Lady Mary Wortley Montague - Letters of the Right Honourable Lady M y W y M e

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I SHOULD have told you, in the first place, that the Eastern manners
give a great light into many scripture-passages, that appear
odd to us, their phrases being commonly what we should call
scripture-language. The vulgar Turk is very different from what is
spoke at court, or amongst the people of figure; who always mix so
much Arabic and Persian in their discourse, that it may very well be
called another language. And 'tis as ridiculous to make use of the
expressions commonly used, in speaking to a great man or lady, as it
would be to speak broad Yorkshire, or Somersetshire, in the drawing
room. Besides this distinction, they have what they call the
_sublime_, that is, a style proper for poetry, and which is the exact
scripture style. I believe you will be pleased to see a genuine
example of this; and I am very glad I have it in my power to satisfy
your curiosity, by sending you a faithful copy of the verses that
Ibrahim Bassa, the reigning favourite, has made for the young
princess, his contracted wife, whom he is not yet permitted to visit
without witnesses, though she is gone home to his house. He is a man
of wit and learning; and whether or no he is capable of writing good
verse, you may be sure, that, on such an occasion, he would not want
the assistance of the best poets in the empire. Thus the verses may
be looked upon as a sample of their finest poetry; and I don't doubt
you'll be of my mind, that it is most wonderfully resembling _The
song of Solomon_, which was also addressed to a royal bride.

TURKISH VERSES addressed to the _Sultana_, eldest daughter of SULTAN
ACHMET III.

STANZA I.

Ver.

1. _THE nightingale now wanders in the vines:
Her passion is to seek roses._

2. _I went down to admire the beauty of the vines:
The sweetness of your charms has ravished my soul._

3. _Your eyes are black and lovely,
But wild and disdainful as those of a stag._

STANZA II.

1. _The wished possession is delayed from day to day;
The cruel Sultan ACHMET will not permit me
To see those cheeks, more vermilion than roses._

2. _I dare not snatch one of your kisses;
The sweetness of your charms has ravished my soul._

3. _Your eyes are black and lovely,
But wild and disdainful as those of a stag._

STANZA III

1. _The wretched_ IBRAHIM _sighs in these verses:
One dart from your eyes has pierc'd thro' my heart._

2. _Ah! when will the hour of possession arrive?
Must I yet wait a long time?
The sweetness of your charms has ravished my soul._

3. _Ah!_ SULTANA! _stag-ey'd--an angel amongst angels!
I desire,--and, my desire remains unsatisfied.--Can
you take delight to prey upon my heart?_

STANZA IV

1. _My cries pierce the heavens!
My eyes are without sleep!
Turn to me,_ SULTANA--_let me gaze on thy beauty._

2. _Adieu--I go down to the grave.
If you call me--I return.
My heart is--hot as sulphur;--sigh, and it will flame._

3. _Crown of my life! fair light of my eyes!
My_ SULTANA! _my princess!
I rub my face against the earth; I am drown'd in scalding tears--
I rave!
Have you no compassion? Will you not turn to look upon me?_

I have taken abundance of pains to get these verses in a literal
translation; and if you were acquainted with my interpreters, I might
spare myself the trouble of assuring you, that they have received no
poetical touches from their hands. In my opinion (allowing for the
inevitable faults of a prose translation into a language so very
different) there is a good deal of beauty in them. The epithet of
_stag-ey'd_ (though the sound is not very agreeable in English)
pleases me extremely; and I think it a very lively image of the fire
and indifference in his mistress's eyes.--Monsieur Boileau has very
justly observed, that we are never to judge of the elevation of an
expression in an ancient author, by the sound it carries with us;
since it may be extremely fine with them, when, at the same time, it
appears low or uncouth to us. You are so well acquainted with Homer,
you cannot but have observed the same thing, and you must have the
same indulgence for all Oriental poetry. The repetitions at the end
of the two first stanzas are meant for a sort of chorus, and are
agreeable to the ancient manner of writing. The music of the verses
apparently changes in the third stanza, where the burden is altered;
and I think he very artfully, seems more passionate at the
conclusion, as 'tis natural for people to warm themselves by their
own discourse, especially on a subject in which one is deeply
concerned; 'tis certainly far more touching than our modern custom of
concluding a song of passion with a turn which is inconsistent with
it. The first verse is a description of the season of the year; all
the country now being full of nightingales, whole amours with roses,
is an Arabian fable, as well known here as any part of Ovid amongst
us, and is much the same as if an English poem should begin, by
saying,--"_Now Philomela sings_." Or what if I turned the whole into
the style of English poetry, to see how it would look?

