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Chap.il. Grand Seignor's Seraglio. 21 



than a Royal Palace, the Appartments, whereof it confifts, have not alfo that wealth 

 or plcafurc\ for which the Palaces of France and Italy are fo highly celebrated and 

 they offer not any thing which may long entertain the fight of a curious Perfon, ' All 

 that can make the Seraglio a plcafant place of abode, is, the advantage of its ikuation 

 and indeed a nobler cannot be imagin'd. For it looks towards the Eaft, and takes up 

 the upper part, and the defcent of a Hoping Hillock, from St. Sophia, quite to the 

 Channel. The Buildings are upon the molt eminent places, and have a profpect into 

 the Gardens, which run along the defcent, as alfo into the two Seas which meet at 

 the point of the Seraglio, whence the Grand Seignor may at the fame time fee Europe 

 and Afia, in both which parts of the World, his Territories are very great. But ne- 

 ver was any Prilbn thought a plcafant place, and there are few in the Seraglio, who 

 rather would live in a Hut, and have their liberty, than be continually conrin'd in a 

 Palace under fuch (cvere Difcipline. 



C H A P. I h 



Of the firft Court of the Seraglio, and parti- 

 cularly, of the Infirmary. 



The Principal Heads* 



The Regulations of the Infirmary of the Seraglio. 

 The difficulties of getting Wine into it. The fibril- 

 ty of fine people to be received into it, though they 

 are not fic^. An abominable "vice y common all 

 over the Eaft. The frnitkfs endeavours us y d to 

 chec\ the courfe of it. The facrilegious a&ion of 

 two Ichoglans. The Wood-files of the Seraglio. 

 The great advantages ofthofe mho have the charge 

 thereof The exercife of the Girit, The Grand 

 Seignor s Liberalities. The counterfeit Modefly of 

 the Grandees of the Port. 



♦ 



i 



OF the many Gates which give a Man entrance into the Seraglio, as Well 

 on the Sea-lide, as on the Land-lide, that towards S. Sophia is the greateft. 

 That is alwaies open, the others not being fo, but according to the Grand 

 Seignor's pleafure. You rirlt come to a great Portal, which has not any 

 tiling of magnificence, and where you only rind certain golden Lettcrs : and 

 about them Fcuillagesand Compartiments, according to the Arabian way of Painting* 

 That Gate is kept by Fifty Capigis, who have for their Armes, me Firelock, the Dart, 

 and the Cymitar, and gives you entrance into the firft Court of the Seraglio, which is 

 Four hundred paces in length, and a hundred in breadth, without any paving. 



D 2 On 



