r 102 ] 
polygamy is lawful. The apparent conclulion may 
feem natural, becaufe many of the Harems of the 
opulent, efpecially in the great cities, are numerous : 
but thefe are not compofed of the natives of thofe 
cities, but are brought from countries where ihe 
chriftian rites are obfervcd, in time of peace, from 
Georgia; and of war, from Hungary and Ruflia, 
fo that if more women are found in fuch families 
than men, they muft be looked upon as an extra- 
neous produdtion annually, or daily imported. 
I think I can aver, on good foundation, that we 
have not yet extant, an exadt genuine account of the 
cuftoms, manners, and practices, of thefe people, 
nor really of thefe countries. Thofe which i have 
read are extreme faulty, not to fay worfe, in many 
particulars, which have fallen under my own know- 
lege. What am I then to conclude, as to thofe that 
have not ? And how can a Tournefort, and many 
others I could name, in running over vaft tracks of 
' countries in two years, or lefs, fometimes by night, 
fometimes by day, with hafty caravans, give us a 
true hiftory? Even Ricaut’s, he, who dwelt fome 
years in thefe countries, is founded on very imper- 
fe<fl memoirs : what he fays of the interior of the 
feraglio is impoflible to be known ; and I find by 
fome original letters of his, from Hamburg, to a 
nephew he had, as fecretary to this embafiy, that 
he begged for fome notes of one Mr. Coke, formerly 
in that office, in order to continue his hifiory. Now, 
ii is evident, that ail fuch notes muft have been only 
the hearfay of the Chriftians of Pera, who neither 
have, nor ever had, knowlege or obfervation fuffi- 
cieut to be depended on j nor dare they venture to 
enter 