STANZA I.

"NOW Philomel renews her tender strain,
"Indulging all the night her pleasing pain;

"I sought in groves to hear the wanton sing,
"There saw a face more beauteous than the spring.

"Your large stag-eyes, where thousand glories play,
"As bright, as lively, but as wild as they.

STANZA II.

"In vain I'm promis'd such a heav'nly prize,
"Ah! cruel SULTAN! who delay'st my joys!
"While piercing charms transfix my am'rous heart,
"I dare not snatch one kiss to ease the smart.

"Those eyes! like, &c.

STANZA III.

"Your wretched lover in these lines complains;
"From those dear beauties rise his killing pains.

"When will the hour of wish'd-for bliss arrive?
"Must I wait longer?--Can I wait and live?

"Ah! bright Sultana! maid divinely fair!
"Can you, unpitying, see the pains I bear?

STANZA IV.

"The heavens relenting, hear my piercing cries,
"I loathe the light, and sleep forsakes my eyes;
"Turn thee, Sultana, ere thy lover dies:

"Sinking to earth, I fight the last adieu,
"Call me, my goddess, and my life renew.

"My queen! my angel! my fond heart's desire!
"I rave--my bosom burns with heav'nly fire!
"Pity that passion, which thy charms inspire."

I have taken the liberty, in the second verse, of following what I
suppose the true sense of the author, though not literally expressed.
By his saying, _He went down to admire the beauty of the vines, and
her charms ravished his soul_, I understand a poetical fiction, of
having first seen her in a garden, where he was admiring the beauty
of the spring. But I could not forbear retaining the comparison of
her eyes with those of a stag, though perhaps the novelty of it may
give it a burlesque sound in our language. I cannot determine upon
the whole, how well I have succeeded in the translation, neither do I
think our English proper to express such violence of passion, which
is very seldom felt amongst us. We want also those compound words
which are very frequent and strong in the Turkish language.

YOU see I am pretty far gone in Oriental learning; and, to say truth,
I study very hard. I wish my studies may give me an occasion of
entertaining your curiosity, which will be the utmost advantage hoped
for from them, by, Your's, &c.

LET. XXXI.

TO MRS S. C.

_Adrianople, April_ 1. O. S.

IN my opinion, dear S. I ought rather to quarrel with you, for not
answering my Nimeguen letter of August, till December, than to excuse
my not writing again till now. I am sure there is on my side a very
good excuse for silence, having gone such tiresome land-journies
(sic), though I don't find the conclusion of them so bad as you seem
to imagine. I am very easy here, and not in the solitude you fancy
me. The great number of Greeks, French, English, and Italians that
are under our protection, make their court to me from morning till
night; and, I'll assure you, are, many of them, very fine ladies; for
there is no possibility for a Christian to live easily under this
government, but by the protection of an ambassador--and the richer
they are, the greater is their danger.

THOSE dreadful stories you have heard of the _plague_, have very
little foundation in truth. I own, I have much ado to reconcile
myself to the sound of a word, which has always given me such
terrible ideas; though I am convinced there is little more in it,
than in a fever. As a proof of this, let me tell you that we passed
through two or three towns most violently infected. In the very next
house where we lay, (in one of those places) two persons died of it.
Luckily for me I was so well deceived, that I knew nothing of the
matter; and I was made believe, that our second cook had only a great
cold. However, we left our doctor to take care of him, and yesterday
they both arrived here in good health; and I am now let into the
secret, that he has had the _plague_. There are many that escape it,
neither is the air ever infected. I am persuaded, that it would be
as easy a matter to root it out here, as out of Italy and France; but
it does so little mischief, they are not very solicitous about it,
and are content to suffer this distemper, instead of our variety,
which they are utterly unacquainted with.

