Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1856-11-21
Turkish Women.

fined IN "A few tourists who yentured Ia the mouth
! of the Straits of the Dardanelles. Travellers who
occa.ionally dared 10 penetrate into the oit".
man Empire, found everywhere the gates closed
50 TINT their Investigations were limited 10 what
was exterior. They INV nothing ct the domes-
tic life Of the Turk Now il i otherwise, Con
staptinope l. hardly four or five dnys' sail from
/ France Every week thousands of Europeans
are ennveye by water :" the banks OF the }'S-
phnrns aud the MAhom"tans. though not vr,y
communicative, are oh igedt submit t" the oh
srryatOns Of stranger uu some Of their customs
aud modes of life. European woman, in pariic
nlar the princess Chistina rivul"e lie Be gio-
ioso for example. have been admitted into the
/ harem aud on their return TO the West, have pub
/ lished their observations. Among others l.
work entitled. sPresent State of Turkey" by
Mr. Gbicini, containing information on the "pln-
ions, laws character and manners ot the Nahum
etan people. From this book shall Gull n good
part of what shall say concerning Turkish wo-
men.
Mahornet had little regard for the female sex.
Relying on .hysicn force, and accustomed to
savage life. be treated woman an inferior be
in4 10 nun. Hence the unjust law which direct
the education Of women among the MnsseImanS.
/ Girls even of the best educated families, grow
mp in the haren without any development d the
! intellectual and moral faculties.
Rarely doe, young Turkish woman know
how IN read Her religious creed Is only super.
/ fcnl. Al that she learns Is how to be hthuiItdl
! 4 to please the master who will some day appoint
! her destiny Some travellers say that the Mus
sulnan- treat, IN general their wives gently ana
/ kindly But the female sex here Is not III the
! place God assigned Woman is not regarded Il.
/ n human creature, but simply un instrument rs
u mems. II living thing. Who're IS her moral
! liberty. and her dignity!
Anotherfact also contributes to make almost
nul the education of girs. ~ Mahomrtan
woman is nlwnys shut up in the house, she has
no employment. Occupations which III the West
/ belong to Women are attended Ia hy men III FUR
/ key-such rs needlework and embroidery. N"-
man in the East has only t" superlntrnd the
i hou.ehould. and take care Of the small children
Mnhomet regarded women only the chrt #
! domestic animals; and why then inspire IN her
/ IA taste for studvl
l'olYgamy Is less general in Turkey than many
] suppose. The Koran says, indcrd "Alarry surh
women please YOU, Ia the number OF Two three
and even bur Bat the husband must CIV
dowry 10 bis wife; he also owes her an honorable
maintenance, with attendants suited to her bttI.
Except the Sultan. public officers and some opolrut
propricors. few Turks are iich enough to have the
four wives authorhedb by their prophet. ct woman
/ in this country is not tho true companion #
i man: her competitors nrr servants uua slaves.
/ .Wba-'eAf, isnrt III enough says tue h"-
ran, ITO take lawful wives let him take faithful
slaves"
Tn young girl IS sometimes promised 10y her
parents md tutor, at the age of three or four
/ years. Then She is married nj twelve ~ thirteen
j year. and passes from her mothers harcn L. her
i husbands, exchanging ON prison tar another.
The partirs rarely see "a, II other briur, marriage.
] All i dn0e without them; their part l. passive.
i Marriages are not attended with religious sane
/ l"n. The imam who performs the ceremony Is
not thcre priest, but II. civil mag strate. He
/ iu-cl on his rec .ta the with the