The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-08-12

BIZ TWENTY YEARS MISUNDERSTANDING
ADVENTURES AND AMUSING ANECDOTES.

BIZ TWENTY YEARS MISUNDERSTANDING
ADVENTURES AND AMUSING ANECDOTES.
One of the most absorb,ngy Interesting books that
we have read IN a long time is Twenty Years Resi-
depce Among the People Of Tu.key-Buigarians,
Greeks, Aibapians, Turks and Armenians. by lady
was both consui's daughter and wife, edited by
Stanley Lime Poole ard published in Harper's ex-
traordinary Franklin Square Library In the present
volume have tho benefit OF the experience Of lady
who lived for twenty years among tho people OF
whom she writes and is perfectly familiar with their
language and its several dialects. the editor thinks
that this is the valuable work on the people OF
Turkey that has 70. appeared. We are not prepared
10 agree with this statement, but are certain that no
writer has given moro graphic or entertaining book
on tho subject The reviewers greatest trouble is an
sembarras de richest"
rho writer's opportunities for observation appear
TO have many and she has made the best usc OF
them. Politically the book Is entirely colorsss. The
Turks arc neither defended nor attacked. IL gives
the data for formation OF opinions but expresses
none. The author does mako plea for the Greeks.
In speaking OF their reputation for cheating she says
that they do In Turkey the Turks do but their SUI
poror commercial ability and their consequent sue
cess have drawn upon them evil repute 1t Is not
that the Greeks cheat more than Other commercial
natons-it is merely that they make moro money on
the same amount OF cheating. The book has been
divided into four parts In the first the general char
acterigtics or the various races OF Turkey are
sxetched as the author found them just before the
war.
In tho second part the tenure Of land in Turkey
and the state Of tho small peasant farmers are ex-
planned aud account 10 given OF houses and novels
IN Turkey, including that most superb OF Turkish
houses the Seraglo OF tho Sultan to which, with its
inmates, q very detailed notice is devoted, and the
part ends with an account OF municipality and police
In Turkey together with tho kindred subject Of brig
andsge.
The third part is occupied with the manners and
customs OF the races Few t5ings give such an In
sight into the character OF people az q study of
their customs aud II believed that these chapters
Cd the extraordinary ceremonies employed IN Turkey
the occasion of birth or marriage or death, the
dress, food, amusemcpts Of tho Greeks, Bulgarisns
Turks and Armsnians will prove OF much value as
interest The iac for example, that In many parts OF
Bulgaria the weddiags take place not in the church
but in the cellar of the bridsarooms house speaks
volumes on tho insecurity Of woman's person whilo
Turkish governors rule In Bulgarian towns. The Gus
tom OF Bulgarian bridegroom fEging halter over
his BRIDES mock and dragging her into hts house an
Interesting relic OF capture. and the subsequent
knocking OF the bride's head against tho wall as
warning against inHdelity illustrates the general
chastity OF tho people. The indecent exhibitions,
again, at Turkish weddings help to explain the want
of refinement and womanly feeling among Turkish
ladiea The ceremonies Of the Greeks are Interest,"
ing from another point OF view, inasmuch as very
manv OF them are Identical with OF tho ancient
Greeks
Tho last part Is devoted TO tho education, superst-
ton aud religion of tho people OF Turkey. We SEQ
how the Turk Is brought up how he learns the vices
that become cd with the thought OF his race
he remains, In spite even OF Western education
deeply tmbued with suparstitiop and finally. how ne
loses all the energy OF the old Othmanli character by
the operation OF the fatal doctrine OF Kismst The
chspters on education among the most valuabsin
the book. aGttX3t.t ,L
The authors account OF the Bugarians differs little
from the ordinary opinion, except on one important
point. She describes them as honest haro- working
peasants rather slow ana stupid, out excellent labor
ers But she absolutely denies ferocous character
ascribed TO them by some writer's Perhaps the most
interesting portion of tho book general reader
10 that which the serago Of the Sultan Of Turkey
Is dsscrlbed:-,
THK sERAGlIo.
One OF the three palaces most renowned tor beauty
OF architecture aud mag hcence Of furniture Is Boy
lsY-Bey worthy OF the Tor which II has been
selected OF beng the palace offered tor the occups
made in II for imperial guest wore presided over
by Sultan AbduAziz IN person, and the private apart
those 10 her own palace. the iasrdiousncss OF the
host this occasion so great that discovering
that tho tin.s on The walls and furniture slightly dii.
tered from those he had seen when on his European
ordered that everything should be removed
ones brought from Paris The fair visitor IL said
to have boon equally surprised and battered by the
delicate attention that had net omitted even tho
smallest object OF her toiette table, The Sultan, IN
cent slippers, embroidered With pearls and precious
stones to DC placed before her bed every morning.
- In bdui-Nedjid's time clocks and china
vases The oaly ornaments of the apartments.
The absence Of pictures, books and the thousand diff
f-rent objects with which Europeans oil their houses
gave the rooms even when inhabited, . comfortless
and unused appearance.
Some years ago. when visiting tho private apart
ments OF this Sultan noticed splendid antique
Lately, on speaking o this prccess object to serag-
lio lady was informed hat IT had been thrown into
the Bosphorus BY order orits owner This act OF I'm
perial extravaganza was caused by the suppostion
that the had been handlcd BY some person
afflicted with consumption.
sultan AbduLAz,z, a year or two before bis de-
thrCnemsnt, possessed with nervous terror OF IRE,
caused all articles 10 be taken out OF the
palaces aud replaced them by articles manufactured OF
The stores oil fuel were cast into the Bosphorus
and the lights OF the Sultans apartments were placed
IN basins Of water Tho houses in the ncighborbood
OF the serago were purchased by tho Sultan, their
occupants forced TO quit at very short notice their
furniture turned out aud the buildings pulled down at
once. These tyran ncc precautions served to heehten
the general discomfort OF the capital against the Pad
planned That they might have benentoS by what mad
been wastsd; while some OF the wealthy, though
not moro contcnted proned by the freak aud carried
OF many OF the rich objects taken out OF the palace
An account recently saw OF the Imperial ex-
ptnditure estimated the nnuai outlay OF SULTAN Al
dulAziz ut E2 600, 00o Tho palace contained 500
servants of both sexes The Kitchens alone required
800 Junction ,ries, and the stables 400 There were
also abou, 400 caixJs or boatmcn, 400 musicians and
200 attendants VINO had tho charge OF tho Inc.
nsgeries ana sviarics Three hundred guards were
employed for the palaces and kiosks and about
100 portors The harcm besides this conssipcd 200
female slaves = am unable TO give q estimate
otthe expense OF the seragio OF tho present sultan
but have been informed on good authority that MS
Majesty personally superintends tho MAJ.
asement OF tue palace and regulates It's expen-
diturc with great wisdom and economy; II
will tako some time. however, to put an
end to the disorder, corruption and irrseularity
that have become rooted 10 the whole system and
caused tho exravsgance and waste that prevailed
the households OF former Sultans. Turkish proverb
says. "Baiuk bashtdn kokdr tho nsn begins TO de-
compose nj the head; accordingly, N tho head DO
sound there Is every hope that the body will also
keep fresh
The haremlik OF tho Seraglio contains from 200 to
1900 women, divided among the Soltan's household
that OF his mother the valide Sultana ana Of
tue princes.