The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-04-04
~ J. J. BOsDAN.

pllInent0Ty. AZ tAe VVoSeS'"
world the word Turk suggests un-
speakable cruelties. From time I'M
memorial II has known him as the
killer Of Christian women. children
and old mem All such accusations
are true; the Western world Is fury
justified in its historic opinion OF the
Turk and am not going 60 defend
him.
Nevertheless II IL q <act that the
Western opinion Of Ahe Turk is based
on knowledge Of him when he n
angry. 1t is also true that he has
been constantly angered by the West
ern world, and consequently we have
very seldom had the opportunity to
look him over when he was not angry:
neither has he had the means to dem
onstrate his better and nobler traits.
think this is a good time to get
acquainted with him. because now he
is not quite angry" The Turk is
never angry unless ne Is absolutely
certain that the object Of his anger
is weak. His makeup does not per-
NIT him to get angry against pow
erful enemy. There was time when
he would battle Cor the sake Of "the
faith and heaven and reunue Of
heavenly 0ymphs after DEATH" but
nowadays he prefers to get TO heaven
by the usual route.
Lord Byron was right when he
wrote in "Childe HAROLD: THE
Ottomans with all their faults are not
despicable. II II is hard to say what
they are 1t is easy to say what they
are not. They are not liars. towards
nor murderers; they do not burn here
tics, are loyal to their Sultan. un-
til he becomes incapable, and to their
God loyal without questioning
The Turk is lavish. WHAT he
takes with one hand he squanders
with the other.
In all cities in Turkey the streets
In the Moslem quarters are narrow
and gloomy, while in the Christian
quarters, especially in the capitah In
Pera. Galata and Phanar, everything
is different.
In the Turkish districts you never
see impromptu gatherings Or hear
songs. loud laughter. anything "edib-
s!z" Tin bad form). II you see a
brawl or a drunken row or hear in
passing a rude laugh or a coarse with
cism you know that you are not in
Of the streets is also true of the
homes, Of the bazaars and Of the
mosque.
1t must be admitted that all in all
the Turk always strives for good
breeding and is proud Of his Oriental
nonchalance.
But his dignity is often a cloak for
sluggishness. The grave and contem-
plative air on every face does not
denote depth OF thought Far from 1t;
it usually cloaks dulness of intellect
The whole philosophy of the Turk,
his history. his nature, in short his
whole life can be condensed into
single word, a delightfully."- expressive
word which he has coined for his sole
use and which depicts the whole East;
1t is the word "keif." Kef is the su-
preme beatitude of the Turk; it i'm
plies all the charms of life; certainly
the word cannot be rendered in Eng
lish. There is only one language that
possesses a phrase that can compare
with 1t. the dolce far niente" Of the
Italian.
But keif has a larger and more per-
feet sense. 1t means having your
soul, intelligence and conscience in a
condition Of complete acqulescence.
After partaking Of a pleasant little
dinner washed down by two or three
glasses OF raki he makes his namaz
or prayer and takes his coffee, thus
achieving happiest harmony OF body
and soul. Seated, or rather half lying,
on divan or under a tree, in BREATH
ing the pure air or watching some
distant bark or the smoke wreaths
rising from his narghileh, in dreamily
musing about the beauty Of the world
and the vanity Of earthly possessions
he finds the supreme. the ideal, the
perfect keif.
Thanks to the keVf the Turk scorns
to reflect on the past. is indifferent to
the present and never troubles him.
self about the future. II you warn a
Turk Of present danger he will in
rariably reply "Allah kerim" God is
greaD; that is to say: eat, drink with
out troubling, and for the rest leave
IL to kismet destiny. Trust to Allah
to settle these matters and meantime
do nothing in hot blood, do not give
yourself "belas"; seek not trouble.
And furthermore, disturb not your keif.
War is the ugly thing that can rouse
the Turk from his apathy. The battle
over, all his energies are at an end.
He may hear the roar OF the cannon
at the southern end of Gallpoli. he
may hear that the dreadful "Ingliz"
battleships have already passed
through the Dardanelles. he may even
see the armies Of the Allies marching
toward Stamboul; such things have
the power to disturb the Turk tenn
porarily. Once he Is excited he will
fight fanatically, but after the struggle
is over his fatalism will Immediately
replace his fanaticism. God Is great
and powerful, and If He had already