TURKEY IN EUROPE. 59£ 



about nine millions of inhabitants ; Turkey in Asia, ten millions j 

 and Egypt, if that country may still be considered as a part of the 

 Turkish empire, about two millions and a half: so that the whole 

 number of the subjects of the Ottoman sultan, is little more than, 

 twenty millions 



National character, manners, cusTOMs...The Turks are gene- 

 rally well made and robust men : in youth, their complexions are fair, 

 and their faces handsome : their hair and eyes are black, or dark 

 brown. The women, when young are commonly handsome, but they 

 generally look old at thirty. In their demeanour, the Turks are 

 rather hypochondriac, grave, sedate, and passive ; but when agitated 

 by passion, furious, raging, ungovernable ; big with dissimulation, jea- 

 lous, suspicious, and vindictive beyond conception : in matters of reli- 

 gion, tenacious, superstitious, and morose. Though the generality 

 seem hardly capable of much benevolence, or even humanity, with 

 regard to Jews, Christians, or any who differ from them in religious 

 matters, yet they are far from being devoid of social affections for 

 those of their own religion. But intei'est is there supreme god; 

 and when that comes in competition, all ties of religion, consan- 

 guinity, or friendship, are with the generality, speedily dissolved. 

 The morals of the Asiatic Turks are far preferable to those of the 

 European. They are hospitable to strangers, and the vices of avarice 

 and inhumanity reign chiefly among their great men. They are like- 

 wise said to be charitable to one another, and punctual in their deal- 

 ings. Their charity and public spirit is most conspicuous in their 

 building caravanseras, or places of entertainment, on roads that are 

 destitute of accommodations, for the refreshment of poor pilgrims or 

 travellers. With the same laudable view they search out the best 

 springs, and dig wells, which in those countries are a luxury to weary 

 travellers. The Turks sit cross-legged upon mats, not only at their 

 meals, but in company. Their ideas are simple and confined, seldom 

 reaching beyond the walls of their own houses, where they sit con- 

 versing with their women, drinking coffee, smoking tobacco, or chew- 

 ing opium. They have little curiosity to be informed of the state of 

 their own, or any other country. If a vizier, pasha, or other officer, 

 be turned out, or strangled, they say no more on the occasion than 

 that there will be a new vizier or governor, seldom inquiring into 

 the reason of the disgrace of the former minister. They are perfect 

 strangers to wit and agreeable conversation. They have few printed 

 books, and seldom read any other than the Koran, and the comments 

 upon it. Nothing is negotiated in Turkey without presents, and here 

 justice may commonly be bought and sold. 



The Turks dine about eleven o'clock in the forenoon, and sup at 

 five in the winter, and six in the summer, and this is their principal 

 meal. Among the great people, their dishes are served up one by 

 one; but they have neither knife nor fork, and they are not permit- 

 ted by their religion to use gold or silver spoons. Their victuals 

 are always highly seasoned. Rice is the common food of the lower 

 sort, and sometimes it is boiled up with gravy ; but their chief dish 

 is pilau, which is mutton and fowl boiled to rags ; and the rice being 

 boiled quite dry, the soup is high seasoned, and poured upon it. They 

 drink water, sherbet, and coffee ; and the only debauch they know is 

 in opium, which gives them sensations resembling those of intoxica- 

 tion. Guests of high rank sometimes have their beards perfumed by 

 a female slave of the family. They are temperate and sober from a 



