on this day that Mahomet took his flight from Mecca to EUROPE, ASIA, AND AFRICA. 135 to Medina, in July of the year of Chrift 622, from whence the Mahometan sera commences, called therefore Hegira, that is to fay, flight. On the anniverfary of this day every Muffulman is obliged to go once to prayers, in fome mofque or other. On the left of the altar I have been defcribing, is a chair ©f a moft fingular form, in which the mufti, or chief of the Mahometan religion, offers up his prayers during the Ramazan and the Bayram. There is no longer any mofaic work in the dome; what remained of it having been destroyed by the avarice or fu perftition of the Turks. In a corner of the gallery there is however a room, the roof of which is adorned with fome indifferent figures in mofaic work. The articles of belief, and the name of God, of Mahomet, and of the four legislators, Hali, Ofman, Omar, and Abube-Kier, are infcribed in large golden characters in various parts of the mofque. As it was prayer time, we faw feveral Turks fitting together in groups, who were reading the Koran to boys, or instructing them to read it ; but we faw no women. It was in this church, as I have fomewhere read, that the French danced during the Crufades, with women who followed the army ; one of whom, feating herfelf in the patriarchal chair, fung pfalms, which were not of a very edifying nature. When we came out, we went to fee the feraglio, which is very near the mofque of St. Sophia. This vafl building, which has a very high narrow gate, and fome wretched win dows 136 LETTERS ON VARIOUS PARTS OF dows with gratings before them, fo little refembles the palace of a powerful fovereign, that we took it for a prifon. It is from this gate that the Ottoman court derives its name of the Porte. Near the feraglio we faw a beautiful fountain, adorned with arabefque paintings, and gilt in a very fingular Style ; and with a cupola terminating in a ball and crefcent, alfo gilt. The Turkifh profeffion of faith is engraved on one of the ftones of this fountain, which is turned towards Mecca. The fame inscription is to be found on every foun tain, in order that the Muffulmen may repeat their prayers, and perform their ablutions at the fame time. As there is a fcarcity of water in this country, the rich often bequeath legacies for the purpofe of erecting public fountains. Many Turks gain a livelihood by carrying about water for fale in leathern bags. I even faw a dervife exercife this calling ; but I obferved that he gave water to the poor for nothing. We afterwards went to take a walk in the town. The burnt pillar is worthy of notice. It is of porphyry, and con- Sifts of various pieces curioufly joined together by bandages of copper, in the form of laurel wreaths; which being for the moft part worn, difcovers the artifice. As it has been often expoled to fires, it has been bound round with feveral circles of iron in order to keep it together. It was erected in honour of Conftantine, whofe ftatue in brafs was placed on the top. The ftatue having been thrown down, and the fliaft of the pillar injured by lightning, the emperor Emmanuel Com- nenus curtailed its height, and embellifhed it with a chapiter of EUROPE, ASIA, AND AFRICA. 137 of the Doric order, and an infcription which is not now legible. The race courfe, called by the Turks Atmeidan, is likewife deferving of the traveller's attention. It was a circus, begun, as is faid, by the emperor Severus, and finifhed under Con- ftantine. It is upwards of four hundred paces in length, and one hundred in breadth, according to Tournefort, who mea- fured it ; but it is certain that it was formerly of much greater extent, for the fuperb mofque of fultan Achmet III. occupies a large part of it. This mofque was built after the model of St. Sophia; as were likewife the other five royal mofques, thofe of Solyma, Valida, of fultans Ba- jazet, Selim, and Mahomet; except that St. Sophia has but one gallery, and four clumfy minarets (one of which is more fo than the reft, having been the ancient belfry); whereas the mofque of Achmet, befides three galleries, has fix minarets, all built in a Style of boldnefs, neatnefs, and elegance. Thefe mofques are all fuperb edifices, being built of the fineft ftone, and the belt marble, with which the temples of Cryfopolis, Chalcedon, and Byzantium, were embellifhed. They are infulated, and have fpacious courts, containing trees, and fountains for performing ablution. Their revenues. are confiderable, and very great privileges are annexed to them. In this circus is an Egyptian obelifk, of a coarfe-grained red granite, fifty feet high, and all of one piece. The hiero- T glyphics *3S LETTERS ON VARIOUS PARTS OF glyphics are in good prefervation ; and the Greek and Latin infcriptions engraved on the pedeftal, which is of marble, exprefs that it was erected by Theodofius. The machines employed for this purpofe are there defcribed in bas-relief, as well as the hippodrome, and the races formerly celebrated in this place. A little further on is a pillar of bronze, funk into the ground, confifting only of three ferpents, without heads, twifted together, and which rife in a fpiral direction. It is more than fixteen feet high. May not this be the famous brazen pillar which fupported the golden tripod at Delphos, and which, according to Herodotus, was in the form of a ferpent with three heads ? There are powerful reafons to fupport this conjecture; and, for my own part, I feel a plea fure in admitting their validity. The populace fay, that the grand fignior confines the plague within this column ; and to prevent it from efcaping, they have filled up the opening with ftones. At the bottom of the circus is another obeliSk, which was formerly cafed with bas-reliefs in bronze ; nothing now remains of it however but the carcafe, confifting of fquare ftones. The Turks ufe this circus for exercifing their horfes. At fome fmall diftance from the hippodrome is a fubter- raneous place called by the Turks Bin-Din Dirck, where above one thoufand columns are feen fupporting a vaft vault. It is faid to have been a cittern made by the Greek emperors, that they might not want water in time of war. In EUROPE, ASIA, AND AFRICA. .3, In one corner of a ftreet is a monument of porphyry, called Conftantine's tomb. The befefteins are much richer than thofe of Smyrna. Whatever relates to harnefs, horfes, and precious ftones in them, muft attract in a particular manner the attention of the leaft curious. T 2 LET- 140 LETTERS ON VARIOUS PARTS OF LETTER XXXI. Conftantinople, Dec. 1788. J HE true believers have lately celebrated the birth-day of their prophet ; and there have been every night fuperb illu minations in all the minarets, As the grand fignior intended to go in ftate to one of the mofques, we went and fecured places early, that we might fee him pafs. You cannot imagine what numbers of people were in the ftreets, and at the windows. Among the Spectators were feveral poor perfons, who feemed to entertain no bad opinion of us, for they came in crowds to folicit our charity. A great concourfe now gathered round us, fome of whom viewed us from head to foot, examined our drefs, and then burft into a fit of laughter. Others extended their curiofity fo far as to touch us, and to lay hold of our flicks, and we were then obliged to have recourfe to the janiffary to fend them away. It was a long time before the grand fignior made his appearance, but the people waited for hiin with great patience. At laft the janiflaries appeared, followed by the ciocadars, the public officers, the principal men of the court, the mufti, the kaimakan, EUROPE, ASIA, AND AFRICA. 141 kaimakan, the kijlar aga, or chief of the black eunuchs, and two dwarfs ; thefe were all on horfeback, and advanced two by two to the number of four hundred. In the middle of this cavalcade appeared the grand fignior magnificently dreffed; his turban was enriched with a fuperb aigrette of diamonds. He is near fixty years of age, and has a majeftic figure, which infpires refpect, without exciting fear. As he paffed, all the Spectators bowed very low, and obferved a profound Silence. He was followed by two of his children ; one of them, who had a filk umbrella, turned towards us feveral times, and gazed at us with an air of wonder and furprife. Next came a man, who threw away money ; and the chief of the black eunuchs, who faluted every body, in the manner ufually pradtifed by the Turks, by laying his hand on his heart, and bending his head every now and then. The grand fignior's fword, and two of his turbans, ornamented with precious ftones, were borne by men. The tafte, variety, and richnefs of the dreffes, the turbans, arms and the furs, the beauty of the Arabian horfes, whofe houfings were edged with gold and filver, and covered with jewels, altogether formed a fpedtacle no where to be met with, but at Con ftantinople. After the proceffion I faw fome carriages of a very fin gular construction. They were gilt, and made of bafket- work ; and are ufed by the Turkifh ladies of quality, when they go abroad for amufement. In thefe carriages there is a mattrefs, on which four women can fit conveniently enough : they 142 LETTERS ON VARIOUS PARTS OF they are ufually drawn by buffaloes ; for horfes here are deftined to a better ufe, and this I think is right. Among the vaft concourfe of people who were collected by this proceffion, there were numbers whofe drefs denoted them to be foreigners. This circumftance induced us to en quire into the population of the city. We were informed that, by fome calculators, it was made to amount to nine hundred thoufand, and by others to a million. With refpect to the people whom we remarked to be dreffed in a different manner from the inhabitants of the country, we were given to underftand that they were Perfians, Georgians, Tartars, Scythians, Indians, Arabians, Bulgarians, Bofnians, Albanefe, &c. who were come to fettle in the capital of the Ottoman empire. It is fo rare to meet with dwarfs, lame, rickety, or de formed perfons in Conftantinople, that we did not fee a fingle one among all this innumerable multitude. Notwithftanding the ravages occafioned by the plague, this place, as you find, is always well peopled. Amongft other caufes of population may be reckoned, poverty, avarice, and ambition. So great is the extortion practifed in the pro vinces of this empire, and fuch is the wretched fituation of their inhabitants, that the greater part are compelled to emi grate. Befides, the Have trade is very lucrative here ; and as there are no nobility, every man, by means of money, favour, or merit, may become of confequence. The prefent grand vizier was a flave. The aga of Athens was a domeftic in the EUROPE, ASIA, AND AFRICA. 143 the fervice of the captain pacha. He is returned to his former mafter. We have feen him again ; and he received us in the fame manner as he did at Athens. He retains the fame moderation in a humble, that he exhibited in an exalted Station. One of the Engliffi ambaffador's interpreters re ceived fome days ago a vifit from the aga of Galata. The latter afked if he knew him ? and the other anfwering in the negative, What, fays he, have you fo foon forgot the boat man who brought you water four years ago ? The populace, who are every where equally infolent, not being able to infult us on account of the janiffary by whom we were attended, feveral times honoured us with the epi thets of Ghiaours, Nqft, Nafceh, Indim, &c. Though it be true that they hold the Franks in fome little eftimation, they are always ready to renounce this refpect, which is almoft forced on their part. A European lady returning home one night with fome company, paffed through a place where there were a good many Turks. One of them faid distinctly enough to be heard by her interpreter : With what delight could I fire a piftol at thefe ghiaours ! With fome certain people it is eafier for them to do this than to fay it ; and with others it is eafier to fay it than to do it. I have been told, that a Turk one day meeting a poor Greek, Stopped him, and then faid, I have this day promifed to God and to Mahomet the head of a ghiaour, and immediately difcharged his piftol, and killed him on the fpot. The cuftom of making fuch 144 LETTERS ON VARIOUS PARTS OF fuch vows is very ancient, but not the lefs barbarous. This ruffian abfented himfelf for fome days, and then obtained a pardoii from the relations of the deceafed by means of a fum of money, which, owing to their poverty, fear, mifery, and the impoffibility of getting juftice, is never refufed ; and he appeared afterwards with more arrogance than before. " Tantum religio potuit fuadere malorum." During the time we were in the Dardanelles, one of my friends, while walking on the fhore, was met by feven or eight Turks, one of whom, paffing clofe to him, knocked him down with his fill, and this only for the pleafure of doing mifchief to a Chriftian. Such is the general character of the Turks, and particularly of the ignorant part of them (which comprifes almoft the whole), and confequently of the popu lace, who always carry their religious zeal to excefs. To this grofs ignorance muft be afcribed the intolerance and brutal pride which characterife this people. Nothing but powerful intereft, extreme fenfibility, or a relaxation in religious prin ciples, can influence a Turk to an act of beneficence or hu manity. The Greeks, who refide in the iflands or diftant provinces, not being able to lay their complaints before the throne, are very ill treated by the Turks, who, becaufe they are their tributaries, confider them as their flaves. When EUROPE, ASIA, AND AFRICA. 145 When the captain pacha makes his tour round the Archi pelago to collect the taxes, he behaves with great humanity towards the Greeks, and the Turks therefore tax him with apoftacy. He loves the Greeks, and favours them ; that is to fay, he will not fuffer them to be ill treated with impunity. On this account, the Turks fay he muft be of their re ligion. Such is the fophifm fuperftition employs to attack the humanity of this perfonage, who perhaps may not dare to Shew himfelf fo humane as he could wiffi. It muft not be imagined that the Turks have more par tiality for one nation than for another. How is it poffible for them to love a Chriftian ? A Turk however one day faid to an Englishman, L'AnghJi Jlar bono Ghrifliano, The Englifh are the beft of Christians ; but it is to be remarked, that he faid this to an Englishman. I have obferved, that they an- fwer the Franks in the fame manner, though they confider them all as one people, that is, a nation of dogs. Thefe flatteries are compliments of that falfe coin which is every where more current than the real ; and which the Turks, by conversing with the Europeans, have frcm them learned to ufe. I cannot forget the anfwer of a Turk mentioned by Rycaut. The French ambaffador one day announced to the grand vizier, that his mafter had taken Arras from the Spaniards, and gained other vidtories in Flanders, imagining that the Turk would have testified his fatisfadtion on the oc cafion. The latter however only replied, " What is it to U "me 146 LETTERS ON VARIOUS PARTS OF " me whether the pig worries the dog, or the dog the " P'g> provided my mafter's head is on his Shoulders ?" The janiffaries even who attend the ambaffadors have fo little refpedt for their -mafters, that they never rife when they pafs by. LET- EUROPE, ASIA, AND AFRICA. ,4, LETTER XXXIL Conftantinople, 1788. VV E have failed round the feraglio in a boat. This vaft edifice is Situated on a point of the Thracian peninfula, where the Bofphorus commences, and at the entrance into the^port. The walls are compofed of bricks and free-ftone ; and a great part of them confift of a mixture of mafon-work, pillars and chapiters. They are furnifhed with battlements and towers at certain intervals. On the walls are fome Greek infcrip- tions, which it is dangerous to copy in the prefence of the Turks, who, taking this for a proof of one's being a forcerer, or an evil-minded perfon, are likely enough to knock one down for fo doing. Befides, this is not very eafy to thofe who ate unacquainted with the Greek. The feraglio is defended by one hundred pieces of cannon placed level with the water, and covered by Sheds. They are ufed only during the Bayram, or on the occafion of the iultana's lying-in. There are fome of all dimenfions ; I faw two, larger than thofe at the Dardanelles, which, the Turks fay, were call by order of Mahomet II. in his camp before Babylon. U 2 You. : 148 LETTERS ON VARIOUS PARTS OF You will fcarcely believe that we could have dared to land near the garden of cyprefs trees. The bojlangis, who are at the fame time the gardeners and the guards of the feraglio, made us depart after we had feen every thing. They pointed to fome windows at a great height, and made figns to us, that if we were feen by any one, they, as well as we, would run the rifk of being made Shorter by the head. The kioffi of the bojlangi-bafci, that is of the fuperin- tendant of the gardens, is near the point of the feraglio, and is fupported by twelve pillars of ancient green marble. That of the grand fignior, from which he embarks and receives the compliments of the captain pacha on his departure and return, appears next on the bank of the fea. The city of Conftantinople, in its form, pretty much re- fembles a triangle. Two of its fides are walhed by the fea ; that of the port, which is fomewhat inclined, and the other extending from the point of the feraglio to the Seven Towers. Thefe towers, the point of the feraglio, and the mofque of Ejouf towards the river, occupy three angles formed by this metropolis. The circumference of Conftantinople is faid to be thirty-three miles, including the fuburbs beyond the port, fuch as Galata, Pera, Tophana, &c. This fuperb city, fituated on a tongue of land between two feas, was really formed to be the capital of the univerfe ; and if that emperor, called (but for what reafon I know not) the Great, difmembered the Roman empire, by transferring the feat of it to Byzantium, it EUROPE, ASIA, AND AFRICA. 