4.50 
reception was always polite and 
dignified. There was evidently 
more form intended, when many 
persons were present, and his 
manner became more easy and 
familiar when we were alone. 
The most frequent topics intro- 
duced by the Vizier in conversa- 
tion, were those relating to general 
politics ; and in theseit wasevident 
that he was more interested than 
in any other. The conversation 
was usually carried on by question 
andreply; and hisinquiries, though 
often shewing the characteristic 
ignorance of the Turks in matters 
of common knowledge, yet often 
also were pertineot and well con- 
ceived, and made up by acuteness 
what they wanted of instruction. 
Some of these questions which I 
noted down may serve as speci- 
mens of their usual style. We 
were talking about England. He 
inquired the population of the 
country; and whether I thought 
it as populous as those parts of Al- 
bania I had seen? The answer to 
this question led him to describe 
briefly the northern parts of Al- 
bania, as being much better inha- 
bited than those to the south of 
Toannina. He then pursued the 
former subject; asked what was 
thesize and population of London; 
and expressed surprise when in- 
formed of its magnitude. He en- 
quired the number of our ships of 
war ; the comparison of their size 
with the frigates he had seen on 
his coast ; and where they were all 
employed. 
He asked the distance of Ame- 
rica from England and France ; 
its extent; and to whom it be- 
jonged. He asked respecting its 
population and the longevity of 
its inhabitants, and dwelt espe- 
ANNUAL REGISTER, 
1815 
cially on the latter point, to which 
I observed him always to attach a 
peculiar interest. He remarked, 
that he had heard that the Indians 
and Chinese live to a great age, 
and asked whether I knew this to 
be the case, or was acquainted with 
any particular means they used 
for the purpose. Seeing him in- 
clined to follow this topic, I stated 
the remarkable instances of lon- 
gevity in our own countrymen, 
Parr and Jenkins; at which he 
expressed surprize, and much de- 
sired to know if there were any 
means in nature by which this end 
might be obtained. It was evi- 
dent, that in this question he had 
reference to himself; and I took 
the opportunity of enforcing upon 
him some of the medical advice I 
had before given. He gave assent 
to what I said; but at the same 
time pursued the question, whether 
there were not some more direct 
means of procuring long life. I 
mentioned to him generally the 
attempts that had been made some 
centuries ago, to discover the 
Elixir Vite; and stated that this 
was a project which had now been 
abandoned byall men of reflection. 
Alluding accidentally, at the same 
time, to the search after the phi- 
losopher’s stone, he eagerly fol- 
lowed this subject, and wished to 
know whether there were not 
some secret methods of discover- 
ing gold, which gave their pos- 
sessor the power of procuring any 
amount of this metal. There was 
a strong and significant interest in 
his manner of asking this question 
which greatly struck me; and it 
was accompanied by a look to- 
ward myself, seeming to search 
into the truth of my reply. Ian- 
swered, of course, that there were 
