New-York tribune., 1881-12-25
LIFE IN CONSTANTINOPLE.
LITERARY AND SOCIAL TOPICS.

show signs of intellectual activity quite unex-
pected. Every paper has notices of new books,
written and published by Turks. and for Turks.
The books are very frequently merely translations
from the French or German. Many of them are
the reverse Of select in their character. But mary
of the books are really valuable; treating of his
tory, of science. of literature One Of these books
have Just been reading, and find il at least worth
the cost 1t is a History of the Turkish Empire,
written a hundred and fifty years ago by distn-
guished Turkish writer and first published
Its price, by the way, is a marvel to me. 1t is
large octave volume of 700 pages, printed on good
paper bound in half roam, and sells for 81 AZ at
retail
This history IS most interesting reading on ac-
CONT of luminous revelations OF motive, and It's
detailed statements of the crimes and treacheres OF
the long line of Sultans of the early Ottoman En-
pre 1t calmly points out the objects in view in
the formation of that redoubtabe force, the Janis
saries. 1t says that the first Sultans found them
selves weak in armed men, and needed some rapid
means Ct increasing their army in order to make
head against the still formidable Byzantlnes. They
were surrounded on every side by Christians, and
the Sultans decided to make these Christians the
instruments of the overthrow of Christianity in the
East So it was decided to impress able-bodied
Christians for military servc and to levy tax OF
a certain per cent upon the children of Christians
the tax to be paid in kind. The children were taken
from their parents and educated as Mohammedans
and soldiers. Thus the number of Mosems was
rapidly increased, and thus in time the Sultans
found themselves possessed of army vastly out
of proportion TO the numbers Of their own people.
This history recites with the pathos OF innocence
the murder constantly repeated by successive Sui
tans of Younger brothers and other princes OF the
royal family, and explains that this was necessary
in order to avoid dssension and disputes as to the
right of succession The book also tells with great
detail the intrgues and the revenges of the great
Pachas, explaining what motives brought into
action in each case the terrible bowstring or the
m,,dous drops" It also mentions litte admins
rative details like the bcheadng at ConsantinOple
of 300 members of the guild Of woodcutters be-
cause some of their number suspected Of rob
bing a rich mans house. In fact this History of
Turkey by Solak Zade is a most interesting and IN
MANY respects useful book. Why the Government
should to have it printed is more than ore can
imagine. Yet its preface says that it is now first
printed by order of 4" the Sultan, the Protector of
Literature"
Turkish current literature also contains good
deal Of poetry which is, some of IL, quite poetIcal,
although rather fervid in its language. 1t deals
arge in the sghs of lovers and the tresses o. the
beloved and the note of the nightingale. and. to an
English reader, might suggest Moore in some of his
Persian work. 1t is, in fact, largely Persian i'll
style. The number OF names that appear III connec-
ZION with these poems would Indicate that the
Turks have several poets Some OF the names are
such as sou woud least expect to find in literature
One very neat sonnet is written by KOurd who
never saw any land beyond the shadow of his
native mountains smooth and tender love song
. laI, x.ifp ot n tlp
Pachaz.
Besides such evidences of literary life among the
Turks. there are Others, in number Of literary
magazines and reviews, Of greater or less merit,
which appear to be in the full tide of prosperity.
These magazines are small. and often show signs of
the paste pot; but they also contain essays that
are not without merit and articles current topics
or on European sights and scenes winch are quite
suggestive.
All this activity in this direction goes 10 show one
thing and that is the existence of elements of life in
the Turkish people, or among some classes Of it,
although elements of death seem to have possessed
the Empire. Tucre is some solid material some
where in the Turkish Nation. else supply and de-
mani i'm literature could not exist That men like
AHMED Mithad Edcndi. aud Said Bey can find il
worth while to write and publish the books which
they are now printng-the one a new History of
Turkey and the other a great C'iversa History
shows that amid all the seethlns corruption OF the
pcrioi there i, some part OF the nation which Is not
entirely rotten.
Uut on the other hand there is only too much
evidence of the general corruption Aside from the
decadcuce shown IA the increase Of
crime and it, mpunity, aud in the impotence OF the
Ministry. winch q distinguished foreigner described
to me the other day as amounting to a practical
III tfal
toyens of rapid deterioration among the people |
The Turkish women are more and more free in
their movements and in their conduct. Ii IS not
very terrible thing for a woman 10 drop her vail in
the street and reveal her features. But with the
principrs and ideas held by Turkish women the !
fact that they do frequently expose their faces ON
the street is sign of moral corruption The effects
of the Russian war have nowhere been so apparent |
as i'm the increase of immortality IN the city among
Moslcms The war brought INTO the city vast |
mass OF refugees from the villages and towns of
Eulroria. OF the women belonging to the refugee !
families who have remained in the city at least 30
pcr cent have adopted an irregular life. The elect
of this has reached the whole mass of the MoSiem
population The loose ideas of Turks on the mar |
riagc tie and their notions about the relations be-
tween the sexes give scope to q wide Development
Of any new form Of immortality once initiated. The |
streets of Constantnoplc are full of Turkish women
on every pleasant day, aud they are increasingly |
bold in their behavior. They are, although mem-
hers of the highest families, very often village |
beautirs with wel-knit tie, that bind them to the |
common herd Hence every wave OF feeling among |
the common people Immediately reaches the harems
Of the upper classes The women OF the refugees !
have been drawn by want into open profigacy. and |
more and more the Mosem women of city families
condescend to rt to hold secret conversations, and
to carry on il-disguised intrgues with men OF all
ranks in the bazars and the byways of the streets
The evil ls patent and the Government has several
times made bungling attempts to regulate the vices
of the men by putting more chains upon the women.
But such efforts are vain before n genuine uprising
Of women against bondage. although the tendency !
of the uprising is utterly evil. When Turk now !
goes cut Tor lis days work. he first calls nj neigh