14") it muft be acknowledged that he chofe a fpot moft delight ful in itfelf, and extremely favourable to commerce. The bojlangi-bafci has the fuperintendance of the port, and of the whole channel. His boat has twenty-four oars ; and the rowers are all boftangis. I make this remark, becaufe the number of oars to a boat is not difcretional here, even the ambaffadors themfelves being allowed no more than fourteen. It is at all times pleafant to go round the port in a boat. Befides the magnificent views, which retain their effect even when the eye becomes familiarifed to them, every object which appears feems to prefent fomething Striking. You fee many of the boats, which I have defcribed in another letter, in the rapidity of their progrefs, fometimes run againft one another, and dafh each other to pieces. The cries of the watermen give, indeed, notice of approaching danger ; but, owing to the conceitednefs, want of Skill, .and mifchievous difpofition of thefe people, fatal accidents often happen. Thefe boats are light, have flat keels, and are eafily overfet. There is nothing in them but a carpet, on which the paf- fenger fits crofs-legged. Thofe of the grandees are furnished with a cuffiion, by the fide of which is a pipe. The tranfport boats, the antique form of which reminds one of the firft ages of navigation ; the Ships of almoft all nations feen in the port ; the inceffant croaking of the gulls, which are continually hovering round ; the pigeons that perch on the barges laden with corn, which they devour at their eafe, without t5° LETTERS ON VARIOUS PARTS OF without the mafter's daring to make the leaft motion to prevent the theft ; the Shouts of the Turkifh failors when they perform the leaft manoeuvre, and which degenerates into a fort of mournful cadence ; the ferious air of the boatmen ; the impertinence and knavery of the Jewifh and Greek water men ; the cufiofity of the Turkifh women, who do nothing but eye the Franks, and lament that they are not Mufful men ; — all unite to form a number of varied and amufing fcenes. The canal abounds with Sturgeon, excellent mullets, eels, and pile ards (of which laft there feems to have been always a great quantity, for we fee the figure of this fiffi on the ancient medals of Byzantium); the market-place of Galata is there fore always provided with the fineft fifh in the world, which is ibid very cheap. As the Turks are bad fiffiermen, they are fupplied with fiffi by the Greeks. Thefe people poffeffed the dominion of the neighbouring feas, and they feem in fome meafure to retain it at the prefent day, for all the iiilieries and maritime commerce are in their hands. The pigeons I mentioned to you are very numerous, and the Turks extend their charity fo far as to bequeath legacies to fupport them : they do the fame in refpect to cats and dogs, the number of which is almoft infinite. Thefe dogs, however, do not on this account become much fatter ; for you may count the bones of fome of them through their fkin. They affemble in groups in the ftreets, which to them are fo many feparate districts ; and they feem to make it a law EUROPE, ASIA, AND AFRICA. 151 never to defert that which belongs to them. Should any un happy novice chance to tranfgrefs this law, thofe upon whofe diftridt he infringes fall upon him in order to make him behave better. As the Turks retire to reft at fun-fet, a pro found filence would prevail during the whole night, were it not for the noife of thefe animals, which bark at every Frank they meet. They extend their animofity much further at Tophana, for they there ruffi in a body upon thofe who are going aboard. The only remedy is to be armed with a good Slick, a Single blow of which is fufficient to difperfe them all in a moment. LET- i5i LETTERS ON VARIOUS PARTS OF LETTER XXXIII. Conftantinople, 1788. A STRANGER, who has beheld the intolerance of Lon don and Paris, muft be much furprifed to fee a church here between a mofque and a fynagogue, and a dervife by the fide of a capuchin friar. I know not how this government can have admitted into its bofom religions fo oppofite to its own. It muft be from the degeneracy of Mahommedanifm, that this happy contraft has been produced. What is ftill more aftoniffiing is to find that this fpirit of toleration is generally prevalent among the people ; for here you fee Turks, Jews, Catholics, Armenians, Greeks, and Proteftants conversing together, on fubjects of bufinefs or pleafure, with as much harmony and good will as if they were of the fame : country and religion. If we trace this, toleration to its fource, it feems to proceed from commerce and the government ; for the Mahommedan religion, it is well known, infpires fentiments of hatred and animofity towards thofe who follow any other. It contains, however, fome excellent precepts. It inculcates the unity of God ; EUROPE, ASIA, AND AFRICA. 153 God ; enjoins the love of one's neighbour, almfgiving, works of charity, reconciliation with enemies ; and even ordains prayers for the conversion of Idolaters, Jews, Chriftians, In fidels, &c. The eternity of future rewards and punishments is a fundamental principle of this religion : but commenta tors, according to cuftom, do not fail to expatiate on a paffage of the Koran, from which they infer that the pains of hell may not be eternal. There are fome fedts of the Mahom- medans who do not believe in them . The Ghiahamites, for in ftance, fay, that this eternity is metaphorical, as, when fpeak- ing of a prince's reign, it is wiffied to be for ever ; and the Ghiahedites believe that the damned will in fucceffion of time be changed into fire, like all other matter confumed by that element. Among the followers of Ali is a feet who take their name from a doctor called Alkhathab, and who hold the joys of heaven and the pains of hell to be nothing but the pleafures and afflictions of life. On this account thefe people are juftly deemed profane. It is aftoniffiing that in fidelity Should always find profelytes, where there are men who pique themfelves on genius and good fenfe. It was this, I fuppofe, which prompted a Mahommedan poet, not a very orthodox one you may fuppofe, to exprefs himfelf in the following manner — '* The Chriftians make continual de- " viations in their path ; and the Mahommedans are quite " out of the road. The Jews are mummers ; and the Per- " fian magi are only dreamers. The world then is divided " into two defcriptions of men ; the firft of whom have X « fenfe, 154 LETTERS ON VARIOUS PARTS OF " fenfe, and no religion ; the other have religion, and little " fenfe." It is not to be fuppofed that the happinefs promifed by Mahomet is confined merely to fenfual delights ; for the pro phet fays, that the believers will find in paradife gardens on the banks of rivers, where they will' enjoy eternal life with women whofe youth and beauty Shall be continually renewed : he adds, that, befides thefe delights, they will enjoy the pre fence of the Deity, which will make them happy. His hell like- wife is Stored with materials of a fingular nature : thefe are the heads of devils, which muft be very terrible, efpecially as we know how the devil is formed. An angel from God prefides in hell, apparently to maintain in it good order ; and, accord ing to the Koran, this hell has feven gates. The greateft puniffiment of the damned, however, confifts in their fepa- ration from the Deity ; and this agrees with the Scriptures, Some interpreters underftand the feven different gates — to be fo many different ftages in which finners of various claffes will be punifhed. The Muffulmen are not comprifed in the number, if we may credit one of their doctors, who fays, that they are to make only a temporary, and not an eternal abode there, like the reft : he therefore places thefe in order, and with furprifing liberality, the Materialifts, the Mani- cheans, the Brachmans, who reject the Holy Scriptures, and who believe neither in the Old nor the New Teftament ; and the Christians, becaufe they admit them both ; the Guebres and Hypocrites. Some day or other, perhaps, fome one EUROPE, ASIA, AND AFRICA. 155 one will find out an eighth door, contrived for the admiffion of thofe who believe all that we have mentioned. — Another interpreter fays, that the feven doors are the feven capital fins which lead to hell, by a feparation from God, and a pri vation of his prefence. Many other fine things are faid of this fyftem, which you may fee in the Oriental Library of Herbelot, under the article Gehennem. Predeftination is one of the tremendous dogmas of Ma- hommedanifm ; it is not, however, without its advantages in fome refpects. It is to this article of belief that the Porte is indebted for the facility with which it raifes fuch numerous armies. On the other hand, it allays the ufelefs afflidtion of a father at the death of his children, or of one who has been ruined by fome cruel Stroke of fortune, or who has been deprived of his honour by injuftice or calumny, &c. I have feen feveral Turks fuftain thefe dreadful calamities, ut tering, for their only comfort or complaint, " May the will " of the Almighty be done !" I cannot, however, afcribe folely to the influence of this tenet, that indifference which they difplay at the death of their children, their wives, or their friends. Superftition, imbibed with the mother's milk, may be converted into fentiment ; but this fentiment, like reafon, operates only when the paffions are weak, and always gives way to them when they are powerful. A plurality of wives, the ufe of baths, and the great variety of fenfual pleafures in which a Turk is engaged, diffract him too much to render him fufceptible of a ftrong affection for any one. On the X 2 contrary, 156 LETTERS ON VARIOUS PARTS OF contrary, they make him an egotift ; fo that if he Shews re signation at the death of any of his relations, obferving, while he continues to fmoke his pipe without interruption, that it is what we muft all expect, fince man at his birth has im printed on his forehead the marks of death, it is becaufe he feels nothing at the lofs — his foul having never been fufceptible of affection. Some, indeed, have been known to fink into defpair when deprived by death of a miftrefs, or a friend, to whom they were paffionately attached. The po pulace, who carry every thing to excefs, abufe the idea of predeftination, even to a degree of brutality. During the plague, for inftance, a wretch will buy the clothes of another wretch who has lately fallen a victim to that calamity, and at the fame time obferve that he experienced the death to which he was predeftinated. This dogma of fate is of great antiquity in the eaft. In Homer, every thing is done by a deftiny, to which Jupiter himfelf is as much fubjedt as the loweft of mankind. Crcefus, having loft his kingdom from trufline too implicitly to the oracle of Delphos, fent fome Lydians lo afk the god, whe ther he were not afhamed to have been instrumental in his ruin ? and, if the Grecian deities, to whom he had Shewn fo much liberality, were not accuftomed to be ungrateful? The oracle anfwered, " That the god himfelf could not Stop " the decrees of fate." This is not the only theological opinion the Turks have received from the moft ancient peo ple of Afia : they entertain another, which is likewife tradi tional, EUROPE, ASIA, AND AFRICA. ,57 tional, and which appears to me to do nothing lefs than tarnifh the idea of that divinity whom they otherwife defcribe in fuch glowing colours. It is the following : " After any fignal " good fortune, be upon your guard ; for it is a proof that " Heaven has great calamities in Store for you." But why fo ? The reafon is as follows : " I think," faid Solon to Croefus, " that the gods envy and difturb the happinefs of " mankind ; for, in the courfe of a long life, men are obliged " to fee and to endure a number of things that are difagree- " able to them." Herodotus remarks, that, after the departure of Solon, the anger of the gods fell upon Croefus, " appa- " rently becaufe he thought himfelf the happieft of men." " The great profperity I have experienced of late," faid Ama- fis king of Egypt, in a letter to his friend Polycrates, " alarms " me much, for I know how envious the gods are." This manner of accounting for the origin of evil, though deducible from the Pagan theology, which taught that the gods as well as men were born on the earth, is abfurd and contradic tory in a deift. But the. vulgar never have clear ideas of any thing which is fuperrur to mere objects pf fenfe ; and the Turks, in this refpect, are but vulgar. The refurredtion of the dead is likewife an article of the Turkifh faith. The figns which are to precede it, fay they, are, that all animals will die, that the mountains will fly in the air like birds, and that the heavens will melt and flow over the earth. — And what is to become of the earth ? This they never thought of. As 158 LETTERS ON VARIOUS PARTS OF As to ablutions and circumcifion I ffiall only remark, that thefe two pradtices are of great antiquity in the eaft ; that they owe their origin lefs to caprice than neceffity ; and that, the better to enforce the obfervance of them, they have been always aided by the fandtion of religion. It would be ridiculous not to afcribe circumcifion to neceffity, fince we are informed that feveral nations in Afia would, without it, be ufelefs for the purpofes of fociety. The Turks carry the prac tice of ablution to the fame point as the Affyrians did, who, according to Strabo, purified themfelves every time they ful filled the duty of marriage. Mahomet, by enjoining thefe ob- fervances, did no more than conform himfelf to received cuf toms. — With refpect to his prohibiting the ufe of pork, it was either becaufe this food, in the countries where he firft introduced his religion, was unwholefome ; or, becaufe he thought that forbidding it would tend to gain over the Jews, who were very numerous where he preached his new doc trine, and induce them to embrace it ; for an infpired per fon thinks nothing can refift him. The Mahommedans believe both in the Old and the New Teftament ; and they often make allufions to the Gofpel, fometimes quoting what is in it, and fometimes what is not. They contend, that the Chriftians have al tered and corrupted it, by retrenching, as they fay, every thing that related to Mahomet ; and they affirm, that the Jews have done the fame to the Old Teftament. They agree that God fent the Gofpel to Jefus the fon of Mary, for whom EUROPE, ASIA, AND AFRICA. ,5, whom they entertain refpect : and they think it ridiculous in us to call him the Son of God, it being, in their idea, nonfenfe to affign children to the Deity, who, according to the Koran, is an infinite being, neither begotten nor begetting any one. In a difpute in which I was engaged on this fubject with a dervife, I had occafion to remark his ability in defending his religion. This man was too learned for a Turk, and efpe cially for a dervife. He was eloquent ; and had a great re- femblance I prefume to our orators, who often try to per fuade others to believe what they do not believe themfelves. The following is nearly the fubftance of his fpeech : — " A " diredt and certain proof of the divinity of Mahomet's mif- " fion is, that the doctrine promulgated by that legiflator is " difieminated in every part of the world ; and that God has " punifhed the incredulity of the Chriftians and Jews, whofe " number is fo much inferior to that of the Mahommedans, " by the lofs of their property, and by making them tribu- ,f taries and Slaves. Befides, the prophet inculcates a mo- " rality which is fo engraved on the heart that we carry it into " practice without the leaft deviation. We do not defpond " on lofing a fon, or a friend, an employment, or even our " whole property ; for fuch is the will of the Almighty. The " morality of other prophets, on the contrary, partakes fo lit— " tie of divinity that no one is amended by it. Man cannot " be perfect : this is proved by a very fuperficial knowledge of " human nature ; he may get rid of one paffion, but not of " all : and in this view the morality of your religion is rather " a philo- i6o LETTERS ON VARIOUS PARTS OF " a philofophic theory, than a practical fyftem ; and to prove " this, I appeal to the confcience of every Chriftian. Nature " may be ftifled in fanaticifm ; but fuch fits can be but of " Short duration. Add to this, that our religion does not de- " generate, and always retains a like influence over us. To " add weight to thefe arguments, I can alfo call miracles to " my aid — Mahomet drew water from his fingers ; he more- " over marked the moon with his finger, and fplit it. Even " ftones, trees, and beafts, recognifed him for the true pro- " phet, and hailed him, by faying, ' Thou art the true envoy " of God !' It is well known, that in one night he went from " Mecca to Jerufalem ; whence he afcended into Heaven, " where he faw Paradife and Hell, fpoke to God, and found " himfelf again in Mecca before day-light. But I do not " mean to infill on this article, becaufe every religion has " its miracles." — This you fee is logic, and Turkiffi logic, which has little refemblance to that ufed among us. LET- EUROPE, ASIA, AND AFRICA. 