Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-12-29

which they exhibit. All the cattans or
outer robes are of magnificent figured
orocades, the pattern of each a master
piece OF Oriental design, wrought out in
line silks, gold and silver, of texture rich
and thick enough TO almost stand on end
oy itself. The undergarments, again,
are nearly all of figured silks of the most
exquisite and varied patterns.
must pass over with few words only
visits to some of the other and older parts
OF the Seraglio buildings, notably to two
detached 0ctagoDal klosks of sixteenth
century work, entirely lined with finely
painted old Persian tiles, the woodwork
IN beautiful nosacs or IntdrclUturd OF
| colored wood. tortoise she'll, and mother
oi-pearl. In an ancient audience hall is
another great canOpied divan throne OF
gilt and perforated and enameled metal
work; and very curious chimneypiece,
with high, hanging, funnel-shaped hood,
also OF the same material and style, CHS
eled with floriated scroll work in admira-
BILE taste, may be mentioned in passing.
Ihese are both works OF the early years
or the sixteenth century, and are certain
~ among the oldest ana most interesting
specimsns of Turkish design now eXtant
IN ConstantinOple. Another of these
kiosks, an Octagonal, d0me-shaped build
ing OF no great size, contains the
Sultan's ancient library, and here there
remains to notice yet somewhat un-
solved mystery. Perhaps the books, some
2OOOor 3,0O0in NUMBER, all in manuscript,
have been critically examined by compe-
tent authorities, perhaps not, l could get
no certain Information on this point. IL
Is said, at any rate, that some forty or fifty
manuscripts from the library of Matthias
Corynus are still among them. The
dumb-lookiDg tones are all enyeloped in
outer leather cases, and they are arranged
ln vertical piles one upon another, not in
horizontal rows. OHce upon a time this
roomful of books was the cynosure OF all
the learned men in the world, for there
was rooted belief that this was the ver-
liable library OF tue old Byzantine EN-
perors, which had escaped the destruction
OF all things precious and beautiful at the
taking OF COnstantinople. Here, if any
where, IL was supposed were the inedited
classics of Greece and Rome, complete and
all eloquent, ready to burst their very
bindings With desire TO speak again to the
modern world. The LOrenz0s and Poll
tians, the BembOs and Scsligeri fretted
and fumed and yearned to solve this mys-
terry, but in their days no Christian foot
steps could enter these precincts. Even
Louis OF France, the great be- periwigged,
and his 40 immortals failed ANONYMOUSLY
when they tried 200 years ago to get ac-
cess to these renowned books. | fear,
however, all this was but brightly tinted
bubble which swelled till it burst, or,
perhaps, it may have lasted till some
mere peripatetic book hunter pricked it
furtively in our own time, for it is now,
at least, understood that there are no in
edited classic manuscripts in the Sultan's
library, nor any remains of the old ByZan-
tine Palace books. Probably there are
well informed book lovers who could let
us know what there really is of value in
this famous repository. For myself, saw
tie outer husks and bindings only.