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Constantinople. The grandees about exposed them to the contempt and the person of Selim III. soon per- derision of the Turks throughout all ceived that the energy he at first Constantinople. manifested, and of which even or- On the contrary, Selim now treats dinary men are susceptible when the Franks, and particularly those recircumstances inspire them with en-sident at Constantinople, with great thusiasm, was foreign to the charac- indulgence and humanity. On this ter of the sultan, and they turned subject, anecdotes are related conthe discovery to their advantage. ceruing bim, for which a parallel Affairs soon went at Selini's court, would be sought in vain, in the bisas they had done at that of the weak tory of his ancestors. The sultans and good-natured Abdul Hamid. have, for example, considered it as New intrigues, new changes of mi- beneatla them to look at a Frank as nistry, new movements of parties they rode past him. They either under foreigo influence, new systems, looked down, or turned their faces and an everlasting fluctuation of another way, with contempt. Sulprinciples in the divan!

tan Selim, however, is said, when Selim Gihandari is more entitled riding in procession and in solemn to respect as a private man than a pomp to the Dschamie, to have ofsovereign ; his ideas are

ten looked with an air of benignity lightened and more free from pre- at the Franks standing by the wayjudice than those of his predecessors; side, and even to have sometimes and his sentinents are tolerant, and bowed to them, when they respectaccommodated to the present times. fully uncovered their heads; which, He is even reported to possess a being against the custom of the East, bappy talent at poetical composition might, on the contrary, have drawn in the Arabic language. The Turks, upon them a reprimand. however, have greater need of a It is well known, that he has had man of strong mind, than of a bel- many interviews with Franks at Dolesprit, to conduct their affairs. Se- ma Backdscheh, and that he has lim is indeed charged with being verbally communicated his pleasure very fond of money, and with board-' and his orders to those whom he has ing it more than any of his prede- taken into his service. On certain cessors; but, on the other hand, he days in the week, he has even caused displays great generosity in the dis- the ladies and gentlemen belonging tribution of rewards.

to the French families settled at Pera His present conduct forms a strik- and Galata, to assemble and dance ing contrast with the character which in a saloon in his seraglio; and he he at first assumed. He then ap- generally watched them, while enpeared as the professed enemy of the gaged in this amusement, through a Franks (or christians). This anti- lattice.--On such occasions, one of pathy impelled bim to issue, among the company, by his desire, plays others, the severe edict, prohibiting on a small organ his favourite tune, all Franks and Jews from wearing the well-known Marlbrook s'en vathe Turkish costume, and command- t-en guerre, and the others accoming them to dress in clothes after the pany the music with their voices. French fashion. This ordinance was The celebrated Lullaby-song of the extremely mortifying to them, as it late dauphin, formerly sung all over

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Europe, from the Seine to the Oby, after the manner of the Bosniaks. and now almost forgotten, has at On these occasions, he is generally length completed its tour of the attended by no more than four perworld, having penetrated to Con- sons, all dressed in the same manstantinople. It has there maintained ner as himself, so as not to be disits ground longer than any where tinguished. One of these attendants else; for, as it pleased the sultan, is the executioner, who always folit became almost a national air, and lows the grand signior, in all his exyou may still hear it sung by many cursions, both on horseback and on à Tschaikschu; but somewhat muti- foot. It is well known, that for lated, it is true, and only to be re- any instance of speedy justice, there cognised from the beginning of the is none to call him to account, nor tune.

veed he even assign a cause. This The following true anecdote privilege the sultans have always evinces the politeness of the em- made use of, and so did Selim in peror towards the Franks. One the first years of his reign.—Now, fine summer's day, many of the however, he forms an honourable Frankish families resident at Con- exception in the exercise of this barstantinople had assenıbled at Buy- barous prerogative; conformably to ukdere on some festive occasion. custom, he still retains the terrific The fineness of the weather, or per- attendant, but without calling for haps curiosity to see so many Franks his professional services. In these together, likewise enticed the grand excursions, he often visits the schools, signior from his water-party to the the barracks, the coffee-houses, the same place. The sky was suddenly academical institutions, and the overcast, and a heavy shower of rain guard-houses ; and he not unfrefell, just when all the company werequently distributes, with his own, walking in an extensive meadow. land, gratuities among those who The ladies, who were provided with have either obtained his approbaumbrellas, put them up; but as the tion, or whom he wishes to engrand signior alone has the privilege courage. of employing this kind of defence

