, 1880-07-05
C0nstantinople To-day.


Great changes have metamorphosed
sbeautiful Stamboul." Repeated and
extensive fires have destroyed the older
and more picturesque dwellings,. 1
have been told that thirty years ago
Stamboul (in the rays of the setting
SUM shone like city begemmed with
rubies and set in gold. This effect was
caused by the numerous golden cupo-
las to the marble mosques, and the
bright red aad yellow colors of the
wood of which the houses were uniform
ly built. To each of these was attached
garden, full of tall leafy trees. The
effect of these vivid colors thrown up
against pure Eastern sky. ana reflect
ed in the waters of the Marmora, was
magical indeed. The golden balls
blaZed like miniature suns, the marble
kosks and magnificent mosques cleaned
Writer than alabaster through the dark
expresses, while the grand city lay
bathed in flood of sunset glory. But
at this hour, though the mosques and
the tapering minarets still stand, the
golden balls are no longer to be seen,
the marble columns have grown some
what gray, the tall trees are few and far
between, the quaint red and yellow
houses have long been burned, and
more than half the dwellings are built
Of convenient stone and mortar.
In many respects the Turks have suf-
fered little change from the time of
their entrance into Csnstantinople till
now. They are still grave, unimpul
sive, religious, jealous race. They are
supreme fatalists, believing in the ON
impotence of Allah, and opposing in
principle all social and religious re-
forms as being opposed to the Divine
decree, " That auAicA is, is right" Lit
tie by little changes have been forced
on them, but how slowly and with what
sacrifices Swift English built steam
ers now run up the Bosphorus all day
long. Starting from the bridge which
spans the entrance to the Golden Horn,
and links Galata (the commercial quar-
ter) to Stamboul (the true Turkish city
they touch at both the European and
Asiatic sides of the channel, affording
to all ranks and classes the opportunity
of swift Gnd cheap locomotion. In
these steamers the hinder part is cur
tained off for the sole use of Turkish
women. The latter move among us
like ghosts, only very substantial ones !;
their faces are yelled by the indispen-
sable yasbmak; their forms are all clothed
with the same long, ample, formless
tunic. These are of all colors. The
general taste is for the brightest color
ing, orange, scarlet, Or yellow; but the
harem bellies of haut ton pa.ronize black
silk alone, and by coqurr;'-;4 nisplay
of tightly buttoned boots, and the thin
nest covering over the lower half of
their faces, we know them to be the
wives and dependents of the advanced
Turks who allow their women folk as
much liberty as they dare.
Christianity is Knocked at by the ed
ucated Mussulman; yon may destroy
his faith in the religion of his sires,
but ne will nece,' sincerely adopt yours!
In an argument on this subject you
will be surprised to find the Turk will
put you to silence. He will tell you
you know nothing of God-God IS God :;
and he will shake his head at any clear
er definition. You will find he gives
to Providence unceasing control of af-
fairs. and that these DEGREES are anal
terable. Kismet (it is written) is to the
Turk the Alpha and Omega of life;
nothing can be attempted against that
Almighty fiat. Preach to him the Cos
pei, and he will adroitly ask you "Why
are you so rich, if Jesus Christ was
poor? Why do you do exactly the con-
trary to what lie taught ?" He himself
will tell you that he prays devoutly at
the stated times prescribed by the
Prophet; he drinks no wine; he takes
but limited number of wives; during
the sacred fasts he eats nothing from
sunrise to sunset land this for forty
days.; he is studiously clean in his
person; till the European taught him
he did not cheat, or lie, or steal. And
this is all true, and you will be made to
feel that his religion, Though sn low
.er plane) is the religion of the nation,
and is practicable and practiced; while
yours, though fawless code of moral
ity, exists on paper alone, and stirs not
the heart of the mighty multitude bear
ing the name of Christ!