161 LETTER XXXIV. Conftantinople, Dec. 1788. LxALATA is one of the fuburbs of Conftantinople, fitu- ated oppofite to the feraglio. It is furrounded by walls flanked with old towers. The gates are Shut at fun-fet ; but thofe who wiffi to ftay out until a certain hour, may find guards who for a few paras will open them. Pera is but a fuburb of Galata, in which the ambaffadors and all the other Franks refide. It is a pretty Chriftian town, in the midft of Mahommedanifm. The Jews, Greeks, Armenians, and Ca tholics have likewife fynagogues, churches, and convents at Galata, as well as at Pera. Rabbins, caloyers, capuchins, Cordeliers, &c. may be found in both thefe places. The Ca tholics have there an archbifhop ; and the Greeks a patriarch, who, with true Chriftian humility, caufes himfelf to be ftyled " The moft Holy Archbifhop of Constantinople, Univerfal -" Patriarch, &c." The titles of the other Greek bifhops, fuch as thofe of Antioch, Jerufalem, and Alexandria, are no lefs pompous, efpecially that of the latter, who ftyles himfelf " The bleffed Pope and Patriarch of the great City of Alex- Y " andria, i«» LETTERS ON VARIOUS PARTS OF " andria, Lybia, Pentapolis, Ethiopia, and of all the Coun- " try of Egypt, Father of Fathers, Pallor of Paftors, Prelate of " Prelates, the Thirteenth Apoftle, and the Univerfal Judge." The patriarch of Conftantinople exercifes jurifdidtion over the Greeks in European Turkey, the iflands of- the Archi pelago, and thofe in the Ionian fea. He is chofen by twelve metropolitans, and confirmed by the grand fignior. It is faid, that after his election he goes on horfeback, attended by the metropolitans, to the grand vizier, who addrefles him nearly in the following terms : " Since your nation has " deemed you worthy of directing them in matters of re- " ligion, my mafter approves the choice of his rajas, and " confirms you in this dignity, on condition that you incul- " cate obedience to him, and to his fucceffors." The elec tion of a patriarch never paffes without buftle and cabal ; and the patriarchate always falls to the lot of the higheft bidder. It fometimes happens, that the oppofite party is fo powerful as to be able to depofe the ancient patriarch, and to create a new one. The patriarch pays an annual tribute of from eight to ten purfes, each worth five hundred piaftres, for the liberty of exercifing his religion, and the right of taking cognizance of the differences which may arife between ecclefiaftics and other individuals. In order to pay this fum, he is obliged to lay the biffiops and archbifhops under con tribution, who extend the like rigour towards the antipapas, or archpriefts, and the papas : thefe again are obliged to ab- folve all fins for money, to perform miracles for money ; and yet, EUROPE, ASIA, AND AFRICA. i&j yet, with all thefe refources, they are fo poor, that, to avoid dying of hunger, they are under the neceffity of working as day labourers. The Greeks keep Lent four times a year, during the con tinuance of which they abstain from meat, milk, cheefe, and fiffi. In general they fall on Wednefdays and Fridays ; becaufe on Wednefday Chrift was fold by Judas, and on Friday was crucified; which might induce one to think that the Jews do not faft on thofe days. They are ignorant of the principles of their religion, and are altogether fuperftitious. Some of them, however, believe that the pains of hell are not eternal; which proves that there are free-thinkers every where. A papas here has lately translated into Greek, " The Spirit " and Syftem of Nature" to do fervice, as he fays, to his countrymen. But as the latter like neither the fpirit nor the fyftem of that work, they have perfecuted him ; and he is quite proud that his writings have procured him this honour. The Greeks maintain that the Holy Ghoft does not proceed from the Son : they do not acknowledge the primacy of the pope, founded on the antiquity of their univerfal councils: they hold the Latins in deteftation, and are quite aftoniffied that the learned among them do not embrace their fyftem ; for they fay, that if their books are referred to, they will, be found to be right. This abhorrence, which they entertain for the Latin communion, was formerly fatal to a Greek eniperor, who having introduced the fervice of the Latin Y 2 church, 1*4 LETTERS ON VARIOUS PARTS OF church, was perfecuted by a faction, and at laft Strangled by his own relations. The Armenians, being of the communion of Eutychius, acknowledge but one nature in Jefus Chrift. Thefe people have their fuperftitions alfo. They have their patriarchs, archbiffiops, biffiops, doctors, fecular priefts, and monks. They have three patriarchs, one of whom refides in Armenia the lefs ; and who has the right of appointing and confe- crating the two others, who are eftablifhed at Jerufalem and Conftantinople. The fituation of thefe patriarchs is not fo bad as that of the Greek patriarchs ; but, on the other hand, they have not fuch high-founding titles. Baptifm with them, as among the Greeks, is performed by immerfion. The Greeks and Armenians hold each other in fuch abhorrence, that if an Armenian enters a Greek church, the former immedi ately imagine that it is profaned, and they confecrate it anew. They excommunicate each other inceffantly ; and this to us ought not to appear flrange. As for the Jews, they ftill expect the Meffiah ; and obferve the fabbath fo rigidly, that were it to be attended with ruin to their affairs, they would not do any work on that day ; for the fmalleft labour then, they confider as a heinous crime.' Mahomet fays, and probably by way of ridicule, in one part of the Koran, that feveral Jews were turned into monkeys for having violated the fabbath ; and that at the end of three days they died. In another place he fays, that thofe who EUROPE, ASIA, AND AFRICA. i4s remain of the families of Mofes and Aaron, Shall be carried into heaven by angels. For the Mahommedans place the Jews one degree below the Chriftians in hell ; and Herbelot obferves, that an apoftate Jew endeavours to prove that they have incurred this fentence, for having corrupted in feveral places the text of the holy fcriptures. Among the many pecu liarities of a people at all times celebrated for their fuper ftition, there is one, which, on account of its Singularity, is worthy of notice. When the Jeweffes' are with child, and the pains of labour come on, they invoke, with the utmoft devotion, the affiftance of the Virgin Mary. But as foon as they are brought to bed, the fervant fweeps every corner of the room to drive, her out, feveral times exclaiming, Mary, get hence. The influence which government and religion have on the characters of thefe different people living under the fame climate, is very Striking. The Turk is ferious, grave, and, courageous ; he has a refolute look, is attached to his pre deftination, Speaks very little, and feldom laughs. He is hu mane, except when a rigorift ; and honeft in his dealings, but always fufpicious. The Greeks dread the Turks, and de- teft at the fame time that they flatter them. They are fubtle, insinuating, diffembling, and cunning ; and have re tained in trade that Grteca fides which has paffed into a proverb. They are fophiftical, prattling, focial, hofpitable, and active, and are extremely fond of feftivals and balls. The Jews, in their behaviour towards the Turks, are more abject i66 LETTERS ON VARIOUS PARTS OF abject and cringing than the Greeks, becaufe they are worfe treated by them. They poffefs fpirit and eloquence ; but that fpirit is a fpirit of avarice, tranfmitted to them from their an ceftors, and their eloquence is that which arifes from a love of gain. By being conftantly accuftomed to hear themfelves called by their name, that is to fay, knaves, they are no longer affiamed of it. They act as brokers to the Franks and the Turks ; are active, and affift and efteem each other, as much as they are defpifed by every body elfe. They complain moft bitterly of this contempt, obferving of the Chriftian and Mahommedan religions, that they are ungrateful daughters, who, being as it were in a ftate of contention, rend the bofom of their common parent. They form a confiderable part of the popu lation in Mahommedan countries ; and the indifference with which the Turks behold them increafe in riches and num bers, without adverting to the vexations they may one day experience from thefe people when they become powerful, is truly wonderful. The modern Jews do not feem to have degenerated from their anceftors ; for Tacitus, in fpeaking of them, fays, " Apud ipfos fides objlinata mifericordia in " promptu ; fed adverfus omnes alios hojlile odium." The Armenians are active, fober, frugal, and induftrious. In general they are very honeft people ; and are richer than the Greeks, as the interior commerce of the Levant is car ried on by them. L E T- EUROPE, ASIA, AND AFRICA. 167 LETTER XXXV. Conftantinople, Dec. 1788. INOTHING in the world can equal in beauty the channel of Conftantinople. It feparates Europe from Afia ; and its greateft breadth no where exceeds two miles. Thefe two continents from time to time prefent moft pidlurefque views. Near a village, called Befci Tafci, where the grand fignior has a country houfe, the view is delightful. Conftantinople, Pera, and Scutari, form a vaft amphitheatre, which feems to enclofe the Bofphorus. The views, by acquiring a new va riety, become more and more interefting and agreeable as you recede from Conftantinople. They confift fometimes of villages, fometimes of valleys, fhaded by gloomy forefts, and hills planted with the linden, the ath, the poplar, and the plane-tree, whofe towering heads are loft in the clouds, and under whofe eternal Shade the weary traveller feems invited to repofe. In other places, nature appears to have fo far for gotten herfelf, as to imprefs the beholder with terror, which fhe alone has the art of rendering pleafant. Here the moun tains feem to unite together to prevent a paffage ; there, they 16S LETTERS ON VARIOUS PARTS OF they appear to feparate in order to afford one ; and this illu fion continues till the moment when the Pontus Euxinus begins to appear : the charm then ceafes, and every thing refumes its natural fituation. The chief villages on the Eu ropean continent, which embellifh the banks of the channel, are Bujukdure, Tarapia, and Belgrado. The weather being very fine, we enjoyed great pleafure on our paffage from this varied fpedtacle. We received a further fatisfadlion in refledting, that thefe places formerly were adorned with an infinite number of temples and altars dedicated to Jupiter, the difpofer of winds, to Mercury, to heroes, and to marine gods. From not knowing precifely where Phinopolis, the court of king Phineas, was fituated, we thought we faw it every where. The view of Thrapia re called to us the remembrance of Medea, who anchored in this bay, and of the fatal deftiny that befel her. Though this channel is five leagues in length, and in fome places is very rapid, we traverfed it by the help of a favour able wind in four hours. Having paffed through the midft of the Cyanean iflands (which Phineas advifed Jafon to pafs in fine weather, otherwife, faid he, the Ship Argos, were it of iron, will be daffied to pieces), we landed near the European light-houfe, at a Greek village fituated on the Shores of the Black Sea, fo much dreaded by the ancients. This Cyanean ifland, which is near the European fide, is nothing but a Shoal, feparated from the continent by a very narrow arm of the fea. Here are the remains of a colonnade of EUROPE, ASIA, AND AFRICA. ,6, of white marble, called after Pompey, though it has as little relation to that general, as the caftle of the cape of Scutari, called Leander's Tower, has to that hero. Here are fome Roman letters, of which the only legible ones are CLA : : : RONTO. The light-houfe is nothing but a high tower, the fummit of which, made like a belfry, is Silled with lanterns. This light-houfe, as well as the other, which is oppofite to it, is lighted every night for the convenience of thofe Ships which the tempefts, frequent in the Black Sea, drive upon the rocks. If credit may be given to an ancient writer, this fea was originally only a lake, and Europe and Afia formed one continent, which, in procefs of time, be came divided by a fudden overflowing of the lake. We at length quitted the village to again enter the Bof phorus, where we were foon after overtaken by a Shower ; the wind became contrary ; the fea rofe to a great height ; and the waves breaking violently around the boat, feemed to menace its deftrudtion. We tried, but in vain, to make way by frequently tacking. A furious gale had almoft put an end to our troubles ; the boat rolled very much, and the fea breaking over it, drenched us thoroughly. The failors, being drunk, trufted me with one of the oars : a fecond gale now fucceeded ; they cried out to me to let go the tack ; but in stead of this I held it fall, though I knew not the reafon why I did fo ; I had, however, almoft overfet the boat by it- It became at length neceffary to yield to the ftorm, and to Strike the mails, one of which was already fhattered. The Z currents i7o LETTERS ON VARIOUS PARTS OF currents drove us againft a battery on the banks of the channel, where we landed with a great deal of difficulty, in a place full of fharp rocks. The janiffaries invited us to refreffi ourfelves at a little cottage : we accepted their offer the more readily, as we were wet ; and we here found a good fire and coffee. Thefe people gave us their company, and entertained us in the bell manner poffible. Our conver fation, however, could not prove very agreeable to them ; for their geftures were as unintelligible to us as their language. The rain having ceafed, we reimbarked, though the wind ftill continued contrary ; and our failors were in the fame fituation as before. In Short, at eleven o'clock at night we were driving at the mercy of the winds and waves. De jection, wearinefs, wet, and cold, at length obliged us to ap proach a village in the fame gulf in which the Argonauts anchored above three thoufand years ago. Our firft care on landing was, to fet about gathering wood as faft as poffible ; but we could procure only fome wet briers and brambles. Whilft we were lighting a fire, we perceived that two of our companions were miffing. We called them with fo much vociferation as to awaken all the dogs in the village. Men were fent every where in queil of them, but without fuccefs. This threw us into an anxiety, from which we were not relieved until we faw them appear. They had been amufing themfelves with walking round the village ; and having feen a light in a houfe, they knocked at the door. This happened to be a Turkifh coffee-houfe ; and by means of EUROPE, ASIA, AND AFRICA. ,7, of a Jew, who fpoke a little Italian, they gave the mafter to underftand, that they and their friends wiffied to pafs the night at his houfe, to which he confented. This news af forded us much pleafure ; and we all went there as foon as poffible. The mafter of the coffee-houfe, whofe phyfiognomy befpoke the goodnefs of his heart, feeing us wet and ffiivering with cold, haftened to make a good fire : he then prefented us with coffee, and treated us with a baSket of grapes. As the room contained but two alcoves, he gave us up his own with the greateft affability, together with all the pillows he had, which made us much more comfortable than we expected. Our mattreffes were, it is true, only planks ; but we were fo fatigued, and fo happy at having efcaped the difagreeable neceffity of paffing the night in the boat, that we never Slept better. By thefe means I had an opportunity of feeing coffee made in the Turkiffi manner. In a little chimney, built in the forrrt of a niche, a kettle of water is conftantly kept boiling. When coffee is called for, fome of this water is poured into a little pot, containing a certain quantity of coffee. It is then made to boil twice or thrice, during which both fides of the pot are beat with fmall rods ; and inftead of leaving it fo fettle, it is feveral times poured out, and poured back again. It is then ferved up without fugar, in fmall china cups, which have no handles, and which are generally placed on gilt tin faucers. Since I am on the article of coffee, I muft not for get to tell you, that it is very much ufed here ; and that there Z 2 is 172 LETTERS ON VARIOUS PARTS OF is a place in Conftantinople, where three hundred men are continually kept employed in burning and pounding all the coffee confumed in the public places of the city. I have been informed by the Abbe Seftini, that one thoufand ochas are prepared there every day, each ocha confifting of -forty-two ounces. Were you ever difpofed to think, that all the coffee confumed here comes from Mocha, this obfervation alone, I Should imagine, would cure you of your error. The luxury of true Mocha coffee is known only to the grandees, the rich, and to ambaffadors, who procure it by means of the Perfian caravans. It may be had, however, but with great difficulty: and it is befides very dear. One of my friends contrived to purchafe a few ochas, for which he paid at the rate of feven piaftres and a half per ocha. The following day the wind ftill continuing violent and contrary, I determined to return to Conftantinople by land ; but this refolution drew upon me the raillery of my com panions. I paffed through Bujuk-dere, and feveral other vil lages, without meeting with any infult, as the inhabitants were accuftomed to fee the Franks. Bujuk-dere is a charming village, fituated on the banks of the channel. The ambaffadors and other perfons of dif- tindtion have their country feats here. At the end of the gulf is a fine meadow, in which is a fuperb group of planes, together with fome very high trees of the fame fort, difpofed in a circular form. This fpot gives birth to the fweeteft reveries, from which "one awakens with regret. The banks EUROPE, ASIA, AND AFRICA. 