New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-12-28
PRINCESS NAZLI HANEM
THE MOST PROGRESSIVE OF TURKISH
WOMEN.
EDUCATION" SHE SAYS us MARCHING on IN
TURKEY. AND is AN EFFECTIVE IN
STRUMENT IN THE DEMOLITION


sTRUMENT IN THE DEMOLITION
OF THE HAREM"
An English writer in a recent number OF Tho
Gentlewoman" gives a most interesting description
Of an Interview with the Princess Nail Hanem, Of
Cairo the most enlightened and Independent OF all
the Turkish This the Princess herself
attributes in large TO the fact that the
governess which she child insisted upon hav-
ing was contrary to precedent. cultured English
woman. Miss Albert.
French nurses. governesses and companions are
usually employed in the harems OF the Turkish
officials. but the little Nail declared emphaticay
that she would have no French woman TO teach
her She was born In Alexandria but when nine
years old moved with her father Prince Mustapha
Faze: her mother. the married wife Of the Prince.
and the vast household Of five hundred persons. TO
Constantinople The Prncesss recollections OF her
self when child and Of her pursuits and life
the Bosporus most interesting.
Il mos, strange child" she said Every
one made much OF me. but | returned them indlf-
ference for their solicitude and | only loved
my father; was devoted to him. and used to fol-
low him about estates Ike n little dog
Prince Mustapha had two estates In the country.
and third palace-his winter home at STAN
bouL The summer quarters Of himself and his fam
fly were the domain Candan. but the Princesss
favorte home the property Tham,idga,
interest in the cultivation OF flowers his country
estates and his little daughter and he spent often
whole mornings wandering about them. dolce
far niente afternoons the kiosk on the top OF the
hill. whore singing girls would amuse them. The
Palace Of Candali was large place: II had gar
dens in the rear that covered the whole OF
tensive hillside and looked out upon and the
blue waters Of the Bosporus. About this time her
English governcss came.
she was lady" said the Princess land
liked her. and was not extraordinarily naughty
with her" Under hor direction the little Princess
made good progress, and became Intensely
interested In reading, oulda being her favorte
novelist.
oUIDA HER IDOL
Whether Miss Albert approved this taste or not
the Princess does not say. but she was q young
autocrat. Ike her father and read Ouda she
would.
by fourteen" she said q had much more than
the story OF Idalla' BY heart. The book gave me
IDEAS. and thought much about them ad-
mired the heroine and wished 10 be Ike her and
then l looked around on my life and contrasted
It with hers. Idalias life open. uncon-
strained: she frce-free 10 20 and come. see
and DO what she would po1dered. and the ulti-
mate outcome Of my ponderlnes n resolve.
also would be free! said nothing to my people.
not 10 my father: hut l continued 10 read
and study history and geography. Walter Scott.
and always more novels, but especially moro
Ouda.
II only such people came about tho
house. the married people Of our large connection.
both men and women. and my fathsrr secretaries.
with whom ! occasionally rode. chaperoncd al
ways by Miss Albert.
at the age 81 seventeen / married. my husband.
! saw him for the first time the nght OF my mar
rage to him. but knew him by hoarsay from my
father and relations. He Khaln Cherit
Pacha. Turkish Ambassador successively In Athens.
ST. Petersburg and Paris and Minister OF Justice
and then for Foreign Affairs IN Constantinople.
He a very clever man. and uked rs did. 10
have people about him. He liberal minded
my father also. having held. previous to our
marriage. the appoin tments have named In the
west Of Europe. lie saw no reason for limiting my
incnations toward greater libcrty-lndted. II
would have been useless had he made any such at
have always had It all my fe with all the world Of
my acquaintance For n short time following
my marriage ! saw people In the same way ms !
had done previous 10 that date; attcrward, almost
insensbly. ! began to act with greater freedom
tnued to visit the Europeans Of my acquaintance.
seeing their men or not az It happened at after
Then l accepted and returned their invitations
to dinner. invited the Turks also ana they came
Henry Eliot Sir Henry Layard. Mr. and Mrs.
Goscheg and Lord and Lazy DneTn No one ever vet,
leading away from the customs ~ min" hundred
an may fo Ts ' If he does ms shall IL" obey him
for he II my sovereign, ! said. But no word was
ever objected ny lilH Majesty
The Princess husband died eighteen years ago.
and shortly after that event she went 20 Egypt
where she has since remained. a half sister used
also 10 receive guests OF both fcN's. ami go INTO
society. She was the wife Of General IZzet Pacha
grandson OF Fouad Pachn)
Asked whether her example had been followed
In Egypt or Turkey. the Princess replied:
by no one. / think. besides my sister, and. nj
though wish 10 see the restrictions Of the harem
system At an end and am much In favor. can
not urge any Of my acquantanccs to follow me.
risk that would follow in quarters the
throw OF what II customary The change VIII
come eventually. however. Slowly II is oven now
coming, and the harcm system In the end Will bo
swept away. As has been said already education
f. marching In Turkey. and education Will be the
most effective instrument I'm the demolition OF tho
harem."
ENFORCED SECLUSION.
The enforced seclusion ~ the lives Of Ma
hometan women the Princess declares due
TO the fact that their marriage is arranged
for them. and is affair OF personal pref
erence Then It is obvious that the husband
Of several wives cannot love All OF them. and It
may be said that not Of them loves him To
state IL truly. therefore the relation Of Eastern
husband TO his wives Is that Ct master and things
being they are. he is afraid OF other men. and
takes what precautions he may by shutting up his
women al home and obliging them 10 20 yelled
abroad
These restrictions do not hold among the very
poor for the reason that men In the lower clasoos
cannot afford more than one wife. In the harom
system therefore. the man If the chief sufferer no
f. not loved. but II trcked and deceived.