to Louis XIV. Soliman Aga, chief of the mission, having 

 passed six months in the capital, and during his stay having 

 acquired the friendship of the Parisians by some traits of wit 

 and gallantry, several persons of distinction, chiefly women, 

 had the curiosity to visit him at his house. The manner in 

 which he received them not only inspired a wish to renew 

 the visit, "but induced others to follow their example. He 

 caused coffee to be served to his guests, according to the 

 custom of his country ; for since fashion had introduced the 

 custom of serving this beverage among the Turks, civility 

 demanded that it should be offered to visitors, as well as that 

 those should not decline partaking of it. If a Frenchman, 

 in a similar case, to please the ladies, had presented to them 

 this black and bitter liquor, he would be rendered for ever 

 ridiculous. But the beverage was served by a Turk a 

 gallant Turk and this was sufficient to give it inestimable 

 value. Besides, before the palate could judge, the eyes were 

 seduced by the display of elegance and neatness which ac- 

 companied it, by those brilliant porcelain cups into which it 

 was poured, by napkins with gold fringes, on which it was 

 served to the ladies ; add to this the furniture, the dresses, 

 and the foreign customs, the strangeness of addressing the 

 host through the interpreter, being seated on the ground, on 

 tiles, &c., and you will allow that there was more than enough 

 to turn the heads of French women. Leaving the hotel of 

 the ambassador with an enthusiasm easily imagined, they 

 hastened to their acquaintances, to speak of the coffee of 

 which they had partaken ; and Heaven only knows to what 

 a degree they were excited." 



The extravagant price of coffee, notwithstanding that the 

 fashion of drinking it was established, prevented it from 

 coming into general use. It was only to be had, according to 

 Le Grand, at Marseilles, and even there not in any quantity. 

 Labat, quoted by him, states that the price at this time was 