173 banks of the channel are fertile, and well cultivated. But, alas, at the diftance of only two miles from the fea, what a Striking contraft ! Nothing is to be feen there but nettles and fern ! On my road, I paid a diftant refpect to the famous Aquedudt of Burgas. Nothing extraordinary befel me on the way, except that the Jew to whom my forry horfe belonged, and whofe only harnefs was a packfaddle and a halter, made me dif- mount twice ; firft at a village when I was near a mofque, and afterwards when I paffed the country-houfe of the cap tain pacha. I was not able to guefs his reafon for doing this, as he expreffed himfelf only by figns, which I did not comprehend. The burial-places fituated on the entrance into Pera, form a melancholy fpedtacle, which firft attracts the attention of a traveller. Affected at the fight of the tombs, and the cyprefs trees which furround them, and aftonifhed at the fame time at the immenfe extent which the dead peaceably occupy by the fide of the living, he is unable to refrain from that pro- < found, but tranfitory penfivenefs, which often conftitutes 1 fome of our moft agreeable moments. Alas, we are born I then to die ! How juftly did Homer compare men to the leaves of trees ! No tombs but thofe of the Turks are allowed to be adorned with cyprefs. Thofe of the Jews, Armenians, and Greeks are furrounded only with mulberry and poplar trees. Thefe tombs are of marble : the moft beautiful marble of antiquity announces, therefore, at prefent, the remains of fome 174 LETTERS ON VARIOUS PARTS OF fome obfcure individual. I faw fome women walking amongft them with an air of piety and fadnefs. I am informed that the Armenians and Greeks, during their feftivals, after mourning in this place one day, come hither the next to divert themfelves. This cuftom, which prevails among the Turks, of planting barren trees round their tombs, is of great an tiquity ; for we read in Homer, that the tomb of Aetion was ornamented with elms. In the courfe of my ride, I faw a funeral proceffion. The corpfe was borne upon the Shoulders of four men, who were followed by mourners, and the Imam. They walked very fall, apparently that they might not imitate our flownefs on fuch occafions. LET- EUROPE, ASIA, AND AFRICA. 175 LETTER XXXVI. Conftantinople, Dec. 1788. W E have had fnow here for this fortnight paft, accom panied with froft and intenfe cold. The inhabitants of the country fay, they have not experienced fo fevere a winter thefe ten years. The fnow, however, does not prevent the Turks from going abroad. They take their walks as ufual, and employ a fingular expedient to go down a defcent ; they place themfelves on a fort of fmall fledge with four wheels, and, keeping firm in their feat, fuffer themfelves to glide down, fo that they get to the bottom before they have time Jto think where they are. During this bad weather, there were fires in feveral parts of the city. I was witnefs to two of fome extent ; one at Galata, which was foon got under ; and another at Conftan tinople, which lafted for eighteen hours. This conflagration deftroyed a great number of houfes, among others, a part of the kaimachan's ; and the flames had almoft been communi cated to the feraglio. The grand fignior, as well as the captain pacha and principal officers of the Porte, haftened to the fcene, 1 76 LETTERS ON VARIOUS PARTS OF fcene, being all obliged to be prefent on fuch occafions; which cannot be very agreeable to the felf-entitled Sovereign of the Univerfe, Shadow of God, Brother of the Sun, the Moon, &c. The tower of the Porte at Galata, a work of the Genoefe, and another at the houfe of the aga of the janiffaries at Conftantinople, ferve to fpread an alarm in cafe of Sire : there is a guard appointed every night to this duty. There are other towers, however, befides thefe, which are built on a curious construction, increafing in width in proportion to their height. Thefe fires purify the air ; and ferve in fome degree to deftroy thofe remains of the plague, which lying concealed in old warehoufes, and repositories, tend to perpe tuate this fatal contagion. The expedition with which houfes are built here is truly aftoniihing ; you would almoft think that it often furpaffes the rapidity with which they are confumed. When the Turks are diffatisfied with the government, it is by means of fire that they carry their complaints to the throne ; and it is poffible that thofe which I have mentioned may have been fymptoms of their difcontent ; for I have been lately informed, that the grand fignior has ordered every body to bring their plate to the mint, where they receive for it one third lefs than the current price, to enable him to coin a new piece money of two piaftres in value ; and for the pur pofe of railing twenty-five millions (a project prdpofed to the Porte by a 1 rank merchant, for the Turks know nothing of calculation), to fupply the means of carrying on a war as little EUROPE, ASIA, AND AFRICA. 177 little liked by the Turks as by our ambaffadors. The very exiftence of this empire is really furprifing ; every thing con- fpires to its destruction ; it has vices in its very constitu tion ; and notwithftanding this, it never lofes any part of its equilibrium. A propos of war, foldiers arrive every day with German Slaves. I faw at the houfe of the French ambaffador three German country women, and two officers, whom he had ranfomed. One of them, who is an Hungarian, and fpeaks Latin, told me that the Turks had not refpedted the modefty of thefe women ; and they bluffied when he Signified to them that he had told me fo. The Turks in general treat their Slaves very ill ; they make them work like beafts, and for this purpofe often employ a Slick. This, at leaft, is what we are told by the Haves, who, like all thofe who are wretched, exaggerate, perhaps, the miferies of their condition. The cold is ftill intenfe. Few chimneys are to be feen J but there is fomething more agreeable, which is the tendour.' This is a chafing-difh of coals, placed under a table, covered with a counterpane, which thofe who want to warm them felves put upon their knees : it exhales a gentle heat, which communicates itfelf to every part- of the body. In thofd houfes where the Greeks difplay the greateft luxury, they add a cover of fatin or filk, embroidered with gold and filver t thefe embroideries are worked by the ladies. A few days ago I entered aTurkifh coffee-houfe quite alone; which I foon repented, on account ^ of the refpectability of A a the i7* LETTERS ON VARIOUS PARTS OF the company. They confifted of the loweft rabble, Turkifh foldiers and failors. I however drank my coffee very quietly ; and all thefe people fmoked their pipes without exhibiting any of thofe emotions of mockery or ridicule, which an Eu ropean drefs might be fuppofed to excite in the populace. One of them, who looked like a renegado, addreffed me in Italian, afking me feveral queftions, which, for the moft part, related to the diffatisfaction of the Turks at the war. Our converfation was interrupted by the arrival of a kind of beggar, who, after talking himfelf, and fetting others to talk likewife, continued to harangue alone in a loud tone of voice. Every body was filent, and liftened to him attentively. He told pretty Stories, and droll adventures, though without exciting, as far as I could perceive, much merriment in his audience. To this fort of amufement, which forms one of the prin cipal diverfions of a Turkifh coffee-houfe, may be added that of chefs ; a match at which has fometimes been con tinued from father to fon. The Turks devote whole days to this game ; but they cannot play for money, that being ex- prefsly forbidden by their religion. Thefe however are not their only diverfions. They have their jugglers, and puppet- fhows. Their farces are in the tafte of the nation ; and abound with thofe grofs allufions which would formerly have been tolerated only at the feftivals of Priapus. In the Abbe Seftini's Letters on the Peninfula of Cyzicum, you will find fome particulars on this fubject, which I do not think myfelf entitled to detail. As EUROPE, ASIA, AND AFRICA. i79 As to Short tales, the Muffulmen like them fo well, that they have borrowed feveral from the Chriftians, which, ac cording to the cuftom of the country, they have embel lished ; for in the eaft this is the cafe with every thing. That of the feven Sleepers, for inftance, they make to conclude very happily ; for, in order to Shew the force of good ex ample, they fay, that the dog, by remaining long with the men in the cave, became rational. According to Herbelot, they even affign him a place in heaven, in- company with the afs of Balaam, and that of the Meffiah. There are here a number of renegadoes, and to this many caufes contribute. For example, if a Chriftian is found in company with a Turkifh woman, the alternative propofed to him is, either to marry the woman, and abjure his religion, or to have his head cut off: and every body knows, that of two evils, it is better to put on a turban than to lofe one's head. Laft week, two Frank failors, when drunk, promifed to become Turks ; and they have kept their word, notwith ftanding every effort of their ambaffador's interpreter to pre vent them. A a 2 LET- i*o LETTERS ON VARIOUS PARTS OF LETTER XXXVII. Constantinople, Jan. 17, 1789. J. HE new year has introduced with it fine weather and amufement. The ambaffadors, and fome of the Greeks and Franks, often give magnificent fuppers and balls, which abound with all the delights of focial intercourfe. In order to complete the diverfions of the carnival, they have even formed mafquerades. Thefe balls are often frequented by young interpreters, whofe grotefque air and preffiyterial caps would make Heraclitus himfelf laugh. As to the mufic, it is not good enough to be found fault with. The muficians perceiving that the company dance with great pleafure, con ceive it to be owing to their fuperior Skill. On this account, they refufed to play at the houfe of one of the ambaffadors, becaufe the choice of the refrefhments was not offered to them. It has been already faid, that the ancient Greeks danced more than any people in the univerfe. Dancing formed a part of their gymnaftic exercifes : it was prefcribed as a remedy in certain complaints ; and it even entered into their military EUROPE, ASIA, AND AFRICA. i«i military difcipline. The paffion of their defcendants for this amufement at the prefent day, ferves in fome meafure to al leviate the miferies attendant on flavery. Companies of boys from twelve to thirteen years of age, are maintained by per- fons, who pay a certain fum to the Turks for the privilege of being permitted to dance all the year round. When the taverns are open, thefe young people dance and perform pantomimes in them. There are here alfo itinerant female dancers, no lefs lafcivious in their drefs than their geftures ; and who are called in wherever pleafure is held in more eftimation than virtue. If to gracefulnefs of manner they happen to unite the attraction of beauty, they overcome the aufterity of thofe who behold them, Since we are on the fubjedt of dancing, I muft not omit to mention certain dervifes refiding at Pera, who are paffionately fond of it. In general the Turks do not dance at all ; they think in this particular as the Romans did ; and, perhaps, this is the only thing they have in common with that celebrated people. Thefe dervifes dance twice a week in their mofque, on Thurfdays and Fridays. Any one is permitted to enter thefe mofques ; for, as one of their preachers obferves, it is poffible that an Infidel may by thefe means be converted to the true faith. They dance in a circle, and with fuch velocity as to caufe their heads to grow giddy, which does not eafily happen ; for, as they are habituated to this fenfation, they are not eafily affected by it. They continue this vertical mo tion till the flute ceafes? and then flop with a firm air, as if rla LETTERS ON VARIOUS PARTS OF if nothing had happened. Over the gate of the convent they have a white cap, which is the device of the order. They go about bare-legged, and with their breafts uncovered. They generally eaft their eyes downwards, but they readily raife them when women come in their way : they wear a Short brown woollen robe. Some of them are married ; and their fons, by embracing the fame profeffion, inherit the fanctity of their fathers. Thefe people are held in fuch refpedt, that if a criminal, or ftranger affailed by the rabble, take fhelter in their convent, he finds a more certain fecurity there than he would in the feraglio itfelf. I am furprifed, that as they live at their eafe, and have nothing to dread from the grand fignior, they Should not have increafed the number of their convents. It is to be prefumed, that the Turkiffi government, notwithftanding its ignorance, knows better than to grant full liberty to thefe leeches. There is another convent of dervifes at Tophana : and the Muffulmen have their Ignatius, their Bruno, their St. Francis, and their St. Anthony. There is one at Scutari, the dervifes of which perform very fingular ceremonies. They dance once a week ; and, from an excefs of piety, mark themfelves on the face, and other parts of the body, with a red hot iron. A fimilar fpecies of fuperftition prevailed among the ancients. The priefts of the Syrian Goddefs, who were eunuchs, whipped each other on certain days, after drawing blood from their elbows. Lucian, in relating this circumftance, adds, EUROPE, ASIA, AND AFRICA. 1*3 adds, that the devotees among them all feared themfelves, fome in the wrift, and others in the neck : on this account, he fays, all the Affyrians had about them marks of burn ing. Men muft have conceived a terrible notion of God, be fore theyxould have reached fuch a pitch of infatuation. The principles of all thefe dervifes, were they to live up to them, are very auftere ; but here, as every where elfe, they only impofe on the vulgar, whofe fate it is to be con ftantly the dupes of the artful. Thefe priefts conceal every vice under the garb of hypocrify, intoxicating themfelves continually with wine, opium, Strong liquors, &c. There is, however, a feet among theTurks, called Kalenders, whofe manner of thinking is very different from that of the dervifes whom I have been defcribing ; and what is uncom mon, and not difficult, their practice correfponds with their principles. The maxim of thefe people, according to Rycaut, is, " This day we may call ours, to-morrow belongs to him " who lives to enjoy it." Hence, difmiffing every melancholy idea, they think of nothing but enjoying the prefent mo ment ; and they fpend their lives in eating, drinking, and amufing themfelves. They maintain, that a tavern is as holy as a mofque ; and by a toleration the more extenfive as it is a theological one, they imagine this kind of worfhip to be as acceptable to the Deity as that of thofe who ferve him with aufterity and fubmiffion. — There are none of this feet here. The 184 LETTERS ON VARIOUS PARTS OF The Mahommedans, as well as all the Chriftians of the eaft, in order to give the greater fandtity to monaftic institu tion, trace back their origin to the beginning of the world, and fay, that among the children of God, the pofterity of Seth devoted themfelves to a monaftic and religious life on the holy mountain. L E T- EUROPE, ASIA, AND AFRICA. i8S LETTER XXXVIII. Conftantinople, January 1789. 