The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1852-01-01

AN AMBITIoUs PRIEST. &c.

! AN AMBITIOUS PRIEST, &c.
We find 10 C Constantinople correspon
dent Of the New York Tribune, some re
marks upon the life Of the higher classe
in Turkey, which, although not altogethe
new, will be found interesting. The des
cription is SO graphic as TO print deep j
the memory:
81 went some time ago, TO visit the yer!
old and venerable M.tti, "a sort Of Mahom
medan bishop,) who enjoys the public es
TEEN and re.pect. found him, indeed,
ine and pIessing old man, rather ben
down from age, but smiling benevoently
and talking sfFably to III; his fine trans
parent blue eyes, bis white flowing beard
his large snow white turban. his scarle
robe, all were imposing, and ! felt quite
inclined to like the old gentleman, wht
had no superstition in bis religion, and ac
knowledged wifh perfect simplicity ane
good temper that he did not follow the rig
id prescriptions of the Ramazan. (Mahom
median Lent,) but deemed it as well te
give little money 10 the poor, and to ea1
whatever his exhausted nature required
When first entered bis drawing room,
saw little girl Of about six or seven year.
standing by bis side and leaning upon hin
in very familiar way. thought at frs,
liz was his granddaughter. but knowing
the habits Of my Eastern hosts, said, q,
cordially as ! could:
SIS that your daughter, sir?'
sYes, it is.' he replied, sand this boy
(pointing to baby just entering the room,
is nv son, and have still younger one.
sAhn ssid ], 4 am sure you have many.
MANY interrupted the old man. shak
ing with laughter; $50 many that ! dom
know the number
Then one of his followers, sort Of bo
| dy guard, took up the thread Of conversa
iion, adding with a hearty laugh:
sOh! he has children every where; here
at Stamboul, at Bagdad, at Damascus, 81
Aleppo, in every town aud village Of Asia
Minor and Cham. Sometimes they come
TO see him, or send him greeting, but i
they don't inform him they are of his owr
blood, j, is impossible for him TO know it
ihev are so many
But SO many children must have moth.
ers?'
oh dear, yes,' answered the old saint
l'very many. Let me see-Hassan helf
me ou,;' and the two began to look at ths
ceiling, as one does when immersed in alb
strac,ed and complicated calculations: five
six. eight; yes, think bad eight wives
sAlI at once?' exclaimed !.
mo, only six; the other two died before
took the two last. But all my children
don't come from my eight wives. God
blessed my house, and each one who enter
ed il, added at least one to the list Of my
children
Though accustomed to Turkish ways,
felt rather astonished at this saint. thi'
light ofthe Church, this pillar Of the Faith
went on, however, inquiring after III.
present state Of bis family.
sAt this moment said be, sI have onl,
one wife left and she is rather old.'
slow old!'
sThirty, perhaps, or thirty -fve.'
(The old man was eighty or ninety.)
is she handsome9'
She was, but il is gone.'
sDo you think Of taking another?'
Il dare say / shall. What can dol
NV last boy is two years old.'
Il had an opportunity next day Of seeing
the wife of the Maiii, the old wife thirty
OF the young husban Of eighty. She wal
really splendid Asia,ic; too round, to-
fat, too heavy. and too much painted fol
our notions Of female elegance and beauty
but such as she was, she seemed much tos
lovely for her lord. But to return TO the
Pachas aud other Mussulman Richelieus
aud Lovelaces. Every one Of them must
have one child year at least, and this
seems 10 be the sole affection with which
they are endowed. Friendship, comPsn
ionship, are unknown things for the fol
lowers Of the Prophet. Whore their in.
terest or their pleasure calls them they 60
hut they know nothing Of the heart felt
satisfaction Of living beside one person,
woman or man, who possesses our conf
dence, and shares in our JOYS az we'll as in
aur sorrows. In his fellow-being each
Mussulman looks FOR himself; be under
stands sensations, but is perfectly unaware
Of the existence of sentiment.
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