The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-01-30
TURKISH H-iREMS.
The Household In which the Precept Of 81.
Paul L. Fully Realized.


However innocent the Turkish woman
may be of "women's rights" outside the home.
WITHIN the precincts Of the harem she Is aoso-
observed within its walls would rather stoni~h
the hippant critics of the institution. The defer
no parallel IN the West. The Sultan himself
does not dream VI sitting down without leave
IN the pieseuce Of the Valdez sultan. Certain
iustitu ions sanctioned and hallowed IN
the West would be absolutely tncOn-
ceiyahle TO Turk; such, for in
home and ahdicatinS her position Ia favor Of
TIE sons wife. TINS would appear to Linn an
act 90 lts-Hdturt. 50 would other Institutions
and laws such as the provisions OF he Code
Napoleon which enioin the compulsory division
of mans property among all his children and
universal suifr ge. AS contradisiingu's hcd from
uuusrh ID OF domestic suffrage. For botn
these inst tlitions would appe r to Inn incom-
uttlhie with parental authority and in direct
conflict Win his domestic Instincts, which are
10 tue root Ot his wnuie Character. and upon
which rrp0.cs the whole fabric Of
Eastern society. For the Datrilrcbal
character Of the Turkish home Is its chief
CHAR ctrristic. Every morning the household
gathered round their heaC aud tespe 'tfuy KISS
his hand no empty foimality with them, but a
necessary aud even INDISPENSABLE token In their
eyes. OF respectful allegiance. In the household.
too. arc included not ony the children but those
wnum We are oohsed uy the poSeHy OF our
as IN Turkey l. tue precept Of ~. Pdul 50 fully
| tea ized, servants, he obedient 10 Your mas
ters," ana The son snail be even as a servant"
The true idea Oi the family onlv exists IN the
East. Nowhere else. too, do pc pie i've 50 CON
| ruually iu the presence Of oach other. a D.,
| uau once said, " Build me "A house " mere shall
| his is nteralythe case IN the l. 81. Living,
! too. continually ia tue presence ot each other,
/ their conduct j. subject to aud influenced bS
! the Iubuc opinion u those around III M in a
wa, that no EurYpeans can be. Two things are
| 90 he seen In Turkey which at tlrst sight may
seem contradictory but are IN reality inumhte.
| ly conn cted-the entire absence Of caste, and
| every degree Of rank. There Is 10 such thing
In Turkey as the separation OF CLASSES
there Is such thing. therefore, aH
c 50 dvis ions class hatreds class interests, and
the revolutionary passions they engender. NSw
what renders n intermiAtute OF All classes z
Turkey possible ana the absence OF when
would render the same thing impossible IN Eu-
| rope. Ia exactly Turkish poiiteness formulated
| In fixed code OF manners, which regulates the
| intercourse OF the different classes with eacn
Other, and renders impossible that familiarity
| to which, but for this barrier such general in
tergixturo would be liable, and which would
| quickly dissolve 1t into general confusion and
| mutual contempt.
During ali their tender years tae children are
| brought up entirely In the harem. anu thelr edu.
cation Is intrusted to tue mother. marked
| dren and European children. The hOisterous
| rowdy, self-asserting child Is absolutely un
| known In the East. In Europe children are Of
| ten told that they ought TO DC seen but moi
| heard, but II Is only In the East that this phe.
nomenon Is realized. Respect for his elders and
| a behavior cOmpattD ole with this respect-which
| IN fact, IL the only form IN which that respect
can be inculcate are the one hrst great
| lesson which a Turkish child has to learn
| lie soon learns IL, for everything around
| him Is in harmony with this injunction;
| respect Is In the very air he breathes, and
| unless there European children Ia tue neig a.
| bOThOod. there Is no fear 81 the opposite conta
| glon. a fear of having their children corrupted
| 10y the evil communication OF Gu istian OUT moi
| because tnev are Christian, rather be ,ause thel
! are not Christian children is not the leasi DOW
| erful motive which prompts the Mussulman u
| pitcn his dwelling away from their habitat rs
| One indirect consequence OF this moo Of edu
cation IS that children In the East al. reuarka
bly, obsetvant' AS they are not occupied IN tab
herring, they observe, AM their naturally re
markdble gifts In this respect are allowed full
play. IL Is for This reason that you often SCI
little urCnins in the East helping their parent
In comrli. ated domestic duties at an age whei
their compeers Ia Europe are kicking thei
nurses and blowing their trumpets IN perambu
| lAtUTs.