1 HAVE already mentioned the dervifes of Pera. In their burying-ground is the tomb of the famous Count Bonneval. The infcription ftates, that " he was a perfon held in high *' efteem among the Franks, and who to the good fortune " of embracing the true religion joined that of dying on the " birth-day of the prophet." This epitaph affords fufficient proof, that the Turkifh beaux efprits may juftly claim the honour of founding an academy of infcriptions. Bonneval himfelf never wrote the life which appears under his name ; he acknowledged, however, that the author had juftly delineated his character. Mr. De L was long in poffeffion of Bonneval's writings^ and at length fent them all to the Count de Bonneval in France, by means of Mr. St. P , then ambaffador at the Porte. This Mr. de St. p gained fufficient materials from Bonneval's letters and memoirs to write his life. It is in the hands of Mr. de L , who ought to make it public, for it is well written, Bb and 1 86 LETTERS ON VARIOUS PARTS OF and contains many Short and fenfible reflections, which ren der it interefting. The chain of misfortunes which compelled the Count de Bonneval to embrace the Mahommedan religion is well known. In order to avoid circumcifion, however, he had re courfe to artifice. He never went to prayers, even on a Friday ; but he had an imam with him every day, to whom he humoroufly gave the title of his almoner. He often dined at the ambaffadors' tables, where he ate and drank of every thing ; but at his own houfe he neither ate pork nor drank wine, and he kept the ramazan very religioufly. He had a French cook ; and every Frank of his acquaintance, de sirous of dining with him, had only to fay Pilau, and then another cover was added. The better to Shew the genius of this celebrated man, I ffiall relate a few particulars, which, though they may feem trifling, will give you fome idea of his charadler. I have them from Mr. de L , who was intimately acquainted with Bonneval, and who was prefent at his death. In his dining-room were a great number of birds, and among the reft feveral parrots. The moment the guefts entered into converfation, thefe birds began to Sing, and the parrots accompanied them with a noife, that deafened every body, but which was highly agreeable to the count, to whom this harmonious mufic afforded infinite fatisfadtion. Before dinner was ferved up, a machine filled with fragments of meat was introduced. The cats of the neighbourhood, to the number EUROPE, ASIA, AND AFRICA. 187 number of three hundred, at a Signal which he made, affem- bled together ; and he threw to them the morfels, which the animals fought for till they deftroyed each other. This fpedtacle amufed him greatly. Among the reft of the cats was a fmall one, which, contrary to the nature of cats in ge neral, was very filthy and difagreeable ; the count called this cat the king's fon. This extraordinary man kept no women in his houfe ; he was always repeating this fong : Let us enjoy the prefent, the future is for fools, &c. Ambition was his ruling paffion, and led him into errors, which he could never afterwards retrieve. He was feen to cry one night during an entertainment at one of the ambaffadors' houfes. Ideas, like habits, when contracted at an early period, are more fenfibly felt as old age approaches, and the prefent moment Geafes to intereft : he began at a certain time of life to grow weary of his con dition, and to regret his country and religion. He wrote therefore to his relations to folicit forgivenefs for him. Mea- fures were already concerted for his efcape ; and the pope was difpofed to give a favourable reception to this prodigal fon, whom neceffity had compelled to abjure his religion : but defliny, which always oppofes the wifeft defigns of us miferable mortals, did not permit him to enjoy this felicity — the gout mounted again into his Stomach, and killed him. A prieft in difguife had been fent to his affiftance ; but being difcovered by fome Turks, he was driven out of the apart- B b 2 ment ; 1 88 LETTERS ON VARIOUS PARTS OF ment : he died in a fort of tranfport, uttering thefe words : " When the hogs are out of the liable the door Should be " fliut." Which Shews that he was deeply engaged with Chriftian ideas ; for the averfion of the Turks to thofe ani mals is well known. — He was a pacha of two tails, and had twelve thoufand piaftres a year. L£T- EUROPE, ASIA, AND AFRICA. t8<> LETTER XXXIX Constantinople, January 1789. A GRAND dinner was given by Baron N a few days ago. Two Turkiffi ladies, who called to pay a vifit to his lady, were quite confounded when they faw the numerous company affembled there, and earnestly begged leave to withdraw : at length, however, they yielded to the preffing entreaties of the baronefs, and feated themfelves in a corner of the room, where they remained all dinner time. On the guefts rifing from table, they were terrified to fuch a degree at the noife, that they ran to the door. The baronefs endeavoured to remove their apprehenfions ; but as they ob ferved that the few ladies prefent were gone into another room with all the gentlemen, they told their friend, that they muft go ; " for (faid they), the women being fo much fewer in number than the men, the latter will neceflarily treat us with rudenefs." When they faid this, the baronefs could not refrain from laughter. The Turks being accuftomed to con fider women in one point of view only, thefe good ladies could not conceive how the Franks Should confider them in any other. I ffiall • 90 LETTERS ON VARIOUS PARTS OF I Shall add one more anecdote, to Shew you that elegance of behaviour, wit, talents, and thofe charms which among us render women fo amiable, and enfure them a thoufand conquefts inftead of one, are things entirely foreign to thefe people. A Turkiffi nobleman dining lately in company with feveral ladies at an ambaffador's table, afked his opinion of a certain lady. — " She fings well," faid the ambaffador, " and expreffes herfelf with much good fenfe and elegance." " I con ceive, I conceive," interrupted the Turk with that groffhefs of manners peculiar to his country, " you will not fay that fhe is ugly ; for my part, I would not give fix paras for her." " And what think you of the other ? She is young, has a fine Shape, and dreffes with great tafte. What do you fay ?" " I would not give a piaftre for her. I am forry I cannot Shew you my harem : there you would fee the flower of youth, and the charms of beauty." The Turks are not allowed to introduce men into their harems ; but they are at liberty to Shew them to ladies. An Englifh lady found every thing there that the Turk had boafted of : young girls, in whom elegance vied with beauty to render them captivating. What furprifed her moft, was to fee a child of feven years old there, who had not yet been weaned. The girls who adorn thefe harems are the choiceft beauties of Georgia, Circaffia, Greece, Hungary, &c. There is a market here, where they are every day expofed to fale, but it is inacceffible to the Franks. Polygamy it is well known is of great antiquity in the eaft. Homer EUROPE, ASIA, AND AFRICA. i9I Homer informs us that Priam had feveral wives ; and that Hecuba teftified no jealoufy on this account. If we reflect on the numerous armies, which, in fpite of the ravages of the plague, have always poured from the eaft, it would ap pear that polygamy is favourable to population. Mahomet, in adopting it, did no more than conform to eftabliffied cuf toms ; and he had fufficient fagacity to perceive, that no in novation would ever be made in this refpedt. LET- u)z LETTERS ON VARIOUS PARTS OF LETTER XL. Conftantinople, January 1789. IF it appear wonderful, that a tribe of Tartars fhould drive the Greeks out of Afia, and attack them in Europe, eftabliSh themfelves at Conftantinople, fpread terror through the uni- verfe, and extend their dominion over the iflands of the Archipelago, Africa, and a great part of Europe ; it feems no lefs furprifing, that, in the fpace of feven centuries, this people neither have invented nor improved any art or fcience. Mahomet, it is true, after the example of other legiflators, for bade the ftudy of fcience, becaufe it renders man too proud. He likewife inculcated poverty and felf-denial, as two points effential to falvation. According to a tradition, he faid one day to his flave Belal, " Conduct yourfelf fo, that you may " come into the prefence of God, poor and not rich ; for the " poor occupy the firft places in his houfe." In the Koran, he fays, " Thofe who return to God ferving him (that is, who renounce the good things of this world, and become infen- fible to pride and glory, from a conviction of their vanity) Shall enjoy paradife." I need not remark, that of all thefe precepts, EUROPE, ASIA, AND AFRICA. ,93 precepts, there are none more rigidly obferved than thofe relating to fcience. The Turks will never make any progrefs in the fine arts, as long as they fuffer themfelves to be influenced by I know not what religious principle, which prohibits them from carving or painting figures. They, however, fucceed well in painting flowers and landfcapes. They have not wholly neglected the mechanical arts. There are Shops in Conftan tinople where cornelians and all forts of marble are cut. They are well acquainted with the art of dreffing and co louring leather. Their gold and filver ornaments on morocco are executed with equal elegance and tafte. In Galata there are feveral Shops where they manufacture port-folios, which are in great requeft among foreigners ; and they have car ried their filk and cotton manufactures to a confiderable de gree of perfection. They poliffi their black horn fo highly, as to give it the appearance of .a Shell : they chiefly make fpoons of it for their pilau. Their fabres are efteemed even among us. Phyfic is held in honour among the Turks, and yet they do not cultivate that branch of knowledge. It is Strange that they Should make no fcruple of trufting their lives in the hands of a Frank and an Infidel. A Turkifh nobleman being feized with a violent convulfion fit, fent immediately for a felf-created Frank phyfician, who bled him ; and the fick man having recovered, made him a prefent of fixty fequins. Gobbis, C c an 194 LETTERS ON VARIOUS PARTS OF an Italian, is the grand fignior's phyfician, and has at pre fent five hundred purfes at his difpofal. The learning of the Turks (for they are not deftitute of literature altogether) is ufually confined to a knowledge of the Alcoran, a book fingular in its compofition, being at once the code of their civil and ecclefiaftical laws. Many Turks, however, amufe themfelves with the annals of their own nation, and in tranflating fome Perfian authors, and fome even in writing verfes in the Afiatic Style. Mr. de L , who is well acquainted with the Perfian literature, allured me, that though the Turks are accuftomed to imitate the Perfian poets, they are not themfelves deftitute of ori ginal beauties. In Conftantinople there are a printing-houfe and a public library founded by a vizier, who was paffionately fond of letters. The books are for the moft part printed. An Abbe T has lately published a Treatife on Turkiffi Literature. He has made extracts from the greater part of the books in this library, and, what is aftoniffiing, without knowing a word of the language. The mode he adopted was as follows : An interpreter to the bailo of Venice read the titles, and fome Select paffage of the book, in Italian, and the Abbe made his notes upon it. But not being always able to have with him this interpreter, who really had a profound knowledge of the Turkifh language, he was oftentimes obliged to have recourfe to perfons of inferior abilities. This method does not appear to me altogether unexceptionable : Mowever, I am told that the work poffeffes merit. There EUROPE, ASIA, AND AFRICA. 195 There are fchools or colleges here for the education and instruction of the icoglans, or young people deftined to the grand fignior's fervice, and who afterwards attain to the firft polls of the empire. C c 2 LET- 196 LETTERS ON VARIOUS PASTS OF LETTER XLI. Conftantinople, January 29, 1789. 2\S this will be the haft letter I Shall write to you from this place, I am going to communicate to you fome detached ob servations, in the order they prefent themfelves to my mind. The Turkiffi drefs is pretty expenfive ; people in general wear rich fable furs, and their turbans are made of very fine muflin. The faffi which they bind round their robes is of Indian filk, and fometimes coils above one hundred piaftres. When it is bad weather, and they do not wiffi to be feen, they throw a fort of veil of very fine woollen over their turban, which likewife covers the face, and this they call a fcial. What appears moft curious is, that the grand fignior, when he goes to the mofque, cannot make ufe of this veil were it to rain as hard as it could pour ; the defpot, on this oc cafion, becoming the Slave of his Slaves, and of his own dignity. The luxury of this people is oftentimes carried to excefs. Selim Effendi, pacha of Bofnia, has a poniard fet with dia monds, the value of which is eftimated at upwards of ten thoufand louis. I am told nothing can exceed the magnifi cence EUROPE, ASIA, AND AFRICA. 197 cence of his furniture. His coffee-cups are all of folid gold, and adorned with precious ftones. The Turks have excellent perfumes, and very agreeable fweetmeats. A certain ambaffador, who had a good oppor tunity of knowing what they do beft, fays, that there are moft exquifite dishes ferved up at the feraglio ; and that their cinnamon cream is far fuperior to ours. The Shops abound with all • forts of fweetmeats, of which the Turks are re markably fond. Among other things very common, and which the children often buy, is a fort of blanc-manger made of flour ; it is eaten with honey and rofe water. Scerbet, which is the common drink here, is ufually compofed of water, honey, lemon, and rofe-water ; or of fugar and lemon only : thefe meats, liqueurs, and beverages, are fufficient indications of their luxury. We are apt to afcribe the brutality of the Turks to their fenfual mode of living. For my part, as I before obferved, I Should be rather inclined to afcribe it to their religion and government ; for I am at a lofs to conceive how fcerbet, coffee, baths, fmoking, and the voluptuoufnefs of the fopha, can render men favage, fince thefe things tend, on the contrary, to foften both the body and the mind. A propos of their pipes : they are made of a red fort of clay, have a beautiful form, and are very well gilt. Shanks made of cherry-tree ffioots are moft ufed, but thofe of jafmin are moft efteemed: when thefe are long and Straight, they are fold for from thirty to forty piaftres ; on which account the Armenians and Greeks take 198 LETTERS ON VARIOUS PARTS OF take all poffible pains to prevent them from growing crooked. Pearl colour amber is preferred to yellow, for mouth pieces,'^ and bears a higher price. The Sheep here have long yellow fleeces, and the fat of their tails often weighs thirty pounds. I have obferved, that the Turks prefer the meat of this animal to that of any other. The captain pacha, apprehenfive that his great riches might expofe him to the fatal noofe, has constituted the grand fignior his heir. This is an excellent precaution in a country where riches often coft the poffeffor his life. Who would imagine, that this mode of difpatching men could flatter the vanity of the Turks ? I have heard feveral of them boaft, that their anceftors were deemed worthy of the grand fignior's jealoufy, and had been expofed to the fatal noofe. The Turks are Stoics in refpedt to grief, and epicureans in refpedt to pleafure ; a Strange mixture, which it would ap pear found philofophy alone could produce, but for which they are indebted to their religion and manners. There are fome Greek ladies here fo amiable and in terefting, that foreigners find it difficult to quit Cenftanti- nople, after having once had the pleafure of being acquainted with them. It muft not however be fuppofed, that they carry their attachment to ftrangers fo far as to forget them felves ; for, in the companies I have frequented, I have more than once had occafion to remark, that fapphic love is ftill agreeable to their tafte. LET- EUROPE, ASIA, AND AFRICA. 199 LETTER XLII. Mycone, Feb. 7, 1789. VV E quitted Conftantinople on the 30th ultimo ; and had fcarcely entered the ^Egean Sea, when the wind, which had hitherto been in our favour, fuddenly Shifted, and detained us for fome days amidft the Cyclades. Our view was fome times directed towards one ifland, and fometimes towards another, with that emotion naturally excited by the prefence of fpots rendered for ever celebrated by the gods, heroes, and heroines, of the moft remote antiquity. The tomb of Thefeus was prefent to our imagination when we faw Scyros ; as was likewife the Story of Achilles difguifed among the I women of Prince Lycomedes. We paffed near Eubcea, the country of the Abantes, now called Negropont, which is fepa rated by the Euripus from Bceotia. Ariftotle, it is well known, died at Chalcis, formerly a celebrated city in this ifland, to which he had retired from the perfecution of priefts. On the continent oppofite to Chalcis we faw, or rather imagined we faw, Aulis, famous for the facrifices of Iphigenia, &c. After having coafted round Andros, Tenedos, and Delos, we 200 LETTERS ON VARIOUS PARTS OF we at length anchored with fome difficulty in the port of this ifland. It is thirty-fix miles in circumference ; and though the foil feems to announce nothing but Sterility, it produces wine, oil, barley, and figs. I do not knaw the reafon why Virgil thought fit to call it Celfa, for it is not very elevated. The inhabitants of this place are computed at four thou fand, the greater part of whom are engaged in commerce : they have fome large galleys, as well as a great number of boats, and are accounted excellent feamen : they are not ill made, and, like the reft of the Greek iflanders, are fomewhat tawny. The Turkifh yoke is lefs feverely felt than is generally the cafe by the people of this ifland ; and on this account an air of opennefs, fincerity, and contentment is very apparent in their countenances, which is rarely to be found among the Greeks of the continent. A French, Dutch, and Engliffi conful refide here, though I do not think that any ftiips be longing to thefe nations touch at this ifland, except when obliged by Strefs of weather. The houfes are only one ftory high, but they are neat and commodious. The churches and chapels are at leaft equal in number with the houfes, and amount to upwards of three hundred : among the reft is a Latjn church. In the whole ifland there is no other water than what is drawn from a well in the village. There are here feveral pieces of marble, which the Myconians brought from Delos, in order to adorn their country. The drefs of the women is quite pitturefque, very much refembles EUROPE, ASIA, AND AFRICA. 