_A propos_ of distempers, I am going to tell you a thing that will
make you wish yourself here. The small-pox, so fatal, and so general
amongst us, is here entirely harmless, by the invention of
_ingrafting_, which is the term they give it. There is a set of old
women, who make it their business to perform the operation, every
autumn, in the month of September, when the great heat is abated.
People send to one another to know if any of their family has a mind
to have the small-pox: they make parties for this purpose, and when
they are met (commonly fifteen or sixteen together) the old woman
comes with a nutshell full of the matter of the best sort of
small-pox, and asks what vein you please to have opened. She
immediately rips open that you offer to her, with a large needle,
(which gives you no more pain than a common scratch) and puts into
the vein as much matter as can ly upon the head of her needle, and
after that, binds up the little wound with a hollow bit of shell; and
in this manner opens four or five veins. The Grecians have commonly
the superstition of opening one in the middle of the forehead, one in
each arm, and one on the breast, to mark the sign of the cross; but
this has a very ill effect, all these wounds leaving little scars,
and is not done by those that are not superstitious, who chuse to
have them in the legs, or that part of the arm that is concealed.
The children or young patients play together all the rest of the day,
and are in perfect health to the eighth. Then the fever begins to
seize them, and they keep their beds two days, very seldom three.
They have very rarely above twenty or thirty in their faces, which
never mark; and in eight days time they are as well as before their
illness. Where they are wounded, there remain running sores during
the distemper, which I don't doubt is a great relief to it. Every
year thousands undergo this operation; and the French ambassador says
pleasantly, that they take the small-pox here by way of diversion, as
they take the waters in other countries. There is no example of any
one that has died in it; and you may believe I am well satisfied of
the safety of this experiment, since I intend to try it on my dear
little son. I am patriot enough to take pains to bring this useful
invention into fashion in England; and I should not fail to write to
some of our doctors very particularly about it, if I knew any one of
them that I thought had virtue enough to destroy such a considerable
branch of their revenue, for the good of mankind. But that distemper
is too beneficial to them, not to expose to all their resentment the
hardy wight (sic) that should undertake to put an end to it.
Perhaps, if I live to return, I may, however, have courage to war
with them. Upon this occasion, admire the heroism in the heart of
Your friend, &c. &c.

LET. XXXII.

TO MRS T----.

_Adrianople, April_ 1. O. S. 1718 (sic).

I CAN now tell dear Mrs T----, that I am safely arrived at the end of
my very long journey. I will not tire you with the account of the
many fatigues I have suffered. You would rather be informed of the
strange things that are to be seen here; and a letter out of Turkey,
that has nothing extraordinary in it, would be as great a
disappointment, as my visitors will receive at London, if I return
thither without any rarities to shew them.--What shall I tell you
of?--You never saw camels in your life; and perhaps the description
of them will appear new to you; I can assure you the first sight of
them was so to me; and though I have seen hundreds of pictures of
those animals, I never saw any that was resembling enough, to give a
true idea of them. I am going to make a bold observation, and
possibly a false one, because nobody has ever made it before me; but
I do take them to be of the stag kind; their legs, bodies, and necks,
are exactly shaped like them, and their colour very near the same.
'Tis true they are much larger, being a great deal higher than a
horse; and so swift, that, after the defeat of Peterwaradin, they far
outran the swiftest horses, and brought the first news of the loss of
the battle to Belgrade. They are never thoroughly tamed; the drivers
take care to tie them one to another, with strong ropes, fifty in a
string, led by an ass, on which the driver rides. I have seen three
hundred in one caravan. They carry the third part more than any
horse; but 'tis a particular art to load them, because of the bunch
on their backs. They seem to be very ugly creatures, their heads
being ill-formed and disproportioned (sic) to their bodies. They
carry all the burdens; and the beasts destined to the plough, are
buffaloes, an animal you are also unacquainted with. They are larger
and more clumsy than an ox; they have short thick black horns close
to their heads, Which grow turning backwards. They say this horn
looks very beautiful when 'tis well polished. They are all black,
with very short hair on their hides, and have extremely little white
eyes, that make them look like devils. The country people dye their
tails, and the hair of their forehead, red, by way of ornament.
Horses are not put here to any laborious work, nor are they at all
fit for it. They are beautiful and full of spirit, but generally
little, and not strong, as the breed of colder countries; very
gentle, however, with all their vivacity, and also swift and
surefooted. I have a little white favourite, that I would not part
with on any terms; he prances under me with so much fire, you would
think that I had a great deal of courage to dare to mount him; yet
I'll assure you, I never rid a horse so much at my command in my
life. My side-saddle is the first that was ever seen in this part of
the world, and is gazed at with as much wonder as the ship of
Columbus in the first discovery of America. Here are some little
birds, held in a sort of religious reverence, and, for that reason,
multiply prodigiously: turtles, on the account of their innocence;
and storks, because they are supposed to make every winter the
pilgrimage to Mecca. To say truth, they are the happiest subjects
under the Turkish government, and are so sensible of their
privileges, that they walk the streets without fear, and generally
build in the low parts of houses. Happy are those whose houses are
so distinguished, as the vulgar Turks are perfectly persuaded that
they will not be, that year, attacked either by fire or pestilence.
I have the happiness of one of their sacred nests under my
chamber-window.

