The Sun.
London, England, 1821-05-25 00:00:00

FOREIGN LITERATURE.

. XXIII.)
A GENERAL VIEW(No of the OTTOMAN EMPIRE, by
the late M. de M. D'Cliessont. Vol. 111. folio ; edited by
M. C. D'Oussosr, Soh of the Author.
There are few Works of equal magnitude, and
so well executed, that have suffered such a long interruption as
the present. The first two volumes appeared at Paris in 1787
and 1780 ; but the French Revolution, which took place imme-
diately afterwards, put a stop not simply to the publication,
but also to the composition of the succeeding parts. Though
the merit of the former volumes was acknowledged by all the
best judges, yet the frightful evils which arose out of the new
order of things in France, necessarily prevented this fine work
from being read and esteemed according to its deserts. What-
ever some people may think, the reign of the sabre and pike is
not that of the Muses' and it must have been after a thorough
conviction of this fact, that Virgil wrote the following lines :
Carmine tantum
Nostra valent, Lycida, tele inter martin, quantum
Chaonias dicunt, squill veniente, columbas. -
During the French Revolution, M. D'Onssose resided at
Constantinople, his birth-place, where he arranged the mate-
rials for the completion of his work ; and in 1807 he returned
to Path with the intention of publishing the third volume,
When the hand of death snatched him from the world of let-
ters, and occasioned a more decisive and unfortunate inter-
ruption. His family thought it a duty incumbent on them to
fulfil his intentions, and accordingly published this third and
lastrolume, which forms the subject of the present article.
The first two volumes treated of the religion and manners of
the Ottomans. This subject, expressed by the phrase " Re-
ligious Code," does not seem to possess materials sufficient to
°Lcc tiny so much space; but in proportion as we advance in
tuts career, its interest increases, and the peculiarities which are
unfolded become almost inexhaustible. We eanay laugh as
Much as'we please at the Turks, whom we represent as Bar-
barians sunken in the most deplorable ignorancee but if, instead
of despising without knowing them, our pride would comics-
cendao study their character, we should soon he convinced of
our error and be forced to acknowledge that the Ottomans,
taken an in all, are not as a people very inferior to other na-
tions; that they are, in many respects, more praise-worthy than
%erne who have a very high opinion of their own superiority ;
and that, in more than one instance, these barbarians may give
its very good lessons in wisdom.
The portion of this work just published deserves the particu-
lar attention of all studious men, statesmen, lawyers, and phi-
losophers. This remark may possibly excite the laughter of
our wits, who perhaps imagine the advice I give of seeking in-
anaong the Turks as the very quintessence of absur-
dity but let them read the history of this people instead of
writing epigrams, let them compare it with that of other na-
tions, end then ask themselves whether the high elevation to
which the Ottoman Empire has been raised, the great renown
it has acquired; and which still maintains it, after the lapseof
..e.le:en centuries, in a more respectable situation than ie gene-
supposed, can be the work of chance alone ?
Let us not forget 'that in the sixteenth century it made all
Europe tremble n that in the seventeenth, it contended in arms
ag.sinst the best European troops without losing an inch of ter-
tt°rY; and that in the eighteenth, after having humbled one
Of our most powerful Empires, it proved, even by its reverses,
that it was not an easy conquest.
The original plan of the Chevalier d'Ortssofe was more ex-
tensive than that which death permitted him to carry into exe-
cution. He intended to 'add the Ottoman history to the general
view of the. Empire. It is no doubt to be regretted that so able
raa.n and one who had the means of deriving his information
• `min the best sources, should itot have lived long enough to ac,
c(lnllgish his design ; but this loss is notin fact of such serious con-
bce as the non-completion of his General View would have
ecause the history Odle Ottoman Empire has been writ-
Rentseveral persons, whereas the View presented by the pre-
Author has only been correctly and completely furnished
by him.
The third and last volume, which now concludes the work
after thirty-two years' interruption, is divided into five parts ;
c'elnPrising the Political Code, the Military Code, the l
Code, the Judiciary Code, and a Collection of eighty-four En-
/P.arings, which, added to one hundred and thirty-seven in the
hrst two volumes, form a total of two hundred and thirtyeone ;
here are besides two more, because two of the plates are double.
It may appear singular that I should have considered the en-
gravings as one part of the work, but a little reflection will con-
vince us that in a work of this nature, faithful delineations are,
of great Assistance to the text, and bring before us what must
otherwise be left to the imagination. If I had enumerated here
the nomenclature of hie capoudji of every rank, of the aschdji,
the bOStandjitthe khosseki, the agas, eunuchs and mutes; if I
bathso the entranc gate ei' the Seraglio, of the ulan's
of the exercise ofe the tomac and the eljiria;S oft the
