LETTERS FROM TURKEY
Letters from Turkey, considered the best Hun,garian prose of the eighteenth century, is written by Kelemen Mikes, a Transylvanian nobleman who went into exile with Ferenc Rakoczi II, the Prince of Transylvania, after the War of Independence in 1704 - 1711 in which the Prince fought to preserve independent Transylvania. The Prince and his entourage spent some years in France, and were then invited to Turkey by Sultan Ahmed III, going there in 1717. Some of the party eventually left, but, like Rakoczi, Mikes spent the rest of life in exile in Turkey.
This memoir had a considerable vogue in Transylvania at the time, and Mikes writes in a well-established tradition. The 207letters, never before translated from Hungarian, were addressed over some forty years to an aunt in Constantinople. In them, Mikes speaks of the Hungarians' daily life, their hopes and disappointments, and of current events in Turkey and beyond; he describes the deaths of some of the party including that of the Prince himself. He also gives an account of a military campaign along the Danube and an embassy to Moldova, ranging over religious, historical and philosophical topics and recounting numerous anecdotes. All the while his patriotic feelings never leave him, nor does his affection, not unblinkered, for his Prince. The last letter, written four years before his death, sees him become head of the Hungarian community in Turkey, last survivor of the original band of Transylvanian nobles exiled to a far country.
Bernard Adams, the translator and editor of this volume studied at Pembroke College, Cambridge. He was a Fellow of the School of Oriental and African Studies, London and specialises in the translation of Hungarian literature.
9780710306104 Letters From Turkey Kelemen Mikes Chamberlain Of The Last Prince Of Transylvania Size: 232 x 154mm Spine size: 19 mm Color pages: Binding: Hardback
LETTERS FROM TURKEY
KELEMEN MIKES CHAMBERLAIN OF THE LAST PRINCE OF TRANSYLVANIA
Translated from the Hungarian and edited by
BERNARD ADAMS First published 2000 by Kegan Paul International Limited
Published 2014 by Routledge 2 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon OX14 4RN
Simultaneously published in the USA and Canada by Routledge 711 Third A venue, New York, NY 10017, USA
Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business
© Bernard Adams, 2000 Transferred to Digital Printing 2009
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilised in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers.
British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
ISBN 978-0-7103-0610-4 (hbk)
Publisher's Note The publisher has gone to great lengths to ensure the quality of this reprint but points out that some imperfections in the original copies may be apparent. The publisher has made every effort to contact original copyright holders and would welcome correspondence from those they have been unable to trace. CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION ix
GLOSSARY XV
THE LETTERS 1
NOTES 259 ------~
1• _; z • LETTERS FROM TURKEY
INTRODUCTION
More was lost at Mohacs' goes the proverbial Hungarian response to news of catastrophe, for it was at Mobacs, to the west of the Danube near the frontier with modem Croatia, that on 29th August 1526 an Ottoman army under Suleyman the Magnificent annihilated a Hungarian force led by Lajos II, who lost his life in the ensuing flight. The consequence for the Hungarians of this defeat was loss of independent statehood, with the division of the country into Turkish Hungary (occupied territory), Royal Hungary (ruled by the Austrian Hapsburg dynasty) and Transylvania. For Turkish Hungary the period of occupation was a wretched time, during which much damage was done by the conquerors' boundless exploitation of the country, large areas of which became virtually uninhabitable. The situation in Royal Hungary was little better. Not only was the new ruler foreign, claiming the crown through relationship to the deceased Lajos, but also the frontier was ill-defined and worse defended, with cross-border raids by the Turks a constant feature oflifu. In Transylvania, however, the extreme east of the country, things were rather better. The mountainous terrain was less vulnerable to military action than the plains to the west, and the Sultan remained content to have the Princes as vassals whose tribute ensured their semi-autonomous status. After Mohacs Transylvania, always a distinctive element of Greater Hungary by virtue of its separate constitution under a viceroy, became in effect an independent state. Refugees from Turkish Hungary went there rather than to Royal Hungary, and Transylvania attained international importance both as the defender of Hungarian liberties against the Hapsburgs, and as the bulwark of Protestantism in Eastern Europe.
The R.ak6czi family was of princely Transylvanian stock, and when, following the death of Suleyman at Szigetvar in 1566, Ottoman power began slowly to wane, they and their kinsmen were at the fotefiont of opposition. Count Mild6s Zriny~ commander of Szigetvar, who led his remaining men in a sally to death when the month-long siege by prodigious odds had become hopeless, was an ancestor of Dona, wife of Prince Ferenc Rak6czi I and mother of Ferenc II; Zrinyi's great-grandson,
IX LETTERS FROM TURKEY Viceroy of Croatia, strove by activity military, political and literary to liberate Hungary from the Turks. It was his hope that Gyorgy Rak6czi IT, Prince of Transylvania 1648-60, would emerge as leader of a united Hungary, but this was not to be, and Zrinyi spent his final years in unsuccessful endeavours to bring the Austrians into a war against the Turks. He died in 1664, killed in a hunting accident, and it was not until 1686 that Buda was taken by the international forces under the Duke of Lorraine. By the end of the century the Turks were almost completely expelled, and the Peace of Karlowitz (1699) formally ended their occupation ofHungary.
Prince Ferenc ll, by far the best known internationally of his family, was born in 1676., the year of his father's death; his mother subsequently married the kuruc leader lmre Thokoly, who reigned briefly as Prince of Transylvania in 1690. Removed from parental care by the Austrian authorities in 1688, young Ferenc was educated in a Jesuit school in Bohemia and at the University of Prague, which instilled in him a profound religious sense and inculcated a much more pacific view of the world than his turbulent ancestors had held; he was even dissuaded from speaking Hungarian. On return in 1694 to the family estates at Sarospatak he became aware of the plight of his compatriots and almost by right of inheritance found himself a leading figure in the kuruc resistance to the Austrians, who had by this time replaced the Turks as oppressors of the Hungarians. In 1701, discovered in a plot to enlist fureign support, he was imprisoned by the Austrians and condemned to death but escaped with the aid of his wife, to spend two years in Poland. His leadership in the War of Independence from 1703 onward resulted in his election in 1704 and installation in 1707 as Prince of Transylvania; in 1705 he was elected leader of the Hungarian conflxlerated estates, and in 1707 the Hapsburgs were fonnally discrowned by the Hungarian Parliament. Initially he received support from Louis XIV, but when, as an eventual consequence of the French defeat at Blenheim, this support was withdrawn Rilk6czi was obliged to end the struggle, and with a number of followers left Hungary in February 1711, shortly before the signing of the Treaty of Szatmar that brought the war to a close. The party went to Poland, where Rilk6czi hoped in vain to find support from Augustus n or even from Peter I of Moscow, and stayed for more than a
X LET1ERS FROM TURKEY year in Danzig. In 1712 he and three companions went to France\ where various of his adherents bad preceded him. There he remained, firstly as a guest of Louis XIV, then as a resident in the monastery of Grosbois, where he acquired strongly Jansenist views. In 1717, at the repeated invitation of Sultan Ahmet m, he moved to Turkey. The Turkish reason for extending hospitality to Rak6czi was that at the time Turkey was at war with Austria, and it was hoped that the presence of so influential and popular a figure would bring Transylvania, if not all Hungary, into the lists on the Turkish side. Even before Rak6czi's arrival, however, the Turks had suffered a serious defeat at Belgrade and the war was lost. The Hungarians, by now in many cases destitute and dependent on the charity of the Porte, had nowhere to go, and were obliged to remain in Turkey, being settled after some three years of various abodes at Tekirdag (called by its Greek name Rodost6 in the Letters) on the Marmara coast some eighty miles west of Istanbul. There Ferenc II died in 1735 and was succeeded by his son J6zsef, who died three years later. Some of the Hungarians contrived to leave Turkey over the years, but most died there of old age or disease.
There was in Ferenc ll's retinue a young Szekely nobleman named Kelemen Mikes. Born in 1690 in the village of Zagon, to the east of Brasov in south- eastern Transylvania, and educated by the Jesuits in Kolozsvar, Mikes entered the Prince's service in 1707 as a member of the Society of Noble Youths and accompanied him into exile even though, under the provisions of the Treaty of Sz.at:mar, he could safely have remained in Hungary. Clearly of a bookish disposition, he was widely read in Latin and French, and left no small corpus of translations of philosophical works, together with the present work. The Letters are addressed to an aunt living in Pera, a suburb of Constantinople (the modem Beyoglu in Istanbul), but no such person can be shown to have existed, and in tact the work is a metnoir, written at irregular intervals over forty-one years, possibly with the hope of eventual publication. The memoir was a fashionable Transylvanian genre at this time, largely because of religious influence that deprecated belles-lettres: the diarist and
1 One ofthem was the writer ofthe Letters. On the way the party visited Hull, but no record of this bas been found there. Hungarian sources indicate that the intention was not to seek asylum in England but to obtain support fur the inclusion of Hungary and Transylvania in the Treaty ofUtrec:ht; Rak.Oczi bad had diplomatic contact with the English negotiator George Stepney. The party was not, however, allowed to land beclwse of plague, It would, on the other hand, have been easy, because of1he considerable Baltic 1rade, to obtain passage :from Danzig to Hull and 1here to 1rans-sbip for France.
XI LETTERS FROM TURKEY autobiographer can speak freely to himself: disregarding the conventions of contemporary society, and this is done to effect by such untranslated Transylvanian writers as Prince Janos Kemeny (1607-62), Count Mild6s Bethlen (1642-1716), Baron Peter Apor (1676-1752) and Ferenc ll himself The language of memoir is predictably the everyday speech of the writer, and in this Mikes is not exceptional. His Hungarian is his native Sze'kely dialect, polished by education and redolent of the style of contemporary Hungarian news-sheets, but flavoured with dialectal fonns and vocabulary, now and then with snatches of what seem to be nursery rhyme and local jargon; at times, however, the close-reading translator may feel that Mikes would prefer to be writing in Latin, as he is engulfed by an occasional periodic sentence not always under perfect control in HWlg8rian! There is about the language a delightful refinement, an elegance, together with many a dash of wit, and the writer's care in composition is never in doubt. It can be established from the watermarked dates in the paper of the manuscript that Mikes recopied his work, and so even is his style over so long a period that one must suspect revision of the earlier material. Some critics have attributed this style to Mikes' years in France, but it is questionable whether he would then have moved in circles that would have influenced him in this way. His friendship with the French ambassador in Turkey, Bonnac, provided him with good French literature and cultured conversation, and so may have been influential; one must not forget, however, his Jesuit education, during which he would surely have read the letters of Cicero, then a popular textbook. The idea of the letter as a literary form is as likely to have come to him from them as ftom the work ofMme de Sevigne. The tange oftopics covered in the Letters is extensive. Some are on purely domestic themes, revealing the hopelessness of the prospect of seeing Hungary again, Mikes' thwarted desire to be married, the boredom of the quasi-monastic routine that Rak6czi imposed on his exiled court and the impossibility of befriending the neighbours. There are descriptions of various places and events, discussions of silk-worm fanning and the propagation of wheat, comments on the education of boys and girls- Mikes is an early feminist-and accounts of political activity in Turkey and abroad, together with a campaign up the Danube and an embassy to Wallachia. He translates passages from his foreign reading, some of which can be identified (Western newspapers, in particular the French edition of The Spectator, reached Tekirdag). Mikes is a religious man and discusses religious themes, displaying a tolerant view of Islam while reciprocating
xii LETTERS FROM TURKEY the disdain of the Moslem for the Christian. In one curious incident he loses and subsequently regains his sight-but through all this rich variety there runs a unifying vein: his devotion to the person of the Prince. Personal attachment to Prince Ferenc bad caused Mikes to leave Transylvania, and although he not infrequently yearns for Z3gon he can only have seen little of it since the age of ten. He played no part in the Prince's international negotiations and political activity; he may well have seen military action with the kuruc although he does not refer to it; he was in fuct a servant in the Prince's household when he might have been master in his own. The Prince-never called by name, but always 'lord' or 'prince' until the very last letter, when he is suddenly, just once, 'old Rak6czi'-is not always mentioned; sometimes he is referred to in a word or two, sometimes in a longer comment, sometimes merely by inference (especially when Mikes implies dislike or criticism ofhis actions). When he takes sick and dies, however, Mikes writes of nothing else, and his overwhelming grief shows the depth of his affection for his master. Loyalty to the house of Rak6czi compels him to try to see Ferenc ll's son Jozsef in the same light, but despite his devotion to the father and his native humility this is really beyond his powers-though he does his best.
On the death of'old .Rak6czi' Mikes could have left Turkey, but he chose to live out his days in a rather uncomfortable alien land. He did not speak any of its languages, he had no prospect of advancement, wealth or marriage, even of friendship outside the circle of exiled Hungarians (which evidently received new members now and then). At no time do the Letters analyse his thoughts on the subject, lively though his mind is, but always declare him willing to submit to the purposes of God, in which there can be no evil. One cannot fail to draw a comparison between Mikes and the Hungarian galley-slave in XXXVI-he has become used to the wn;tchedness. The last of the original party to remain alive, Mikes died of plague in 1761. The Letters were found among his effects and were first published in 1794. Their importance as a historical document was immediately apparent, and much scholarly effort was wasted in attempts to identify their mysterious addressee; their high literary quality too was recognised, and modem critics acknowledge them as the best Hungarian prose work of the eighteenth century. Mikes' portrayal of the lot of the exile was novel in that it was unsentimental; sad enough, but never self~pitying; humble enough, but never crushed; when hope was lost~and that happened early
xiii LETTERS FROM TURKEY and repeatedly-never yielding to despair; and never losing sight of the ideals that justified his exilcr-love for his Prince and his absent native land.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
I have the greatest of pleasure in expressing my gratitude to Kil.lm8n Ruttkay, late of EOtvos L6rand University, Budapest, for his assistance with this text. His enthusiasm, scholarship and generous encouragement have been of the utmost value.
xiv LETTERS FROM TURKEY GLOSSARY Turkish
In Mikes' day Turkish was written in modified Arabic script, which he could presumably read little if at all. His transcription of Turkish is here transliterated into English equivalents. Modem Turkish orthography is used in definitions where appropriate. aga lord, commander. Alemdar standard-bearer. Assas Basba ChiefofPolice. baldaji a woodsman, from balta 'axe'. bashbugh Commander in Chief, or a commander ofirregular troops. bayram a religious festival. bostanji a gardener; the Sultan's bodyguard. ca.IqUe a boat. chauz a uniformed attendant of a dignitary. chorbajia maker or seller offOrba 'soup'; a colloquialism for an officer of Janissaries. defteroar a book-keeper, clerk. divan a council. halajka halayik 'female servant or slave'. Hasaki Haseki 'mvourite wife ofthe Sultan'. ishoglan a page. Janissary a soldier ofthe yeniferl 'new army' kaden kiaya kadin kdhyasi, women's steward. kadi a Turkish magistrate. Kapiji a doorman. Kapitan Basha The Admiral ofthe F leet. kaymakam The Chamberlain ofthe Sultan's court. kul aslave manga1 a dish containing hot charcoal for domestic heating. Mishtanji Possibly Nisbanji Pasha, an official whose duty it was to Basha wriw the Sultan's official signature. Mufti the Grand M~ principal dignitary of Islam. oka measure of weight or volume, equal to 1.281 kilograms or litres. pasha a general or a provincial governor. With other tenns pasha denotes seniority - chauz pasha, kapiji pasha.
XV LETTERS FROM TURKEY Porte the abbreviated French translation of the Persian Bab-i Ali 'High Doorway', a colloquialism for the Ottoman Government derived from a feature of its building. Reis Efendi The Foreign Minister ofthe Ottoman Empire. Siliktar Aga sildhtar 'custodian of weapons'. tayin rations, especially a small loaf for military issue. tiha Mikes' rendering ofkdhya 'steward~. Vizier The Grand Vizier, the Ottoman Prime Minister.
