TO THE BISHOP OF LINCOLN. 



161 



nication came, was a man in every respect so weak and ignorant, that 

 no literary information could possibly be hoped for through such a 

 channel. A few days ago he was displaced, and Chelebi Effendi, 

 without dispute the most intelligent as well as the most enlightened 

 man in the empire, appointed in his room. If the business, there- 

 fore, be at all practicable, this is the moment for accomplishing it ; and 

 Lord Elgin promises me that he will seriously set about bringing 

 the matter to a conclusion without delay, being confident from Chelebi 

 Effendi's character, that that Minister is both properly acquainted 

 with every circumstance respecting such a library if it exists ; and 

 that he will have the candour to say fairly whether it be or be not 

 possible to gain admittance into it. Your Lordship will suppose that 

 I have not been deficient in making all the inquiries in my power in 

 order to discover whatever I could relative to this mysterious library. 

 It is impossible to conceive any thing more vague and various than 

 the information I received. The cause of this contrariety of opinion, 

 however, I imagine to be founded on mistake. That there does exist 

 a library in the Seraglio is certain ; but from all I can gather, this is 

 only of modern formation, and consists merely of Oriental books. 

 Lito it I have little doubt of being admitted ; but whether there be 

 any older collection of MSS. in the Seraglio is a different question. I 

 have been informed by this very Chelebi Effendi's secretary (a person 

 of considerable literature), that " he himself, with five others, were 

 employed a few years ago in searching for some ancient records which 

 were deposited in the Seraglio ; they were introduced every day by 

 the eunuchs of the palace, and they continued their search for six 

 months, during all which time, though they turned over most of the 

 papers belonging to the empire, they did not meet with any thing 

 like a Greek or Latin MS." On the other hand there undoubtedly 

 exists a building near St. Sophia, that is now closed up, and that, 

 according to tradition, has been closed up ever since the con- 

 quest. Here, report says, the arms and many other things be- 

 longing to the Greek Emperors are still preserved ; and here, if any 

 where, I should hope to find the remains of their library. However, 

 my Lord, I trust the question will soon be at issue, and we shall know 



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