New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1851-11-13
LETTERS OF AN EXILE. No. XVlf
yURKIsH NOTIONS OF DOMESTIC HAPPINESS
Correspondence Of The n. Y. Tribune
ASIA MINOR, Saturday, Sept 20, 1851.


yupKIsH NOTIONS OF DOMESTIC HAPPINESS
Correspondence Of The y. Y. Tribune
ASIA MINOR, Saturday, Sept 20, 1891.
In Asia. as well as every where else,
there are two things in human society-polltlcaI,
social or religious institutions, and human ma
tuIe, but imperfectly modified by then. Bun no
where, as far as am aware, have these lnstitu
mons had either so strong or so feeble an nilI-
ence. The result is, that the higher classes,
those upon whom institutions have especially
exercised their power, have scarcely anything
left of what Christian nations generally under
stand by human feeling: while we lind IN the
poorest and most ignorant classes sentiments
and principles which we are accustomed to re-
eognize as the fruits OF Christian morality. We
aust then, look at these two classes separately.
I have before spoken OF the morals OF the high
er classes of Turkish society, such as Pachas OF
one, two or three tails, Beys, dignltaries, cour
tiers, governors, kainakans, kadls, muftis, der
wishes, cOunseilors, generals, admlrals-n one
word, the mobiles and the rich. Bnt you have,
perhaps, forgotten I or your readers have; or
some months soloum in tins country has taught
me more than knew when ] first wrote or,
6nally, | cannot draw a likeness OF the second
class without previously speaking OF the hrst
Accordingly YOU will endeavor TO forgive me al l
,epeat m, self, and you will make allowance for
the difficulty of the subject, since there are
things TO be said OF 1t for which there are no hitting
words, in our pure and refined languages How
shall | be explicit and not shock my readers
with the revolving truth let me confess
thai | should prefer to have any other topic
fsr my pen rather than PachaS view OF do
nestle happiness But this forms avery impor-
tant feature in the present condition OF the East,
and therefore cannot be omitted
Did you ever hear anything OF the late Sultan
Nahmoud's private life dare say you have,
and you are certainly aware that IN the last years
Of his bite the dignities OF his court were lavshed
not upon the worthiest, but upon the handsom-
est of his subjects. Well the custom OF the
Sultan is sure to become, Pso facto, the universal
fashion, and so 1t was. Ii the Sultan had fine
Youths for his chanberains, buffers, head
xrooms, and even ministers, the Pachas and
Srandees in general had fine youths for then sec
retaries, servants, cOachmen, boatmen, pages
and slaves The Moslem law has no blame for
this, and its lawful interpreter approves /, with
out restraint.
Every Turk longs for children. Why, is still
. mystery to me. Their daughters are some
times given away, sometimes sold, or sometimes
married before they reach what We call the age
Of discretion, and their parents see no more OF
them. Their sons are not taken from them, but
they follow their own will, and take no heed
Of the distress Of their parents when age or
misfortune has fallen upon them. really
do not know, nor can guess why Turks SO
much wish to have children, but wish them
they do, and accordingly they marry the frsi
wife, then the second, and then third, and
SO on till they die. II is not true that good
Aussulman cannot marry more than four times
He cannot, indeed, marry more than hat number
ofmaidens, but he is not only Above but obliged,
~ marry the woman, whether slave or free, who
has borne hm child.
went, some time ago TO VISIT very old and
venerable Muft, "a sort of Mahommedsn bishop
who enjoys the public esteem and respect
found him, indeed, fine and pleasing OLD man.
rather bent down from age, bu, smiling benc-
violently, and talking sfably 10 all his fine,
transparent blue eyes, his white flowing beard,
his large snow-whi,e turban, his scarlet robe, all
were imposing, and | tels quite Inclined 10
like the old gentleman, who had no superstition
in his religion. and acknowledged with perfect
simplicity and good temper, tina, ne did not fol-
low the rigid prescriptions of the RamsEsn Mo
hammedan Lent but deemed 1t as well 10 give a
little money to the poor, and 10 eat whatever his
exhausted nature required. Whenl frs, entered
his drawing room, saw little girl OF about Six
or seven years standing by his side, and leaning
against HIM IN very familiar way. thought
at first, II was his granddaughter, bar knowing
the peculiarl,les of my Eastern hosts. SAID, as
candidly as could els tina, your daughtey, sir A."
ayes, tits, he replied, land this boy, pointing 10
baby Just entering the room) Us my son, and
have still younger one" All :" sand |, ." am
sure you have may" MANY, interrupted the
old man, shaking with laughter so many that
don't know the number" Then one OF his follow
srs, a sort OF body.guard, took up the thread of
conversation, adding with hearty laugh" Oh
he has children everywhere here, at Stamboul
q, Bagdad, at Angora, at Damascus, at Aleppo,
in ever, town. and in every village Of Asia Minor