660 
the light by means of windows, pierced* 
through the upper part of the edifice, 
On both sides are to be met with rows of 
shops, some dug as it were out of the 
walls, while others project beyond it, 
Four immense streets, all similar to one 
another, are distinguished, by the solidity 
of their edifices, as well as by. the rich- 
ness of the merchandize displayed there. 
These are crossed in every direction, by 
2 number of alleys, in which the shops 
are uncovered. 
What brings a great concourse of peo- 
ple into the Bazaz, 1s the consideration, 
that there they will find shelter from the 
heat, as the passenger can always walk in 
the shade. In short, it is of itself a little 
universe, where traffic, under every pos- 
sible form, animates all hands, and all 
heads. Let us enter this sphere of hu- 
man activity—one is instantly stunned 
with the confused noise, and nearly sti- 
fled by the exhausting heat, occasioned 
by the crowd. To the right and left, 
those who seil invite customers; they 
ehaffer, bargain, exchange commodities— 
one sentiment alone, that of sordid ava- 
rice, animates every feature, and agitates 
every limb. 
To what a multitude of temptations are 
the passengers subjected! there is not a 
single natural or factitious passion which 
may not be gratified; not a taste, or a ca- 
price, which cannot be satisfied. Every 
thing that the imagination of the Orien- 
tals has invented: to vary or multiply en- 
joyments, to awaken desires, to convert 
life into an enchanting and perpetual 
dream, is to be found assembled under 
these innumerable arcades. In short, the 
Bazar is to the eastern nations, what the 
theatres seem to be for the great capitals 
of Europe. It is a very lively pleasure, 
the repetition of which never produces 
satiety, while one of the enjoyments 
which they promise in their paradise is 
the spectacle of a Bazar, still more mag- 
niicent than any that is to be found on 
the face of the earth. 
, Througbout the whole of the East, the 
-shops which contain the merchandizes of 
the same species, are all ranged by the 
side of each other, and consequently 
there are whole streets consecrated to the 
same branch of industry. Those of 
the jewellers, for instance, present a 
dsplay of riches; valued at several mil- 
hons of livres. Here are rubies, eme- 
ralds, topazes—the eye is dazzled with so 
much magnificence, the stranger .sup- 
poses himself suddenly transferred to a 
palace of fairies! Here are suspended 
Retrospect of French Literature—Miscellanies, 
rings of an immense price, ear-rings, 
bracelets, which vie with each other in 
point of elegance—there are girdles, caf= 
tans, turbans, feathers, head-dresses, alk 
strewed over with precious stones—a lit- 
tle further on, you behold sabres, pistols, 
bridles, and harness, ornamented with dia- 
monds, 
The quarter occupied by the goldsmiths 
is no less calculated to gratify the imagi« 
Nation; and one cannot too much admire 
the excellency of the eastern nations in 
this elegant branch of human. industry. 
If the Europeans surpass them in the art 
of polishing, and setting diamonds, ‘the 
others equal them,at least,in respect to the 
precious metals. Their trinkets are in- 
deed all formed according to the eastern 
taste, but the delicacy of the ornaments, 
the perfection of their carving, the nice- 
ness of their finishing, the elegant pat~ 
terns of their figure-works, are-well cal- 
culated to confer pleasure, _ One is asto- 
nished, above all, at the prodigious quan- 
tity of arms, adorned with both gold and 
silver, which seem sufficient for the mili- 
tary accoutrements of whole battalions, 
and squadrons of guards, destined to 
escort all the courts of Europe; at the 
prodigious heaps of the indestructible 
blades from Damascus and Cairo, and of 
the master-pieces, hoth im steel and 
bronze, varied as it were to infinity, in 
their forms and objects. 
A neighbouring alley presents another 
kind of spectacle. There you wiil be- 
hold a long line of counters, where the 
monies appertaining to every portion of 
the commercial world, are changed: this 
is the grand resort of the Armenians and 
Greeks, who are chiefly engaged in that 
species of traflic. As the necessary mea 
sures are taken to guard against both 
thieves and fire, immense sums are 
heaped up here; and even the most opu- 
lent Turks deposit their money in. ses 
curity, under the protection of these 
bankers, 
In another portion of the Bazar, are 
displayed under vast colonnades, the 
most precious cloths and tissues, both of 
Asia, and of Europe. Here are also to 
Le found, the gold and silver stuffs of 
Aleppo, and Cairo; together with the 
shawls of Persia and Hindostan, em- 
broidered with pearls and silk; the bro- 
cades of Lyons, the muslins of England, 
the fine cotton cloaks of Tunis, the li- 
nens of Holland, the damask of Venice, 
the velvetsot Europe,the tapestry of Egypt 
and of Mesopotamia, the gold and silver 
lace of Provence, the woollens of Angora, 
together 