presentation to the Sultan of the great officers of the
army :and navy, or of the Foreign Ambassadors, of an
audience or a dinner given by the Grand Vizier to an Euro-
ean Minister, of the interior of a Court of Justice ; if
k-'lad cited every denomination of Pacha, or declined all' the
ends of the Turkish soldiery, and passed in review all the
self Officers would the reader have been able to figure to him-
roointilesns Officers,
• ri t of costumes the pomp of all the ceie-
amazing y .
the the elegance of the different exercises or games, and
eedsPiendour of the solemnities, if the engraver had not viyi-
f Itt some measure the descriptions of the author, and given
°rlll to fugitive images ? A .single inspection of these en-
'ravingsre is sufficient to prove, that so great a variety of cos-
:get. so much luxury and elegance, cannot relate to a yeople
a aete strangers to' the arts and civilization. The retinue of
acua, Governor' of a Province, depicted in the 183rd plate,
tme imagine that I, was present at the pomp of Ptolemy
of adelphus, of whom the ancient Authors speak m Such terms
4dmiration. We must not therefore say, according to the
„ibillary phrase, that the work of M. d'O ifsso et is oRNAMENT-
.erid EsznicetED with engravings ; but that it is explained
et, Terified by plates (Arming correct, characteristic, and agree-
uneees
%The -I'inju..ry which such a long interruption may occasion to
INTIUCCeSS of this book, is in some measure compensated by its
qiulication atthe present moment, than which a more favour-
oPportunity• could not have been chosen. The political
aSV°II of the Ottoman Empire is black with clouds ; and we
e. ourselves, for the twentieth time, whether the Divan can
V11)0 the fresh tempest that threatens the destruction of Eu-
tZean Islamism ? There is no 'Holy.Alliance for the Turk,
hie the real or imaginary dangers with which the Sultan is
' eitill3t.teed are favourable or serve as a pretext to the seditious
teatittion of the Paellas, who have not the judgment to perceive
et!le lumbers of the political body must cease to exist, if
tivilead is destroyed. Besides, when a country is.a prey to
.1
nusorders or foreign war, the attention of every other na-
nob Is attracted towards it ;. we wish to. obtain some informa-
tory retPecting the unhappy country we. wish to read its his-
d„'"reatiel the least particulars concerning it acquire. an increased.
aple'ece of interest. All the reports in circulation re-
Ana Ir:g Moldavia, Walachia, the Archipelago, Candia,
I.4.Eft the Epirus, give . an additional value to the (Ix-
rneekte VIEW OF THE OTTOMAN EMPIRE. Some
folarneSir.ten %%VC.
always predict a violent catastrophe to commo-
will be anxious to examine the colossus be-
by a overturned ; they cannot-attain that object better than
r u salof the Work of M. d'OuSsolq,
10114 Pe'litical Code of the Ottomans is not voluminous ; ab-
'the ei'Power admits of no discussion • it says, I.will and order.,
glen, :!ntl.of the Sultan is a 'in ail matters concerning. raj-
enstice, and government
of otrert4inte the different Codes.wich constitute the system
notzs oinen
egislation, we shall occasionally meet with souse
anlite% explanations, and motives which. may' excite a
by their simplicity and ingenuousness. For instance, in
nt, un'ttS,l,lllling the UNITY OF POWER AND INDIVISIBILITY OF
ho,11;' •Mnr, the Leislator makes use of this maxim of Ma-
u; " that A SCADnARD CANNOT 'HOLD TWO SABRES."
lent may laugh if we please at the comparison, but two excel-
tee,./Inteiples are thereb established, and the,formula is con-
tpn-1 jet with their religions indeed the maxims of the Conan are
Tris of all justice among the Turks.
we military Code is not marked by that barbarity which
wad
Its"illiberally to all that differs from our
.prejudices
It is 'We find in it these two remarkable injuuctions.:
up„,.._ Prohibited to commit any acts of cruelty against prnn
iniZerslror to mutilate them." " All breaches of word or pro-1
c hereall prohibited." It remarkable there is no
Nedonetrii of oaths ; it is enough that the word should be
make it inviolate. How many Christians in this en-
linhteng t°
04 , age have them' less respect for the sanctity of an
.n_ae It will no doubt be within the recollection of my readers,
et the battle of Varna, fought by Ladislaus after the
r'fstion of a treaty, Amurath 11., seeing his troops give way,
war head
towards Heaven the compact in violation of which the
.been renewed, and exclaimed : " Jesus, this is the
ttititeinat:,adwhich the Christians have sworn to observe e. in thy. Holy
restorer
the
thy injury and mine !" 'This' fine movement
victory. e courage of the Turks, and_they obtained a splendid
If there i
7ect in .s yet any person who entertains a doubt of the re-
, which our Saviour is held by 1
Penal Code ought. comp t tel Turks, this article of
• utters Iphem. completely to satisfy him : " 'Whoever
vine book; whoeverdi-
ofenies the divine mission of Mosos or tl:at
Jesus Ch •
, net, shall suffer death without remission or delay.'..'
Their Civil Code is remarkable for a profound veneration for
Jnstice, and for
the pains taken to prevent, as much as is prac-
ticable b human wisdom, dissentions
-between the subjects of
the Et, y
pire and among families. Their Judicial Code is less
loomed thati our's, but it is more simple; and since its basis is