Hungarian arasz span of an extended band, thumb- to little finger-tip. ba.rattanc 'friendship dance' or 'monk dance'. The word is Mikes' own coinage and seems to mean patience, toleration. ejtel an old Hungarian liquid measure, 0. 7 litres. kuruc Hungarian irregular forces opposed to the Austrians in the War of Independence. kolduslab 'beggar's foot', a kind of pastry. lot an old Hungarian weight, roughly half an ounce. merrold the Hungarian mb:fOld (according to Orszagh 1,609.33 metres) is rather longer than the English mile of 1,760 yards (1,523.99 metres). The Revai Nagylexikon gives the merfold as 8353.6 metres. Mikes says that Rodost6 is 25 merfold (XLII), two days on horseback or one by water (XXXVU), from Constantinople. In modern terms Tekirdag to Istanbul is 131 km. by road, about 82 English miles, which inclines one to Suppose that Mikes must mean by merfold the Turkish agaf, given by Revai as 5001 (sic) metres, from which it follows that his merflJld is roughly three English miles. ostorod 'Thy scourge'. poltura a small Hungarian copper coin. Szekely a Hungarian-speaking ethnic group in Transylvania. thaler the thaler (Joachimsthaler) takes its name from a coin minted in the silver mines of Count Schlick in Joachimstal. It weighed approximately 16.75 grams, and was in wide circulation in Central Europe from 1500 on.
xvi LETTERS FROM TURKEY
Personal names Mikes' contemporaries are listed here. Historical persons are noted in numbered endnotes.
Ahmed ill Turkish sultan 1703-30. His reign covered the 'Tulip Period' of court elegance, and ended in the Patrona revolt, detailed in XCI and xcn. Augustus Augustus ll 'the Strong' (reigned 1697-1704 and 1709-33) was also Elector of Saxony. Deposed in 1704 after military reverses against Charles XII of Sweden, he was succeeded by Stanislaw Leszczynski. On the defeat of Charles at Poltava, Augustus returned to Poland, formed an alliance with Peter I of Russia, reopened hostilities with Sweden and resumed the throne, from which Stanislas bad been driven by Peter. The court of Saxony was notorious for its dissoluteness-legend credits Augustus with 300 illegitimate children. Bercsenyi CountMikl6s Bercsenyi (1665-1725), a leader in the War of Independence. The first Countess Bercsenyi (1654-1723) was born K.risztina Csa.ki, daughter oflstvan Csaky, Lord Chief Justice and Captain-General of Upper Hungary. She had previously been married to Sandor ErdOdy, High Sheriff of Vas County and Master of the Royal Wardrobe, and to Miklos Draskovich, Lord Chief Justice.Bonneval Claude Alexandre, Comte de Bonneval (1675-1747), had fought the Turks as a general of Prince Eugene de Savoie. He was court- martialled in The Netherlands, and when his death sentence was commuted went to Turkey. There he became a Moslem and served with distinction against Russia and Persia-but was ultimately disgraced and banished. Csaky Count Mihaly Csaky (1676-1757) bad been a general of the kuruc forces. After the failure of the War of Independence he went to Wallachia, joining Ra.k6czi in Rodost6 in 1722.0 Daun Count Leopold Daun, the Austrian general who defeated the Prussians at Kolin.
XVll LETTERS FROM TURKEY
Esterhazy Count Antal Eszterhazy (1676-1722) deserted the Austrians to join Rak6czi in 1704, accompanied him into exile and died in Rodost6. Eugenius Duke Eugene de Savoie (1663-1736), the Austrian general. Forgacs Simon Forgacs (1669-1730) had been one of RakOczi's generals and had been living in exile since the collapse of the revolt. Lobkovics Kereszteny Gyargy Lobkovics, Governor in Chief of Transylvania at the time. Kajdacsi Peter Kajdilcsi, a colonel ofthe kuruc forces. Karoly Prince Charles, Duke ofLotbaringia. KOnigszeg General Konigsegg, President of the Austrian War Council. Mahmudl Turkish sultan 1730-54. Came to the throne as a result of the Patrona revolt; see XCll. Mustafa ill Turkish sultan 1857-73, son of Ahmed Ill. Nadasdi Count Ferenc Nadasdy, one of Maria Theresa's most capable generals. Orleans Phillipe, Due d'Orleans, was appointed Regent of France in 1715, in the minority of Louis XV. He was opposed to the French policy of peace with Austria that prevailed in 1717. Osman ill Turkish sultan 1754-7, brother of Abmed m. Papai Gaspar and Janos were brothers. Rathonyi Janos Rathonyi, commander of the fortress of Gorgeny 1706-8. Referred to as 'The Colonel'. Sarosi From saros 'muddy'. This was Ferenc Rak6czi's pseudonym in France. Sibrik Miklos Sibrik, Rak6czi's major-domo, followed his Prince into exile and died in Rodost6 on 7th Oct 1735. Talaba Mate Talaba had been ADC to Antal Esterhazy. Together with Janos Papai, Ferenc Horvath and Samuel Ebeczky he had preceded Rak6czi to Turkey as an emissary to the Sul- tan.
xviii LETTERS FROM TURKEY
Th0k6ly Jmre Th0k6ly (1657·1705), a leader of Hungarian opposition to the Austrians in the last years of the 17th century and Ferencz Rak6czi's stepfather. Briefly Prince of Transylvania in 1690, he bad left Hungary in 1699 and died in Nicomedia. Zai Two men of this name, sons of Baron LOrinc Zai, are known. The first (Christian name and date of birth unknown, died 1758) became senior Hungarian in Rodost6. The second was Andras Zai (1685-1734), who held senior military appointments under Rak6czi and followed him into exile, returning to live on his wife's estate some time after .Rak6czi's death. Zsut.Si K6szeghy was the daughter of Pat K6szeghy, Rak6czi's secretary and a well-known minor poet.
Place-names Adrianople Modem Edime, always the advance base for expeditions against the West. Bekos Beykoz. on the eastern side ofthe Bosphorus opposite Yenilroy. Bithynia The Roman province occupying north-western Anatolia. Bozza Buzau, river and town of south-eastern Transylvania. Brass6 Modem Brasov in south-eastern Transylvania. Breslau Modem WrocJaw. BiiyQkdere A village at the northern end ofthe Bosphorus. Csik A fortress in Transylvania. Chernavoda In northern Bulgaria. Foksan Modem Focsani in eastern Romania. Gallipoli Modern Gelibolu. Heraklea Modem Marmara Ereglis~ 30 km east of Tekirdag. lconiumModem Konya in central Anatolia. Jaszi Modem Iasi in north-eastern Romania. Kocsin Probably modern Khotin in western Ukraine. Kolozsvar Modem Cluj-Napoca in western Transylvania. Lissa Modern Leuthen. Neszter The Dniestr. Nicapolis Modem Nikopol in Bulgaria. Nicomedia Modern Izmit, on the north-eastern coast ofthe Mannara.
xix LETTERS FROM TURKEY
Nisa Modem Nis,. in modem Serbia. Oroszcsik Modem Ruse, formerly Ruschuk, in northern Bulpria. Orsova On an island in the Danube, to the north ofVidin. Pera A district of Constantinople, now called BeyO&Iu. Princes' A group ofnine islands in the Marmara. Islands south Islands east of Istanbul, now Kizil adalar 'Red Islands'. Raguza Modem Dubrowik. ROO.ost6 Modem Tekirdag, on the European coast ofthe Marmara some 130 km south-west of Istanbul. Mikes uses the late form ofthe Greek name Rbaidestos.· Tolentinum Modem Toledo. Transylvania Now a province of Romania, previously part of Greater Hungary. Vidin A town on the Danube, the frontier between the Ottoman Empire and Transylvania, in the extreme north-west of modem Bulgaria. Yenikoy 'New Village', on the west side ofthe Bosphorus north of Constantinople (now in Istanbul). Mikes' native village in south e8stem Transylvania.
PRONUNCIATION ofHUNGARIAN All Hungarian words are stressed on the first syllable. An accent (a, e ... ) indicates a long vowel and double consonants are pronounced as such. Letters have values similar to the English, with the following exceptions: a: English o in hot. a: English a in hat, but long. c: English ts. cs: English ch. e: as French e. gy: as din due. j: English yin you. ly: as j. o, u: as in Gennan. s: English sh. sz: EngJisb s in see. z: English z. zs: English s in measure.
XX , !lti./. !lilt' /, I .1 1/;lti;l';' _,, ~,./.-,,. p,,,, ),,,,,,., •. ,:. ,,/. Jf,J..,,. ,,,.. ~-.· ,.,,.,, ,,,.,.,,~ , .•,, , ""• ·" '· ·~ -
Princess Amalia Rakoczi
Prince Gyorgy Rakoczi
Prince Jozsef Rakoczi
Count Miklos Bercsenyi
Prince Ferenc Rakoczi I
Ahmed III
Mahmud I
Osman III
Mustafa III
LETIERS FROM TURKEY
I
FromGallipoli,Anno 1717. 10. Octobris.
My dear Aunt, thanks be to God, we arrived here today without mishap, though we set sail from France on the 15th of September. Our Prince, praise be, would be in good health if the gout would leave him; but let us hope that the Turkish air will dispel it. Dear Aunt, how good it is to be on dry land. Even St Peter, you see, was alanned when his feet sank in the water: how then should we sinners not be afraid as our ship rolled from side to side among masses of foam as high as the great mountains of Transylvania-sometimes we would ascend to their crests, sometimes be plunged into so great a valley that we could but wait for those mountains of water to fall upon us; but none the less they were sufficiently humane not to give us to drink more than was necessary. Suffice it that we are here and in good health; for one can fall ill at sea as well as on land-and here, when the carriage shakes one, it leaves one tired but distinctly peckish; whereas on shipboard the ceaseless rocking and tossing to and fro stupefy the head and upset the stomach, and one is obliged to do as does a drunken man that cannot hold his liquor. My poor stomach was thrown into such distress for the first day or two, but thereafter I had the appetite of a wolf. Our Prince had not yet left the ship when a Tatar Khan who resides here in exile sent him gifts, among which a fine horse, saddled. Our Prince has been given good lodgings, but we are quartered like dogs, although I like being here better than being in the ship. Dear Aunt, it must be two years since I received your kind letters. I tell the truth, if the year is a month in length. I hope, dear Aunt, that henceforth, now that we breathe the same air, I shall receive your letters more frequently. But just as we are some hundreds of mer:fiJld closer one to another, it seems that you must love me more; I, on the other hand, tnuch though I love you, can write no more; for it seems that the house is rocking around me, as ifI were still aboard ship.
1 LETTERS FROM TURKEY
II
Gallipoli, 21. Octobris 17171•
My dear Aunt, I have still not received any letter from you, which does not much please me, but what does please me is that the gout, seeing that it was not held in high regard, has left the Prina; who today paid a visit to the Tatar Khan on the horse that he had presented. He received him with very warm :friendship. At first I thought that we were about to be enslaved, and I only looked to see which would bind us. But they are very kindly people and would have talked to- us most freely, but in so short a time we could not become Tatars. When the Prince had taken leave of the Khan, and we too had expressed our _gratitude for His Tatarship's goodwill by bows alone, we walked to our lodging and a fine steed was left with our lord. I think that tomorrow we shall leave this desolate, picturesque, gloomy abode, as the Sultan's red coach has come that has been sent for our lord. I call it red, because it is covered on the outside with red cloth, but it does not merit the name of coach, for it is only a carriage. It is, however, pulled, or drawn, by four white horses, and they are not burdened by being made to canter; since they have long forgotten how, so old are they-the four together must be eighty. I cannot forbear to speak of the coachman. You would think that the four-in-hand were driven by some mayor-the near-wheeler makes his venerable white beard wave most gently, in his one hand he holds the reins, but from ancient habit, ancient habit, I say; for his horses know their lesson without the reins, and in his other hand he holds his pipe, and he smoked as he fumigated his old horses so that they should not catch cold. This is all good, my dear Aunt, but the Turks have been defeated at Belgrade2• Here the people are fleeing into Asia. One would think that the German was already at Adrianople, rather than a hundred and fifty merflJld thence. We say often enough that we have come to fight on their side, but they simply run, one way, another. Oh! dear Aunt, how can one conduct a war with such people? Suffice it that to-morrow we set out for Adrianople, there to behold the mighty, many-wived Sultan and the resplendent, glittering Porte. But, dear Aunt, you must drive away idleness, lay aside the needle, take into those tiny hands the pen and write to me often, seven letters each week at the least. But you must take great care of your health, and love me; for who would love my dear Aunt better than I? 2 LEITERS FROM TURKEY
m
Adrianople, 29. Octobris 1717.
It was high time, dear Aunt, that I should receive your letter, which was delivered to me here. Now you deserve that I should write about how we reached this imperial city. We left Gallipoli on the 22nd. Nothing worthy of mention occurred on the way, we came along as best we might, some on good horses, some on poor. In the town ofUzunkoprii, however, in the courtyard ofthe house where our lord was lodged we saw a vine as big as a plum-tree-I tell no lie when I say that the grapes on it were the size of large plums. But the amazing thing was that on some branches there were ripe grapes, on others simply unripe ones, while on yet others the flowers were only just opening. One could see the three seasons on the vine all at the same time. On the 28th, however, when we were a mbfold and a half from Adrianople, the steward of the Kaymakam, that is the captain of the court, came to meet our lord with some two hundred officers, to greet him in the name ofthe Sultan and of his master. But better still, half a merflJld from the city he entertained us in tents on behalf of his master. But who would think that the Turks had such good food? The fu.ct is that we were all hungry, but it is also true that I rose from the table unsatisfied, although I had partaken of at least eighty dishes. You would not believe it, if you did not know the custom-an accursed custom! a swinish custom!-Dear Aunt! no sooner had we touched a dish than it was taken from us, likewise the second, the third, in a word seventy or eighty dishes flew past us in this way. Some were taken before we had even touched them-it appeared that the intention was to entertain only our noses, and thus we rose famished from the rich meal. We were like Tantalus with the vat of water from which he could not drink. I then resolved, furious in my starving condition, that I would never go hungry into Turkish company. And there was no sign of anything to drink. Indeed, the amount we ate caused no thirst. This dry lunch coming to an end, we mounted our horses lightly. Our lord rode through the city on the Sultan's horse to his lodging, and the Kayrnakam sent us a good supper in the evening, which was better than lunch; for it was not Turks that waited at table but our servants, and they removed the dishes when we bade them. This Kaymakam is very highly regarded by the Sultan; how should he not be, when he lies with his 3 LEITERS FROM TURKEY daughter? Now that the VIzier is on campaign he assumes his office entirely. His name is Ibrahim. He is most well disposed towards our lord. He was one that recommended to the Sultan that he should send to France for him. I have not yet seen His Kaymakamship, but even if I never do, I love you. Do you love me?
IV
Adrianople, 7. Novembris 1717
I love it so, my dear Aunt, that you drive out that accursed laziness and write to me. I received your kind letter just when I had to mount up. Shall I tell you where we went? To call on that temporally fortunate and happy Kaymakam that lies with the Sultan's daughter when he can; but I am not so very envious of his good fortune, because they say that she is not beautiful. You can believe that I have not seen her, and that I do not wish to see her as those men do, castrated as they are like capons. Dear Aunt, it is a great honour but not much pleasure to be married to the Sultan's daughter. Wtth what bitterness must that Kaymakam have parted from his delightful, beautiful wife, when the hand of the Sultan's daughter was bestowed upon him? Heartfelt love is greater than riches; a good marriage is not only to be found in a wealthy household. Dear Aunt, I know that you will deride me and say that I speak of marriage as a blind man does of light, who knows that it exists but cannot conceive of its nature; but though your tiny mouth may laugh at that, my lungs, my kidneys and my liver altogether maintain that a dear, poor wife must not be abandoned for a wife that is rich but unloved-am I not right? So I will not speak of marriage; in any case, here I am two hundred mb:fo/d from it. I must write to you that the Kaymakam received us good-heartedly and with great ceremony, talked for almost two hours with our lord and made him a present of a fine horse; and when he would take his leave his wife sent some handkerchiefs. These expressions of friendship are most wel- come; for if we were as near to Zagon as he is to the VIZiership, we would be at the edge of the town. We have as yet no news of the purpose for which we have come. But I fear that our campaign will be for naught; for the Turk makes peace with pleasure when he is beaten. My dear Aunt, we can go no further, but must consign ourselves to the will of God. He has brought us here, let Him guide our affairs. But do 4 LETIERS FROM TURKEY you think that I shall have difficulty in becoming accustomed to this country? Truly, the Turks like us, we have nothing to complain of, none does us harm, but it is hard for a foreigner here; for he can truike no acquaintances or friends. This nation does not hate the Christian, but despises him. We cannot expect anyone to invite us to his house. Cer- tainly I have no great wish that they should, why should I? They give one a pipe of tobacco, a cup of coffee, then a couple of words followed by a long silence; then when they bring out the incense-burner that means that it is time to decamp. One might be able to ask the master of the house: how are your children? but I would recommend to none the enquiry: how is your wife?, for one would be driven from the house with cudgels. Here one must not even mention the lady of the house, it is as if there were not a woman in the world. For what pleasure, then, can one wish for the friendship ofthe Turk, unless it confer some benefit? It is true that ignorance of the language may cause awkwardness toward us; for we cannot fail to be uncomfortable in the company of those with whom we cannot speak: or to whom we cannot express our thoughts. Until the present, dear Aunt, I know very little Turkish; I do not know how it will be later, but it seems to me that even then I shall perhaps acquire no more than the two or three words that I have now; for not being in companionship with Turks, and even less with Turkish women, I see no way of advancing in the language. Judge for yourself whether it requires a brain to learn and retain three words. However, here we are very recent arrivals, but when I know matters better, and the city, then I will write more. And I beg you, love this recent arrival. You must put aside laziness and not spare the paper.
v
Adrianople, 29. Novembris 1717.
