The Sun.
London, England, 1836-06-30 00:00:00

thousand ducats, and it consequently glitters with a per-
fect refulgence of gold and silver. The mantle, composed
simply of light black woollen stuff, is somewhat less valuable
than the silver chest wherein it is preserved, which- weighs
no less than seventy-eight thousand drachms—we cannot
long doubt which would be the curiosity most esteemed by
a Christian, were the choice left to him. Some learned
enquirers maintain, that these Mahomedan relics were ori-
ginally Christian, and that the mantle of the prophet had
previously been the raiment of the Virgin Mary ; the flag,
identically the same which Constantine received direct from
heaven with these words upon it By this sign wilt thou
conquer ;' whereas, the inscription now is Allah it Allah,
u Mahomet, resul illah,' (God is God, and Mahomet his
Prophet) ; whilst with the staff of Mahomet, Moses is af-
firmed to have already performed his miracles in the desert.
I leave to the reader to credit as much of those things as
he pleases.
" I shall not speak in detail of the building Chasner,
which lies also in this court, and contains in four vaults,
the private treasures of the Sultan, for in these miserable
times it would but excite envious feelings.
"To the right and left of the Gates of Bliss,'
are the dwellings of the two chiefs of black and white
eunuchs, the first of whom is called the Aga of the
House, the other the Aga of the Gate of Bliss, which
name sounds somewhat ironically with reference to its bearer.
With more truth, the harem itself is denominated, Dari
seadet,' (the House of Delight). Of Christians, physicians
alone have penetrated thus far, and satisfied have they re-
turned, only indeed with regard to their purses ; the Sultan
on that•point not allowing himself to be called a niggard.
This (Dari seadet), forms the winter dwelling of • the
women, for in spring and autumn they occupy another
building in the vicinity, and dose to the sea side, (Top
Kapu, or Cannon-gate). The court gardkner, (an Aus-
trian), has procured the introduction of several Europeans
into the Top Kapu, and thus afforded them an opportunity
of inspecting the building—but this only during the winter
or summer months, consequently, not at a time when the
true flowers of the harem were blooming there in all
their loveliness.

" Close to this latter edifice, is the Eriwan-kiosk, the
highest in Constantinople, which the traveller views with
eager eyes, but at a respectful distance, whilst he himself
is being scrutinised by the beautiful peepers of the women
who arc inhabitants of it. It is a pity that no telescope
has yet been invented, with which one could look from
Pera through the thick blinds, into the sanctuary of this
kiosk. Attached to this new portion of the Seraglio, and
lying next the sea, are the small apartments, on the ground
floor, of the Sultaness Walidi (Sultaness mother), built by
Mahomet the First.

In an upper story of the palace is the saloon of the
throne, for the reception of company, with the suite of
state apartments belonging to the Sultan, and the
new marble kiosk. We will here give a full
description of the saloon of visitors, which is di.
vided in the middle by steps and a golden balustrade,
reaching from the floor to the ceiling, and thus separating
the hall into a superior and an inferior portion. In the
lower one beautiful slaves go through their various dances,
which the Sultan views from the upper part, where perhaps
he occasionally conceals himself with some favourite be-
hind the curtains of the lattice. Besides this, the whole
of the apartment is lined with mirrors which reflect in every
direction the elegant forms and movements of the dancers.
Perhaps these dances could not be adopted in the ballet of
European theatres—although we have seen, at Paris and
Berlin, in the Revolt of the Harem,' female dancers
splashing in real water, and clothed in flesh-coloured elastic
dresses, presenting the very semblance of unsophisticated
nature. _ _ _

" The marble kiosk, resting upon twelve pillars of beau-
tiful green marble, exhibits itself in all its magnificence when
viewed from the sea ; from its interior, which is decorated
with the most costly furniture, it commands a grand view
of that terrestrial paradise—the shores of the Bosphorus.
" The internal arrangements of the harem comprise a
saloon three hundred feet long and forty-five feet broad,
longitudinally divided by variegated partitions in which the
women keep the articles of their toilete. There are sofas
placed between the windows, in each division of the saloon,
on which the favourite slaves of the Sultan, who become so
from their beauty alone, repose. The whole resembles a
kind of female barrack, the inmates of which are three
hundred and sixty-five lovely women ; and for the accommo-
dation of such a number the sofas are adapted.
" The interior space of this part of the Seraglio, which is
enclosed by buildings, is planted with cypresses, and tulip
and hyacinth beds, whence it is distinguished into the Cy-
press, Tulip, and Hyacinth gardens. The second is orna-
mented with terraces, and has in its centre a basin of water,
surrounded by marble balustrades. Here the feast of
tulips is celebrated, which consists of the dances and gam-
bols of beautiful Odalik slaves, who as they glide through
the mazes of flowers, must render the scene truly en-
chanting. The usual abode of the Sultan is contiguous to
the garden of hyacinths, in the anterior apartment of which
there is a collection of valuable articles of vertu. In theprin-
cipal state apartment, (the walls of which are covered with
golden arras, studded with brilliants), three golden cages
hang from the ceiling, and in which artificial singing-birds
arc placed ; and in the centre is a very large tandour (stove)
richly gilt and surrounded by costly divans. Over the door
leading to the baths, is the following inscription, which af-
fords some testimony of the religious feeling of the Turks
In God alone is my confidence ;
He only preservoz me in my doings.
" Amongst the numerous objects of attraction, there is
another garden besides those already described, which des-
cends by terraces and steps to the sea. Here also are
sparkling fountains and kiosks ; from one of the latter (a
beautiful round building, decorated without and within in
othveer
mostah tastefulsea
aand l
manner)and.” an extensive view is enjoyed

