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

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I RETURNED her thanks, and, soon after, took my leave. I was
conducted back in the same manner I entered, and would have gone
straight to my own house; but the Greek lady with me, earnestly
solicited me to visit the _kahya's_ lady, saying, he was the second
officer in the empire, and ought indeed to be looked upon as the
first, the grand vizier having only the name, while he exercised the
authority. I had found so little diversion in the vizier's _haram_,
that I had no mind to go into another. But her importunity prevailed
with me, and I am extremely glad I was so complaisant. All things
here were with quite another air than at the grand vizier's; and the
very house confessed the difference between an old devotee, and a
young beauty. It was nicely clean and magnificent. I was met at the
door by two black eunuchs, who led me through a long gallery, between
two ranks of beautiful young girls, with their hair finely plaited,
almost hanging to their feet, all dressed in fine light damasks,
brocaded with silver. I was sorry that decency did not permit me to
stop to consider them nearer. But that thought was lost upon my
entrance into a large room, or rather pavilion, built round with
gilded sashes, which were most of them thrown up, and the trees
planted near them gave an agreeable shade, which hindered the sun
from being troublesome. The jessamines and honey-suckles that
twisted round their trunks, shed a soft perfume, increased by a white
marble fountain playing sweet water in the lower part of the room,
which fell into three or four basins, with a pleasing sound. The
roof was painted with all sorts of flowers, falling out of gilded
baskets, that seemed tumbling down. On a sofa, raised three steps,
and covered with fine Persian carpets, sat the _kahya_'s lady,
leaning on cushions of white sattin, embroidered; and at her feet sat
two young girls about twelve years old, lovely as angels, dressed
perfectly rich, and almost covered with jewels. But they were hardly
seen near the fair _Fatima_, (for that is her name) so much her
beauty effaced every thing I have seen, nay, all that has been called
lovely either in England or Germany. I must own, that I never saw
any thing so gloriously beautiful, nor can I recollect a face that
would have been taken notice of near hers. She stood up to receive
me, saluting me after their fashion, putting her hand to her heart
with a sweetness full of majesty, that no court breeding could ever
give. She ordered cushions to be given me, and took care to place me
in the corner, which is the place of honour. I confess, though the
Greek lady had before given me a great opinion of her beauty, I was
so struck with admiration, that I could not, for some time, speak to
her, being wholly taken up in gazing. That surprising harmony of
features! that charming result of the whole! that exact proportion of
body! that lovely bloom of complexion unsullied by art! the
unutterable enchantment of her smile!--But her eyes!--large and
black, with all the soft languishment of the blue! every turn of her
face discovering some new grace.

AFTER my first surprise was over, I endeavoured, by nicely examining
her face, to find out some imperfection, without any fruit of my
search, but my being clearly convinced of the error of that vulgar
notion, that a face exactly proportioned, and perfectly beautiful,
would not be agreeable; nature having done for her, with more
success, what Appelles is said to have essayed, by a collection of
the most exact features, to form a perfect face. Add to all this, a
behaviour so full of grace and sweetness, such easy motions, with an
air so majestic, yet free from stiffness or affectation, that I am
persuaded, could she be suddenly transported upon the most polite
throne of Europe, no body would think her other than born and bred to
be a queen, though educated in a country we call barbarous. To say
all in a word, our most celebrated English beauties would vanish near
her.