Dear Aunt, what a fortunate lady you are that we are not close together; for I would at once embrace you and as finely and well as lies within me thank you for graciously receiving my letter and reading it with pleasure. I will write you so many letters, and such long ones, that you will clasp your hands together and so beseech me to write less; for I have no greater delight than when I write to you-oh! I lie, dear Aunt; for the reading of your letters is even greater pleasure to me, none can write such splendid letters to another as you, it seems that the ability is denied to others. 5 LETIERS FROM TURKEY
Therefore, dear Aunt, let us give one another no peace but correspond ceaselessly. Tune has tom us apart so; therefore, inasmuch as we are able, let us take vengeance upon it and, if no other means be to hand, converse by writing-perhaps it will eventually tire, and place us side by side. But as that will never happen as soon as I would wish, until then let us write and write, and write again. And what I must tell you is that the mighty VIzier has today returned from the wars and entered the city with much ceremony. The Kayrnakarn and the great lords here went to meet him, each with his retinue. I must say, dear Aunt, that the VIziers are gods come down to earth; for in other countries even kings are not received with such pomp and circumstance as this VIzier was. But oh! are not their glory and brilliance like those of kings on the stage? The play lasts two or three hours, the kingship goes no further: this VIzier came in today with great pomp, tomorrow perhaps he will be placed on a cart and six men will take him out of the city. This can very easily happen, perhaps he himself is aware of it; because, the Kaymakam being son-in-law to the Sultan, his wife would beyond doubt rather be wife of a VIzier than of a Kaymakam. This I believe as if I had heard it from her own mouth. Until, however, that unfortunate day dawns I can write to you about the VIzier that even though I saw him at a distance he is a fine-looking man. And one should not wonder at his being strong and muscular; because in his father's house he had to wrestle with oxen, and a butcher's son must needs be strong. From this you may conclude that he is of butchering stock, that his father was such before him, and he himself followed that calling for a while. How could the affairs of this empire prosper when they are put into the hands of a butcher? But it seems to me that it befits rather a butcher to become a man of war, since in either case he will spill blood every day, than it did a woodman, at whom I laugh whenever he comes to mind. There was in the Sultan's court a woodman, in Turkish baldaji. The Sultan was impressed by this man, how well he cut up the wood-he made him an officer of the court, then p,romoted him on and on until he became VIzier. But to his misfortune the Sultan made him VIzier at a time when he should have entrusted the campaign against the Muscovite Tsar to one better endowed with wits. Suffice it to say that the baldaji was made VIzier and sent against the Muscovite Tsar, who had been so trapped with his army beside the Pruth that he would have had to surrender with all his men if the baldaji had been clever. The Tsar saw that he must fall into captivity and it occurred to his wife that perhaps, if a gift were made to the VIzier, 6 LEITERS FROM TURKEY he might be bribed: next day they sent a great gift, made peace with him and so the Muscovite Tsar and all his army escaped being captured3. Thereupon the King of Sweden came to the Vtzier and said to him: look, the Tsar is in your hands, tomorrow you can take him prisoner if you wish; to which the Vtzier replied: yes, but if I do, who will govern the country? Imagine with what fury the King of Sweden heard this answer. But I ask you, was that not the reply that one would expect from a woodman? But I think that our butcher is cleverer than the ba/daji. We shall see, as he continues with our affair. And I wish that the matter of your health should continue well. Dear Aunt, if you knew how I love you, you would write me a long letter.
VI
Adrianople, 10. Decembris 1717.
Dear Aunt, we are still here, here we shall remain, but we still do not know what we are doing here. We are not yet completely dispirited, but very nearly; for we did not come here to spend a long time merely hunting on the flat fields of Adrianople, but to seek the end of our exile. But hope is beginning very much to cool within us. The fact is that great cold has set in, and we are living in cold houses. But even so the warmth within us would prevent hope freezing, if we had to do with any other nation; but what in the world could be colder than dealing with the Turks? True, they speak words of assurance, but there is no prospect of the accomplishment of anything. In this lies the dread procrastination-tomorrow- tomorrow-and that tomorrow is delayed for six tomorrows, and until then one cannot drag six words out of them, one must simply wait and hope. His Imperial Majesty, learning that our lord wears a French robe, has had a dressing-gown made secretly and today sent it here. The lining is worth more than the gown; but here I must point out that one should not consider the gift, but him that has sent it. The truth is, dear Aunt, that there are many that give gifts, but few that know the way to give, and who would know how to give correctly; for when all is said and done, is a flower, a cup or a pitcher a proper gift for a Vtzier to send to a Prince? Such gifts are commonplace in this country, here such is the custom: but is it right? is it fitting? Let us say no more about gifts. But, my dear Aunt, if I had anything to write about I would not yet end my letter; for I assure your little heart 7 LEITERS FROM TURKEY that it is my greatest delight to be able to converse with you, and today I have a keen desire so to do. So I will write on, even if it be merely trifles, rather than end my letter so soon. But of what shall I write? Of flogging? that is not a very suitable gift; but what a great honour it is when the Sultan flogs a man. Suffice it to say that the Sultan has flogged his son- in-law. Presumably he has fallen out of favour with his wife. At all events we do not know the cause of this painful distinction; for such things are decided in the harem, that is, the women's quarters, and there a whole man may not enter. But we learnt of the flogging from an acquaintance whose wife serves the Kaymakam's wife in the capacity of washerwoman. Her husband is a Hungarian, and a slave of the Kaymakam, and bears the office of woodman in his court. It is good to have well-wishers everywhere. He sees it as his patriotic duty to visit us often, and entertains us with news of events in such secret places. You will say, dear Aunt, that I have nothing better to do than to write such trivia; in fact lying idle is our chief occupation, but even if there were something better I would neglect it for the sake of writing to you; for, my dear Aunt, who loves you more than I? But I would increase that amount by a further two pounds of love if I knew that you were taking good care of your health. And do you love me?
vn
Adrianople, 17. Decembris 1717.
Today, dear Aunt, the VIzier sent word to our lord that he would be delighted to see him if he would call. But as we are all infantrymen, and only our lord has three horses, horses were brought to go under each of us and we went to call on the Vlzier with great Turkish ceremony. But imagine, how alarmed I was; for as we were walking into the VIzier's house all the people began to shout out at the tops of their voices: Thief1 I just looked to see which would seize us. But alarm did not last long, for the VIzier received our lord kindly and sat him at his side. I asked later what the shouting had been about. I was told that it was the custom to shout out, when the VIzier gave an audience to a foreign lord: Long live Mahomet! Long live the invincible Sultan! Long live the mighty VIzier! Dear Aunt, you see, when one does not know the custom! Another time I shall not take fright. Suffice it to say that our lord spent two hours with 8 LETTERS FROM TIJRKEY the butcher. It is said of him that he has more brains than any butcher and can handle not only a meat-cleaver but also the affairs of state. We can only believe it, when so wise a man as our lord says it, who returned on the VIzier's horse, which he had presented to him-this is a custom. I know that when we go to see the Sultan, then too we shall acquire a horse. I have already said that these VIziers are gods descended to earth. Their splendour, wealth and great retinues are fit for a king. But as their splendour consists in part of having numerous servants standing before them, when they discuss matters of state the servants cannot be present: therefore they keep dumb servants, and these understand signs as if they were spoken words, and these are in the house when the VIzier speaks of secret matters. Is this not a good practice? Perhaps it would be good among us also, then there would be less prattle in the house. What was I thinking of! If our old women were dumb the young women would not care; I care, however, that our affairs are proceeding very, very dumbly, and I see no progress. But I fear that it will go backwards and we shall become ensconced here. Dear Aunt, the pot must conform to the will of the potter4 , and cannot say to him: why have you sent me to Adrianople? I would rather have been a cabbage pot in Transylvania than any coffee cup of the Sultan's. Is it not a wise saying of the Turks, that God has placed stores of bread hither and thither for men, and one must go here and another there, and remain as long as there is bread? Our store of bread is placed here, therefore let us eat of it as long as it remains without complaint, and let us not say that it would be better to eat maize porridge in Transylvania than wheat-bread here. Dear Aunt, perhaps I am not without cause in fearing that if the good Lord maintains me in this transient body I shall perhaps have to eat a hayrick ofbread in this country; for ifthe Turk is defeated, if he possibly can he will butter it with peace. Our butcher may be a good VIzier, but he is a poor military man; and even if he were a good soldier, the Sultan does not like him as much as the Kaymakam, who is very clever, but who likes campaigning as much as I do the legal profession, and knows as much about it-but it is a known fact that he will grasp the opportunity to become VIzier; as he is the Sultan's son-in-law he can attain that rank; and when he does it is certain that he will make peace, and when there is peace we shall merely have to sit by our store of bread; for we shall not stir hence until we have eaten it up. And I, as long as my store of bread lasts, will love you from my heart. And will you love me? Take good care of your health; nothing is more precious than that. 9 LETTERS FROM TURKEY
vm
Adrianople, 4. Januarii 1718.
I desire from God that you begin and end this New Year prosperously. I wish you at least two pounds more of health, and I beseech you, increase your love toward me by at least two hundred drams. Dear Aunt, although every pocket, fold, drawer of my heart is full of love for you, none the less I am like a piece of ice; is that then to prevent my writing to you? The truth is that I deserve your generous thanks for enjoying writing when I am so cold, and I would have you know that today we were in the brilliant Porte of the invincible Sultan, whither the Prince was taken with great pomp. The Prince was received in the Divan-chamber by the VIzier, and then a little round table was set before him, and a great silver bowl was set on it and food was brought, but only one dish at a time was served. Neither knife nor fork nor tablecloth nor napkin was on the table to bother one; the VIzier and the Kaymakam each had his own table before him, and the same food was served to each at the same time. At the end of the meal, an hour later, the Prince was taken to the Sultan. None of us accompanied him. And while he was before the Sultan a caftan trimmed with pine-marten was put on him. While the Prince was with the Sultan each of us was given a caftan for our backs. When the Prince came out from the Sultan he mounted the Sultan's horse, we too all mounted and at least thirty kings escorted him back to his lodging. My dear Aunt, do not laugh; for if you could have seen us in our caftans-it was as if so many Egyptian kings were escorting the Prin~xcept that we are not so swarthy. Dear Aunt, do not be surprised if Their Majesties the kings felt v~ry cold; for today the weather has been very harsh; and know too that Their Mightinesses returned from the visit hungry. The horse on which the Prince rode back was presented to him by the Sultan with all its furniture, and there were a mace and a sword on the saddle. You love me, ifyou are looking to your health; and I shall love you if you are healthy.
10 LEITERS FROM TURKEY
IX
Adrianople, 15. Februarii 1718.
Dear Aunt, I take kindly, indeed, I laughed at your complaint that you could write no more often, there being no opporbmity for sending letters. You are so good at excusing yourself, you complain so graciously, that it is worth ten letters. Perhaps you know that there is no post between here and Constantinople? Do you know the reason for this? The reason is that previously, when the Sultan was in residence here, the lords used to send by post to Constantinople on every least occasion. Among others, a certain pasha arrived here and had left a favourite pipe-stem in Constantinople, and so he sent for it by post. The Sultan learned of this and ordained that henceforth there should be no post between these two capital cities. You see, what harm a pipe-stem has done mel Here we miss no opportunity to further our cause. The Reis Efendi (the Chancellor) often visits us, and we too often go incognito to the Kaymakam. God grant a good outcome! But I fear that we shall fare as did the mountains that came together to give birth to a mouse5, for, as I have written before, and shall write a hundred times, the Sultan's son-in-law (who is often flogged, according to the woodman, but who has pretensions to the Vtziership) is as suited to the military life as I am to the law. Perhaps I do know more about it; for surely, is not that the office of a lawyer, that he should seek his own advantage? That he should expect a gift from all, and serve none? Oh! dear Aunt, how near he is to the Vtziership: if I were as near to marriage, perhaps the bridal dance would have struck up by this time. Nevertheless we receive assurance, and that is all. If the Turk is defeated he simply weeps and makes peace. What is more, God alone knows the reason, but in France the Germans are in favour, and here the French are working for peace with the Germans, and if that comes about we shall tum not our flank but our backs on Transylvania. I have no news to write; for it is so cold, that the news too is frozen. I can write no more, for an old Jew is waiting for my letter-I am frozen to my soul. If only I knew to what tribe he belonged! From his beard he seems to be of that of Zabulon6• My dear Aunt, do not catch a cold. Do you love me? There is no need to ask whether I love you.
11 LEITERS FROM TIJRKEY
X
Adrianople, 15. Mart 1718
Dear Aunt, this very day, if I reckon correctly, a month bas passed since I wrote to you. But I will swear by my beard (when I have one) that when the weather becomes milder I will write more often; because your heart would be a block of marble were you not to pity my condition, or rather how we are quartered. My abode consists of four stone walls, with one shuttered window, through all the length and breadth of which the wind enters; and if I cover it with paper the mice and the rats dispose of it for their dinner. My furniture is one small wooden chair, my bed is spread on the found, and the room is warmed by a little coal in a earthenware dish . But do not think that even so I am the most deserving of pity; for ten have not even a wooden chair, nor a bed as good as mine, nor even a shutter at their window. The snow swirls in onto their beds-if you can call a rug laid on the floor a bed. Such are the palaces in which we live! But hope being most needful to men, and as necessary as food; living now in bad quarters we hope that we shall yet live in good ones. Shall we ever see the day?-But what we have seen is the arrival here of the Spanish Ambassador, whom the king bas sent to the Prince with very many promises to help us in every way. This morning he met our lord, who received him standing, and talked with him about half an hour. You know that I love you, and you know that you must be careful for your health, and you also know that in cold rooms one cannot write much.
XI
Adrianople, 22. Apr. 1718
I do not know whether I am writing this letter from Noah's Ark or from Adrianople; for everywhere here are such great floods that the whole city is in the water. The only good thing is that the weather is fine, otherwise one would think that another Flood was imminent. One supposes that the snow on the mountains bas swollen the rivers here; for the river that runs past our house bas so overflowed that people are going about the streets in boats. But here something has happened that could only happen during a flood; for food had to be brought from the kitchen on horseback. Did you ever hear of Roman Emperors sending to the kitchen with such 12 LEITERS FROM TIJRKEY
magnificence? It would have taken Habakuk8 to bring food dry-shod. This splendid food-carrying lasted about two days. Do not think that it could not have been brought on foot, for the water only came half-way up the legs, but the servants preferred to go to the kitchen on horseback. Indeed, we had no need of that giant of whom the Jews maintain that when, during the Flood, the water reached the highest mountain; it only reached his waist, and he walked everywhere beside the Ark, like a footman beside a carriage. After this I shall be able to send news; for both my room is warmer and the news has thawed. The flood will not wash away my love; do you love me? Are you looking after your health?
:xn
Adrianople, 27. Apr. 1718
Dear Aunt, you still do not know me very well; for if you did you would not say that you write to me as seldom as I to you. Do you not fear my terrible vengeance? Do you know that I have no greater delight than in taking revenge on one that loves me? If I dislike someone I will forgive them, as far as I am able, but if I love someone I will take revenge-this is called sweet revenge; to take revenge on someone whom we dislike is bitter revenge. Many do not believe this, but we two do, and we do not regret it. So let us take revenge on one another and write often. Do you wish to hear some news? I cannot satisfy your desire. The French Ambassador here, Bonae, is working not to prolong the campaign but to bring it to as speedy a conclusion as may be. The Gennan desires that, and the Turk has by now no stomach for fighting. So what shall we do, caught between the two? As they play, so must we dance. We were called here to war, but have come to peace. Can we wish for aught else but what pleases God? and we must walk in His ways, and not walk, but run; for God likes us to run according to His wishes, not only with good heart, but with pleasure. So let us not be downcast if affairs do not run as would please us-He who directs the future knows how they are to be. But I would be downcast if you did not love me; but you may rejoice, for I love you greatly. And is your health good? Are you taking care of it? Good night, dear Aunt.
