I am well acquainted with a Christian woman of quality, who made it her choice to live with a Turkish husband, and is a very agreeable sensible lady. Her story is so extraordinary, I cannot forbear relating it; but I promise you, it shall be in as few words as…
Continue reading
I am more inclined, out of a true female spirit of contradiction, to tell you the falsehood of a great part of what you find in authors; as, for instance, in the admirable Mr Hill, who so gravely asserts, that he saw, in Sancta Sophia, a sweating pillar, very balsamic…
Continue reading
LET. XXXIII. TO THE COUNTESS OF ——. Adrianopolis, April 18. O. S. I WROTE to you, dear sister, and to all my other English correspondents, by the last ship, and only Heaven can tell, when I shall have another opportunity of sending to you; but I cannot forbear to write…
Continue reading
I suppose you have read, in most of our accounts of Turkey, that their houses are the most miserable pieces of building in the world. I can speak very learnedly on that subject, having been in so many of them; and, I assure you, ’tis no such thing. We are…
Continue reading
The small-pox, so fatal, and so general amongst us, is here entirely harmless, by the invention ofingrafting, which is the term they give it. There is a set of old women, who make it their business to perform the operation, every autumn, in the month of September, when the great…
Continue reading
I SHOULD have told you, in the first place, that the Eastern manners give a great light into many scripture-passages, that appear odd to us, their phrases being commonly what we should call scripture-language. The vulgar Turk is very different from what is spoke at court, or amongst the people…
Continue reading
LET. XXIX. TO THE COUNTESS OF ——. Adrianople, April. 1. O. S. 1717. I WISH to God, dear sister, that you were as regular in letting me know what passes on your side of the globe, as I am careful in endeavouring to amuse you by the account of all…
Continue reading
LET. XXVII. TO THE ABBOT ——. Adrianople, April 1. O. S. 1717. You see I am very exact in keeping the promise you engaged me to make. I know not, however, whether your curiosity will be satisfied with the accounts I shall give you, though I can assure you, the…
Continue reading
LET. XXVI. TO THE LADY ——. Adrianople, April 1. O. S. 1717. I AM now got into a new world, where every thing I see appears to me a change of scene; and I write to your ladyship with some content of mind, hoping, at least, that you will find…
Continue reading