According to the laws of the either against sun or rain, and no Turkish empire, every male must person is allowed to use it in his pre- learn some business; and from this, sence, they immediately let down the sultans themselves are not extheir umbrellas while the sultan empted. Selim learned the art of passed by them on his return to his painting on muslin; and during his gondola. No sooner did he per- reign, it has come so much into ceive this mark of attention, than vogue in the seraglio, that a great he sent a message, granting them number of sofas and divans, in the permission to make use of their um- interior of the palace, are now cobrellas even in his presence.

vered, with this kind of muslin. The emperor frequently goes The superior understanding of his about in the capital, incognito, and mother, the sultana Valide, gave her in various disguises. Sometimes he a great influence over the emperor. wears a green turban and an Alba- She had formerly been the slave of nian dress, or an Arnaut cap, and a Mussulman, 'named Velizade, and wide red cloak, with gold clasps, was brought up with Murat Bey,

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in office or not, shall reside in the capital, unless he occupies a place in the divan, or fills some of the high offices of state, has been dispensed with. The second sister, known by the name of Beiham sultana, is the widow of Selikdar Mustaphia Pacha, formerly Kai-Makan, or deputy of the grand vizir, who died Pacha of Bosnia. The third is called Hedischa Sultana, and is the widow of Seid Achmed Pacha, who died Pacha of Wan, on the frontiers of Persia.

who has since acquired such cele- a custom, that no Pacha, whether brity as a chief of the Mamelukes, and who was likewise purchased in early youth by the same master. Arriving in the seraglio in the very flower of youthful beauty, and a proficient in all the little arts that are practised in the Haram, she was fortunate enough to gain the favour of sultan Mustapha, and to become the mother of a prince of the race of the Osmanides. The affection of the sultanas for their children, whom they suckle themselves, is almost always peculiarly strong in the seraglio; and the attachment of the latter to the mother, is not less remarkable. The sultana mothers have, therefore, from a remote period, enjoyed the privilege of acting important parts at the Ottoman

court.

Sultan Selim cherished the highest degree of veneration and gratitude for her who gave him life. The sultana Valide, (who died in October 1805, in her 73d year) always manifested a particular kindness and regard for the French; and even during their invasion of Egypt she never abandoned their cause. France and the Porte are now again intimately connected; and the former has declared itself the protector and defender of the Turkish empire.

Sultan Selim has three sisters, daughters of sultan Mustapha, but by a different mother. They are all living. The eldest, who has the title of Schack Sultana, or Imperial Princess, is married to Nuhandschi Mustapha, formerly Pacha of Salonichi. As he is not a man of much ambition, and his character excites no suspicion in the court, he is suffered to live peaceably with his wife, in a palace contiguous to the suburb of Eyub. As far as respects him,

Sultan Selim has, as yet, no issue; and such is his neglect of the women of the haram, that it is scarcely expected that he will ever become a father. The heirs apparent to the throne are his first cousins, sultan Mustapha, and sultan Mahmud, sons of the sultan Abdul Hamid, the elder of whom is 27, and the younger 22 years of age. Both of them are very kindly treated by the present grand signior, out of gratitude for the kinduess he himself experienced from their father, his uncle. Nevertheless, they are, according to custom, obliged to live secluded from all society, in the inmost recesses of the great seraglio; and they are permitted, but very rarely, to leave their quarters, in order to kiss the hand of the reigning sovereign. With no other companions than women doomed to sterility, and no other attendants than black eunuchs, are these princes obliged to pass their lives.

Such are the successors of the celebrated Ottoman heroes of past ages; of those mighty and warlike sultaus, who, bred in camps, struck terror into all Christendom: these are imbued only with the precepts of the Koran, and the sentiment of

hatred

hatred to the christians: without the least knowledge of the world, from which they are totally excluded ; and ignorant alike of the business of war, and of the important duties imposed on the sovereign of so immense an empire.

Russian Soldiers Characterized.

In their discipline and tactics, the Russians are the disciples of the Prussians, and adhere strictly to the school of Frederick the Great; they practise what the Prussians did 30 years ago.