13 LEITERS FROM TURKEY xm
Adrianople, 9. Maji 1718
Some God exalts, some He casts down, and all must render Him thanks. My dear Aunt, this has happened here today. And I have been telling you for a long time what a great temporal happiness it is to lie with the Sultan's daughter, and what a great fall for the butcher to fall from the office of Vtzier. Today the Kaymakam rose to that office and the poor butcher fell from it. Today the Sultan sent a Kapiji Pasha to the Vtzier, to order him to give up his seal, leave all that he had in his tent and to go thence. The poor fellow had to leave everything that he owned that instant-he was placed on a horse with only the robes that he wore, and a few attendants escorted him out of the city. The heart could not but go out to him as he went by our window with some dozen escorts. The fact is that he will not be killed, but will be given some appointment as a pasha. But from what a great height he has fallen!-If we consider that he used to be a butcher, we can say that he has not fallen greatly; but we must look at how exalted he was, on a footing with princes; so we realise that he has fallen to the depths. In such a circumstance we see the Lord of Kings raise a man to greatness from the dust, from behind the plough, from the butcher's bench, and a little time after let him fall back to his former situation, and the situation after the fall is much more burdensome than that before the elevation; for he has tasted worldly glory. Dear Aunt, one might philosophise enough on such vicissitudes; but I must consider that I am writing a letter, not a book. But I will return to that new Vtzier in worldly bliss, who, for all his good fortune, will yet meet such a fate as his predecessor, ifnot a worse one, but until then will swim while he can. As soon as the Sultan had required his seal of the poor butcher, and had put him out of all his possessions, he gave the seal to the Kaymakam and thereby raised him to the mighty office of Vtzier. And he left the Sultan and went ceremoniously to the tent of the deposed Vtzier-where he appropriated all his possessions and made them his own. It is a fine thing, dear Aunt, to become master in half an hour of property worth several hundred thousand thaler. This fortunate VIzier must have considered it all but certain that he would attain that honour; first, the Sultan loves his wife dearly; second, he is very well disposed to the man himself; how should he not rise in the world? He, indeed, was never a butcher, but the Sultan elevated him from a poor clerkship, then up and up, gave him his 14 LETTERS FROM TURKEY daughter, made him Kaymakam-and behold, now he is Vtzier, and they call him Ibrahim Pasha. I would like to know whether he ponders the vicissitudes of the world? but whether he does or not, there he is in the seat of power. There he will sit while he can, and we shall sit here while we can; for it is almost sure that now war is not to be expected and that he will enthrone peace at his side. The quest for his own advantage will bring that in its train; for he is not a warlike man; he has a nimble wit, but it is not for war. Now too we are given much assurance, but it is all smoke, and all the fine encouragement of our return home dissolves like a cloud. Are we then to fall into despair? Far be it. Let us have faith and hope, dear Aunt! in God, even if we know with almost all certainty that He will not grant us what we desire. Truly, it is hard to live without Zagon, it is hard to burden my shoulders with twelve months every year, and to be far from marriage, or completely without prospects; all these are hard and weighty matters, dear Aunt, but we are Christians that we may have faith. Once more I hav~ forgotten that it is a letter that I write, not a book, and that you have no need of my preaching. But the preacher will humbly imitate the woman; for today here has been a day when two men have been put in the balance: one has gone up, the other down, and we have remained on the earth; should not the preacher ponder these things? And that only because one must not ask a woman to break off short, and not weary one with a long letter. I told you that I like taking revenge. Alas! did you but know how much I love you! and you? Take care for your health. But the candle is about to burn out, and I shall sleep.
XIV
Adrianople, 6. Jun 1718
We are still here, but we do not know to what we are sentenced: to war or to peace? I think that they will chain us up with the latter. The Porte often sends the Reis Efendi (the Chancellor) to our lord, and fills his every pocket, his bosom and his turban with promises, but promises alone and nothing of substance. We receive much assurance of war, but the more the Turk speaks of war, the more his inclination is toward peace. But who would venture to contemplate peace when today the Vtzier, plumed and armed like a Hercules, set out with the armies for Sofia? He knows that he will have no need of great forces, and so no great force went with him. 15 LETTERS FROM TIJRKEY
It is sufficient that both the VIzier and the Aga of Janissaries set out with very great pomp. This is only for show; for they have long been in pursuit of peace, and are going to Sofia for no other purpose than to be close to the place where the envoys are gathering for the negotiation ofthe peace. Therefore, dear Aunt, let us not protest, but turn our backs for sure on Transylvania-that beloved fairyland, and praise God's wondrous dispensation toward us, not only that of the present but also of the future; for do but think: the Sultan sent a Kapiji Pasha to France for our lord, with a fine letter full of promises-and the Porte sent Janos Papai with the Kapiji Pasha. Certainly, we came here with such high hopes that through the war we would return to our homeland; but that was not destined for us. What was ordained was that we should encounter peace, and should live out our exile in this land. But if God has dashed our hopes for war, let us praise His goodness toward us for other reasons; for so close is now the alliance between the French and the Emperor that truly it would have been impossible for our lord to remain in France, and even if he had not been invited hither he would undoubtedly have had to leave. In token of which, the Duke of Orleans, Regent of France, has arrived here and has sent no communication to our lord, nor has he replied to his letters. Having regard, therefore, to his collusion with the Emperor, if God had not willed that we should come here would the Turk have sent for us with such great honour? Perhaps we would have had to come here uninvited, and they would not have received us with such great respect. But here our lord is held in high esteem. He is given sufficient money, indeed, he was not given in six years in France as much as in a single year here. You see how good God is, if with one hand He hides Transylvania from us, with the other He feeds us. Dear Aunt, are we to despair? No, but let us have faith, and always hope that we may see that fairyland while yet we live. When we die, let him see it that may. But wbat may be is that you should care for your health, and also that you should love me, but what may not be is that you should believe how much I love you.
16 LEITERS FROM TURKEY
XV
Adrianople, 12. Jul. 1718
How great and various is the wretchedness that the sin of Adam has brought upon mankind! In winter, dear Aunt, I had to complain that it was very cold, and it was hard to write, and now I have to complain that it is hot. Do not think that I do this to be awkward; for extreme as the cold was, now the heat is as great. If in winter my room, or rather my cell, was an ice-house, now it is an oven instead. I call it a cell because I would not be able to look through the window without climbing a stepladder, so close is it to the ceiling. Nor can it be opened, in such a way is it made: you know very well the reason why windows are made so high. I do not know, I only think that it is so that the woman next door shall not be visible; for the Turk does not wish people to look at his wife. They say rightly that France is paradise for women and hell for horses; Turkey, on the contrary, is paradise for horses and hell for women. Suffice it to say that it is impossible for me to remain in my room, and even out of doors the great heat is scarcely to be borne; one feels the heat on touching the wall or the table. The other day such a scorching wind assailed us in the fields, it was as if we were passing a blazing furnace, and if it had lasted long we must have fallen from our horses. Now I have no other news to write. This is hot enough news, but I think that in a short while I shall have chill news to write; for the conclusion of peace is regarded as all but certain, and I fear that I shall embrace you where I did not desire. But one must not despair-God knows well what is profitable to us. If it is warm there too, I fear for your health-I tremble with anxiety concerning this. But do you know that it is impossible to love you more than I do? More another time.
XVI
Adrianople, 15. Aug. 1718
See, my dear Aunt, this will be my last letter from this imperial city. We have now consumed the store of bread allotted to us here. Now we are going on, but not forward, rather backward, and shall sit beside that store of bread that awaits us in the region of Constantinople; for what we feared has come to pass-who shall preserve us from it? God alone. A 17 LETI'ERS FROM TURKEY few days ago the news was brought that 21. Julii the VIzier made peace with the German for twenty-four years9• If I have to sit here until then, good night to the bridal dance. Oh! dear Aunt, if my sweet soul remains so long in my fi1t body, I shall have only Turkish bread to eat from the store. Peace having been made, there remains nothing for us to do here, and tomorrow our lord is to set out for the imperial capital. Now we are packing hastily. We have been given waggons enough, indeed more than are needed; for you may judge, I have placed all my possessions in a quarter of a little waggon. And my possessions are not the least of all. There are some here, ten of whom could not fill a little waggon. But horses too have been arranged for us; for fifty though we be, we have no more than five horses. As I have said, tomorrow we leave. Where our abode will be I know not yet. Suffice it that we are to be taken hence to somewhere. Lord Forgacs too comes with us. With what pleasure I shall see you! But let your health be good, that the pleasure may be great. I would write more, but when one has to prepare for the road one cannot write much. God be with you, dear Aunt, see, we are called to luncheon.
xvn
Bu~,25.Aug. 1718
Praise be to God, we reached here yesterday, and left Adrianople on the 16th. No event occurred on the road about which comment need be made; but I will say that I laughed a lot on the way at the French that are with us, because there are many among them that had never before been on horseback, and the way they sat their horses, and how they yearned to reach the 1~-places, did nothing but amuse me. Have you heard of the Pentelesia 0 anny? Such a regiment was in our midst. Suffice it to say that on arrival here yesterday we thought that we would all be accommodated in palaces; but there was not one house in good condition to be found in the town. Therefore our lord has been constrained to stay in tents in a little field outside the town until other arrangements are made and we are placed somewhere better. There is no need to write that I am three hours journey from you. As I can suppose that you have travelled up this fine waterway I have no need either of writing that we are on its bank, a gunshot from the entrance to the Black Sea. But these things I write in my delight at being so close to you. If I embark in a little three- IS LETTERS FROM TURKEY oared boat I can go to that great imperial city for luncheon. Here we are all living in tents until better quarters become available. The fact is that we are in a pleasant little meadow, but next to us are some ruinous buil- dings, in which scorpions abound like fleas. I would not like such a guest in my bed. I would not like to die at this time-for how would I embrace you, dear Aunt? A dead man is so lacking in vigour and humour that he does not even embrace his wife; and I can scarcely wait to see you; but that will still not occur for three or four months, or rather, at least three or four days. Oh! what sorrow it would be to me ifI did not find you in good health. Expect me for luncheon on Monday, and let there be cabbage.
XVIII
Biiyiikdere, 15. Septembris 1718.
Dear Aunt, I have now twice had the good fortune of seeing you; but it seems as if I have not yet seen you. I remarked that when I was with you the day flew as quickly as a swallow; but when I am here, then it rides on the back of a crab. But I could have a bone to pick with you; because for two days I have not received your letter, whereas if you would set aside laziness I might have one twice daily. You should know that I am insatiable in the reading of your letters. If you wish me to be in a good humour you must write to me often. And when I read your letters I have no need of a fiddler to dance to; for I know that others too maintain that a letter freely written is better than a dance. Here we are waiting for lodging to be arranged, until when we shall remain in tents like the Israelites. The French Ambassador, Bonac1\ has a house nearby, and comes here often with his wife, but has not yet been to see us. He wishes that we should first call on him, but nothing will come of that: for our lord knows what is proper and what is not. There is still some difficulty as concerns the title, and this difficulty prevents the difficulty being dealt with, and in consequence they have not seen one another. But as I have no difficulty with the Ambassador as concerns either precedence or title I go to call on them often. His wife is like a piece of cane-sugar-I can say too that among women she is like a pearl of high quality among pearls. Oh! I have fotgotten that one may not praise one woman to another, for that is in bad taste. Is it then to be in good taste that I am described in a letter as a cabbage-pot? I will endure it for the benefit it brings. A fine thing when a man cannot be annoyed with his aunt! How is your health? Are you 19 LEITERS FROM TIJRKEY taking care for it? Do you love me since you have not seen me? For I love you, dear Aunt, like cabbage.
XIX
Yenikoy, 22. Septembris 1718.
Do you know from where I date this letter? You will realise that the exiled Israelites have at last forsaken their tents for houses. Our lord has a proper, suitable lodging. You will also realise that we are on the sea- coast, so much so that I can reach my house by water. But you do not know in whose house we live-one would by no means say that our landlord holds any kind of high rank, none the less perhaps he might be called a person of rank among foxes, for he is a furrier, and very rich. How should the VIzier's furrier not be? We took up residence today, and so much property have we that in half an hour each of us had stored it in his room. In my quarters I am not inconvenienced by any chairs or tables. In fact I have a little seat fashioned like a chair-if I wish to sit down, that is where I sit, but I can use it for another purpose; for if I wish to write, that is what I have to write on. What a fine situation, when one can manage without so many domestic impedimenta. So it must be for exiles like us, here today, tomorrow elsewhere. In any case, when we have consumed our store of bread here we shall have to move on. Indeed the ancients managed without so much furniture; so why should not we? The Jews had no chairs, and the Turks do not need them now. I once saw the chair of an ancient French king-nowadays the magistrate of Zilgon has a better. What need have I, then, of furniture, and at all events the ship that brought us here is still waiting at the Archipelago, it being our lord's plan to return to France, but in this I am a doubting Thomas. We are expecting Lord Bercsenyi and his lady here. They will be living near you, but I know not for how long. Suffice it to say, dear Aunt, that we have now sat down to our store of bread here, and God alone knows how long it will last and where more bread has been placed for our benefit; for there we shall have to go-one may protest, but one has to accept it. I would wish that at least a couple of loaves had been placed here for you; for I hope that you will come and visit us. It is indeed a pleasant thing for a woman to embark in a pretty little painted boat that three strong Turks drive over the foam like an arrow. Your heart would be 20 LEITERS FROM TURKEY harder than a rock if you did not come here for a few hours. I shall expect you, dear Aunt, and I shall love you like cabbage if you come. But let us take care of our health.
XX
Yenikoy, 22. Oct. 1718
I cannot be at ease until I have assured myself that you have reached home; for scarcely had you left here than a great wind sprang up. I think the waves will have tossed you. Suffice it to say that since then I have not been at ease. It seems to me that in all that time you could have released me from my anxiety with a single letter. I have asked every great fish that has passed my window whether it might have eaten my aunt. But not a single accursed one has answered. I shall hold my mind in suspense until I hear definite news from you. I hope that you have not fared as did Jonah, and that I shall not have to address my letters to the belly of some fish; for in that case you would not discover that yesterday we rode to the gate of Constantinople and there, in a roadside garden, our lord wished to see the Sultan in secret, as he arrived from Adrianople and entered the city with great pomp. I do not know whether to describe who went before and after him, perhaps you will say, why do I burden you with so much writing: if I do not, you will be able to say that I am lazy. So rather than acquire a name for laziness, I will write. Pay attention and listen. On both sides of the road were columns ofjanissaries. In the very front came the Assas Pasha with a great retinue-then the chavuzes, the Emirs, the Ulema (that is, the priests, the scribes), the Kapiji Pashas, the Aga of Janissaries with the Mishtanji Pasha, the Kaymakam with the Kapitan Pasha,-then the Grand VIzier and the Mufti, the Chauz Pasha-then the Sons of Mahomet with the standard-bearer, the Sultan's reserve carriage-horses, then two curiously adorned camels bearing the Quran-then a gilded and painted coach in which were the robe and sword of Mahomet-then came the Sultan on a horse that I would dearly have liked to own, with his son beside him-then came the ishoglans two by two, every group of ten wearing a differently coloured caftan; the first ten wore yellow; the second ten red; the third, green; the fourth blue taffeta. The ishoglans serve as footmen at court. You see what a fine thing I saw yesterday. But it is only like smoke, and for all that pomp the Sultan has not so quiet a mind as we. And it is right 21 LETIERS FROM TURKEY that he should not have, at least let him compare in some respect with our lowly estate, and know that he too is a man. But let us not envy his pomp, dear Aunt, for the day will come that he will fall into eternal sorrow- then what will his pomp avail him? We, however, in our lowly position, have better hopes.-Oh! what a fine condition is the Christian faith! The greater the pomp that I see among the Turks, the greater is my pleasure at being a member of the mother church universal; for they cannot have the hopes that we not only have but must have. When I come to Pera I will preach further. Until then may your health be good. My dear Aunt, I love you a little more even than cabbage.
XXI
Yenikoy, 16. Decembr. 1718.