SHE was dressed in a _caftan_ of gold brocade, flowered with silver,
very well fitted to her shape, and shewing to admiration the beauty
of her bosom, only shaded by the thin gauze of her shift. Her
drawers were pale pink, her waistcoat green and silver, her slippers
white sattin, finely embroidered: her lovely arms adorned with
bracelets of diamonds, and her broad girdle set round with diamonds;
upon her head a rich Turkish handkerchief of pink and silver, her own
fine black hair hanging a great length, in various tresses, and on
one side of her head some bodkins of jewels. I am afraid you will
accuse me of extravagance in this description. I think I have read
somewhere, that women always speak in rapture when they speak of
beauty, and I cannot imagine why they should not be allowed to do so.
I rather think it a virtue to be able to admire without any mixture
of desire or envy. The gravest writers have spoken with great
warmth, of some celebrated pictures and statues. The workmanship of
Heaven, certainly excels all our weak imitations, and, I think, has a
much better claim to our praise. For my part, I am not ashamed to
own, I took more pleasure in looking on the beauteous Fatima, than
the finest piece of sculpture could have given me. She told me, the
two girls at her feet were her daughters, though she appeared too
young to be their mother. Her fair maids were ranged below the sofa,
to the number of twenty, and put me in mind of the pictures of the
ancient nymphs. I did not think all nature could have furnished such
a scene of beauty. She made them a sign to play and dance. Four of
them immediately began to play some soft airs on instruments, between
a lute and a guitar, which they accompanied with their voices, while
the others danced by turns. This dance was very different from what
I had seen before. Nothing could be more artful, or more proper to
raise _certain ideas_. The tunes so soft!--the motions so
languishing!--accompanied with pauses and dying eyes! half-falling
back, and then recovering themselves in so artful a manner, that I am
very positive, the coldest and most rigid pride upon earth, could not
have looked upon them without thinking of _something not to be spoke
of_.--I suppose you may have read that the Turks have no music, but
what is shocking to the ears; but this account is from those who
never heard any but what is played in the streets, and is just as
reasonable, as if a foreigner should take his ideas of English music,
from the _bladder_ and _string_, or the _marrow-bones_ and _cleavers_.
I can assure you that the music is extremely pathetic; 'tis true, I
am inclined to prefer the Italian, but perhaps I am partial. I am
acquainted with a Greek lady who sings better than Mrs Robinson, and
is very well skilled in both, who gives the preference to the
Turkish. 'Tis certain they have very fine natural voices; these were
very agreeable. When the dance was over, four fair slaves came into
the room, with silver censers in their hands, and perfumed the air
with amber, aloes-wood, and other scents. After this, they served me
coffee upon their knees, in the finest japan china, with _soucoups_
of silver, gilt. The lovely Fatima entertained me, all this while,
in the most polite agreeable manner, calling me often _uzelle
sultanam_, or the beautiful sultana; and desiring my friendship with
the best grace in the world, lamenting that she could not entertain
me in my own language.

WHEN I took my leave, two maids brought in a fine silver basket of
embroidered handkerchiefs; she begged I would wear the richest for
her sake, and gave the others to my woman and interpretess.--I
retired through the same ceremonies as before, and could not help
thinking, I had been some time in Mahomet's paradise; so much was I
charmed with what I had seen. I know not how the relation of it
appears to you. I wish it may give you part of my pleasure; for I
would have my dear sister share in all the diversions of, Yours,&c.

LET. XXXIV.

TO THE ABBOT OF ----.

_Adrianople, May_ 17. O. S.