We may observe in conclusion, that ,these volumes
are embellished with portraits of the Emperor Nicholas
and the Sultan Molimoud.

The author -or Op well-known Marsellaise, M.
Roget de ]'lsle, died at Choisple-Roi, on the 26th inst., at
the age of 76.

Some days ago, as the attendants were shout to
place in the coffin the body of the wife of a physician of the
town of Chamand, in Centel, who was supposed to have died
the day before, the assistants fancied that the body was still
warm, and even that it moved. It was, in fact, ascertained
that the vital spark was not extinct ; and the room was about
to be cleared, when the sister and servant of the doctor were
both suddenly struck dead by lightning, which injured several
other persons present, and set fire to the upper part of the
house. The flames were soon extinguished. The shock also
destroyed the feeble hope that had been entertained of re-
storing the physician's wife, and on the following day three
corpses were carried to the cemetery instead of one.—Galig..
nani's Messenger.

Ji aDELLioN RUFFIANS.--Wn address ourselves
to as patriotio at body of men as exist—the liberal attorneys—
men who are for practical works of benefit, not for holiday
speeches. You have the long vacation before you—muzzle
the house-breakers—bring thenu into the King's Bench before
the first day of next Term, and we shall have it then and there
solemnly deeidod whether it be law, that any " Ruffian," with
pistol and sledge, may break into people's houses, at night
too, into the bed-chamheri of females even, and exhibit there
his drunken brutality. That the King's Bench will dovide
that he has not, we have no more doubt than we have of the
existence of the sun's light. But, if necessary, the House of
Lords shall settle the question—this we say solemnly and ad-
visedly. What is sauce for the goose shall be sauce for the
gander; and if it be declared lawful to •break Padd3's door, it
shall be equally lawful to smash John Bull's. filo, no more at
present.—Dublin Evening Post.

The Rev. J. Magee, Qon of the late Archbishop
of Dublin, sent two of his friends (bailiffs) into the Sienna
convent, in Drogheda, lately established for the education of
young ladies, to seize some of the furniture for ininisten:
money. A petition has bea sent to Mr. S. Crawford on the
subject.—Freeman.—[The son of Archbishop Magee is a
" Church Reformer" of the genuine old stock, and most
laudably adopts the example of those men of pious memory,
who rejected all the errors of the Popish Church, whilst they
plundered all her property, even that portion which had been
devoted to the sustenance of the poor.]
COUNTY .I3UBLIN MEETING.—Several influen-
tial friends of reform have requested us to state their anxiety
that the meeting to be held this day ( Monday) at Kilmainham,
may be adjourned to a future one, the notice being too short.
—Register.

OLD SERVANTS.---M the late meeting of the
Stinchar Society prizes were offered to servants who could exhibit
testimonials of the longest periods of service in any one mas-
ter's employ. It was a condition attached, that the servant
should not for a single term have left his place. To wet
the advertisement, a female appeafed before the committee,
bearing a certificate from Captain Kennedy of 3ennan, for
thirty years continued service with himself, and forty years
with his father, grand-unele, and great-grandfather, at his
place of Finnart. The certificate also bore that this aged fe-
male, who is now in he 87th year, wag Lova at Finnan, that
she never, even for a moment, had changed her place of re-
sidence, and that she never, until the day of the show, had
been farther from home thaw to Colmonell on the one side,
and Stranraer on the other,,that her wither and her grand.
father had both also beep kn the service of pitptEo k:nnnedy's
family, and that her great giandfather ;Ind great-great-grand-
Gahor had been both tenants of the fg.np of High No* of
Glenap.:-.d)ttnifries courier.
SUPPOSED Witgv!c.—Last week it was repoytea
that the Ceres, of Memel, lad•:n with a valuable cargo of tim-
ber, had got on the sand-bank in the Solway which takes the
name a Dumroof, and ran the greatest risk of sustaining
severe damage from the state of the wind and tide, which on
Thursday and .Friday hist were raging and roaring with a de-
gree of fury which is very unusual in the middle of summer.
On enquiry, however, we were glad to learn that the Ceres,
when supp_sid to be embayed, not by ice, but what is equally
bad, masses of sand, was merely riding at anchor.—Dumfries
Courier,