What has happened to us, dear Aunt, and why is it that we have not written to one another for almost a month? Can it be that we write no more because we are so close together? Perhaps the reason is that being close we see each other often. Oh! why did I say, often? Fotgive me, dear Aunt, is it often to see you four times in a month? If I saw you four times a day my eyes would not be surfeited. I have received your light, brief and short letter. The more rarely one writes the longer the letter ought to be, and you do the opposite. But to me it is death when your letter is short. When I know that your health is good I will not spare you, and I shall expect that long letter as my due. Now I am no longer angry, but I was glad to receive even a short letter, in which I see that Lord Bercsenyi arrived yesterday with bag and baggage. I am very glad of that; because you will enjoy the company of that lady, and will not be the only Hungarian woman in Pera. I know all Lord Bercsenyi's men well, but the women and girls I do not know; but that will not require a long time. I know that he is coming to call on our lord, then I shall go up to visit him-but shall always stay with you. I am ashamed of myself for sending so short a letter, but short though it is, off it must go-there is room on my shoulder for a chiding. Dear Aunt, your health? And do you know how long I shall love you? As long as I can still smoke.
22 LEITERS FROM TIJRKEY XXII
Yenikoy, 28. Decemb. 1718
I had foreseen that you would like Lady Bercsenyi. Truth to tell, she is a real lady; for many bear the title of lady, but not all deservingly, and such should be called ladylets or females. Let us not speak against the fair sex. Suffice it that you do better to spend your time with this lady of quality than with the Greek girls. The lady herself does not give rise to amusement; for as winter draws on the leaves on the tree turn yellow; but she very much enjoys talking about cheerful things-in particular about the things of springtime. You write that from her complexion at her age it seems that in youth she must have been beautiful, and compare her to a beautiful winter. But who would not laugh at your wanting to know why the lady's nose is black, and her cheeks white? I will tell you about this straight away. The fact is that after she married she caught the smallpox. You will know that ladies of quality are treated differently from anyone else-they profit by this often, but not always to their advantage. When she fell ill a horde of doctors was gathered around her-one recommended one thing, another another to prevent the pox leaving its mark, so that her beauty might be unspoiled. One of them recommended that her face be gilded. This proposal was taken up, her face was covered with gold leaf and she became a living picture. Once this had been done it had to remain in place for a while, but then it became necessary to remove the gold; because as you can imagine she could not go about with her face golden, a rosy cheek is always more attractive than a golden one. But the problem arose, how to remove it? No water would wash it off, but it had to be picked off her cheeks gradually with the point of a needle; they succeeded in removing it, but on her nose it had dried hard and the task was more difficult; finally the gold was removed, but her nose was left black. Therefore I do not advise anyone to gild their nose. Now do you know why that lady's nose is black? But you do not know that the Vtzier wishes to meet the Prince in private tomorrow. This Vtzier has until now been well-disposed towards us, and the gentlemen exiles can have no complaint against him: we shall see how things turn out; for here change can easily take place, and gifts make VIziers turn about. We, however, are not in a position to make gifts, indeed we expect things from them. The more influential is the stronger, and can bind the Turkish lords
23 LETTERS FROM TIJRKEY with money, but they regard us as men who are always ready to make requests, but giving-nee nominetur in vobis. There are enough of us here, the Porte gives us tayin enough, we have enough to eat, but despite that we are no better dressed, neither I nor another. Our lord's nature, however, is such that he does not give what is not requested. Dear Aunt, I will not begin. It does not befit a Transylvanian nobleman, who would rather live in penury than beg. My office is faithfully to serve and to leave the rest to God. No greater insult can be offered to a Transylvanian nobleman, than that he serves for what he can obtain. Do you know that very soon a girl is to become a wife? I do not know when that happy day will be, but I do know that I really would like my wedding to be as close as that of that rosy-cheeked girl. I love you, but only if you are caring for your health.
XXIII
Yenikoy, 2. Januarii 1719.
I know that you will not doubt, even if I do not set it down on paper, that I wish you many happy New Year's Days. Let us leave protracted wishes, that take a week to learn, to foreigners and preachers. Therefore I can wish you nothing more precious or better than that God grant you His holy grace and good health. What is the good of a lengthy greeting, that is not even fitting for Christians? Jacob did not give more blessing to his twelve sons than is nowadays given to a single person, so much that if all those blessings were to be fulfilled no granary nor cellar could be made big enough. So then the abundance of great wealth, much fat land-but this is a form of words, so that it shall seem to a man that all his plough- land is covered with bacon. But even that is not sufficient; for the blessing given to children takes an hour, and there is not a mother that would not see her sons' sons similarly blessed, and their sons: all children ought to live as long as Methuselah. My dear Aunt, none of these are Christian blessings. It was right in the Old Testament; because then the Israelite received blessing in the fatness of his land, and God promises them none but earthly blessings; but the Christian blessing consists of nothing but spiritual things, and a Christian must not be wished fat land; rather a heart full of grace, so that not his land but his heart may bring forth fruit abundantly. I know very well that I cannot make men give up such customs. Let him who wishes do so, and him that does not, let him observe them, I shall not 24 LEITERS FROM TURKEY care. As for us, however, my dear Aunt, let us not follow such scholastic customs, but rather Christian ones, in keeping with those of the court. At court, however, even the gout sets a fashion. Only yesterday our Prince was riding and walking; today he is obliged only to sit. It is not true what they say, that the gout seeks out only the rich; for in that case it would not even have looked at our lord. But let us never fear the like, but only that we might some day cease to love one another-but could that ever happen? But, my dear Aunt, ifI do not write in my every letter that I love you, by now you should know. It is enough if we renew our vow to one another twelve times a year; for to write in every letter: I love you-I love you- would be too much, and finally we would become so accustomed to it that we would not know what we wrote. That which is rarer is more highly es- teemed-but not in every respect; for if you wrote more often, that would be more highly esteemed. I hope that we shall not be so lazy this year, which may you, I and others live out in God's grace. If it were not cold I would write more, but my house is on the sea, and from there no warmth rises. Let us watch over our health.
XXIV
Yenikoy, 24. Januarii 1719.
My dear Aunt, did you notice yesterday how delighted Lady Bercsenyi was that the Prince had visited her? She would have given him anything-in her joy she did not know what to do. I was only expecting him to offer her perhaps a couple of dances. But do not laugh because she would gladly, at her age, step it out or take the floor; whatever our age, in our situation even dancing has turned sour. The fact is that in the company of ladies those two distinguished persons would dance for the ladies' sake. You ask me to tell you my opinion of the women and girls that attend on the lady. One must either praise women or say nothing about them, least of all say anything evil, it does not befit noble blood: so what am I to do in order to obey you? I will take my seat in my judgement chair and thence pronounce a verdict-listen attentively. I will begin with the Colonel's wife. She has been a beautiful woman, in particular when I first saw her as achild-her husband was then commander of GOrgeny. None would praise Mrs Kajdacsi for her looks, but they would for her kindness; 25 LETTERS FROM TURKEY therefore I always tell her how frightfully beautiful she is. But she is always complaining of one thing or another. Little Zsuzsi has received a very meagre share of beauty, but she is a kindly, decent person, and good through and through; Talaba's fiancee must be accounted a beautiful girl. Now I shall descend from the seat of judgement: see what my verdict is. But none of you can take from men's hands pronouncement on women: this judicial function is their birthright, and women must abide by their decisions; and on the other hand whatever judgements women may pronounce on men, none may speak against them, and that suit may not be brought before any other court; but bowing knee and head one muSt bear it. Ifthe law-makers had admitted women to the making of laws, with their efficacious eyes th~ would have made more efficilcious laws. The Jews had. a woman judge 2 - had they any better? Indeed, if women could sit on the seat of judgement it seems to me that less lawyers would be required; for men would go gladly to tell their woes, and hearing there an account of the law from a beautiful and gracious mouth would be unable to speak against it. Ifa case were lost, that would be more easily borne. I, however, find it hard to bear that you write so seldom, and I must condemn your laziness. You have to deal with a judge such that you will dispel all his wrath with a little letter. I would write more on such matters of state, but I will not, in order the more quickly to receive your reply.
XXV
YenikOy, 16. Aprilis 1719.
It is a frightful thing, dear Aunt, that we have not written to one another for so long. What has been the cause? Nothing other than that we have been seeing each other almost every third day. There is a great difference between seeing you and writing to you. If I could always come to you as often as I have been able to of late, I really would not deserve pity; but there will not always be a bed of roses. It is a week now since we laughed together, and this time seems longer to me than a hare's tail: but what cannot be cured must be endured, as the Slovaks say. On the one hand it does not grieve me, because I do not disturb you-although in your house I always have a better bed, more to eat and more to laugh at than here. But lest a guest become a bore, let him not stay long in a place. But I will tell you an even greater cause-that the weather has been bad, and it is unhealthy to go by sea at such a time, for ifthe little boat should suddenly 26 LETTERS FROM TURKEY unhealthy to go by sea at such a time, for if the little boat should suddenly overturn, good night to health and everything. And I am so brave on the sea that ifthe boat tilts a little to one side I think at once that I am to dine with the fish. To that you will reply that I have been to sea enough: and I will reply to your reply that I can safely praise myself for being so afraid each time, and that I can think of nothing more dismal than living in the land of the dumb fish. Yesterday we attended an entertainment for the Sultan. I must describe to you how it all took place. We enjoyed ourselves like a coachman who, having trotted on horseback all day long, brags in the evening of how the sledging went. Very early in the morning the VIzier sent a Chauz Basha to the Prince to ask him to be present at the entertainment which he was to give for the Sultan. The Prince mounted and the chauz stopped us on a big hill at the end of a meadow outside Constantinople, from where we were made to observe the entertainment. Numerous marquees had been erected on the meadow. for the Sultan and for the various lords. The entertainment consisted of racing horses, shooting at targets with flint- locks and small cannon and wrestling before the Sultan. None the less all this was not royal entertainment, but the end was better than the beginning; for the VIzier gave a luncheon for the Sultan and the whole court, and had to make presents both to the Sultan and the court. I do not know what he gave to the others, but to the Sultan he gave three or four girls in full bloom. These must have been very beautiful, and each richly dressed; in addition he gave him jewellery, costly horse furniture and fine horses. (Dear Aunt, what an admirable condition it is to be Sultan!) This has to take place on this day each year. We, however, did not wait for it all to end, for to sit on horseback from morning to evening with nothing to eat, and to observe it all only from a distance, is poor entertainment. Therefore our Prince stayed half an hour, saw nothing in it to amuse him, and we went home for dinner. But we had to send a message to the Vizier saying that we had enjoyed ourselves greatly, and that it had been a royal entertainment; but we could scarcely wait to leave. My dear Aunt, how often does one have to tell people things that one does not believe. You may believe that I would not give you for all the VIzier's gifts-and that includes the girls, if you love me and are caring for your health.
27 LEITERS FROM TURKEY
XXVI
Yenikoy, 26. Maji 1719.
I can assure you that yesterday we had a very nasty fright. In fact we received a large helping. Suddenly, at luncheon, the plates began to dance and we too were shaken. Then we realised that it was an earthquake. They say that a stronger one has never occurred. The sea comes in under my room, and the water has always been knee-deep, but after the earthquake it was dry-the water came home towards evening. An hour before the earthquake we saw the VIzier going to disport himself on the Black Sea, but when he felt the earthquake he returned in great haste and went to see the Sultan. In Constantinople many pillars and houses fell. I have not yet had any news of you, and I fear constantly that I may receive bad news. You know that Lady Bercsenyi has to be taken ceremoniously on someone's ann when she goes from one room to another; but yesterday she did not wait to be raised from her place; for she went running into the garden and fright was her master of ceremonies. Yesterday after luncheon she went to call on the wife of the French Ambassador; she was very concerned for her husband, who was in Pera, lest some misfortune had befullen him or her children. Therefore she offered two or three gold coins to the boatmen to take her servants, whom she wished to send to her husband; but the boatmen were so frightened of putting to sea that they would not have gone for ten pieces of gold. She asked them the reason, and they replied: that during the earthquake the land beneath the water might have dropped and the water gone down and their ship would sink. Would any of the seven wise men be able to a.JBlle better than that? Dear Aunt, send me news quickly, for until you do I shall not be able to laugh.
XXVII
Yenikoy, 18. Junii 1719.
Dear Aunt, it is vitally important that you learn a piece of infonnation, so that fleas shall not bite you. Namely, that two Georgian princes, having been driven out of their country by their sons, came here to request assistance from the Sultan. He gave it to them, and the worthy princes came here to embark with the assistance and return by the Black Sea. 28 LETTERS FROM TIJRKEY
However, Their Highnesses put up in a very indifferent inn. They have plenty of servants, but their courtiers are no better dressed than our gipsies. But do not think that Their Highnesses have no money; because as long as they have servants, they have money, for ifthe money fails they sell two or three of the court, so that when the money has failed completely so have the courtiers. Today at ten they came to call on the Prince with many attendants, but these were as ragged as servants. I really do not know why they bear the title of prince; for certainly I would prefer the magistracy of Brass6 to their princedoms. It is true that the Georgians used to be warlike, but they are now in low condition. Their religion is Greek. We have missionaries among them. Their womenfolk are commonly very beautiful. You wrote a few days ago that you had learnt some French. You do very well to study foreign languages. If only our fellow countrymen would have their children taught foreign languages, but so little thought is given to it that they do not make their daughters learn even to read and write, if they themselves have no inclination to it-but these two things are not only fitting for a noble girl, but need to be known. Apart from the necessity for religious purposes of being able to read improving books, it is necessary for a noblewoman to be able, when her husband is away, to keep him informed of everything, and to read his letters. She will not always have a person to hand that she can ask to write; and even if she had, a man does not always wish to write to his wife about onions and vats of wine but about other kinds of things too, and he would write his thoughts arising from intimacy and love if his wife could read and write; but as she cannot, he will write to her as ifto a stranger. If we considered the kind of letter that a husband will write to a wife that cannot read, and the kind that he will write to his bailiff, we would see that both are in the same key, and that there is not much difference between them. I will not say how many additional matters arise on which one would be delighted to write to one's wife, and which it would sometimes be necessary to refer to; but one omits them, because she cannot read, and one does not wish another person to find out. Some shamefully unthinking mothers will reply that it is not good for a girl to learn to write, because then she will be able to write to her lovers. Oh! what clever talk is that! as if writing gave rise to mischief and not mischief to writing. The forbidden act does not happen when they write to one another, but when they are together and have no need of writing. Whether the hand can write or not, the heart will go about its business. It seems to me that I write to you not only because I know how, but because my disposition leads me to it. If I could 29 LEITERS FROM TURKEY not write I would simply take the first opportunity of telling you everything. From the foregoing I deduce that such mothers do not think wisely; they bring up their daughters in ignorance on matters of religion, and the man they marry cannot fail to suffer as a result of their ignorance. However beautiful the diamond may be, if it is badly cut it loses its worth. You will reply to all this, I know, that I am not yet married, and yet I wish to teach women a lesson. I do not, dear Aunt, I do not, and I know that you share my opinion on this. My verdict is that each is entitled to his own view, and God grant me a wife that can read and write, but even if she could not I would be disposed to teach her, even if she had no more brains than a cat. Dear Aunt, do you love me as cat loves mouse? Is your health good? When shall we see one another? Perhaps not today, for it is now eleven o'clock and time for bed; but if I lie down it seems that I am bathing, for the foam of the sea comes right under my room, and I often think that water is splashing in my bed.
XXVIII
Yenikoy, 16. Jul. 1719.