The Russian soldier is deficient in instruction rather than intelligence; the servile obedience, to which he is accustomed from his birth, the rigorous discipline of the army, and bis absolute separation from all other nations (whose language and manners are totally unknown to him) make him more obedient to his officers, and more patient and hardy, than the soldiers of any other service. Courage is the general characteristic: it is, if we may so express ourselves, the faith and creed of the Russian soldier. Implicit obedience occasions in him the same effects that enthusiasm does on other nations. The effect which servitude produces, is, in this instance, the same with that of the most ardent patriotism; it is more sure and durable than that of enthusiasm, the artificial warmth of which cannot be long kept up. Thus, what by philosophers is called the last state of degradation, places man in the same level with hero ism. The Russian soldiers do not conceive it possible to give up the contest, so long as they have life to

continue it. The officers are in general very ignorant, for this reason strangers are in high esteem among them; they are brave in the ranks, but, like the soldiers, they are so from the effect of discipline. The same horror is conceived in the Russian armies of cowardice, as is entertained in other countries against irreligion and villainy. Bravery is a duty from which nobody considers himself exempt. A Russian camp resembles a horde of Tartars. In the same manner that a people accustomed to obey the laws,' mechanically observe them; so do the Russians constantly follow the rules of discipline, without daring to depart from them.

Their method is to engage the enemy with the bayonet, at full speed, crying Owri, Owri; no troops in the world can withstand this charge: the firing does not abate their impetuosity; they attack a battery in front, if that be a readier way than to attack it in flauk.

To withstand this shock, the engmy must not wait for it, but proceed to meet it with the same resolution. The French are more remarkable for boldness and rashness, than intrepidity; the approach of the long and broad Russian bayonets always alarmed them, and the grenadiers could never stand their impression. The courage of the Russians is proof against every thing; they know how to die to insure victory, and to die rather than be beaten. They will beat all other troops, if they can but bring them to action: they are moving machines of fire, that consume all in their way. No troops in the world are so careless of being attacked in flank, or turned; they think, let the enemy be where he

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will, if he can but face about to and insiguificance of the remaining meet him, that he is in front and princes, whose collective force was regular array before them.

great, but whose powers could not The Russian discipline is ex- be brought to act in harmony, or on tremely rigorous, and has all the an emergency be called into exeringredients of an autocratical go- tion. The greater part of those vernment. The subordination a- princes were philanthropic admiu. mongst the officers of different ranks istrators of their little territories; but is almost as great as that of private few of them possessed that dignity soldiers to their officers in other and those energies of character services; they are sometimes treated which their exalted rank demanded, in the same mavner as the privates. and their bigh titles imported. Their bravery is the effect of dis- Hence we canvot wonder that, when cipline, more than of elevated sen- the mighty foe advanced, and the timents.

concentrated power of France presEach company has its bero; it is sed upon them, they soon shrunk a distinction be obtains from the from the conflict, and yielded to the suffrages of his comrades: he has victor almost without opposition. -no pre-eminence determined by or- But there were splendid exceptions der, though he has in effect a very to this general debility, and an hegreat one; he is the example, the roism of character was sometimes model, and the chief of the mess; found in the minor princes, which, he enjoys great consideration among bad it subsisted in the breasts of the his comrades, and never fails to give still powerful sovereigus, might bave them an example of bravery, firm- preserved from violation the august

good conduct.-When memorial and shade of Roman domen are accustomed to any thing, minion; nor would the Teuton then it is sufficient for one to give an have lain prostrate before the Gaul. example, to induce the other to Among the few who retained the follow it: this it is, that renders the elevation of the ancient German hero in question so useful in action. character, even at the moment of Téw. persons are capable of setting its lowest degradation, was the reignan example, though almost all of ing duchess of Saxe Weimar, Louisa, following it.

daughter of the Landgrave of Hesse Darmstadt. Her consort, as is well

known, was one of the generals of Buonaparte and the Duchess of the king of Prussia, in the everWeimar.

memorable campaign of 1806.

When the allied armies collected The recent annihilation of the themselves in the little territory of German empire is, above all things, the duke, where it was resolved to to be attributed to the wretched ab- wait the arrival of the French; surdities of its constitution ; to the when it was determined to hazard establishment of the power of Prus- the battle which was to decide the sia as a balance against Austria, by fate of all Germany, in the vicinity which dissention and division were of Weimar, the duchess resolved organized; and to the weakness to abide in her residence. The

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