NOW I am talking of my chamber, I remember the description of the
houses here will be as new to you, as any of the birds or beasts. I
suppose you have read, in most of our accounts of Turkey, that their
houses are the most miserable pieces of building in the world. I can
speak very learnedly on that subject, having been in so many of them;
and, I assure you, 'tis no such thing. We are now lodged in a palace
belonging to the grand signior. I really think the manner of
building here very agreeable, and proper for the country. 'Tis true,
they are not at all solicitous to beautify the outsides of their
houses, and they are generally built of wood; which, I own, is the
cause of many inconveniencies; but this is not to be charged on the
ill taste of the people, but on the oppression of the government.
Every house, at the death of its master, is at the grand signior's
disposal; and therefore, no man cares to make a great expence, which
he is not sure his family will be the better for. All their design
is to build a house commodious, and that will last their lives; and
they are very indifferent if it falls down the year after. Every
house, great and small, is divided into two distinct parts, which
only join together by a narrow passage. The first house has a large
court before it, and open galleries all round it, which is to me a
thing very agreeable. This gallery leads to all the chambers, which
are commonly large, and with two rows of windows, the first being of
painted glass; they seldom build above two stories, each of which has
galleries. The stairs are broad, and not often above thirty steps.
This is the house belonging to the lord, and the adjoining one is
called the _haram_, that is, the ladies apartment, (for the name of
_seraglio_ is peculiar to the grand signior;) it has also a gallery
running round it towards the garden, to which all the windows are
turned, and the same number of chambers as the other, but more gay
and splendid, both in painting and furniture. The second row of
windows is very low, with grates like those of convents; the rooms
are all spread with Persian carpets, and raised at one end of them
(my chambers are raised at both ends) about two feet. This is the
sofa, which is laid with a richer sort of carpet, and all round it a
sort of couch, raised half a foot, covered with rich silk, according
to the fancy or magnificence of the owner. Mine is of scarlet cloth,
with a gold fringe; round about this are placed, standing against the
wall, two rows of cushions, the first very large, and the next,
little ones; and here the Turks display their greatest magnificence.
They are generally brocade, or embroidery of gold wire upon white
sattin.--Nothing can look more gay and splendid. These seats are
also so convenient and easy, that I believe I shall never endure
chairs as long as I live.--The rooms are low, which I think no fault,
and the ceiling is always of wood, generally inlaid or painted with
flowers. They open in many places, with folding doors, and serve for
cabinets, I think, more conveniently than ours. Between the windows
are little arches to set pots of perfume, or baskets of flowers. But
what pleases me best, is the fashion of having marble fountains in
the lower part of the room, which throw up several spouts of water,
giving, at the same time, an agreeable coolness, and a pleasant
dashing sound, falling from one basin to another. Some of these are
very magnificent. Each house has a bagnio, which consists generally
in two or three little rooms, leaded on the top, paved with marble,
with basins, cocks of water, and all conveniencies for either hot or
cold baths.