Truly is it said, dear Aunt, that there is no good company but must part. Lord Bercsenyi, his lady and all their household have arrived here and will stay until their residence in Tarabia is ready. Tarabia is half an hour hence by land, a quarter of an hour by water. I very much regret for your sake that this has happened. I know how often you allow yourself to be tossed on the sea and gallop out to see us on marine horses. While she was close at hand you were able to be entertained more often, and the time has been better occupied, but now you will have to come here by sea when you wish to visit her. He who is stronger is more powerful. You will be very well aware whose ambassador13 contrived to have Bercsenyi moved from Pera before his arrival, being unwilling to live in the same city as he. We are all squeezed in together, exiles that we are, with two exceptions, and we are waiting here to see how far the cloud will lead us, like the Israelites in the wilderness. It will be a great wonder if we too are not ejected from here. I would regret that, because I would be farther from you, but otherwise I would wish to be taken from here today; for we are in a very crowded situation, and if there were to be a fire we 30 LETTERS FROM TIJRKEY would have nowhere to run but would have to jump into the sea. That would do me little lasting good, as I cannot swim. Dear Aunt, all men must submit themselves to the ordinances of God. and exiles in particular; but even more so those that seek refuge in Turkey; for nowhere can change fall with such suddenness as here. For here none can promise himself anything more certain than that his situation is uncertain. See, now there is peace, what may we hope for? We are dealing with a court in which the ministers are changed every day; where ifa man concludes a piece of business today, he will have to take it up with new officials tomorrow; and if he cannot open negotiations with a gift he cannot expect a good beginning, This present VIzier shows himself well-disposed toward Hungarians, but will never be the means of their prospering; for being inexpert in warfare he has a horror of it and is always prepared to yield rather than hear talk of war. He has his own good reason for this; for VIziers are deposed for the slightest misfortune in war; whereas in time of peace he knows very well how to conduct affairs. But who can guarantee to us that his benevolence will be eternal? What if he changes his mind, what can we not expect from him? Now his thin-bearded tiha (steward) is more aloof toward us than ever. Every little thing is brought to the VIzier's attention by him. We have to go to him for everything, and only through him can we continue to deal with the VIzier; and if those that are mightier than us and that wish us ill bribe him: that will be our undoing. The laudable thing about this VIzier is that he often seeks the advice of our Prince concerning foreign affairs, accepts it and follows it, and appreciates his intellect. But every time, it seems to me, next day, or the day after, he meets someone that makes him change his mind. Is he a man? Indeed he is, and so he is changeable, and men here are more human in that respect than men elsewhere. But, dear Aunt, why do I scrutinise the future? Let us leave it to the Lord of what is to come; all that I need to concern myself with is when I shall be able to see you, laugh with you, and eat cabbage. Ah! I dare no more mention cabbage; for the other day I was called a cabbage pot-and for that reason I love you like cabbage; and you? Are we writing nothing about health?
31 LEITERS FROM TURKEY
XXIX
Yenikoy, 9. Aug. 1719.
Indeed I am ashamed, dear Aunt, that I am the one to write about events that bave taken place in the imperial city. Ifwe did not merely stay here at home we would hear more news. The fact is, it is a rare thing, but when you write with news it must be believed. But how can it be that you, being there on the spot, should enquire of me when the Emperor's Ambas- sador, who arrived recently, is to be received in audience? Eventually perhaps you will enquire of me whether it is raining there. Even if I am laughed at for it, I shall obey and can tell you that it has already happened. But perhaps you do not know wbat fonn it took? I will tell you. Now you will know, like the Our Father, that usually, when the Sultan grants an audience to an ambassador, first he is entertained to luncheon, and then the Vizier conducts him into the Sultan's presence, but on this occasion that was impossible, because the Turks are keeping Ramazan; this you know, and also that with them Ramazan is like Lent with us, and lasts a month. It is also known to you that during that time they neither eat anything until sunset, nor drink so much as a drop of water, they do not even smoke, which is the hardest for them. Indeed they have one particular sweetmeat that they may not taste during the daytime, even at the risk of losing their little Peter. You may imagine what that sweetmeat is. But as at night the Turks keep the Ramazan of freedom, the Ambassador went to the Porte at two o'clock in the morning and there was feted, and at five o'clock was received in audience by the Sultan. From all of which you will deduce that the audience took place today. By now you will bave heard of this not only :from me but perhaps from ten persons. Now I sball wait for you to ask me tomorrow whether you are hungry or sleepy. But I know that I am sleepy and I am in a poor humour, but even so I love you a little. I bid you good night.
XXX
Bekos, 16. Aug. 1719.
You see, I am writing to you from Asia. If I were in America I would write to you :from Mississipi too. You may now regard us as Asiatic Hungarians. Suffice it to say, dear Aunt, that we bave been here for five 32 LEITERS FROM TURKEY days under tents. The name of the nearby town, in both antiquity and the present, is Bekos, nowadays a famous city of Bithynia. Do you know how famous the kings of Bithynia were in Roman times? But I will not concern myself with that, only with the fact that I am not at Haromszek. Would God be any better there than here? No--everywhere His goodness is the same. God wishes you to be here, thereforv walk in this lovely meadow. Truly, dear Aunt, we are in a beautiful place,-our tents are pitched on the sea-shore-we can see along this splendid waterway-we hear the roar of the Black Sea-those huge ships pass before us to the Black Sea. There is perhaps no such waterway in the whole world-its bank everywhere at a good cannon-shot, its length some five merfljld, and a great sea at both ends-where else could such a waterway be found? Truly, if some other nation ruled this land it would transform this waterway-towns, fine fortresses and houses would be built on both banks. True, there are towns aplenty on the edges of Europe, but elsewhere they are called merely villages. Among others Yenikoy, where we live, is a very ugly town, and the rest are even worse. The Asiatic side, however, is almost entirely uninhabited,-the Sultan's houses on the shore are not really royal residences-what a great shame it is to leave such beautiful, picturesque places uninhabited! But I shall not have it built up, let them see to it. It is not possible, dear Aunt, to see so many fish as are in the waterway. The fishermen take out thousands at a time. How many thousand go to market in the imperial city, and how many hundred thousand are dried at Yenikoy? And how many dolphins are there? I would be loth to lie, need does not compel it, and therefore I can say that once, among the rest, I saw at least a thousand, it was as if a great herd of swine were being driven in the water. Truly, dear Aunt, we are comfortable here, we roam in the fine meadows, the Prince has had his horses brought over and will often go hunting. I have noticed that here in Asia I love you just as in Europe, but you must write to me often, and slightly longer letters, and you must watch over your health, especially at this time; for they say that where you are there is a great plague.
33 LETIERS FROM TIJRKEY
XXXI
Bekos, 7. Oktob. 1719
Dear Aunt, if we had not seen a rainbow we would have fled from here into the hills; for yesterday there was a downpour, and the water all but covered us. We were unaware that where we have pitched our tents is precisely where the water flows down from the hills when there is heavy rain, but we soon learnt; for the water suddenly flooded our kitchen-we bad to run and save the kitchen utensils. I was not in my tent' during the rain, and afterwards went to see whether it had done any harm; but who would not have laughed when a river was flowing knee-deep through my tent. It was my good fortune that my bed was higher, and the water only flowed under it. True, the flood only lasted until evening, because another outflow was made for it; but the ram persists, and ifit lasts for two days I think we shall abandon Asia. In fact it is time that we were indoors; for the Black Sea bas been releasing a black wind upon us. Dear Aunt, think what Lord Forg8cs did a few days ago. I do not know on what feast-day he wished to leave here and go for Communion to Lord Bercsenyi's. In the morning he prepared piously for Communion, told one of his servants to go for a caique which would take him over to Bercsenyi's. He walked up and down the beach for a long time, his servant was slow to come and, running out of good thoughts, he fo~&ot that he was going to Communion, and in order to pass the time more quickly he lit a pipe of tobacco; when he bad done that the caique appeared, and as he was about to embark he realised that he bad his pipe in his mouth.-He returned to his tent laughing greatly, but we too laughed enough at him all day; I know tbat you too will laugh at his pious smoking.-Because he is always doing amusing things. For the other day the Prince was saying with what fervour the Communion must be received and that one should think of that alone; Lord Forg8cs burst out laughing and said that it was impossible for him, some amusing thing would always cross his mind; because the other day when he was receiving Conununion, as the priest approached the thought had come to him how nice the chasuble that he was wearing would be as a caparison. We have quite a lot of these humorous thoughts. Thought becomes bad if we give it room. I love you-that is a good thought; take care for your health-that too is an excellent idea.
34 LETIERS FROM TURKEY
XXXII
Yenikoy, 10. Octob. 1719.
What a fine situation: yesterday I luncheoned in Asia and dined in Europe-and we were brought hither not through the skies, but by water. From all this you will realise that we have returned and finished camping. Certainly, we retreated in the face not of an enemy, but of much rain, which proved insuperable although we had two Generals in our number. Here the daily entertainment will consist of Lord Bercsenyi coming to visit us, or of our calling on him. The hunting is not yet over, and it is still open season on us in the Porte; for the German ambassador contrives to injure us as much as he can; we, however, do not injure him in the least. And I do not know to what end he wishes to persecute these poor Hungarian exiles, who merely smoke and sigh here on the seashore. Dear Aunt, do such worldly persecutors read the Gospel? Do they consider that they must close their eyes for hundreds of years more? Then we will be summoned not before an earthly court, nor will judgement be pronounced in accordance with earthly law: but in accordance with that of the merciful Gospel, which commands rulers to pardon their enemies and to render good for evil. Such a judgement seat, where false explanations will not be tolerated, will set before princes not the law of the land, but the Gospel. Then a prince will defend himself in vain: my ministers advised me to persecute the Hungarian exiles in their refuge, and politica ratio persuaded me to reduce them to such a con- dition that they would not be able to injure me in future-to such a defence the reply will be made: Thou shouldst not have striven to take from them the bread which I had ordained to them in a strange land, after thou hadst already taken away their inheritance-thou shouldst not have inflicted upon thy fellowmen certain future evil in place of uncertain, for the sake ofpolitica ratio. If others thought in that way, we would be left in peace-perhaps they do, but such a thought merely passes through them like a purge. But perhaps you are unaware that we are even now minded to return to France, and if it were a matter of our wishes alone we would set out this very day; but the wish alone is ours, while the ability depends on another; since the Prince, with this plan in view, has written repeatedly to the French court, but has until the present been unable to obtain a straight reply. The court neither prohibits nor clearly encourages our going there, from which it may be deduced that it does not wish us to go there. 35 LETI'ERS FROM TURKEY lnimicus homo hoc focii4-those who here are against us, there too the same have ruined our road: The Duke of Orleans rules France, since the king is not of age. He always showed our Prince great friendship; his mother, moreover, who is of common ancestry with our Princess15, loved him like a son all her life. But among princes blood-ties and friendship are like a reed; when you prosper, both blood-ties and friendship are exalted; but when it goes badly with you and you look to them for help, all they say is: nescio vos. And this has been fulfilled with us; for our lord has not received a single letter from the Duke of Orleans. After all its fine promises, the Porte has not assisted him in the least matter in this country. Such is the friendship of princes, thus hopelessly may all those of whom they have no need petition them. They dispose of men just as of lemons, which, having squeezed out the juice, they throw away. When we have drunk deeply of the spring we then turn our backs on it.-Now they have no need of us, they foJ!et the past, and, power being in their hands, they take no thought for the future. As is your saying, it is a good thing to sleep on good fortune-truly, such a bed is not very lasting, but while it does last one can certainly sleep well on it. Dear Aunt, one must not vary a promise. What noble blood undertakes it fulfils. Ifyou were from Hungary I would be apprehensive; but you are a Transylvanian, and there the word of a noblewoman is as constant as the snow on Brasso-keep, therefore, your promise and spend three or four months of the winter here with the Hungarian ladies. True, you will be the only Transylvanian here; but is not one Transylvanian woman worth ten Hungarian? The rose is better than the dried stem-the sun is more brilliant than the moon. When there is an eclipse of the sun in Hungary they should take a single Transylvanian woman there for her beauty to provide sufficient light. This is not flattery, but a true saying. If God has made them more beautiful than others, who can help it? Nor can anyone help it if I go to bed, for it is eleven o'clock. Even if I do not lie on good fortune may I sleep well-one's health is more important. Henceforth I shall look only for your coming here, but you must come with all your household. xxxm
Yenik6y, 4. Martii 1720.
Now, dear Aunt, let us take out the quill and clean the mouldy inkhorn; for now we must to writing, to the sending of mail, the awakening of 36 LETTERS FROM TURKEY news. Today is the eighth day since, winter being over, you left us as St Paul did the Wallachians, and resumed your seat in the imperial city. And there you must not be allowed to lie in idleness, but be made to write. And I will send you such news on the foam of the sea at which both your ears will ring-it is as well that you have no more than two. But first I will write finely tinted and sweet-scented news, then toll the bell. Yesterday the Aga of Janissaries ceremoniously sent our lord a gift. This consisted of many lovely flowers and much fruit. I know beforehand what you will say-that was certainly an unworthy gift-one should present ladies with flowers, and if the Aga of Janissaries had sent flowers to a lady I would praise him for it; but for a General to send flowers to a Prince I can never regard as fitting. If that is what you say, I say: that may well be a ridiculous gift in another country, but here one cannot send a gift to a woman, and it would be an even more deadly sin for a woman to send a gift to a man, even if it were only a single rose. It is true that such a gift displeases us, and we consider it suitable for a woman, but we must consider that here it is customary, and that what is customary somewhere is fitting in that country. If in England women go into inns, no one censures them for it; because it is customary. In Spain women have little pigs in their laps, as elsewhere they carry little dogs. In France and elsewhere a lady of quality will take her seat in her carriage and go where she wishes until evening; here, however, the wife of a Turkish gentleman will not go out of the house all year. In Poland the priests put cognac in the holy water in their vestry, to keep it cool until Mass is over; would we permit that? Among us a lady of quality would be ashamed to smoke; but here they all smoke. In China the girl that marries soonest is the one with the longest ears, even if they reach her shoulders; among us, men would abhor such a thing. Here they eat only with the fingers, but we use knife and fork. And is it a good custom that the Tatar noblewomen pierce their noses and insert large silver rings such as they put in their ears? So we have to learn about the customs of a country if we wish to pass comment on them. Perhaps you are unacquainted with the Turkish custom that if a Turk omits two Thursdays, his wife may bring plaint before the judge? So then, the Aga of Janissaries could send flowers; it is the local custom. But, my dear Aunt, prepare your ears for bad news. True, it could have been foreseen, but one really could not have contemplated it. Our well- wishers have so striven against us that they have won the case, and they wish us hence, as if we were a burden to them. This morning the Vtzier summoned Ferenc Horvath and through him informed the Prince that the 37 LEITERS FROM TIJRK.EY
Porte wished to arrange a better and more suitable place than Yenikoy for the Hungarians. Our lord, as a true Christian Prince, received this intelligence with a calm mind, and in this the change could provoke no change. He might have quoted David: Usque quo exaltabitur inimicus meus super me?16 and 'Let them be ashamed that rejoice at mine hurt'17• But following the teachings of Christ he prayed for blessing on his per- secutors, and laid the blame not on the Porte but on that ambassador that has been striving to do us injury. If God is with us, who is against us? I cannot yet know to what place they mean to send us. But the departure will not come so soon, and I deeply regret tlu;tt we shall be farther apart. I will infonn you of all this at the earliest opportunity. I wish you good health. Amen.
XXXIV
Yenikoy, 25. Martii 1720.
This morning our Prince went to see the Column of Pompey, which stands atop a great rock at the mouth of the Black Sea. This rock fonns a little island. We disembarked from the caique and went a little way up the rock, but did not go all the way to the Column; for it is very steep, and we would have had to leap from rock to rock-and the cabbage pot cannot leap as lightly as a wild goat. We could not ascertain how high the Column was previously, since it is broken into two or three pieces. The portion that remains erect cannot be less than two and a half cubits. There is nothing to see on it, but it is respectable only on account of antiquity, if it is true that Pompey placed it there: for this is only rumour, and everyone calls it the Column of Pompey, but there is nothing concerning it to be found in writing. It may be that it is the work of some Greek Emperor, or it may have been set up before the Emperors. What do I care whether Pompey did it? I prefer to believe that he did, rather than that you should send me to him to enquire. But I do know that Pompey is not going to pay for my handkerchief, that I lost there among the rocks. Now I know where we are to be sent. They say that the town is pleasant, not far from here, its name is Rodost6. But I know no more than that, except that men have been sent to secure lodgings for all the exiled Hungarians, and that we shall remove hence about the middle of next month. Therefore let us ensure that we do not waste that little time, but meet often and laugh sufficiently. Do not fear that I shall fail to visit you often before then, nor that I shall be prevented from coming there because 38 LETTERS FROM TURKEY of great preparations; for what possessions I have I can pack in half an hour. What a fine thing it is, when all a man's wealth is a bed, a little chest and a table. You see, all this causes no great anxiety; but when one has much, the anxiety too is the greater. Can I help it if I have nothing more?-There are ten here who will not require half as much time for preparation. Dear Aunt, how can they that serve an exiled prince have anything? True, we two or three who have been with him all the time in exile might have more, but I will say nothing about why we have not. Transylvanian blood serves not for profit but for honour, and if it is paid with a little ingratitude it does not regard it. In your recent letter (sou poured forth on this subject the Latin words: Experto crede Roberto 8- true, I could say as much to others. But enough of such thoughts, and let us rejoice that the day after tomorrow we shall take luncheon and dinner together, and leave disputes to him that loves them-shall we not, dear Aunt! With that I remain your servant-ropes, chains, string, twine, cord and all.
