The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1849-11-05

though less pictorial, and more dramatic, though
less poetical.
The Seraglio is no longer inaccessible to stran-
gers, and by aid of trnan, purchased at nigh
price from the government, have visited, with
small party of French and English, this far famed
palace Crossing the Golden Horn from the Suburb
Tophane we landed at the Gardeners gate, one of
the twenty eight entrances of Stamboul, and few
minutes walk brought us TO the Sublime Porte the
spacious unornamented archway from which the
Ottoman Empire first derived its name. Escorted
by couple of very consequential State constables,
we passed through into the outer court of the Sc
raglio large plain area surrounded by buildings
formerly used infirmaries for the sick and as
lodges for the menals of the palace. From this we
proceeded To the inner court, which was laid out in
verdat grass plots and ntersected with paved foot
ways. Around, arcades leading into various
offices and kitchens, and at the extremity the
justice hall, where the Grand Divan formerly held
Its sittings. Entering narrow vestibule, the gen
tlemen of the party were made To exchange their
boots for slippers, and we were ushered into that
confused mass OF building SO long the residence OF
the Ottoman Sultans We were conducted through
all the audience halls and saloons OF the palace and
the baths and private apartments OF the Harem.
Though many of the rooms were rich enough in
appearance, they presented little OF that extraord
nary spcndor with which travellers have been ac-
customed TO invest the unknown interior OF the Sc
raglio. The walls and ceilings generally were
wainscoted and gilt, in the Moorish STYLE and the
floors covered with elegant palm leaf mating.
The furniture was far less sumptuous than that !
have in other places, and there were no statues
or paintings Almost the only works OF art were a
few French engravings representing the battle
scenes Of Napoleon, and certain tablets nlaid with
gold and porcelain and diversified with flowers,
miniature landscapes, and inscriptions from the
Koran. The window latticed halls of the Harem,
aud the sky lighted chambers where the "Father OF
all the Sovereigns of the Earth used to 60 to sport
with his women and mutes displayed no orna-
ment The throne of his Serene Highness was quite
an ordinary affair, and in interest was far out
| matched by the twenty golden and magnifcently
ieweled State keys of the Sublime Porte. The
l gardens around the palace abound in many Orien
/ tai plants and flowers, but are much exceeded IN
beauty by many private grounds In England. In
| short the Turkish Seraglio has been indebted for
| its fame To the unequalled superbness OF its
natural situation, and the jealousy with which its
precincts have been guarded, than To any thing
actually done for it by human taste and skill. The
present Sultan has never made it his residence,
preferring of the palaces on the Bosphorus,
to place associated with 50 many private intrigues
| and public iniquties'
The same frman aided by goodly supply Of
buch seesh admitted into Santa Sophia, the great
boast of the eastern capital. Entering small side
door, we descended several steps, and traversing a
short vestibule, were at once IN the body OF the
| church. As my eye ranged through the stupen
dous arches, whose vistas were bounded by brazen
gates and up the polished walls benched with tier
on tier of coonnaded galleries. and still mounting,
swept along the ceiling, from cupola TO cupola and
L
the great central vault which, $50 feet above, sprang
| from the shoulders of four seraphim, and spanned
the distance of lis feet at angle fearfully dspro-
portionate to the immensely of the leap, saw much
/ that truly grand and imposing; but nowhere
could discern that richness of material, mag
nificence of decoration, that stimulated the Emperor
Justnan to exclaim, over his work, 81 have sur
| passed thee, o solomon Since the old CONSTANT
| nople Cathedral dedicated To the Eternal Wisdom
has been degraded into the metropolitan temple Of
the False Prophet il has been despoiled of most o.
its Christian ornaments, and Santa Sophia owes it
present celebrity infinitely more TO what il has beer
than to what il now is. In harmony Of outline, pu
rity of style, and perfection of individual parts il
is exceeded by other mosques of the city, and espe
| cially 10y that of Sueman the Magnificent
OF course have not neglected TO ride up the
| Bosphorus, to the Black Sea but my temperate
ancics at fault, and did not conform 10 the
established custom of getting drunk with beauty. -
The Strait with its currents and eddes, its bights
and inlets, its meadows, its hill sides and its Wales
its vineyards and gardens, its kiosks, its minarets
and its palaces truly forms dorama ofstriking in
| terest Yet missed not only the tinkling rls and
| lisping fountains, and waving groves, and the
| thousand other embellishments with which "imagi-
| nation all compact has been wont 10 complete the
unity OF the picture, but that luxuriance Of vegeta
ton and freshness of vsEdure, requisite to give life
and colorng TO the general view. The surface was
thiny sprinked with trees and shrubs and the soil
almost everywhere dull dry hue, that little
harmonizcd with either the scene or the cline.
Ihave also taken carriage to Belgrade, whose
| wooded lawns and sweet walks figure 80 bewitch-
| ingly in the letters of the Z" charming Mary Mon
tague," who made it her residence. The only i'm
| pressons the excursion has left on my memory are
horrid road, ricketty little village, and fores
beeches and brches of respectable extent indeed
but of beauty far exceeded by that Of many
, modest sylvan spot among my own native hills
III SIG MA