Ottoman empire, which, though once the terror of the 

 world, is now (to borrow the words of Knolles) " labouring 

 with nothing more than with the weight of itself." 



" But, to the amazement of all," (says Dr. Clarke) " who 

 were well acquainted with the internal state of the Turkish 

 empire, it has still survived; and the most impotent of 

 human beings, cooped up with his eunuchs and his concu- 

 bines in a crazy old hut, at the mouth of the Thracian 

 Bosphorus, still exercises a nominal jurisdiction over many 

 millions of human beings, inhabiting the fairest and most 

 fertile portion of the earth." The cause of this perma- 

 nency is easily explained : Osman I. gave his name to his 

 people ; he not merely founded the dynasty he created the 

 nation. The word Turk among the Ottomans is a term of 

 contempt, synonymous with barbarian ; while they glory 

 in the name of Osmanli, as expressive of valour and polite- 

 ness. In Turkey there is no hereditary nobility ; all the 

 great officers and ministers of state are considered in law 

 as the slaves of the sultan ; thus all the prejudices of an 

 ignorant people in favour of antiquity, nobility, and power, 

 are concentrated in favour of the race of Osman. A few 

 families indeed have attained to hereditary rank ; three of 

 these who belong to the' Ulemas, have also succeeded in 

 confining to themselves the office of muphty; but this is 

 in a great measure the work of management and usurpa- 

 tion. The family of Ibrahim Khan, vizir of Mahomet II., 

 enjoys, it is said, like the Grand Signior, an exemption 

 from the bonds of marriage, and also the valuable privilege 

 of refusing to accept office : but still the splendour of the 

 family of Osman stands single in the eyes of the nation, 

 and the care to preserve that illustrious line has never been 

 more conspicuous than in the midst of revolutions. The 

 dynasty had nearly been extinguished however in 1808; at 

 the time when Mustapha was put to death, executioners 

 despatched by him were in search of Mahmoud, the present 

 emperor, who was discovered by his deliverers lying con- 

 cealed under some old tapestry. The preservation of his 

 life was a great triumph to the nation, as he was the only 

 surviving male of the family; and this circumstance, in all 

 probability, has saved his life in the recent troubles, and 



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