191 refembles that of the women of Argentiera, but it is not fo clumfy. Were I a poet, I Should delight in giving you a defcription of the Myconian beauties. A complexion like a rofe, fine black eyes, enchanting vivacity, a free and eafy air, a fine and delicate Shape, a fmall foot, and fo many other charms eafier felt than defcribed, fall to the lot of the greater part of them, Curiofity drew them in crowds around us ; and they teftified a pleafure in talking familiarly with us, which made one of our company fuppofe that their virtue was not proof againft temptation. He accordingly faid to one of the prettieft of them, " Will you go along with me ?" " No," replied She, " for my hufband is handfomer than you." This anfwer gave infinite fatisfadtioh to our pilot, in whofe eyes the women of his nation are all Penelopes. As we were de firous of purchasing fome poultry, and cotton ftockings, for which there is a great demand here, thefe women were eager in offering us their merchandife, and followed us through the whole village. We paffed a large houfe in which we heard a great noife, and from which the people within were throwing plates through the windows. We afked if it was a mad-houfe, and. were told that it was the palace of an archon, that is, of a prince (for this is the title ftill affumed by the richeft and nobleft among the Greeks) ; that they were making merry, which occasioned the noife ; and that at thefe feafts archons are accuftomed to break plates, as a proof of their magnifi cence. Our interpreter wifhed us to go up, and obferved, that D d we to* LETTERS ON VARIOUS PARTS OF we fhould be treated with great civility, which we did not ia the leaft doubt ; for hofpitality, and a love for ftrangers, form now, as they did formerly, a part of the character of the Greeks. Strabo obferves, that the inhabitants of this ifland were fubjedt to baldnefs, infomuch that the epithet Myconian was applied to all who loft their hair ; and I have been told that the climate ftill produces the fame effect. The ifland of Delos, called Sdiles by the modern Greeks, is three miles from Mycone. It is fituated in the middle of the Cyclades, fo called becaufe they form a circle round this ifland. It was here that Latona was delivered of Diana and Apollo, who, the moment of his birth, gave proofs of his heavenly defcent by killing the ferpent Pytho with an arrow. Mount Cynthus, it appears, muft have undergone a very great change, fince, if we may rely on the defcription of the poets, it formerly covered the country with its fhadow, while at prefent it is almoft level with the ifland. On viewing the remaining ruins of the once famous city of Delos, an obferver cannot help Sighing at the inconftancy and vanity of human purfuits, and is induced to exclaim with Paufanias, " Fortune inceffantly diverts herfelf with the affairs " of this world : nothing can refill her power." What now remains of Mycene, which during the Trojan war commanded all Greece? — of Thebes in Boeotia, at oncefeared andrefpedled by the Greeks ? — of Thebes in Egypt ? — of Orchomene, in the country of the Myneans ? — and of Delos, once To flourishing by its commerce ? — Alas, they are now no more ! LET- EUROPE, ASIA, AND AFRICA. *oj LETTER XLIII. Gibraltar, March n, 1789. xxFTER a long and tedious paffage, we are now per forming quarantine in this bay, which difcord has fo often ftained with gallant blood. Alas ! when will men ceafe to become dupes to the ambition of their rulers ? What avails it to be enlightened, if we cannot diftover that war cau never be advantageous to any people ; that this fcourge is equally ruinous to the conqueror and the conquered ; and that it is the height of madnefs to Sill a life fo fleeting and tranfitory with pain and anxiety ? Excufe thefe reflections : they are the more melancholy, as it is to be feared that the wiffies in which they originate will never be realifed. This famous Calpe, one of the pillars of Hercules, has in it fomething majeftic. It is twelve hundred feet high, and its fummit is conftantly buried in the clouds. The town of Gibraltar is fituated at the bottom of this mountain. On a view of this peninfula, which is only one mile broad and two in length, it may be perceived that nature has rendered it impregnable towards the eaft, and that art has done the fame in-every other quarter, by planting batteries in the rock. Con- D d 2 fidering 204 LETTERS ON VARIOUS PARTS OF fidering the drynefs of the foil, one is aftoniffied to fee it furrounded on every fide with gardens and orchards. The Engliffi have forced nature to bring forth whatever they pleafe, infomuch that the earth now produces oranges and potatoes in common with figs, lettuce, &c. Colonel Green has procured earth from Portugal in order to make a garden, which cofts him immenfe fums, and which is without doubt the fineft in the place. The houfes are fmall, but commodioufly built; and the fhops are fitted up in the Engliffi Style. The town is lively ; for it is inhabited only by foldiers, and every body knows that foldiers are never dull. The garrifon confifts of nine regiments, compofing a body of five thoufand men. They are all very neat ; they are exercifed every day, and the moft rigid difcipline is kept up amongft them. Notwithftanding the difficulty of making an efcape, two fentries lately de- ferted from Europa point. The officers are never idle : when not engaged in military duty, their time is divided between the pleafures of the table and of play. Sometimes they amufe themfelves in fiffiing or courfing on the neutral grounds. Attracted by the allurement of gain, there are here about two thoufand Genoefe, Spaniards, Portuguefe, and Engliffi, who exercife various trades. There are likewife two thoufand Jews, almoft all from Barbary, fome of whom retain the drefs of the country ; and as thefe people are by no means held in cpntempt in this place, it is to them almoft a land of promife. The EUROPE, ASIA, AND AFRICA. 2o5 The coin chiefly current here is Spanifh. Provifions are very dear. Port and Sherry are the only wines that can be procured at a reafonable price. A few days ago I faw a Jewiffi marriage. On the eve of the wedding day, the betrothed lady appeared in public in a hall hired for the purpofe : fhe was veiled, and attended by an old rabbi ; and on her arrival, the populace fet up fuch Shouts of joy, that it was found neceffaty to fend half of them away. After remaining feated for fome minutes on the -throne (the name given to a feat covered with damaSk, at the foot of which was a cuffiion of the fame ftuff), an old woman took off her veil, and immediately afterwards coffee and fweet meats were ferved up. Next day the bride and bridegroom went again at the fame hour to the fame place. The bride refumed her former feat, the rabbi and the bridegroom ftand ing up before her. On the forehead of the latter, was a fmall fcroll of parchment, on which were infcribed the ten com mandments ; and his Shoulders and breaft were covered with large band of white filk. He poured fome white wine in to a glafs prefented to him by the rabbi ; and the latter, after finging a Hebrew hymn, which the fpe£tators repeated, drank a little of the liquor, and then offered it to the bridegroom, who, after tailing it, let the glafs fall into a filver bafon, by way of precaution againft all forts of magic : he then laid hold of the bride's right hand, and put the wedding ring on her fore finger. The rabbi read the contract, containing feveral articles, among which were the two following : " That the " hufband lofl LETTERS ON VARIOUS PARTS OF " hufband Should not take his wife into foreign parts with-* " out her confent ; and that fhould the parties wiffi for fe- " paration, the party firft propofing it fhould be obliged to " pay the other eight hundred piaftres ;" which feems in tended to render a divorce more difficult. After reading the contract, the married lady took off her veil, the rabbi and the hufband then drank again, and all -the company with drew. Diredtly over the head of the bride was a handkerchief fufpended from the cieling, containing, as I was told, fome pieces of money, intended to ferve as an aufpicious omen. The bride wore falfe hair, according to the cuftom of the Jews of the country, which does not allow married women to wear their own hair. What feems moft extraordinary in thefe marriages is, that the hufband, after enjoying the firft- fruits of marriage, abstains for a week from the nuptial bed, or for a whole fortnight, if he has married for the fecond time. LET- EUROPE, ASIA, AND AFRICA. , iq7 LETTER XLIV. Gibraltar, April 1789. V-/N digging amidft the .rock, a ciftern very curious on ac count of its ftaladtites has been difcovered on the northern Side ; and in another place, a well fixty feet in depth, at the bottom of which in a reddiffi chalky gravel were fome pe trified bones : fome of thefe, on being taken up, evidently ap peared to have belonged to human bodies. Pedants, who pre tend to know every thing, fay, that in order to fix the epoch of the petrifadtion of thefe bones, we are only to go back to the eighth century, that is to fay, to the period when the Moors paffed over to this continent. Philofophers, however, are unable to come to any decifion on the fubject. St. Michael's cavern is well deferving of attention : it is extremely fpacious ; and its depth, which is upwards of one thoufand feet, much exceeds that of Antiparos, according to Mr. F , who has feen them both. The entrance into this grotto is near the fummit of the rock : thefe places formerly were extremely Sleep ; but at prefent the way up is by fmall well beaten paths. We defcended into it by the help of a cord, io8 LETTERS ON VARIOUS PARTS OF cord, to prevent us from Slipping ; for the Slope is very Sleep-} and paffing between two pillars into a faloon eighty feet high, the ground of which prefents a magnificent fpedtacle, we came into a fort of Gothic theatre, adorned with columns and curtains, and hung round with felloons. To obferve it the better, we procured lighted torches, and were loft in ad miration in contemplating the works of that invisible archi tect, who is ever active, and almoft always ever unknown. On one fide of this theatre is a dark hole, which cannot be entered without flambeaux. It is a precipice which comes out on a level with the fea, and which is fo Slippery, that notwithftanding the ropes which the paflenger holds by, he runs a continual riSk of breaking his neck in the defcent. The foldiers, after working and polilhing the foffils, make them into fmall toys, which are very pretty. To the north is a Mooriffi caftle, built probably about the time when the Moors invaded Spain, which was towards the beginning of the eighth century. They entered by Algefiras, called the ancient Gibraltar, which the Spaniards retook in the middle of the fourteenth century, after a long fiege, the firft in which cannon were ufed. In fome parts of this rock diamonds have been found, which have a very fine luftre even when uncut. A very good police has been eftablifhed in this town, which is governed by a general ; and next to Ireland and Jamaica it is faid to be the belt government under the Britiffi crown. The governor's palace was formerly a convent. There are here EUROPE, ASIA, AND AFRICA. 2ocj- here daily eighty guards and two hundred fentries. It is very entertaining, after the fecond evening-gun, to hear the whole rockrefound, with the fyftem of Leibnitz, All is well! which the fentries repeat every quarter of an hour, when all really is well. Since the laft war, this place has been conftantly fup- plied with ammunition and provifions fufficient for three years: but vegetables, fruit, lemons, and excellent oranges are imported hither from the coaft of Barbary ; Portugal fupplies it with wine, Marfeilles with preferves and perfumes, and Genoa with fweetmeats. The bay is fpacious, and abounds with plenty of fiffi. The fleet now here confifts of fourteen men of war, two of which make an annual cruife into the Levant, to protect the Britifh trade. This bay Serves likewife as a rendezvous for the veffels of other powers, which, on their entrance, always fa- lute the Engliffi admiral and the garrifon. Great toleration prevails here : the Catholics have a church, at the door of which a fentry is always polled, to protect them from infult ; and the Jews are better treated here than any where elfe. As to the foldiers, they are excufed from worffiipping God between four walls : after the example of an ancient people, they offer up their prayers every Sunday in the open air, on the parade. Adieu \ we are going to fet fail for Africa. Ee LET- LETTERS ON VARIOUS PARTS OF LETTER XLV. Tunis, July 5, 1789. vJN quitting Gibraltar, we went to pay our refpedts to Abila, the other pillar of Hercules, fituated near the town of Ceuta, which belongs to the Spaniards, and which is moft delightfully fituated. As we always had a contrary wind, we fometimes vifited the coaft of Barbary, and fometimes that of Spain. At laft, after a calm, which prevailed for fome time, the wind became favourable, and we arrived at Cag- liari, the capital of Sardinia, where we remained only a few days. This city is built on a hill : the ftreets are wide, and the houfes pretty good. The inhabitants are fuppofed to amount to nine thoufand : and, as is the cafe throughout all Italy, there are here a great number of priefts, monks, and nuns, who live very much at their eafe. There are a great many printing-houfes, and bookfellers, who publiffi a variety of re ligious books ; but without becoming much richer, or the people more religious. As I was paffing a garden, I faw a group of monks, foldiers, hair-dreffers, and young girls play ing EUROPE, ASIA, AND AFRICA. tI, ing together in a very familiar manner, a fcene which would have furprifed me very much in any other place. The air in the environs of Cagliari is fo unwholefome, that the nobility are obliged to poftpone their rural amufe ments till autumn. I am allured that the king of Sardinia expends all the revenue of the ifland in maintaining the fuite and attendants of the viceroy. There are here always large and fmall galleys ; which are not much dreaded by the Barbarians, for they often approach the coafts without meet ing them. As we were coming out of Cagliari, we faw a fleet of twelve fmall Neapolitan feluccas, armed with pate- reros, to defend them againft the pirates. We proceeded thence to Tunis, and came to anchor in the bay. Tunis is fituated on the banks of a lake fix miles from the fea. The epithet of white was formerly given to this town, from the colour of the ground on which it is built. ¦• The fortrefs is a ftriking object, on account of the folidity of its walls, and the multitude of cannon mounted on its works. There is a communication between the lake and the fea, by means of a very narrow channel called Goletta, over which is a draw-bridge that opens to afford a paffage for boats and barges. The lake abounds with roach ; and great numbers of birds of various kinds are continually feen hovering around it. No one is allowed to Shoot any of thefe birds, and on this account they increafe amazingly. Before the laft plague, Tunis contained upwards of 200,000 inhabitants, but at prefent there are no more than 100,000. E e 2 The *iz LETTERS ON VARIOUS PARTS OF The houfes are built of brick and ftone ; they are for the moft part only one ftory high ; and their roofs are platforms, on which the inhabitants fleep during the intenfe heats. The ftreets are narrow ; in the greater part of them there are brick arches fupported on pillars, fo that the paffengeris are in fome meafure Sheltered from the fun. Two ftreets in par ticular are remarkable for the richnefs and elegance of the {hops which adorn them. One of them is called the Cap makers, after the people who inhabit it, and who fupply all Bombay and the Levant with red caps : and the other the Goldfmiths, in which may be found all forts of pearls and pre cious ftones in great abundance. As no foreigner is allowed to fee the mofques, I Shall fay nothing more of them than that they are pretty well built. As to the Steeples, they differ no otherwife from thofe of the Turks, than in being of an octagonal form, and covered with delft ware. There is no water here but rain water, which is preferved with great care. The city is furrounded by a Strong wall, and the gates are Shut every evening at fun-fet. The Chriftians have churches, and the Jews have fynagogues here ; a privilege granted them in all Mahommedan countries. There are confuls here from the courts of France, Spain, England, Holland, Denmark, and Sweden, who every day hoifl their refpedlive flags on the tops of their houfes. We are accommodated at the houfe of the Engliffi conful, who loads us with civilities. The tombs are without the city ; they are conftructed in the form of vaults, and they are often whitened : a very an cient EUROPE, ASIA, AND AFRICA. 