when the bather reposes himself on a couch after the ablution. But delicious repose, though the highest gratification to a Turk, can be considered by the European only as rest from pain, and can never excite the raptures of actual pleasure.

A Turkish bath consists of several apartments: the entrance is into a spacious and lofty hall, lighted from above; round the sides are high and broad benches, on which mattresses and cushions are arranged. Here the bather undresses, wraps a napkin about his waist, and puts on a pair of wooden sandals, before going into the bathing rooms; where the body and limbs are thoroughly cleansed by means of friction with a horse-hair bag, and washed and rubbed with a lather of perfumed soap. Here the operation ends.

It is during the festival of the Bayram, which immediately follows the fast of Ramazan, and lasts three days, answering to our Easter, that the Greeks and Turks give themselves up to intemperate mirth." At these times," says Habesci," the Turkish ladies endeavour to accomplish their amorous designs; being permitted to go abroad veiled during the festival of the Bayram, and on all public rejoicings. When these opportunities occur, they take with them a small bundle, carefully concealed, containing a change of dress.— Their own is always of gay colours, with yellow drawers, and a kind of half-boots of the same co

The robes of the lour, fitted close to the legs. Christian women are of dismal dark colours, and not made so loose and flowing as the Turkish; the difference is as great as can well be imagined.-Having disguised themselves in this dress, they cross the water to Pera; and if they have any appointment, which is generally the case, and made by the intermission of some Jew, at whose house they have changed their dress, they go directly to the tavern, where their lover is to meet them.If not, they walk up and down the beautiful esplanade of Pera, which is generally crowded with the most brilliant company of Constantinople.— When they see any young Christian* who at

* A Turkish lady of quality, walking one day in the manner we have described, took a fancy to a French youth of about six-teen. Being in a Greek dress, she made no scruple of accosting him, presenting a diamond to him, and requesting to speak with him aloue. The Frenchman was at a loss to conceive her meaning; and, being no stranger to the houses of pleasure at Pera, retired with her to one of the best. The first meeting gave so The day apmuch satisfaction, that a second was agreed on. pointed they were both punctual; and, after repeated proofs of their reciprocal affection, the lady proposed a scheme for taking her gallant home. She was the wife of a very rich and noble Turk, who had no other, and only kept four female slaves in his harem; he was very old, but doated on his faithful wife. The youth, having accepted her offer, prepared himself for the adventure. She then sent for a Jew, a dealer in slaves, to whom she offered a present of a 1000 ducats, if he would render her a very particular service, which required fidelity and secrecy. 'Jew, who would have sold Moses and Aaron for such a sum, readily consented. "Go then," said she, "to a certain tavern at

The

tracts their attention, they let him know it, by some significant glances; and if these are not suffi

Pera, where you will find a handsome French lad; he will expect you; and dress him in the habit of a female slave. This done, bring him here, and offer to sell him to my husband, but do not ask more than 250 piastres, leaving your future recompence to me." The Jew, highly pleased with his good fortune, purchased the necessary cloaths, and went immediately to Pera, where the youth impatiently expected him. The disguise being completed, he was conducted to the Turk's house, and presented to him as a slave to be sold. The husband thought the pretended slave very pretty, but would not purchase her, left it should make his wife jealous. By accident the lady made her appearance, and enquiring what the girl was brought for, insisted he should, as a proof of his affection, in being able to see so pretty a girl every day without any improper thoughts. "Buy her (said she) and give her to me, I will keep her constantly about my person, and take care she does not rob me of your heart." The Turk, who never denied his dear wife any favour he could grant her, paid the price agreed on, and this slave to love was then placed in the paradise of Mahomet. The Turk grew delighted with the beauty and address of his late purchase, and imputed his wife's increased fondness for him, to the assiduities of the slave, who always kept her lively and in good humour. In fine, the simple Turk grew more enamoured with his wife than ordinary, became as he thought a father, and finding his wife grow big at the end of eight months, made a public declaration of it to the surprise every one. The sole interruption to the happiness of the slave and her mistress arose from the importunities and menaces of the Jew. He paid his visits regularly once a week, in order to extort money from the lady, through a fear of detection. His enquiries, as to the health of the family, were generally accompanied with some disastrous tale of his losses in trade; in short, he made about 14,000 piastres by this intrigue. At length, another circumstance threatened a discovery, and obliged a final separation. This was, that our slave began to discover a beard, which could not be kept under; shaving only increased its growth, And

cient to allure him, beckon him aside, and make him an offer of their person, accompanied by some valuable present; which gives him to understand they are women of rank, perhaps of the highest. A brilliant or an emerald of five hundred pounds value is a trifle at such a time.

It is not a little singular, that the most infamous of all the houses of gallantry at Pera is near the hotel of the English ambassador. And nothing is more common than for Turkish ladies of rank to disguise themselves and hire a room in this house, so situated as to see every person who enters it, and when they have pitched upon a man they like, according to a private agreement with the master, he is shewn up to the disguised lady as to one of his public girls. If he is a man of gallantry, he finds himself most agreeably surprised; for instead of being in the arms, perhaps of a diseased prostitute, he finds himself in the possession of a lovely wholesome wanton; and instead of being called upon for money, he is, in fact, amply rewarded,

In the city, suburbs, and along the banks of the canal of the Black Sea, there are no less than 12,000 of these houses; their number is easily ascertained, the masters of each paying a gold ducat per day for a licence to keep them open: this is a settled tax which never varics. It is well after a thousand protestations of love and gratitude, he was permitted to make his escape in the night, loaded with jewels and money.

known they are kept by Greeks, but are chiefly frequented and supported by Turks of every rank and description. The most esteemed taverns are those of Galata and Pera, which are filled with the better sort of Turks every Friday. There being no divans held on that day for the decision of causes, doctors of the law, moulahs, and emirs with their green turbans, resort to them, and pass the whole day in eating, drinking, and other amusements not to be mentioned. In most of them there are little companies, of five or six singing and dancing boys; two of them play on some instrument, the others dance and sing: they are dressed like girls, and accompany words adapted to the purpose, with wanton looks and gestures, which will often so please their employers, that they will almost cover the boys faces with ducats, sticking them on with their spittle; and the boys, in their turn, have the dexterity, in the course of the dance, to slide them almost imperceptibly into their pockets.

Except in their public festivals, when licentiousness is always extreme, and always allowed, the actors of comedies in Turkey, who are Jews, never exhibit their talents but within the walls of houses where marriages are celebrated, or some particular entertainments given. These companies of wretched buffoons are either all men or all

women.