XXXV
Yenikoy, 16. Apr. 1720.
Beat the drum, sound the trumpet, dear Aunt, we are now ready. The galley which is to carry our lord is here. The ships that are to take the Prince's servants and the baggage are loaded. A large ship was provided for Lord Bercsenyi. Now all his party has left, only we remain. Lord Forgacs will be with us, and apart from a few servants only three or four of us will be with the Prince, and at seven this morning we shall embark in that great water-coach. Yesterday the Prince was received in private audience by the Vtzier and he took his leave of him, showing great friendship to the Prince and presentitlg him with a fine Turkish flintlock; they parted on the best of terms. But consider, Aunt, the manner is which the Turks express themselves. The Prince said to the Vtzier in the course of conversation that perhaps Rodost6 was a long way off, and that he would have liked to be closer to the Porte. To this the Vtzier said that it was a little distant, but a suitable place.-But do not think that it is far; for it is only so far that if rice pudding were cooked here, it could be carried thither hot. What a Turkish turn of phrase! Suffice it that we are about to leave immediately, I must seal this letter, therefore I cannot write more for the present, but when we arrive I will inform my dear Aunt concerning 39 LETIERS FROM TURKEY everything, to whom I wish good health; may I see you as soon as can be. But I beg you, write as often as you can; and I will not cease. Pola teti19, dear Aunt, and you really must take care for your health. We are leaving this instant, it is seven o'clock.
XXXVI
Rodosto, 24. Apr. 1720.
Dear Aunt, even if I were not to tell you that we had arrived here you would realise it from where I date this letter. Suffice it to say that God has brought us all hither in safety. And as soon as Lord Bercsenyi arrived, he straight away made an anagram of the name of the town, and it came out as: Ostorod. 1'hat is eminently suitable for exiles. Suffice it that one could philosophise at length about that, but I will leave it for another occasion, and for the present will, in accordance with my promise, tell you everything. First of all I will begin with our departure from Yenikoy on the 16th. The galley was waiting in readiness for our Prince. It was a considerable compliment to our Prince that the Sultan sent a galley on his behalf. It was one of the larger ones, with 26 pairs of oars-with three or four men to each oar-altogether 220 slaves rowed it-and in addition there were 100 armed marines or infantrymen aboard, so that the total aboard was 400. The captain of the galley was a pasha, and the Sultan's Kapiji Pasha in attendance on the Prince was with us, together with a chorbaji. The Prince went on board at seven o'clock, a salute of cannon was fired in his honour, the anchors were weighed and the galley put to sea. On rounding the Sultan's palace20, we met a contrary wind and were obliged to head for the islands known as the Princes' Islands. Lord Forgacs realised that this was not the direction of Rodost6, and not knowing why we were heading toward the islands became at once alarmed and began to say to the Prince that the Porte had deceived him, that he was being taken not to Rodost6 but to Nicomedia, where Thokoly had been. In vain did the Prince encourage him and say that perhaps they were trying to catch the wind, or there might be other reasons, and that he was not afraid of being taken to Nicomedia, and that he had no reason to suspect that the Porte would have him taken anywhere against his will-all to no purpose; for Forgacs had fully convinced himself that we were being taken to Nicomedia and maintained this until we reached the islands. We stopped there at eleven o'clock, and after luncheon Lord Bercsenyi too arrived. 40 LEITERS FROM TIJRKEY
The next day likewise the wind was contrary until evening, but it went round and at six o'clock we left for Rodost6 with a favourable wind which blew all night, so that sail was made and the oars were not re- quired. On the third day at 8 o'clock in the morning we reached the harbour of Heraclea and anchored. The Kapiji Pasha went ahead of us to Rodost6 to arrange lodgings, until when we had to remain there. On the 21st the Kapiji Pasha advised the Prince that lodgings were ready, and today we left at five in the morning, arriving in Rodost6 at eleven in the forenoon. The Prince disembarked at once from the galley, the horses went ashore, and the principal officers of the town escorted the Prince to his lodging. Dear Aunt, it is a lordly affair of no small sort to travel by galley. There is great orderliness in the least thing, and great silence. When two hundred men pull, you may well believe that there is indeed a mighty jerk, and all 52 oars together are put in the water simultaneously-an oar is about five fathoms in length. It is indeed a fine sight, but when one further considers that those poor slaves are almost all Christians, and that they have to remain there until they die, one's heart goes out to them. Furthermore, rowing a galley is very heavy work; he who has not seen cannot imagine it-one would think that all their arms would be tom out, the oar pulls at them so. True, they are given their food, but their clothing consists of rags. Ours were wearing shirts to work in because the Prince was there, and for the same reason they were not badly treated, but otherwise they work bare to the waist and have to endure beatings for the slightest thing, as the poor fellows told me themselves. When some order is to be given them a shout is given-they understand what it is for, and set to work all together. Their benches are ranged one behind another on both sides, as in a church-and between them is an aisle, along which the officers walk ceaselessly, looking to see whether some are not rowing properly or are talking to one another. Each has to remain in his place, there they are chained; when they cease rowing they have to sit down, and in the same place they sleep. They are forbidden to stand except when they are rowing the galley, and then a very dismal rattling is to be heard: for there is not a sound but the clanking of many chains. To all of which you will say that it is impossible for those poor slaves not to sigh for their freedom; nonetheless, there are those that become accustomed to this wretched life; for I spoke with two Hungarian slaves, who had been twenty years in the galleys, and I said to them, was there not some means by which they might gain their freedom? Their only reply 41 LEITERS FROM TURKEY was: why should we now go to Hungary? Perhaps our wives and children are dead by now-and how would we live there? Here we are fed, and we are now used to the wretchedness. Truly, I had not expected this answer from them, I would have thought differently, had I been in their place. In our galley were men of all nations: Hungarians, Gennans, French, Poles, Muscovites. There was not such diversity of race in Noah's Ark, apart from the animals. Suffice it to say that all the exiled Hungarians are here. The bread of each is stored here-we must remain here as long as it lasts. Each has an adequate and spacious lodging-I alone with a servant have the whole house belonging to a wealthy Armenian, and each house has a little garden. When the Armenians heard that we were coming to live among them (for you should know that in this town there are four nationalities: Turk, Jew, Greek and Armenian, and we live in Armenian houses) they went straight away to the Kadia, that is, the Turkish magistrate, and said to him that they had heard that the Hungarians were so mischievous that they would lay violent hands on their daughters and wives in the very street. Gaspar Papai happened to be with the Kadia at the time, and said with a most solemn countenance: Kadia! let the Armenians not fear for their wives because of the Hungarians, but if their chickens come after our cockerels I will not answer for the consequences. The Kadia laughed greatly and said: Aferim, majar, aferim (Well said, Hungarian, well said). We laughed a lot at this, and so may you. Suffice it that we are all here-even in exile we have had to take refuge-may God reward him who is the cause of that. How we shall be, and how after that, let us leave to God's will:-He has brought us hither, and He will bear our grief As for those that wished to do us harm, God has turned their evil intentions to our advantage: for though I am not yet familiar with the town or its environs, yet I can say that we are grateful to God for having brought us hither; for we are much more spaciously lodged than in that cramped Yenikoy. All our lodgings are on the edge of the town, one step and I am in the fields.-But I will write more fully about the place where we live at the first opportunity, and it seems to me that I have written enough for the present, and that at 11 o'clock I must to bed; for it is a marvellous thing, but men and women need to sleep here just as elsewhere. But before putting down the pen I will beg you that your love toward me may not grow cold, and that you be very careful for your health. Ships go from here every day, and you can give your letter to any sailor. Good night, dear Aunt.
42 LEITERS FROM TURKEY xxxvn
Rodost6, 28. Maji 1720.
Here we are now well-set-up men of hearth and home, and I already like Rodost6 so much that I cannot f01get .lagon. But jesting aside, dear Aunt, we are in a very pleasant, picturesque spot. The town is quite 1aige and handsOine, and lies on a wide and picturesque strip of coast. We are in fact on the very edge of Europe. From here to Constantinople is an easy journey of two days on horseback or one day by water. Certainly, nowhere could our Prince have been given a better living-place. Whichever way one goes, everywhere are fine meadows, but not uncultivated meadows; for here the soil is everywhere put to good use, and the land of this town is cultivated like a well-kept garden-at the present season in particular one looks with delight at the plougblands and vineyards and the many vegetable plots. There are as many vine-hills in these parts as elsewhere would suffice for a county-and they are very well tended, and from the numerous fruit trees in them they look like orchards. Here, however, they do not stake the vines, as we do, but all the branches bend down and the leaves both protect the bunches and shade the ground, and this is necessary in this warm region, where there is very little rain in summer-thus the ground remains moist and the grapes do not dry up. Here, indeed, there are many vegetable plots, and they are cultivated according to local practice, which cannot be compared with ours. Nowhere is so much cotton grown as here, and the trade in cotton is very great. I think it would grow in Torda County, but on our hilly ground there would be insufficient warmth. Here it is the year-round task of the women to plant the cotton, harvest it, sell it or spin it. it is sown in May and harvested in October. True, there is a great deal of work over cotton, but as the women here have no other outdoor task they have time for it. Concerning the town I may say that for these parts it can be called a fine town, not so broad as it is long. But whatever fine houses there may be here, they cannot seem beautiful; since they have no windows on the street, especially the Turkish houses, so that their wives shall be unable to look out-what a marvellous thing jealousy is! The market-place of the town is very well supplied-all manner of fowl, fruit, garden vegetables are cheap here-and before we arrived everything was cheaper still. But if we have caused a little increase in prices, we have also brought peace; for the inhabitants themselves say that before we came to where we now 43 LETIERS FROM TURKEY live women and girls walked the streets in fear even in the daytime, and any that were discovered out in the evening were snatched away, and can you imagine in what condition they were released? There even used to be murders, and these were carried out by Janissaries, Greeks and Armenians, but now there is not the slightest mention of them. Whoever goes out of an evening has nothing to fear. True, there are a goodly number of us, but if the least thing occurred the 30 Janissaries at our doors would teach anyone a lesson that wished to indulge in evil-doing. There could not be a quieter spot than where we live-in the evening we do not see a strange Janissary or Greek, although in fine weather we are out of doors until 11 o'clock. What a benefit we have been to the town, even in so short a time, and more shall follow. The only thing that I regret is that Lord Bercsenyi is not near us: he does not regret it, because we go there less often, and the expense will be so much the less. But what can we do, distant though he is, there is nowhere else to go-how are we to pass the time? The ladies do not like it either, but what can any of us do about it? In fact it is less convenient not for them but for us, because we have to go to call on them as a matter of duty. Now I have said enough about the town and its lands; now I must speak of the ways of our house and how time is spent. Truly, there is no stricter regulation in a monastery than in the Prince's house. The routine is as follows: at half past five in the morning the drum is beaten, then the servants must rise and make ready for six o'clock. There is a drum-call at six, and the Prince dresses-then he goes to chapel and hears Mass. After Mass he goes to the dining-hall, where we drink coffee and smoke. When it is a quarter to eight the first drum is beaten for Mass, and at eight o'clock the second, and the third a little later-then the Prince goes to Mass, and after Mass he goes to his own house and everyone may go where he pleases. At half past eleven the drum beats for luncheon and at twelve we sit down and do justice to the chickens. At half past two the Prince goes alone to the chapel, and remains there until three. When it is a quarter to five the first drum sounds for evening prayer, at five o'clock the second and the third a little later-then the Prince goes to the chapel and afterwards everyone goes their way. The drum for dinner is beaten at half past seven. Dinner does not last long, and at eight o'clock the Prince undresses, but most often does not yet go to bed at that hour, and even if he dresses at six in the morning he will have been up at two. Do not think that there is the least variation in any of this. Even if the Prince were ill, then too the hours are kept. It is no light matter to rise at half past five, but I do not fail in order to please him-and my duties include the super- 44 LETIERS FROM TIJRKEY vision of the servants. Such then is our monastic rule. As for entertainment and pastimes, there are many, and each follows his own inclination. The Prince rides twice every week, and we go hunting until evening; for here there are many partridge and bare-more red partridge than grey. But when the Prince does not go hunting, then he spends the time with much writing. We too would spend it better if we could, for one cannot be for ever out walking, wandering in the meadows at all hours: but there is no keeping company with the people here. Here the stranger cannot go to anyone's house. The Armenians in particular are even more fearful for their wives than the Turks. I have not yet had the opportunity of seeing the woman next door. I have to pass her door ten times a day, and if she chances to be at the door she runs from me as from the devil, and shuts the door. I do not care; for generally the Armenian women are as white as gipsies. From that you will deduce that no acquaintance is possible with the local people, and we have not lost thereby; for here they are all either tailors or furriers. Here there are no persons of rank on whom we might call. There are Turkish gentry, but visiting Turks is a dull business: firstly, I speak no Turkish; secondly, if one does call on them, the first thing is-well, do sit down; then they offer one a pipe of tobacco, a cup of coffee, say six or seven words to one, then remain silent for ten hours, ifone were to stay so long. They simply have no notion of conversation or affability. And so all our entertainment consists of calling on Lord Bercsenyi for luncheon or dinner-at least there we can laugh with little Zsuzsi; because with his wife one has to remain aloof and conduct oneself in a most formal manner. Nowadays she likes to speak only ofthings ofthe past, of what she enjoyed when she was a girl. As you are aware, I have no inclination for that.-1 have such a temperament that I can listen to someone for three hours without saying a word, but ask me what they have said and I would not be able to repeat one word of it. That is how I am with the good lady. For two hours I do not say a word. If she laughs, I laugh too, but I often do not know at what-she thinks that I am listening to it all with rapt attention. Actually, if I wish to pass the time with things of the past, I read the history of Alexander the Great; that is old enough. From all of which you can see in what sort of a town we have been settled; what sort of inhabitants it has, what surroundings; what our way of life is here. But I have not yet told you what my own custom is. It consists of retiring at ten, closing my eyes, and usually not opening them until half past five next morning. This my honourable practice I maintain winter and summer alike. This letter is so long because it is now ten 45 LEITERS FROM TIJRKEY o'clock, so let us go to sleep, dear Aunt. You must take care of your health, if you wish me to write often. More another time, or less. Oh! I forgot to mention that the accursed gout has returned to plague our lord.
xxxvm
Rodost6, 23. Aug. 1720.
That your little finger may heal, it is most important that you should know that we left Rodost6 for four days to take the waters four merftJld hence. But first of all must I tell you for what purpose we drank them? Not far hence is a place with a pond, some fifteen fathoms wide and long. At this season anyone that is suffering some ailment burrows into this mud. People come in wagons from forty or fifty merflJld around, with their wives and children. One may see twenty or thirty wagons around the mud, and in it all the women, men and children wallow like swine. When they emerge from the mud, can you imagine what they are like? They are covered in hardened black mud, which has to be removed by force. I do not know whence the idea comes, but the local people say that it is highly beneficial. Personally I could not see that it would do one any good. I went with the rest into that foul slime, not through necessity, but so that I could tell you that I had lain in it. In summer that mud is a most esteemed place of diversion for water-buffalo. The Greek priests, however, in order to earn a few poltura, say that first of all it must be blessed, otherwise it will not be efficacious. But even that is not enough; for when one has risen from that disgusting slime, according to tradition and the instructions of Hippocrates one must go to the waters, and for three days drink as much as one is able, if one wishes to be as clean as crystal. We too, therefore, wishing to follow the ancient custom of the people of the region, went thither and there found at least two hundred men, women and children. But as the Greek priests do not miss any opportunity of earning a few poltura, that water too had to be blessed, without which it would not have been beneficial. The water flows from a rock, but it is not clean, and the many people stir it up and drink muddy water. On the day after our arrival we too commenced drinking, and there was a great cauldron on the fire, for it is to be drunk hot. And there were several of us that drank. But what mineral water, my dear Aunt! It suited the mud perfectly; for if the one was disgusting, the other was revolting. At first we thought that it was mineral water such as we have at home, but when we tasted it, 46 LEITERS FROM TIJRKEY it was impossible to swallow a single drop, it was pure salt water, and foul tasting. Nonetheless, keeping an eye on one another, each of us drank twelve ejtel of it in the three days, and some more, for he that drinks most is purged the most. One has to drink the water before luncheon, then walk or run ceaselessly for it to work best. Lord Forgcics, as he could do nothing, mounted his horse and galloped, and thus shook himself up, and when he felt that the water was about to do its work he dismounted. You may imagine that we laughed heartily at him. I do not know what good that sanctified water will do us. If none, I shall not bother with it, for I am in good health. I know that it did not help two that are sick. The one is worse after it, the other at death's door. Is there any physic that will cure all ills? There are such as will make them worse. There is no herb in the garden against death. Our lord, however, spent all the time hunting, and laughed at the way we passed our holiday. Dear Aunt, I wish you from God good health, and remain your most insignificant Saturday servane1•
XXXIX
Rodost6, 18. Novembris 1720.