413 cient cuftom in the eaft, for thefe fepulchra dealbata are mentioned in the fcriptures. The furrounding country, which is very fertile, and well cultivated, abounds with a profufion of fruit, fuch as almonds, pears, apples, plums, figs, apricots, grapes, melons, &c. The trade of this place confifts in horfes, wool, eggs, oftrich feathers, black foap, corn, olives, oil, dates, &c. LET- 214 LETTERS ON VARIOUS PARTS OF LETTER XLVI. Tunis, July 6, 1789. J. HE complexion of the Tunifians is fwarthy, efpecially that of the lower clafs of people ; but thofe who, from their circumftances, are not obliged to be conftantly expofed to the ardent heat of the fun, are much fairer. The Tunifian women are not ugly, but they are not thought handfome unlefs they are very fat ; fo that thofe to whom nature has been Sparing of this quality, fupply the defedl by a profufion of clothing, which proves the idea of beauty to be lefs the effect of reality, than of habit and caprice. When they are about to be married, they make black lines on thejr foreheads, paint their cheeks of a reddiffi colour with the leaves of a plant called hanna, and blacken the tips of their fingers. In order to fcreen themfelves from the fun when they go out, they cover their faces with black bandages, which they tie under the chin. The bazar is every morning filled with negro women, who form here a confiderable article of trade. Thefe Slaves are clothed in a fort of white woollen robe, that ferves as a veil. EUROPE, ASIA, AND AFRICA. 2 1 5 veil, and covers their whole body except the arms, the fole ornaments of which are leaden bracelets. They fit on benches in a court-yard : the mafter takes one or two at a time, whom he leads flowly along, and mentions their price in a loud tone of voice. The purchafer Steps forward, advances to wards the Slave whom he wiffies to buy, opens her mouth, feels her arms, breafts, and thighs, and then makes her walk before him. The ferene and gentle air of thefe unfortunate beings feemed to indicate, that they were infenfible to the hardships of their lot : fome of them even could not forbear fmiling whilft they underwent this Strange examination. Perceiving, among thefe negrefies, a young girl whofe fea tures were tolerably regular, and of a well proportioned Shape, I Shewed her to a Tunifian of my acquaintance, who had juft bought a very ftrong one, and afked him why he had not made choice of the former ? Becaufe, faid he, I Should have found it difficult to get rid of her. You did not buy her then, replied I, with an intention to keep her ? By no means ; it is only with a view to profit ; for I yefterday got two hundred piaftres for one who coft me only one hundred and fifty. The Franks are not allowed to buy thefe negrefies ; it is even difficult for them to get introduced into the place where they are fold. Being defirous of drawing near, in order to obferve the manner in which thefe bargains were made, a Tunifian took me by the arm, and defired me to withdraw. We have been to pay a vifit to the bey. As he refides two si 6 LETTERS ON VARIOUS PARTS OF two miles out of the town, we went to his habitation in a fort of two-wheeled carriage, furnifhed with a mattrefs and cuffiion, and with a femicircular covering : thefe are the only carriages made ufe of in the country. The palace of the bey has the appearance of a fmall town, and is furrounded by walls flanked with towers, on which cannon are mounted. After traverfing ftreets crowded with merchants, we found ourfelves in a fpacious court, where a great multitude of people were affembled to obtain juftice from the bey, who adminifters it regularly every morning. At the end of this court is a fuperb portico of marble, the afcent to which is by a magnificent Slair-cafe ; and under this portico we faw the bey fitting gravely, upon a very elevated feat, covered with cuffiions made of blue fattin ftuff trimmed with filver. He was furrounded by his principal officers and other perfons, who were all Handing. Though armed with piflols and poniards, he had an engaging air ; received us with affability, and made us fit down upon Stools brought on purpofe for us. We were prefented to him with our Shoes on, notwith ftanding the etiquette which requires them to be pulled off, or to appear in Slippers. He ordered coffee to be ferved us by Chriftian Slaves, whofe look feemed expreffive of content. Thefe flaves are very numerous, and are for the moft part Maltefe, Neapolitans, and Romans. The bey ufes them fo well that, far from regretting, they congratulate themfelves on their flavery. The Mahommedan Slaves amongft us are not treated in the fame manner ; but, in return, we make a great EUROPE, ASIA, AND AFRICA. 2,7 a great parade about brotherly love and evangelical mo rality. The bey permitted us to fee his palace. A Genoefe, who ferves him in quality of a phyfician, was our guide. Be fides the great hall of the divan, the cieling of which is fup ported by pillars, there is nothing remarkable but two rooms, the pavement of which and the walls are of different co loured marble. In one of thefe rooms we faw an infinite number o£ looking-glaffes placed at fuch a height as ren dered them wholly ufelefs. If this cuftom had not its origin in ignorance and bad tafte, it is doubtlefs founded upon fome prejudice which I am unable to guefs. We faw nothing interefting in the garden but a banana ; the plant hanna, fome orange trees loaded with fruit, a great quantity of double jeffamines; and a belvedere, the only orna ment of which was a magnificent fopha placed near a fpout- ing fountain, the bafon of which was filled with variegated fiffi ; and its waters, while they refreshed the air, ferved to break the filence that reigned around. The belvedere ad mits light by gratings made of painted wood, along which grow jeffamines that diffufe a fweet fmell around, and render it impervious to the fun. We then went into the ftables, where we faw upwards of two hundred old horfes, fome of which had three of their feet and their tails painted with hanna, and others were be daubed all over with it. We were afterwards conducted to Ff the 218 LETTERS ON VARIOUS PARTS OF the menagerie, which contains nothing but lions and tigers chained in paltry wooden cages. The bey, whofe power is abfolute and hereditary, is never thelefs obliged to pay annually to the grand fignior a pretty confiderable tribute. Befides his own domains, he has fome other revenues arifing from taxes, and the prizes made by the corfairs ; and he is able to maintain a body of ten thou fand horfe. He makes himfelf refpedted by his fubjedts ; and though dependent on the grand fignior in a certain de gree, he does not, it is faid, ftand in awe of him. Seeing on my arrival here fome people clothed in long robes of very dirty woollen cloth, and fitting in the middle of the ftreets with their arms refting upon their knees, I took them at firft for beggars, vagabonds, or half-ftarved wretches ; but I foon perceived this to be the mode of drefs common to all the inhabitants. Who would imagine fuch beggars are the allies of the greateft potentates in Europe ? LET- EUROPE, ASIA, AND AFRICA. 219 LETTER XLVII. Carthage, July 8, 1789. Urbs antiqua fuit, Tyrii tenuere coloni, Carthago, Italiam contra Tiberinaque longe Oftia : dives opum, ftudiifque afperrima belli. iXjNEAS in Virgil feems quite aftoniffied to fee a mag. nificent city, rifing upon a fpot occupied a little before by cottages. Miratur molem JEneas, magalia quondam. What a Strange revolution ! Time, which deftroys all things^ has annihilated Carthage ; and the cottages again appear. Carthage was fituated about ten miles from Tunis, upon; three hills of a peninfula which is nearly forty miles in. cir cumference. This fuperb city was twenty-three miles round, and contained feven hundred thoufand inhabitants. No traces of it now remain, except the ruins of fome refervoirs, one of which is very fpacious, and in pretty good prefervation. There ftill remain fome very thick walls of a fortrefs, fup pofed to be that of Byrfa. But what really deferves atten tion is an aquedudt built of free- ftone, which has in part refifted the ravages of time. It was originally feventy feet F f 2 in 420 LETTERS ON VARIOUS PARTS 6F in height, and fifty miles in length. On the fpot where \i begins, are the ruins of a magnificent temple, a view of which Mr. B has drawn. In the bed of the fea are found drains, and other remains of buildings, which prove that the ravages of that element have not been able to effect the entire destruction of Carthage. The adjacent country produces corn, vegetables, and fruit, and is interfedted with veins of porphyry, verd antique, &c. Mofaic pavements may alfo ftill be feen ; one in particular, which is in excellent prefervation, and which appears to have belonged to a temple. I need not tell you, that in laying the foundations of this city, the Carthaginians found a horfe's head ; and that from this circumftance they inferred, that the nation would be Warlike and vidtorious. It was for this reafon that their medals bore the impreffion of that animal's head. Great numbers of thefe medals in copper are every day dug up, and we have bought fome of them. In landing here towards Salines, the Bedouins or Arabs firft attracted our attention. Thefe Arabs anfwer to the de fcription which Virgil has given of the herdfmen of Numidia. Quid tibi paftores Lybiae, quid pafcua verfu Prollquar, & raris habitata mapalia teftis ? Sa;pe diem noftemque & totum ex ordine menfem Pafcitur, itque pecus longa in deferta fine ullis Hofpitiis : tantum campi jacet. Omnia Cecum Armentarius Afer agit, te&umque, Laremque Armaque Amyclammqus canem Creflamc^ue pharetram. Virgil, EUROPE, ASIA, AND AFRICA. tit Virgil, it is well known, means by Lybia, Africa in ge neral ; and by Armentarius Afer, the Shepherds of Numidia. One of thefe Arabians came to meet us, and aSIifted us in finding game. We killed a hare, fome pigeons and partridges, of which laft there are great quantities here. I cannot defcribe to you the pleafure we felt in traverfing this country, which formerly made the capital of the univerfe tremble. This fpot had charms to us, which feemed to increafe out grief at quitting it before we had well examined every thing to be feen in it. We exerted ourfelves therefore in picking up pieces of marble and porphyry ; and the Arab, in order to ingratiate himfelf into our favour, did the like, and pre fented them to us. We carried them along with us, as i£ we had thought thefe mean tokens neceffary to remind us o£ our having been at Carthage. As the heat increafed, and we were extremely thirfty, we approached a village, where we perceived a group of men and women engaged in drawing water from a well to water a garden. We made figns to them to give us fome milk, and were fortunate enough to make ourfelves understood. A crowd of people now affembled round us, fome of whom brought us pigeons, which they wiffied to fell at an exor bitant price ; others aSked us for powder ; and fome viewed with aftoniffiment our drefs and our guns. At laft they brought us fome milk ; and though it was four, we thought it excellent. We gave a piaftre to the man who fold it, and expected to receive change ; but after examining it, he put it tn LETTERS ON VARIOUS PARTS OF it into his pocket, fignifying, that it was exactly what we were indebted to him. The Arab now conducted us to his tent, where we found an old man fitting upon a mat, with a pipe in his mouth, and amufing himfelf with a little dog. After talking a long time by figns without being able to underftand each other, the old Arab, drawing up a curtain which divided the tent, took from a large cafe fome eggs, pigeons, and figs, which he begged us to accept. In return we gave him all the powder and Shot we had, which afforded him a great deal of pleafure. We now perceived a troop of Arabs and their wives ad vancing towards us, and driving before them a flock of camels and Sheep. This vifit was not very agreeable ; for notwithftanding the civility of our landlords, we had not the beft opinion in the world of thefe defcendants of Ifmael, be caufe we had been apprifed, that in general they are info- lent, and often conceal treachery under the garb of hofpi tality. The women, on a fign made by the old man, hid their faces in their robes. When they approached us, they began to afk us for powder and Shot ; and, on our telling them that we had none, they did not hefitate to fearch us ;. but they Shewed fuch a defire for getting pofleffion of our guns, and of every thing elfe about us, that we prudently thought proper to get away. Some followed us even to the boat, and attempted to take away the fails. Thefe Arabs lead the fame kind of life as their anceftors. They EUROPE, ASIA, AND AFRICA. ti% They pitch their tents fometimes in one place, fometimes in another, and lead their flocks from pafture to pafture. When the grafs begins to fail in the places they have chofen, they immediately quit them, and go in fearch of others. They look with contempt upon us, who, as they fay, are fervile enough to cultivate the earth, and to live enclofed be tween four walls as in a prifon. Their amufements confift only in riding, hunting, fmoking, and Sleeping : they live wholly on mutton and milk, and are unacquainted with either bread or wine. Though the food of the Arabs ap pears to be both plain and wholefome, they are very lean ; they are however ftrong, robuft, and well enough made, but a little fun-burnt. Freed from the yoke of cuftom and pre judice, they confult only their intereft or caprice. Each in dividual is a king in his own family, and enjoys every plea fure that eafe and liberty are capable of bellowing. The fole riches of the Arabs confift in camels and flocks : fo that, in defcribing a rich man, they fay he poffeffes fo many camels, fo many Cheep, &c. Their habitations confift only of a tent made of goat's hair, wove fo clofely that neither fun nor rain can penetrate it. Their form is oblong, and very much refembles the keel of a Ship turned upwards. The ancients called thefe tents mapalia. We may learn from a paffage of Salluft, that thefe tents are the fame now as they were in his time : " Edificia " Numidarum qua mapalia Mi vacant oblonga incurvis lateribus t( teJfa quaji navium carina funt." They are of different fizes, and 324 LETTERS ON VARIOUS PARTS OF and are ufually fupported by one flake only, though fome of them have two or three. Thefe ftakes are eight or nine feet high, and four or five inches thick, and have hooks all round them, on which are hung bafkets, faddles, and arms. The tent is divided by a cloth into two parts : it contains neither beds, mattreffes, nor pillows ; for thefe people wrap themfelves up in their robes, and either Sleep upon the bare earth, or upon a mat. One part of the tent is appropriated to the ufe of thofe who are married ; the reft lie promif- cuoufly together. The women fpin and weave wool, make their tents, faddle their horfes, clean their arms, and, in Short, do every thing without complaining of their Situation. The old Arab's wife, whom I fpoke of, was working under the fcorching heat, while the huffiand fat in his tent enjoying the cool breeze. LET- EUROPE, ASIA, AND AFRICA. 215 LETTER XLVIII. Tripoli, July 17, 1789. W E met with nothing remarkable on our way thither, but the Ara iEgimori, the Ara Philenorum, Cape Good, the Promontory of Mercury, and the view exhibited by Tripoli, which increafes in beauty as you draw nearer to it This town is Situated on the borders of the fea, at the foot of an immenfe foreft of palm-trees. The kingdom of Tripoli, fo called from having formerly had under its jurifdidtion the three great towns of Sabrata, Oea, and Leptis Magna, is neither fo populous nor fo rich as Tunis. Tripoli, the capital, is built upon the fpot where for merly ftood the ancient Abrotonum, and is furrounded with good fortifications. The houfes are built of brick and ftone, and are but one Slory high : they are white-waffied ; and this, added to the duft and rubbiffi with which the ftreets are filled, occafions the greater part of the inhabitants to have fore eyes ; a complaint very prevalent among the Tunifians, owing to the fame caufe. The gates of this place are arched, and fo fmall that it is neceffary to ftoop in order to get through G g them ; ii6 LETTERS ON VARIOUS PARTS OF them ; a cuftom eftabliffied to render the paffage more dif ficult in the time of an infurredlion. At the entrance into the city is a triumphal monument of the Compofite order, which, according to the infcription, feems to have been erected in honour of Marcus Aurelius and his colleague, on account of the victory which the latter obtained over the Armenians. The flowers, vine leaves, and trophies are in good prefervation ; but the ftatues, which were in the niches, have been deftroyed ; and the rage of fu perftition has mutilated the four buds placed above them, as well as all the figures in bas-relief. On that fide of the arch, however, which contains the infcription, is an up right figure by the fide of a woman fitting, and furrounded by little children, the drapery of which is perfectly entire. Some of the pieces of marble, of which this monument is compofed, are of an enormous fize. On account of the great heat, I was not able to copy what remains of the infcription. Some of the Tripolitans, perceiving that we looked atten tively at this monument, began to examine it alfo them felves ; and one of them even extended his curiofity fo far as to aSk us, at what period the infidels had erected it. The Franks enjoy privileges here, of very great importance in a country where the populace are under fo little fubor- dination. For example, if one of them happen to have been infulted, he has the right of caufing the offender to be arretted by one of the janiffaries belonging to the conful of his na tion, and taken before a judge. There are confuls here from France, EUROPE, ASIA, AND AFRICA. lz1 France, England, Holland, Denmark, Spain, Venice, and Naples. There are neither wells nor fountains in this place ; and notwithftanding every precaution that can be taken to pre- ferve the rain water, it often happens, in dry feafons, that none of it is to be found. Roman and African medals, both of filver and copper, are found in this country : we purchafed fome copper ones, which have a horfe's head on one fide, with a palm-tree and dates on the other. We yefterday paid a vifit to the dey, who did us the honour to give us a particular audience in a fpacious faloon. A great number of perfons, among whom the moft conspi cuous was his own fon, were ftanding before him, while a flave with a large fan made of fwan's feathers cooled the air, and drove the flies from him. He was armed with piftols and po niards. You would naturally fuppofe, that the firft compliment was made by the conful. But this was not the cafe ; a janif- fary, Stepping before the company, advanced towards the dey, and, after killing his hands, fpoke a few words to him. The bey at laft defired us to be feated ; and foon after fome flaves fpread large pieces of muflin fringed with gold upon our knees, and brought us coffee, and various forts of fcerbet. One of the flaves then poured rofe-water over us, whilft another perfumed us with myrrh and aloes — all the while making feveral inclinations of the head. G g 2 The >28 LETTERS ON VARIOUS PARTS OF The fon of the bey having expreffed a wifh to fee our frigate, a council was held to determine whether this pro ceeding was confiftent with his dignity; but it being ob ferved, that neither his father nor grandfather had ever been on board a foreign Ship of war, it was decided in the negative. LET- EUROPE, ASIA, AND AFRICA. 