The Union and eastern journal. [volume] (Biddeford [Me.]) 1854-1858, 1857-01-16
Mistellaneons.
Turkish Women.

ed with thin veil from the view ot sas
Western nations. intercourse Was diheult,
and was confined to few tourists, who
vsutured 70 the mouth fthe straits OF the
Dardanellss. Travellers who occasionally
dared to penetrate into the Ottoman empire
found everywhere the gatos closed, 50 thai
their Investigations were limited to what
was exterior. They saw nothing Of the
domestic life Of the Turks.
Now II 10 otherwise. Constantinopis u
hardly four or 6vo days sail from France
Every week. Thousands Of Europeans arc
conveyed by water to the banks VI the Be;
paorus and the Mahometans, though Ho'
very communicative, are obliged TO submit
to the observation Of strangers, some ol
their customs and modes Of life. European
women, in particular, have been admitted
into the harsm and on their return to the
West, have Published their observations. -
Among Others, 10 work entitled, Present
State Of Turkey, BY Mr.. Ubicini, containing
information on the opinions, character and
manners Of the Mahomesan people. From
this book shall Gull good part Of what i
shall say concerning Turkish women.
Mahomet had little regard to the female
sex. Relying on physical force, and aecus-
toned to savage life, he treated woman ~
an inferior being to man. Hence the un-
just laws which direct the education Of wo.
men among the Musulmans. Girls, even
Of the best educated families, grow up In
the harsm without any developement Of the
intellectual and moral faculties.
Rarely does . young Turkish woman
know how to read. Her religious crieed Is
only superficial. All that she learns is how
TO be beautiful, and to please the master
who will one day appoint her destiny
Some travellers say that the Mussulmans
treat, in general, their wives gently and
kindly. But the female sex here, Is not in
the place God assigned. Women is not re-
gardod as human creature, but simply an
instrument, . means. q living thing
Where Il her moral liberty and her digni-
y,
Another fact also contributes TO make al.
most null the education Of girls. Asa Ma.
hometan woman is always shut up in the
house, she has no employment. Occupa.
tons which, in the West, belong to women,
are attended to by men in Turkey such
a. needle-work and embroidery. Woman,
in che East, has only to supcrintend the
household, and take caro- Of the small chill
dsss. Mahomet regarded woman as the
chief Of domestic animals and why then
inspire in her taste for study?
Polygamy is lsss general in Turkey than
many suppose. The Koran says, indeed.
MARRY such women as please you, to the
number Of two, three. and even four. -
But the husband must give dowry to hi,
wife; he also owes her an honorable main.
tenance, with attendants suited to her birth.
Except the Sultan, public officers, and some
opulsnt proprietors, few Turks are rich
enough TO have the four wives authorized
by their prophet. Yet woman in this coun
try is not the true companion Of man her
competitors are servants and slaves. "Who.
ever is not rich enough, says the Koran
(" to take lawful wives, let him take faith.
full slaves"
The young girl is sometimes promised BY
her parents or tutors ut the age Of three ol
four years. Then she is married at twelve
or thirteen years, and passes from her moth
er's harem to her hush and's- exchanging
one prison for another. The parties rarely
see each other before marriage. AL is done
without them: their part is passive. Mar
riages are not attended with religious sanc'
ton. The imam who performs the cercmo.
nv is not there asa priest, but a. q civil
magistrate. He inscribes on his register
the marriage, with tho conditions made by
the relatives; witnesses append their seall
instead Of their signatures and this simple
form is binding. Marriage feasts are hslt
apart the women being separated frou
the men - and this lasts for three or four
days. The poor - We do this justice to the
Turks are not forgotten on these occa'
sions. "when the young lady is led to th'
bath, says Mr.. Ubicini. "all the poor o
the quarter are invited also. On arriving
they lay OF their ragged clothes in the ant
room, and take, on going out of the bath
new clothes, with sum Of money proper
toned to the rank and fortune Of the mar
ried pair.
These donations are sometimes large
In lsl9, at the marriage Of the son Of Rifa
at Pasha, they amounted to half millior
Of francs"
The condition of the women in the haren
depends somewhat on her own and he
husbands character. fsho was previousl..
in an elevated situation II her parent
were inau ential; If in the matrimonial
contract hcr personal property was reserves
to her; If. lastly she has strong natura
qualities Of mind and q rcsolute will
she can preserve authority in her
hous.: but she is never regarded as tn
equal Of her husband. She often re
mains standing in his presence, serves hin
st table, and must show him al deferenc
and submission.
Tho life Of women in the house Of tn
rich 10 indolent. How can the day b
sllsd up? No reading-l have slread!!
explained why; little or No music; m
sewing with the needle. AL her oeeupa
ton is to dres, 10 load hsrsslf With orna
msnts. to 20 to the bath, to play childish
rsmes, " wander frvm one chamber to an
II.