founded 'on religixs it commands our respect, timigit it tai
,not satisfy our reason.
This work is too extensive, and filled with too many details
to enable me to give a complete idea of it, if even I were to
devote several articles to that purpose. It is worthy a place in
our best libraries : it presents new matter to many persons, in-
structive to all; and if we were to strip it of what constitutes its
real merit, it still affords, by its numerous engravings, an ample
fund 'of amusement to the curious. Z.

CRIMINAL LAW.

MAJORITY AND MINORITY

ON SIR t. MACKINTOSU'S AOTION FOR AN ALTERATION IN TILE CRI.

NINA L LAW.—MAY 24.
MAJORITY.
Allen, J. H. Duncannon, Visct. O'Callaghan, J.
Altwood, M. Dateton, G. Ord, W.
Acland, Sir T. Deerhurst, Visct. Palmer, C. F.
Baring, Sir T. Dowdeswell, Ed. Phillimore, Dr.
Baring, Alex. Ellis, Hon. G. W. A. Parnell, Sir H.
Barnard, Visct. Ellice, Ed. Phillips, G. jun.
Barrett, S. M. , Fitzroy, Price, R.
Becher, W. W. Folkestone, Lord Pryse, Pryse
Bennet, Hon. H. G. Frankland, ltobt. Ramsdell, J. C.
Benett, John Gladstone, John ' Ricardo, David
Ilenyon, .Benj. Gordon, It. Rowley, Sir W.
Birch, Jos. Graham, Sandford Rumbold, C.
Brougham Henry Grenfell, P. ' Russell, Lord W.
Bury, Viscount Griffiths, .1. W. Russell, Lord J.
Byng, Geo. Gurney, It. H. Rice, J. S.
Belgrave, Visct. Harbord, Hon. E. Stopford, Lord
Bentinck, Lord W. Hobhouse, J. C. Smith, J. '
Blake, Sir F. Hornby, Ed. Smith, Wm.
Bent, ' Hum.e, Jos. ' Smith, R.
Baillie, S. Hutchinson,Hon.C. Scarlett, J.
Calverr, C. Handley, IL Stanley, Lord
Calvert, Nic. Johnson, Colonel Tennyson, C.
Chaloner,•Robt. Jervoisi, G. P. Tulk, C. A.
Calcraft, John Lester, B. L. Tierney,lit.Hon.G.
Carter, J. Lennard, T. B. , Vernon, George
"Cavendish, 11. Lawley, F. Wells,John
Cavendish, C. Langstone, J. H. Ward, Hon. J. W.
Clifton; Visc. Macdonald, Jas. " Wilmot, It.
Clifford, Capt. ' Money, W. T. Wilberforce, W.
Colburne, N. R. Mackintosh, Sir J. Whitmore, W. W.
Concannon; L. Musgrave, Sir P. 'Wynn, Sir. W. W.
Cooper, R. B. Martin, John Wynn, C. W. W.
Cripps, Jos. Martin, Richd. Webbe. Ed.
Caithorpe, lion. F. Milhank, M. Western, C. C.
Courtenay, W. Milton, Visct. Whitbread, S. C.
Child, W. L. Monck, J. B. Williams, 'F. P.
Corbett, Panton Moore, Peter ' Williams, W.
Denison, W. J. Moore, A. Wilson, Sir It.
Denman, T. Nugent, Lord Wood, Matthew
TELLERS—T. F. Buxton and S. Lushington.
PAIRED OFF.
Anson, ' Hon. G. Heathcote G. J. Smith, S.
Bernal, R.. Bill, Lord A. Taylor, M. A.
Crespigny,SirW.De,. Moberly, John Tynte, C.
Creevey, Thos. Newman, R. W. Tavistock, Marq. of
Davies, T. H. POwlett, Hon. W. Wharton, John
Fergusson, Sir R.C. Robinson, Sir G. Wbitbread, W. H.
Guise, Sir W. Sefton, Earl of