YOU will perhaps be surprised at an account so different from what
you have been entertained with by the common voyage-writers, who are
very fond of speaking of what they don't know. It must be under a
very particular character, or on some extraordinary occasion, that a
Christian is admitted into the house of a man of quality; and their
_harams_ are always forbidden ground. Thus they can only speak of
the outside, which makes no great appearance; and the womens
apartments are always built backward, removed from sight, and have no
other prospect than the gardens, which are inclosed with very high
walls. There are none of our parterres in them; but they are planted
with high trees, which give an agreeable shade, and, to my fancy, a
pleasing view. In the midst of the garden is the _chiosk_, that is,
a large room, commonly beautified with a fine fountain in the midst
of it. It is raised nine or ten steps, and inclosed with gilded
lattices, round which, vines, jessamines, and honey-suckles, make a
sort of green wall. Large trees are planted round this place, which
is the scene of their greatest pleasures, and where the ladies spend
most of their hours, employed by their music or embroidery.--In the
public gardens, there are public _chiosks_ where people go, that are
not so well accommodated at home, and drink their coffee, sherbet,
&c.--Neither are they ignorant of a more durable manner of building:
their mosques are all of free-stone, and the public _hanns_, or inns,
extremely magnificent, many of them taking up a large square, built
round with shops under stone arches, where poor artificers are lodged
_gratis_. They have always a mosque joining to them, and the body of
the _hann_ is a most noble hall, capable of holding three or four
hundred persons, the court extremely spacious, and cloisters round
it, that give it the air of our colleges. I own, I think it a more
reasonable piece of charity than the founding of convents.--I think
I have now told you a great deal for once. If you don't like my
choice of subjects, tell me what you would have me write Upon; there
is nobody more desirous to entertain you, than, dear Mrs T----,
Your's, &c. &c.

LET. XXXIII.

TO THE COUNTESS OF ----.

_Adrianopolis, April_ 18. O. S.

I WROTE to you, dear sister, and to all my other English
correspondents, by the last ship, and only Heaven can tell, when I
shall have another opportunity of sending to you; but I cannot
forbear to write again, though perhaps my letter may ly upon my hands
this two months. To confess the truth, my head is so full of my
entertainment yesterday, that 'tis absolutely necessary, for my own
repose, to give it some vent. Without farther preface, I will then
begin my story.

I WAS invited to dine with the grand vizier's lady, and it was with a
great deal of pleasure I prepared myself for an entertainment, which
was never before given to any Christian. I thought I should very
little satisfy her curiosity, (which I did not doubt was a
considerable motive to the invitation) by going in a dress she was
used to see, and therefore dressed myself in the court habit of
Vienna, which is much more magnificent than ours. However, I chose
to go _incognito_, to avoid any disputes about ceremony, and went in
a Turkish coach, only attended by my woman, that held up my train,
and the Greek lady, who was my interpretess. I was met at the court
door by her black eunuch, who helped me out of the coach with great
respect, and conducted me through several rooms, where her
she-slaves, finely dressed, were ranged on each side. In the
innermost, I found the lady sitting on her sofa, in a sable vest.
She advanced to meet me, and presented me half a dozen of her
friends, with great civility. She seemed a very good woman, near
fifty years old. I was surprised to observe so little magnificence
in her house, the furniture being all very moderate; and, except the
habits and number of her slaves, nothing about her appeared
expensive. She guessed at my thoughts, and told me she was no longer
of an age to spend either her time or money in superfluities; that
her whole expence was in charity, and her whole employment praying to
God. There was no affectation in this speech; both she and her
husband are entirely given up to devotion. He never looks upon any
other woman; and, what is much more extraordinary, touches
no bribes, notwithstanding the example of all his predecessors. He
is so scrupulous on this point, he would not accept Mr W----'s
present, till he had been assured over and over, that it was a
settled perquisite Of his place, at the entrance of every ambassador.
She entertained me with all kind of civility, till dinner came in,
which was served, one dish at a time, to a vast number, all finely
dressed after their manner, which I don't think so bad as you have
perhaps heard it represented. I am a very good judge of their
eating, having lived three weeks in the house of an _effendi_ at
Belgrade, who gave us very magnificent dinners, dressed by his own
cooks. The first week they pleased me extremely; but, I own, I then
began to grow weary of their table, and desired our own cook might
add a dish or two after our manner. But I attribute this to custom,
and am very much inclined to believe, that an Indian, who had never
tasted of either, would prefer their cookery to ours. Their sauces
are very high, all the roast very much done. They use a great deal
of very rich spice. The soup is served for the last dish; and they
have, at least, as great a variety of ragouts as we have. I was very
sorry I could not eat of as many as the good lady would have had me,
who was very earnest in serving me of every thing. The treat
concluded with coffee and perfumes, which is a high mark of respect;
two slaves kneeling _censed_ my hair, clothes, and handkerchief.
After this ceremony, she commanded her slaves to play and dance,
which they did with their guitars in their hands, and she excused to
me their want of skill, saying she took no care to accomplish them in
that art.

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