Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1875-08-07
women COurfship and Marriage
Among the Turks,
Tbeophile Gautier writes:


Tbeophile Gautier writes.
Dy the sweet waters of Asia-by lean
ing I'm movably against q tree or the foun-
tam, IN the attitude Of one who is lost in
profound reverie-I have been able to
catch q glimpse Of more than one lovely
face but imperfectly concealed by a thin
vail OF gauze hall withdrawn, and more
than one. snowy throat cleaning between
the folds of q half open feredge. while
the attendant was walking at a little dis
lance or gazing upon the steamboats, on
the B%osphorus, assured by nv assumed
air OF drowsiness and abstraction.
The Turks, however, see no more of
them than the Giaours do. They never
pass beyond the Selamlick, aver IN the
houses OF their most intimate friends:
and they are acquainted with no women
but those Of their own harems. When
the inmates Of one harem visit those of
another, the well known custom OF plac-
ing the slippers Of the visitors upon the
Threshold Of the harem which they are
visiting announces the presence of stran-
gers, and interdicts the entrance of the
Odalick, even to its " master, who
thus finds himself at any moment shut
out from a part Of his own house. An
immense female population, anonymous
aud unknown, circulates through this
mysterious city, which is thus transform
ed into a sort Of vast masquerade, with
the popularity that the dominoes are not
permitted to unmask. The father and
the brother are the only males who are
allowed to behold the faces OF the daugh-
tiers aud sisters, who rigidly veil them
selves for any relative Of remoter degree:
and thus a Turk may, in his whole life.
have seen but half a dozen faces OF Mos
lem women.
The possession Of large and numerous
harems is restricted TO Viziers, Pashas,
Beys, and other persons Of either great
wealth or high rank, for their mantle
nance is enormously expensive, especial
ly as each female who becomes O mother
is entitled to her separate apartments
and her own suit of slaves, The Turks
Of middle rank have rarely more than
one wife, (although legally entitled to
espouse FOUR together with perhaps
three or four purchased females; and for
them the rest of the sex remains in the
condition OF a myth or chimera.
The sentiment of love and the delica-
cies of eourtship are, necessarily, almost
unknown to the Moslemah. A Turk who
wishes to marry has recourse to some
woman Of mature age, who exercises the
profession of q matrimonial negotiator.
This woman gives him a minute deserip-
ton Of the personal charms OF a certain
number OF Asmes, Rouchens, Nourma-
halls, Leilss, and other beauties Of mar
riagesble age, taking proper care, of
course, TO adorn with the greatest profu-
sion Of metaphors the portrait Of the
young girl whom she herself fayors or
whom it is her interest to select. The
ofendi becomes a lover on the strength
Of her description; sprinkles with bou-
quets Of h~yacinths the path by which his
vailed idol must pass; and, after the in
t~erchange Of a few glances (his share Of
which is limited to such glimpses of a
pair Of eyes as be can snatch through a
close drawn vail, J demands the maiden
of her father, Offering her q dowry pro-
portioned to his passion and his fortune;
and at length sees removed, for the first
time, in the nuptial chamber itself, the
yachmack which has hitherto concealed
the fair one features from his longing
gaze.