I AM going to leave Adrianople, and I would not do it without giving
you some account of all that is curious in it, which I have taken a
great deal of pains to see. I will not trouble you with wise
dissertations, whether or no this is the same city that was anciently
called Orestesit or Oreste, which you know better than I do. It is
now called from the emperor Adrian, and was the first European seat
of the Turkish empire, and has been the favourite residence of many
sultans. Mahomet the fourth, and Mustapha, the brother of the
reigning emperor, were so fond of it, that they wholly abandoned
Constantinople; which humour so far exasperated the janizaries, that
it was a considerable motive to the rebellions that deposed them.
Yet this man seems to love to keep his court here. I can give you no
reason for this partiality. 'Tis true, the situation is fine, and
the country all round very beautiful; but the air is extremely bad,
and the seraglio itself is not free from the ill effect of it. The
town is said to be eight miles in compass, I suppose they reckon in
the gardens. There are some good houses in it, I mean large ones;
for the architecture of their palaces never makes any great shew. It
is now very full of people; but they are most of them such as follow
the court, or camp; and when they are removed, I am told, 'tis no
populous city. The river Maritza (anciently the Hebrus) on which it
is situated, is dried up every summer, which contributes very much to
make it unwholesome. It is now a very pleasant stream. There are
two noble bridges built over it. I had the curiosity to go to see
the exchange in my Turkish dress, which is disguise sufficient. Yet
I own, I was not very easy when I saw it crowded with janizaries; but
they dare not be rude to a woman, and made way for me with as much
respect as if I had been in my own figure. It is half a mile in
length, the roof arched, and kept extremely neat. It holds three
hundred and sixty-five shops, furnished with all sorts of rich goods,
exposed to sale in the same manner as at the new exchange in London.
But the pavement is kept much neater; and the shops are all so clean,
they seem just new painted.--Idle people of all sorts walk here for
their diversion, or amuse themselves with drinking coffee, or
sherbet, which is cried about as oranges and sweet-meats are in our
play-houses. I observed most of the rich tradesmen were Jews. That
people are in incredible power in this country. They have many
privileges above all the natural Turks themselves, and have formed a
very considerable commonwealth here, being judged by their own laws.
They have drawn the whole trade of the empire into their hands,
partly by the firm union amongst themselves, and partly by the idle
temper and want of industry in the Turks. Every bassa has his Jew,
who is his _homme d'affaires_; he is let into all his secrets, and
does all his business. No bargain is made, no bribe received, no
merchandise disposed of, but what passes through their hands. They
are the physicians, the stewards, and the interpreters of all the
great men. You may judge how advantageous this is to a people who
never fail to make use of the smallest advantages. They have found
the secret of making themselves so necessary, that they are certain
of the protection of the court, whatever ministry is in power. Even
the English, French, and Italian merchants, who are sensible of their
artifices, are, however, forced to trust their affairs to their
negotiation, nothing of trade being managed without them, and the
meanest amongst them being too important to be disobliged, since the
whole body take care of his interests, with as much vigour as they
would those of the most considerable of their members. They are many
of them vastly rich, but take care to make little public shew of it,
though they live in their houses in the utmost luxury and
magnificence. This copious subject has drawn me from my description
of the exchange, founded by Ali Bassa, whose name it bears. Near it
is the _sherski_, a street of a mile in length, full of shops of all
kind of fine merchandise, but excessive dear, nothing being made
here. It is covered on the top with boards, to keep out the rain,
that merchants may meet conveniently in all weathers. The _besiten_
near it, is another exchange, built upon pillars, where all sorts of
horse-furniture is sold: glittering every where with gold, rich
embroidery, and jewels, it makes a very agreeable shew. From this
place I went, in my Turkish coach, to the camp, which is to move in a
few days to the frontiers. The sultan is already gone to his tents,
and all his court; the appearance of them is, indeed, very
magnificent. Those of the great men are rather like palaces than
tents, taking up a great compass of ground, and being divided into a
vast number of apartments. They are all of green, and the _bassas of
three tails_, have those ensigns of their power placed in very
conspicuous manner before their tents, which are adorned on the top
with gilded balls, more or less, according to their different ranks.
The ladies go in coaches to see the camp, as eagerly, as ours did to
that of Hyde-park; but 'tis very easy to observe, that the soldiers
do not begin the campaign with any great cheerfulness. The war is a
general grievance upon the people, but particularly hard upon the
tradesmen, now that the grand signior is resolved to lead his army in
person. Every company of them is obliged, upon this occasion, to
make a present according to their ability.

I TOOK the pains of rising at six in the morning to see the ceremony
which did not, however, begin till eight. The grand signior was at
the seraglio window, to see the procession, which passed through the
principal streets. It was preceded by an _effendi_, mounted on a
camel, richly furnished, reading aloud the alcoran, finely bound,
laid upon a cushion. He was surrounded by a parcel of boys, in
white, singing some verses of it, followed by a man dressed in green
boughs, representing a clean husbandman sowing seed. After him
several reapers, With garlands of ears of corn, as Ceres is pictured,
with scythes in their hands, seeming to mow. Then a little machine
drawn by oxen, in which was a wind-mill, and boys employed in
grinding corn, followed by another machine, drawn by buffaloes,
carrying an oven, and two more boys, one employed in kneading the
bread, and another in drawing it out of the oven. These boys threw
little cakes on both sides amongst the crowd, and were followed by
the whole company of bakers, marching on foot, two by two, in their
best clothes, with cakes, loaves, pasties, and pies of all sorts on
their heads, and after them two buffoons, or jack-puddings, with
their faces and clothes smeared with meal, who diverted the mob with
their antic gestures. In the same manner followed all the companies
of trade in the empire; the nobler sort, such as jewellers, mercers,
&c. finely mounted, and many of the pageants that represent their
trades, perfectly magnificent; amongst which, that of the furriers
made one of the best figures, being a very large machine, set round
with the skins of ermines, foxes, &c. so well stuffed, that the
animals seemed to be alive, and followed by music and dancers. I
believe they were, upon the whole, twenty thousand men, all ready to
follow his highness, if he commanded them. The rear was closed by
the volunteers, who came to beg the honour of dying in his service.
This part of the shew seemed to me so barbarous, that I removed from
the window upon the first appearance of it. They were all naked to
the middle. Some had their arms pierced through with arrows, left
sticking in them. Others had them sticking in their heads, the blood
trickling down their faces. Some slashed their arms with sharp
knives, making the blood spring out upon those that stood there; and
this is looked upon as an expression of their zeal for glory. I am
told that some make use of it to advance their love; and, when they
are near the window where their mistress stands, (all the women in
town being veiled to see this spectacle) they stick another arrow for
her sake, who gives some sign of approbation and encouragement to
this gallantry. The whole shew lasted for near eight hours, to my
great sorrow, who was heartily tired, though I was in the house of
the widow of the captain bassa (admiral) who refreshed me with
coffee, sweetmeats, sherbet, &c. with all possible civility.

