The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1855-10-28
The Turkish IIarenp.
IUfkINn hHHfVnb,
Mr.. osCANYAN's LBCTURE ON THE HAREN ASn
ORIENTAL DOMESTIC INSTITUTIONS

Mr.. oscANYAN's LECTURE ON THE HAHEa AID
ORIENTAL DOMESTIC INSTITUTIONS.
Nr. oscanyan, Of Constantnope, delivered, last
ing at the Mercantile Library lecture room, Clinton
Hall the second Of his course Of lectures Turkey
The attendance numerous and the lecturer yas lis
tened to throughout with marked interest. The word
haren, he began, a word familiar TO most and yet
despite the familiarity Of the word misrepresentation
OF The signifcancy Of the word applied among the
Turks was almost universal Most considered IL word
that it war not proper 10 mention to polite The
word only suggestive them Of grand Of
beautiful women held imprisoned mstrc-ses TO the
sensuaty the high mangacs OF the oriental countries
ms ne proceeded 20 show was great mistake. Hare
mea at rothing than the private apartments OF tbs
women Of Turkey. With them it had no such meaning
a. that supposed to belong 10 it among Christian
people. arcaDa Of tho Turkish house.
hold, whore moro often the retired woman gave her
time TO her Koran and praying than to degrading and
of women In Turkey was q custom Of great
antiquity. It custom that prevailed long anterior
TO the time of Mahomet. The Koran, indeed only q
susainer of the harem II advocated the careful sccu
sion Of women ffom the rude gaze Of men. For this
the houses of the Orien'a divided into
aparmcntone for the males and the other for the fe
males the female apartment bearing the general desgna
ton harem Ilarem, therefore, IT vas shown, cores
fatha mentioned travelling and having his harem
with him, his family only women, and II did not follow
that more than one female numbered In bis family
In country respected than in Tur-
key. No would dare address a lady In publi. Tho
husband even should he chan 20 meet hi wife passes
one far forget himself 10 appr zach Turksh LAZY
unsolicited, be would find himself ATTACKED with that
Turkey TO all the voubity and bitterness d the
female in Christian countries. As showing further
women sa mars Of repe The men
alone excepted. TIE harcm tho private female
apartment was 70 all inicnts and purpose. under the
exclusive control Of the The Sultan himself
entered within it, sacred precincts without consent
Of its occupants. The children however have ee ingre-s
and egress TO the two apartments T,rs- houscheh
hen he f-Da Offppri n
this freeiom l. cut on and she forms portion of the
harem. The lecturer, meanwhile, gave an account o.
the harem of the present rcgnng sultan Connected with
his hsrcm tvo thousand females; of this number
only held the rank Of wives The iuxurc. which
they enjoyed graphically described, ~ a.o their
habits and mode Of living Although the women belong
ing 70 the snl'ans harcm wefs 20 many 10 number they
mother and sisters oi the soan. In the royal palace,
might be supposed, the lecturer aided there wonh
te representatives, of the rising generation,
vision he aid, Of state policy TO keep diminished the
number . bcirs to the throne, and therefore
% see the light, or were kalei apon birth.
Two sisters Of thc fegnlns sultan, hc related,
lad, not long since died sef because their Offspring
premature destruction OF their children 70 avoI mlrrng
their beauty BY maternity. his latter declared
lecturer after concluding his remarks upon the subjsc,
the hare described AZ length the furniture Of the
Turks In every apartment were several sof,s upon
leisure enjoying their ch,k aud coffee The ladies' aid
lot s crosslegged generally represented but esther
sd their limbs underneath their robcs It bens great
breach Of eiqustte 10 shsv any portion Of their neither
limbs. Tie window curtains were very snmptuous and
rich containing every variety of the veher, colSr- u
was rare 20 ind bed In the house. The social habits ~
the Turks were next spoken of. They described
Otherwise than the people they grnsrav ac
credited bcing They indoIent, AMI enjoyed
and the pipsAnd coss and cha The veil of the women,
supposed mpenetrabtc 10 the human gaze, satei
being made q the shtest Indie muslin Ihroush ~
transparency instead of the beauty being hid
Il was heigbened-the arched eyebrow apparel more
richly arcbed the dsicase hue u the chc-k soft
and iuxuriant, and the eye fangushpsiy bysly.
The lecturer eo-ed with lev observations hs limo
ysiona gradually working themselves into fhe domestic
Institutions n the Turks He announced hs seconi lec.
'usr for rr-i 7furs'ay evening.