2,9 LETTER XLIX. Porto Farina, July 26, 1789. xx CONTRARY wind has obliged us to put into this port, from which we can fee the Cafira Corneliana and Utica, or at leaft fome of its ruins. The village is Situated at the foot of a mountain at the mouth of the river Me-joida, anciently Bagrada, oppofite to Carthage. It was on the banks of this river that a prodigous ferpent, one hundred and twenty feet in length, haraffed the army of Regulus fo much, that the foldiers, unable to pierce it with their arms, were obliged to have recourfe to their baliftas (or engines) to kill it. The houfes are of the fame kind as thofe of Tunis, except that they are fmaller. The arfenal and mole are worthy of notice. There are two corvettes here on the ftocks, one of eighteen, and the other of twenty-four guns, both conftructed by an Italian. The port is full of galleys and galliots. The governor preffed us fo earnestly to go to fee his garden that we at length went, attended by an Engliffi renegado. We faw nothing in it but a great number of fruit-trees planted in 138 LETTERS ON VARIOUS PARTS OF in a vineyard without any order. The gardener conducted us into a fort of pavilion, fituated in the middle of a flower- garden, and furrounded with thick buffiy trees, and treated us with a bafket of excellent fruit. A little way from us, a camel was very gravely turning the wheel of a well, which ferved to water the garden. The renegado here related to us fome of the events of his life. Having been obliged to abjure his religion, he was appointed to the command of a fmall Ship of war. Immediately after, he fell into the hands of the Maltefe ; and to avoid the cruelties to which the over pious knights of St. John doom their flaves, he abjured Ma homet ; and, on his return hither, again renounced Jefus Chrift. He has lately married the governor's daughter, and poffeffes fome landed property : he fays, that if he had a fum of money at his difpofal, he might, perhaps, be tempted to return to his own country ; but as that is not likely to happen, he has given up all thoughts of it. When we came out of the garden, we returned to the village, and entered a coffee-houfe, to reft ourfelves, and to avoid the heat, which was exceffive. Here we faw feveral perfons playing at chefs, a fort of game very much in vogue in thefe countries. The coffee-houfe is of an oblong form, and is furnifhed with a high alcove covered with mats : the roof is fupported by two rows of pillars. On our return to the governor's houfe we found a man bound with cords, who had been apprehended as an adulterer, having been feen to come out of a woman's houfe ; for no other EUROPE, ASIA, AND AFRICA. 131 other proof of guilt is neceffary here. He was condemned to the galleys for a year ; and the woman, who came to plead her own caufe, efcaped for fix months imprifonment. " You fee," faid a little humpbacked man, who explained to me, in Italian, what had paffed, " that the Barbarians are not fo rigid on this head as formerly ; they now think, with the Marquis of Beccara, that the puniftment fhould be proportioned to the crime." This fpeech from the mouth of a Turk aftoniffied me. " You — how — who — 1 know what you mean ; but your furprife will ceafe when you know who I am. Know, then, that I am a Neapolitan ; that I exercifed in my own country the trade of paglietta ,¦ and that I have been obliged, from cir- cumftances, to affume the turban. My name is Selim ; and I am fecretary of the arfenal." — " But how do you like your new trade ?" " Very well. Here I command three hundred galley flaves ; and at home I was under every one's controul. I am fometimes dejected, but was fo in my own country." — " Do you ever expect to fee it again ?" " No : I might efcape from this country ; but what fhould I do at home ? Subject myfelf to the reproaches of people who do not care for me ; and who, perhaps, might take it into their heads to treat me with contempt." — " But are you really perfuaded of the truth of the Mahommedan religion ?" " At leaft as well as I was of that which I have renounced." LET- 231 LETTERS ON VARIOUS PARTS OF LETTER L. Toulon, September 2, 1789. W E left Porto Farina in calm weather, and ftopped fome hours at an inhabited ifland called Galita, the ancient Dra- contia, on the coaft of Tunis. In this ifland there is a place where excellent freffi water may be procured, and. it abounds alfo with wild goats. The Neapolitans and Maltefe go thi ther to fiffi, and to gather coral, under convoy of the Maltefe galleys. We are at length arrived in this port, where we have per formed twenty-five days quarantine. It may be proper to in form you, that the people would not fuffer us to depart till they had perfumed us four times. The neighbouring country is delightful. An infinite chain of hills and mounts, as varied in their Shape as their pro ductions, form pidturefque views on every fide. I Shall not enlarge on the fize or commodioufnefs of the port, as I am not able to fay any thing new on the fubject. The power of France is in part exhibited at Toulon : there are now in the bafon eighteen large Ships of the line, above all which rifes, in proud pre-eminence, the Commerce of Marfeilles, of one hundred and twenty guns. A» EUROPE, ASIA, AND AFRICA. 233 As foreigners are not permitted to fee the arfenal, I am deprived of the pleafure of faying any thing to you on that fubjed. The quay is well paved ; and the awnings fpread by the tradefmen to Shelter their Shops from the heat of the fun, make it pleafant to walk on it. Among the fine buildings may be reckoned the marine hofpital and the town-hall ; in the latter, the two ends, which fupport the balcony, are the work of the famous Puget. The country here abounds with all forts of vegetables, and the moft exquifite fruits ; and the market is conftantly filled with different forts of fiffi. There is a filk and cotton manufactory here, the pro ductions of which are fold very cheap. The population of Toulon may amount to 30,000 fouls. H h LET- 234 LETTERS ON VARIOUS PARTS OF LETTER LI. Marseilles, September 6, 1789. W E came hither by land. The way is very pleafant along roads formed by human labour through the mountains. In the courfe of our journey we found well built villages re- fembling towns, and obferved almoft at every ftep little hills planted with olives and vines, orchards and gardens, in the embellishment of which, nature feems to have vied with art. Marfeilles forms an amphitheatre round a port cut out in the folid rock by the hand of nature. It is of an oval figure ; and there are commonly three or four hundred veffels in it, which import productions from every part of the world. The quay is fpacious, and is paved with large pebbles. The Ships which come from the Levant perform quaran tine in a fmall ifland fome diftance from the port. After re maining there thirty days, they unload their cargoes, which are conveyed to warehoufes fituated without the town : they then enter the port, where they remain ten days; and it is not till after twenty days more that their merchandife is al lowed to be introduced into the city. Marfeilles cannot take too EUROPE, ASIA, AND AFRICA ,35 too many precautions againft a calamity, to which it has fo often been a victim. It is well known that the Phoenicians built this town, for merly celebrated for its marble and buildings. At the prefent day fome magnificence is confpicuous in the Ville Neuve and the §>uartier Neuf; the ftreets are wide, regular, and well paved, and the buildings are in a pretty good Style of archi tecture. The Cours, which is here the moft frequented pro menade, is nothing but a long and wide ftreet ornamented with two rows of trees, and has nothing remarkable in it but the great number of people who conftantly refort to it. The objects moft worthy of notice here, are the fugar re fineries, the manufactories of ftuffs, gold, filk, foap, &c. There is here an academy of belles lettres, and a periodical concert, to which foreigners are admitted gratis. This is the country for good liqueurs, perfumes, effences, fyrups, and fweetmeats. H h 2 LET- 23 « LETTERS ON VARIOUS PARTS OF" LETTER LII. Leghorn, September 14, 1789. VV E are now in one of the richeft ports of the Mediter ranean. There are here feveral Engliffi, Greek, and Arme nian commercial houfes. As to the Jews, they are fo much refpedted in this place, that the proverb fays, You had better flrike the grand duke than a Jew. This is a free port ; and that, without doubt, is the reafon why commerce flouriffies. The Genoefe muft have often repented that they gave up this town to Cofmo I. for I know not what infignificant village. The ftreets are wide, and well paved ; and the police fo Strict, that a man may fafely walk through them at midnight with his hands full of gold. There are here fine buildings ; and the via grande is ornamented with large and rich Shops. The ftatue of Cofmo I. which is in the arfenal, does not deferve much notice ; but this is not the cafe with the four Barbarians in bronze, chained at his feet. This pofition is natural; their countenances are fo ftrongly expreffive of grief and defpair, that they appear to be really animated. In a corner EUROPE, ASIA, AND AFRICA. J37 a corner at a little diftance from this ftatue, are two fuperb bafons of granite. The inhabitants of this place being all engaged in com merce, the fciences are neglected, and no other arts are cul tivated than thofe which relate to navigation. All the bookfellers are printers ; Mafi, who has made a choice collection of the Italian poets, has a fuperb printing- houfe. He is at prefent engaged in making a beautiful and correct edition of Boccace ; and he propofes afterwards to print all the authors who have written in the fame Style. He publiffies a translation of feveral journals of the national aflembly. The avidity with which thefe are bought up, an nounces a revolution, which may poffibly not prove favour able to the interefts of the grand duke. This fertile country is not yet freed from fuperftition, of which I Shall give you two ftriking examples. Every bookfeller to whom I have applied, refufed to fell me, at any price, a tranflation of Lucretius, by the celebrated Marchetti, telling me that it was forbidden by the pope. An able artift called Lapi, having engraved a Venus of Titian, thought it too licentious ; and that the only way to expiate fo great a crime was to deftroy his plate, which he did not hefitate to do. Here, as throughout all Tufcany, the ladies wear white ; for, according to their mode of thinking, lively colours are fit only for peafants. Some of them, I am told, in order to make this favourite colour more natural to them, frequently bleed 233 LETTERS ON VARIOUS PARTS OF bleed themfelves, which occafions them to look very white and pale ; and they are then the more admired. A hufband here never attends his wife to church, the theatre, or other public places, for he would be pointed at if he did. The country girls are pretty enough ; and their fmall Straw hats inclining a little to one fide, give them a grace and an air of coquetry which correfpond admirably with their pic- turefque drefs. It is furprifing not to fee any courtefans in fo populous and commercial a country. I am ignorant of the motives which can influence the government to eftablifh a police fo destructive to the tranquillity of mothers and hufbands. The population of this town may amount to fifty thoufand fouls, including fifteen thoufand Jews. LET- EUROPE, ASIA, AND AFRICA. »39 LETTER LIU. Sardinia, October 7, 1789. xl-FTER coafting round Gorgona, Elba, and Corfica, we came to an anchor on the north of this ifland, in the gulf of Alrachena. Whilft the boats were hoifting out, we heard the firing of muSketry. This proceeded from the inhabitants, who, pofted in bodies upon different hills, were firing at our veffel. We landed in order to know the reafon of this pro ceeding, and I was appointed interpreter on the occafion, though, to confefs the truth, I could have wiffied myfelf rid of the office. Seven or eight people, with arms in their hands, advanced towards us with a precipitate ftep. One of them, who was on horfeback, afked to what country our Ship be longed? I replied, that it was Engliffi. He then looked with an air of furprife at his companions, who afked in their turn, if the Engliffi were Chriftians ? We replied in the affirma tive, and invited them on board to dinner ; but it was not till after long deliberation that they accepted our offer. We then afked them, why they fired upon us ? " To make you come affiore, in order that we might know to what country your veffel 240 LETTERS ON VARIOUS PARTS OF veffel belonged." " Why are you all armed?" " To prevent foreigners from landing againft our will ; and to defend our wives, our children, and flocks." We landed in fearch of game ; and though they told us that there were partridges, hares, deer, and wild boars, we found none of any kind. We went through fome wretched villages, whofe inhabitants feemed as frightful, and as well armed as thofe who came on board of us. The air of this place is very unwholefome, on which ac count the people in general are wan. They fuffer their beards to grow, wear a red cap, and are clothed in a black felt doublet covered with a fort of cuirafs of Stag's hide, which laces over the breaft, and reaches below the knee. Their breeches and boots are of the fame materials ; and a belt, from which hangs a long Stiletto, is faftened round their body. Their mode of living is quite unreftrained. They apply to no fort of labour, not even to agriculture, and live wholly upon milk and game. They agree very ill together, and their quarrels almoft always have a tragical end. The mur derer efcapes by quitting his little town and joining the banditti, with whom he remains till he can obtain his pardon from the relations of the deceafed. Thefe people recognife fo Slightly the rights of the king, that they often make war upon his officers, who in their turn maffacre them, or feize their flocks, and burn their habitations. A contrary wind obliged us to coaft round this ifland, and to EUROPE, ASIA, AND AFRICA. 241 to anchor in various bays. In the fmall ifland of Magdalena we met with feveral Neapolitan barks fiffiing for coral. At Tolara, a high rock, which lofes itfelf in the clouds, and which the ancients called Infula Mercurii, we killed fome wild goats, and took in freffi water. We were informed that the people of Barbary refort hither for the fame purpofe. At Oleaftro the air is equally unhealthy ; but the inhabi tants are not fo favage nor fo miferable ; for they attend to cultivation. At Orijlan the inhabitants are humane, com- plaifant to foreigners, and live very comfortably. We found there poultry, excellent millers, and very good bread. On the borders of the fea, are the ruins of an ancient town. A foldier made us a prefent of a Carthaginian medal, which he had found in thefe ruins. I hardly need inform you that the marffies, with which this country abounds, have always infected the air. Paufa- nias afcribes the bad air to the fait of thefe marffies, and to an impetuous fouth wind which prevails in the country. The ancients make mention of an herb peculiar to this ifland, which occafions death by laughter ; from whence it is called the Sardonic laugh, an expreffion fo ancient, that it is even to be met with in Homer. This herb grew in the neigh bourhood of fprings, without however infecting the water. We are about to depart for England, whence you will hear from me. Adieu ! FINIS.