I WENT two days after, to see, the mosque of sultan Selim I. which is
a building very well worth the curiosity of a traveller. I was,
dressed in my Turkish habit, and admitted without scruple; though I
believe they guessed who I was, by the extreme officiousness of the
door-keeper, to shew me every part of it. It is situated very
advantageously in the midst of the city, and in the highest part of
it, making a very noble show. The first court has four gates, and
the innermost three. They are both of them surrounded with
cloisters, with marble pillars of the Ionic order, finely polished,
and of very lively colours; the whole pavement is of white marble,
and the roof of the cloisters divided into several cupolas or domes,
headed with gilt balls on the top. In the midst of each court, are
fine fountains of white marble; and, before the great gate of the
mosque, a portico, with green marble pillars, which has five gates,
the body of the mosque being one prodigious dome. I understand so
little of architecture, I dare not pretend to speak of the
proportions. It seemed to me very regular, this I am sure of, it is
vastly high, and I thought it the noblest building I ever saw. It
has two rows of marble galleries on pillars, with marble balusters;
the pavement is also marble, covered with Persian carpets. In my
opinion, it is a great addition to its beauty, that it is not divided
into pews, and incumbered with forms and benches like our churches;
nor the pillars (which are most of them red and white marble)
disfigured by the little tawdry images and pictures, that give
Roman-catholic churches the air of toy-shops. The walls seemed to be
inlaid with such very lively colours, in small flowers, that I could
not imagine what stones had been made use of. But going nearer, I
saw they were crusted with japan china, which has a very beautiful
effect. In the midst hung a vast lamp of silver, gilt; besides which,
I do verily believe, there were at least two thousand of a lesser
size. This must look very glorious, when they are all lighted; but
being at night, no women are suffered to enter. Under the large lamp
is a great pulpit of carved wood, gilt; and just by, a fountain to
wash, which, you know, is an essential part of their devotion. In
one corner is a little gallery, inclosed with gilded lattices, for
the grand-signior. At the upper end, a large niche, very like an
altar, raised two steps, covered with gold brocade, and standing
before it, two silver gilt candlesticks, the height of a man, and in
them white wax candles, as thick as a man's waist. The outside of
the mosque is adorned with towers, vastly high, gilt on the top, from
whence the _imaums_ (sic) call the people to prayers. I had the
curiosity to go up one of them, which is contrived so artfully, as to
give surprise to all that see it. There is but one door, which leads
to three different stair-cases, going to the three different stories
of the tower, in such a manner, that three priests may ascend,
rounding, without ever meeting each other; a contrivance very much
admired. Behind the mosque, is an exchange full of shops, where poor
artificers are lodged _gratis_. I saw several dervises (sic) at
their prayers here. They are dressed in a plain piece of woolen,
with their arms bare, and a woolen cap on their heads, like a high
crowned hat without brims. I went to see some other mosques, built
much after the same manner, but not comparable in point of
magnificence to this I have described, which is infinitely beyond any
church in Germany or England; I won't talk of other countries I have
not seen. The seraglio does not seem a very magnificent palace. But
the gardens are very large, plentifully supplied with water, and full
of trees; which is all I know of them, having never been in them.

