The Sun.
London, England, 1841-11-10 00:00:00

THE MINISTRY.

If our readers derive no instruction from the
following account of the late change of the Bri-
tish Cabinet, addressed by a Turkish Effendi in
London, to a friend at Constantinople, they will
at least be amused by it. The writer is said to
he a poet and a man of letters; and, judging from
the following specimen of his style, an autobio-
graphical diary of his residence in England,
would make the fortune of a Londonbookseper:—
" London, sth Regieb.
•.
" On the second of the present moon, the pillars of
state (Ministers) and the illustrious by birth of the Eng-
lish nation were convoked by superior order to delibe•
rate upon certain State matters, and to lend the ear of
attention to a speech from the Queen of these realms,
uttered.through the mouth of a high functionary, deputed
to act as the trumpet of Majesty. This speech contained
excellent matter, and evinced exceeding solicitude for
the lionour and welfare of the people. But many of the
illustrious by birth, envying the holders of power, covet:.
ing the good things resulting therefrom, and having
many needy tribesmen claimants for Pachalics and other
well retributed offices, turned aside the cheek of content,
and displayed great impatience during the read-
ing. Out of deference, however, to Majesty, they
withheld the hand of opposition, and placed
the lock 'of discretion upon ;their lips, until the
echo of authority was silent. But when the principal
Vizir (Melboorn Mushir) proposed that he should be
empowered ,to return a dutiful and submissive acknow-
ledgment, up rose Ripoon Bey, an ex-Vizir (whose name
signifies luire' with us), and 70 or more souls, crying
out discourteous, yok, yok' (no, no). We have eaten
your filth long enough. You would fain give all our corn
to weavers an mechanics, that we may be reduced to
live on alms. That is a bad speech ! we can make a
better. You are subverters, faithless men. Go out,
go out!' _ _

" Thereupon the aforesaid Vizir displayed unbounded
astonishment. Finding, however, that numbers were
against him, and that the wand of authority was fast
gliding from his fingers, he exclaimed in doleful tones,
Oh illustrious by birth. This is a conduct not to be
found on record. Is the imperial will mere dirt in your
eyes ? But the sword of strength is in your hands.
Smite ! Alas ! reason in the brain of the hungry is as
a light skiff tossed amid troubled waters. Listen. I and
the other Vizirs, my colleagues, will only hold the rud-
der until it shall please our Sovereign Mistress, upon
whom be the blessings of increase, to appoint new steers-
men. We are your sacrifice,'
" Upon this arose an incredible confusion of tongues.
Some friends cried out, aferin, aferin, (bravo) dinky
(hear), and door' (stay); but their voices were drowned
by the outcries of opponents, who seditiously vociferated,
Away, away, you bray like donkeys mumbling tough
thistles. We will not listen to your rigmarole. We
place no more confidence in your words than in rotten
planks. Begone! the sooner the better. You arc spit
upon.' Thereat the illustrious by birth separated tu-
multuously.
" Intelligence of these unlooked-for occurrences having
been conveyed to the ear of Majesty, the royal brow was
clouded. But the Queen having pondered briefly, de-
spatched Tatars for Peel Bey, a man practised in state
matters, cunning in council, expert in speech, and chief
of a numerous sect called Toorees, or Preservers. To this
sect belong the whole' of the English Ullernah and ex-
pounders of sacred books, most of the illustrious by
birth, and a preponderance of people holding land by
descent, or places where nothing is done, much gained,
and more wanted (query sinecures)—not to mention"
the Seraskier (commander-in-chief), and many genera
and officers famous in battle by laud and sea—a for-
midable array.
" This sect is therefore very powerful, and has acquired
its second name from its adherence to ancient preju-
dices, its hoarding much corn in granaries, and its oppo-
sition to all innovations. One of its principal dogmas
consists in asserting that all benefits conferred by others
are grievous evils, and that all men aro the sons and
grandsons of asses who are not of their kin. This is not
accordant with reason, but it is advantageous to persons.
The Persian Suffites believe that all things are good,
since they proceed from the Almighty--the English
Preservers, when not in office, declare that all things are
bad, because they do not emanate from themselves. In
my small wisdom, this is intensely selfish and profane.
" Well, this Peel Bey having arrayed himself in the
garb of humility, and placed beneath his breast cover a
list of Vizirs and other functionaries, all eager for the
cup of enjoyment, hastily proceeded to the foot of the
throne, where, upon being commanded to assume power,
he dropped the eyelid of feigned reluctance, and replied
coyly, that he only consented to abandon the violet bed
of privacy, and to tread the thorny path of grandeur, in
order to prove his devotion to the Imperial
person, his
disinterested attachment to religion and corn, and his
ardent desire to save the vessel of State from being ship-
wrecked by unskilful mariners. Whereupon the Queen
said,. Peki (good), thy face is whitened,' and with sor-
rowful heart directed the nishans (insignia) of office to
be taken from the bosoms of ancient and well-loved ser-
vants, and to be suspended round the necks of the Pre-
servers.

"Thereat Peel Vizir, the illustrious by birth, and the
Ullernah, gave loose to the mirth of satisfaction, and the
dismissed Vivirs packed up their chattels and withdrew
into privacy, there to chew the cud of retrospection—a
sour repast.
" In the meanwhile, Peel Vizir exemplified one of ti e
tenets of the Preservers, by an act utterly discordant
with our notions of decency and submission to the
imp'-
rial will. Fearing lest the female intimates and all
to
su-
perior attendants of Majesty might brecciaintrigues
his disparagement, and pour the bitter
lo
eodfthaveerros)ioanl
into the Queen's ears, he (Peel Vizir) declared
harem to be harf (an enemy's countryh)e, and
,_
Ataabain
the principal Odaliks, attached to
shouldt be turned out
(ante-
chamber) and inward apartments,insisted that
tribes. of the illustrious by birth neck and crop, and replaced bthyaontdheortshebie.lportenrgvetros.the
waxed inwardly wrath,
" At this the beautiful Cirmil
certainan
bei
nusages,
Tino ne
ss v whiche!
this bold demand was
but having sworn to conform
Imperial.. Majesty smothered. the
nerating oaths, fuondedt,o
a, bitter potion.
and again said, -r
flame of just resentment beneath the mantle of endur-
ance,
melon-waisted, were driven
There-
upon the weeping Odaliks—some old—some young
some cypress-formed—someforth from the mansion of delight, and compelled to seek
shelter beneath other wings, and the harem, being sup-
plied with fresh inmates, was declared no longer harf.
Thus matters stand at present in this land.