I TELL you nothing of the order of Mr W----'s entry, and his
audience. These things are always the same, and have been so often
described, I won't trouble you with the repetition. The young
prince, about eleven years old, sits near his father, when he gives
audience: he is a handsome boy; but, probably, will not immediately
succeed the sultan, there being two sons of sultan Mustapha (his
eldest brother) remaining; the eldest about twenty years old, on whom
the hopes of the people are fixed. This reign has been bloody and
avaricious. I am apt to believe, they are very impatient to see the
end of it. I am, Sir, yours, &c. &c.

P. S. I will write to you again from Constantinople.

LET. XXXV.

To THE ABBOT ----.

_Constantinople, May_ 29. O. S.

I HAVE had the advantage of very fine weather, all my journey; and as
the summer is now in its beauty, I enjoyed the pleasure of fine
prospects; and the meadows being full of all sorts of garden flowers,
and sweet herbs, my berlin perfumed the air as it pressed them. The
grand signior furnished us with thirty covered waggons for our
baggage, and five coaches of the country for my women. We found the
road full of the great spahis and their equipages coming out of Asia
to the war. They always travel with tents; but I chose to ly in
houses all the way. I will not trouble you with the names of the
villages we passed, in which there was nothing remarkable, but at
Ciorlei, where there was a _conac_, or little seraglio, built for the
use of the grand signior, when he goes this road. I had the
curiosity to view all the apartments destined for the ladies of his
court. They were in the midst of a thick grove of trees, made fresh
by fountains; but I was most surprised to see the walls almost
covered with little distiches of Turkish verse, wrote with pencils.
I made my interpreter explain them to me, and I found several of them
very well turned; though I easily believed him, that they had lost
much of their beauty in the translation. One was literally thus in
English:

_We come into this world; we lodge, and we depart;
He never goes, that's lodged within my heart._

THE rest of our journey was through fine painted meadows, by the side
of the sea of Marmora, the ancient Propontis. We lay the next night
at Selivrea, anciently a noble town. It is now a good sea-port, and
neatly built enough, and has a bridge of thirty-two arches. Here is
a famous ancient Greek church. I had given one of my coaches to a
Greek lady, who desired the conveniency of travelling with me; she
designed to pay her devotions, and I was glad of the opportunity of
going with her. I found it an ill-built edifice, set out with the
same sort of ornaments, but less rich, as the Roman-catholic
churches. They shewed me a saint's body, where I threw a piece of
money; and a picture of the virgin Mary, drawn by the hand of St
Luke, very little to the credit of his painting; but, however, the
finest Madona (sic) of Italy, is not more famous for her miracles.
The Greeks have a monstrous taste in their pictures, which, for more
finery, are always drawn upon a gold ground. You may imagine what a
good air this has; but they have no notion, either of shade or
proportion. They have a bishop here, who officiated in his purple
robe, and sent me a candle almost as big as myself for a present,
when I was at my lodging. We lay that night at a town called Bujuk
Cekmege, or Great Bridge; and the night following, at Kujuk Cekmege,
or Little Bridge; in a very pleasant lodging, formerly a monastery of
dervises; having before it a large court, encompassed with marble
cloisters, with a good fountain in the middle. The prospect from
this place, and the gardens round it, is the most agreeable I have
seen; and shews, that monks of all religions know how to chuse their
retirements. 'Tis now belonging to a _hogia_ or schoolmaster, who
teaches boys here. I asked him to shew me his own apartment, and was
surprised to see him point to a tall cypress tree in the garden, on
the top of which was a place for a bed for himself, and a little
lower, one for his wife and two children, who slept there every
night. I was so much diverted with the fancy, I resolved to examine
his nest nearer; but after going up fifty steps, I found I had still
fifty to go up, and then I must climb from branch to branch, with
some hazard of my neck. I thought it therefore the best way to come
down again.

WE arrived the next day at Constantinople; but I can yet tell you
very little of it, all my time having been taken up with receiving
visits, which are, at least, a very good entertainment to the eyes,
the young women being all beauties, and their beauty highly improved
by the high taste of their dress. Our palace is in Pera, which is no
more a suburb of Constantinople, than Westminster is a suburb to
London. All the ambassadors are lodged very near each other. One
part of our house shews us the port, the city, and the seraglio, and
the distant hills of Asia; perhaps, all together, the most beautiful
prospect in the world.

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