I have been very glad to receive your pleasant but very short letters. My dear Aunt, why would you deprive me of such delight as would not cost you a thing? There is no skill in writing in a warm room, but reading your letters in a cold one is a delight. A little admonition does no harm now and then. I hope that you will improve yourself in future. Here we live very quietly, God knows for how long, for it cannot be conceived whither and when we shall go hence. The Porte has recently made peace with the Emperor for twenty or twenty-four years22-our road to Transylvania has thus been blocked with twenty-four stone walls. We must not even con- template that direction. It seems that the way has been blocked in other directions too, and with the turn that events are now taking in Europe we cannot see the least gleam of our being set at liberty, and even hope must be locked in the cupboard.
Take poor exiles' hope away, How will you their grief allay?
But, dear Aunt, we may cheer ourselves with:
47 LEITERS FROM TURKEY
Naught may they fear that live in sorrow But hope for all things on the morrow.
True, we must hope in God against hope, for He directs our hearts. We see in Europe things contrary to our gaining liberty, and He directs those too, and has to care not only for us, but also for others. We would wish affairs to run in accordance with our desires alone, and that tomorrow we might leap over the aforesaid stone walls23; but there can be no thought of that, for we may place no trust in either the Porte or the French. The German has made peace with the Turk and turned on the Spanish. The Duke of Orleans, Regent of France, who by nature should side with the Spanish as he is so closely related, did the opposite, allying himself to the Emperor and beginning to wage war against them. He incited the Emperor to take from Spain the two Sicilies, and the war ended this year24• In the peace treaty the Duke of Orleans proposed that the Spanish king should give to the King of France one of his daughters, who is no more than six or seven years of age. She is to be sent to France at any time now, to be brought up there. And in order that the eldest and second sons of the King of Spain may take to wife the daughters of the Duke of Orleans, these two girls are being sent to Spain. The Emperor, the French, the Spanish and the English having made an alliance among themselves, who would dare to raise his hand against them? And from whom may the poor exiled Hungarians hope for encouragement? I see none but the French, but they, it may be said, deal ungraciously with our lord, who even now pleads to be allowed into France; the Duke of Orleans, however, far from pennitting this, or even responding to his letters, will not even allow his name so be spoken in his presence, giving as a reason his alliance with the Emperor. Such are friendship and ties of blood among princes. While we were in France the Duke always displayed great friendship, as his mother and our Princess are of the same family. Princes, however, consider that one is their friend and relation when they have need of one, or when one does not need them. To this you will say: what has become of Christianity? Was the Gospel given only to the common people? Indeed, all should abide by it, but it appears that princes would be ashamed so to limit themselves. From all this we see that we can hope only in God, and in peaceful forbearance we accept and await His dispositions toward us. He that gives the cold will give a coat to go with it. He that has brought us hither will provide for us. Let us have taith, therefore, taith, and so we shall not be forsaken. Our Prince, certainly, has taith, and furthermore goes hunting twice weekly~ if it were 48 LEITERS FROM TURKEY raining cats and dogs we would not forego it. It is not necessary to tell you that young Bercsenyi arrived here in September, for that you already know: but I must tell you why he has come. The King of France has permitted him to raise a Hungarian regiment, and he has come here to enlist Hungarian troops in Moldavia and Wallachia. Let us look to our health, dear Aunt, and so I remain at all times your Szekely cavalier, though I have no horse's head25 •
XL
Rodost6, 1. Jan. 1721.
Pola teti! You see, dear Aunt, I can now say 'Good day' in Greek. But do you know what day it is today? Do you know that today I must write you a letter of greeting? I bend both my knees and desire from my heart, dear Aunt, that God may give you His spiritual and bodily blessing, that is, that He may fill your heart with His grace, and grant you health. We are good, are we not, dear Aunt-we greet one another in just two words- and at all times our hearts accompany those tw.o words-and with that we are content and desire no more; not so Lady Bercsenyi, who would wish all manner of salutation to last two hours-such is now her habit, and I cannot break her of it, although my greeting today consisted of ten words. Well, we did laugh at Mrs Kajdacsi's greeting-she greets Lord Bercsenyi with a deep curtsey: I wish Your Honour many New Year's Days-and may God grant Your Honour to end this present new year not here but in your homeland, and thus Lord Bercsenyi is not to see this year out unless he can return home; and of that I do not see the means. I do not know whether it is our custom to exchange gifts? For in France it is indeed-there the King, the gentry, the poor, married women, girls, in a word everyone exchanges gifts, and ifthey can give nothing more, just a pin. From you, however, I require no other gift but that you love me this year as in that which has ended. And d~,YOU not require that I love you more; for if my love weighed half a zor-o more, I would love you more than as a relation. So you can see how much I love you! I love you, dear Aunt, like cabbage! But this year you must be very, very careful for your health.
49 LETIERS FROM TURKEY XLI
Rodost6, 9. Sept. 1721.
It is a fine thing, ingratitude. I have now had no reply to several letters; none the less you complain. It is the usual matter, I have to cry 'shame on you'; whereupon you write me so angry and fiery a letter that sparks flew as I read it. Megharagutt Herman----kiJver ludat ldvtin. Let us not be angry, dear Aunt; may you forget it and so will I. But it is impossible for me not to write what I think, even if I do cause that sweet anger to flare up once more. For the reading of your angry letter is pure delight to me, and you have such a way of complaining and reproving me that I ought to love you even more than ever, ifthat were possible. My dear Aunt, you have known for some time that young Bercsenyi left here by ship in July. He took with him some three hundred soldiers-half of them Hungarians, but the other half God knows what by nationality- perhaps they do not know themselves. Suffice it that now he has his regiment. And he that has his regiment is on the first rung of advance- ment, especially if he is a foreigner. Young Esterhazy too has gone, whose father has been here a few months-I will say, with his wife; others will maintain, not with his wife. Our priests say that Lord Esterhazy's marriage is like that of the Samaritan woman27 to whom Christ said: call hither thy husband; and the woman confessed that she had no husband, for him with whom she dwelt was not her true husband. And so the priests assert that she that he lives with is not Lord Esterbazy's true wife. I will just say a few words to you of what this is all about. Lord Esterhazy came hither with the other gentry from Poland, and atte11ding his wife there was a Polish girl whom he gave to be the wife of the servant of a Slovak nobleman. Esterhazy's wife died, and he very much desired the Polish woman; whether under duress or by inclination I know not, she left her husband, and they swore oaths together before priests, he married her, and since then have been living as man and wife. Our priests hold that both the desertion and the marriage are contrary to ecclesiastical law-that is their affair, and they know more ofthese things than I. I shall not consider whether their marriage is lawful or not.-Suffi.ce it to say that I spend time with them; the rest is their concern. The woman is quite beautiful, has a very good figure, she is young and enjoys life. We need such people in boring Rodost6. I have danced the Polish dance with her more than once. She even speaks a little Hungarian. It can be said of her that she is a agreeable woman, and I am not bored in her company. 50 LETIERS FROM TIJRKEY
You will know that Lord Foig3.cs has left us. I do not know whether he tiied of living here, or whether he could not live in the same town as Lord Bercsenyi. It is possible that both were the cause of his departure. He intends to live in Poland. It seems to me that it would be more seemly to suffer here with the rest, since he has not been wronged. But each to his own. Last month we were again at the salty water. I can see that we shall always be going there in the season. I really do not object, for it passes the time. Likewise in order to pass the time the Prince went to visit a Turkish gentleman, who had invited him as there were very good places for hunting. His property is five mer.flJ/d hence, but we could only stay there two days, and for that length of time we could not leave our tents for the heavy rain. I have never seen hunting with water-buffalo, only there. There was a lake beside the house, and therein about twenty buffalo were driven, and the lake was completely stirred up by these, and one plucked many fish from the mud by hand. The poor fish could not swim in the muddy water. Turkish fishing! Whatever happens here I will give you an account of everything, only do not be angry and take care for your health. I would write more but the drum is sounding for luncheon, and the ship leaves after that. I remain, therefore, and will be your favourite and dearest relation.
XLII
Rodost6, 20. Nov. 1721.
It seems that after living so long in this town I can write to you more :fully concerning its people and customs. Actually, I have nothing else of which to write. I have already said that four different nationalities live in the town: Greek, Armenian, Turk and Jew, and that there is great commerce here on land and sea. At times three hundred waggons come into town- and this happens often, especially in autumn and [then] almost every day. Here that which is brought in waggons is loaded onto ships and taken to Constantinople. Of the inhabitants I can say that the majority of them are Turks, and they live peaceably, have the best food, and live apart from the Christians. For here each nationality lives in its own part of the town: the town is one, but is in four parts, and they do not mingle. And when there is plague it is rare for it to be in all four nationalities-sometimes it is only among the Turks and nowhere else; sometimes among the Jews, the 51 LETTERS FROM TURKEY
Greeks or the Armenians. All four nationalities have a single magistrate, who is Turkish-he can hold office for only three years, and is sometimes dismissed sooner. But each nationality has its own special magistrate who conducts their affairs before the Kadia (the Turkish magistrate). Here the Kadia is soon a made man, even ifhe has acquired the magistracy at great expense. As he pronounces, so it has to be, even if his judgement is unjust: for example, if a thief is taken in the town he will pronounce that he is not to be hanged, if he can pay him; but if not, it is certain that his neck will be stretched. Here there are neither gallows nor executioner, but he is hanged on a nail outside some shop in the market-place, and whoever the Janissary can catch in the street, Armenian, Jew or Greek, he has to hang him. Here the Kadia has to be paid for everything. If one wishes to build, he must pay for permission-for burial, marriage, all must be paid for-to pick cotton or grapes, pay!-to sell your own wine, you must pay-if you merely wish to broach a full cask, you must pay-new wine must not be sold until you have paid.-The Kadia takes it into his head to shut all the inns at some hour; then they have to pay in order to be able to open-in a word, almost everything has to be paid for. You may say that this brings in thousands; truly, it brings in a lot, but not such a lot, because for burials and marriages some pay five poltura, some ten, some a thaler, according to their means. He that requires permission to pick and to sell wine pays according to the quantity of grapes or wine there is to be. But for all that, it must not be said that the Turks oppress the inhabitants; for if one pays up, then one lives in peace, and more peacefully than in our country. And such an arrogant race is the Greek, if they were not dealt with in this way a foreigner would be unable to live among them. We would not be able to remain here if they did not fear the Turks, or rather, being beaten; because for the least offence the Kadia will sentence a man to a hundred strokes on the sole, even if he is worth thousands-and then he will have to pay even more for not being sentenced to two hundred. The Greeks live much better than our Armenians, among whom we live; but they are not as industrious, nor as rich, which is no wonder, because the Armenians eat very poor food. This month they are slaughtering water-buffalo and making the meat into sausage, and everywhere there is nothing to be heard but hammering, all night long, so that one cannot sleep-they are drying it, and will live off it for a whole year. When the Armenian women go into town they put on a unlined black overcoat, and they are very industrious. They give their daughters no more dowry than an outfit, no money or anything else. For a 52 LEITERS FROM TIJRKEY week or two after the wedding an Armenian does not eat with his wife-I do not know the reason-but they sleep together. The weddings take place at a certain season-usually this month, when the new wine has fermented and the sausage has been made. I have written a poem about both the town and the weddings, I do not know whether to send it or not. In any case, I can send it to you, I would not send it to another; for it cannot be called a fine poem. Here there are both Greek and Armenian archbishops. What shall I say about the Jewish people? Here they are only as they are elsewhere.-And so here is the fine poem, read it attentively.
Here we live beside the sea, Idly spend our time do we. Oftentimes we hear it roar, See the foaming billows hoar. Great fish play therein and leap, Take their pleasure in the deep, But we dwellers on the shore Sigh in grief for ever more As we see the sun each day Rising from the eastern bay. Handsomely Rodost6 lies, A fine sight to please the eyes, Situate on rising ground And with vineyards all around. Hence Constantinople lies Five and twenty Turkish miles. Beautiful you cannot call it, Nor yet ugly; all in all it Is no better and no worse Than most townships of the Turks. But, I must say, here the food Is both plentiful and good. By the hundred men come here, Set their stalls up in the square, And from here the ships go laden To Constantinople's haven. Here the weather and the folk Both deceive-it is no joke: Winter mom a fire you light- Later windows open wide; Summer mom is fine and hot-
53 LETTERS FROM TIJRKEY
In the evening don a coat! Tell a tale of cultivation, Not of good accommodation. In the winter rain and breeze, And betimes we nearly freeze. Living comfortably here Is impossible, I fear. Whilst the spring is elsewhere greeted With great joy, they yearn to meet it, Here we really truly fear it As the calendar draws near it. If you lived here by and by You would know the reason why: For the plague is often known In the spring, death's seed is sown. Early spring does not entice, And the end is far from nice. Summer heat bums up the green, Scarce a blade of grass is seen. Autumn therefore is the best Though the fruit has little zest; Of what can one speak with favour When the wine is lacking savour? If you saw the women here You would cross yourself for fear, Every one is such a fright, Like a spectre of the night. Swathed they go in black or green, E'en their noses can't be seen, And about their heads they tie Shawls, revealing just the eye. In the house I do not say Seeing them you 'd nm away, For at home their dress is neat, Not what they wear in the street. If you're at a wedding here You should not expect good cheer, For they scrape the violin Making an unholy din, As it only has two strings And their tunes are dismal things, Which you can't tell one from t'other, But they do not seem to bother. 54 LETIERS FROM TIJRKEY
Eventime their lanterns guide Through the streets th' Armenian bride To the church, where with delight Happy pair their troth will plight. On the morrow bride and spouse Make procession house to house. She is blindfolded, poor thing, So as not to see a thing. She might fall flat in the street Did not others guide her feet, But old women take her hands, Help her as their way demands. At each house-door, full of pride, Stops the newly-wedded bride. With a kerchief her they decK, Placing it about her neck, Gift sufficient-on she goes, For she well the custom knows. Gaudily attired, her man Goes with drawn sword in the van. Then it's home with the donations To begin the celebrations. Seven days will last the rete, And three days the groom must wait, Keep his ardour on the leash, For he may not taste the sweets, Dry the draught that is his lot... But his purse is not forgot, For it's gold that he receives, Not just pretty handkerchiefs. In the town four races dwell- Turk, Armenian. Greek as well, And the Hebrew. Each its ways And religion keeps always. How can men think to agree Where there's such disparity? Do not seek to make your home, Do not build your pleasure-dome, Where three days in every seven Sabbaths mark the road to Heaven. But our greatest discontent Is that here, it seems, we're meant Many a long year to spend, 55 LETIERS FROM TURKEY Time of boredom without end. When the exile thinks of home Nothing pleases but alone Thoughts of God, Whose Holy City One day will receive us fitly, Whence we shall not hunted be, Where we shall find charity, Where the beggar equal stands With the greatest in the land. Oh Lord God, make us, we pray, Dwellers in Thy House one day.
Dear Aunt, I have written these lines only for you: for I know that they will not be condemned before your judgement seat. But if they fall into the hand of another I shall not care. If he does not like them. let him do better. I have never been on the hill of Parnassus. But I do care that this letter may find you in fresh good health. Dear Aunt, do you still love me? Pola teti.
XLDI
Rodost6, 16. Apr. 1722.
Ingratitude and idleness are fine things. I have now had no reply to a number of letters; for what reason? Are you ill? Are you angry? We must not do as sour married couples do, and turn our backs on one another when things are not well between us. But, my dear Aunt, you must not be angry with me at this time, for we are in grief and weeping, and one must not be angry with such persons, but must weep with them. That I do not require of you, I will rather weep in your stead. The cause of our sorrow is that yesterday we received news of the death of our Princess, who died in Paris 18. Februarii at the age of 43. Truly, our Prince is deeply affected, but he has been relieved of a great sadness; for he had constantly to grieve over the Princess's situation. True, they had lived together very little, but duty had always taken pride of place, and he had to provide for her; though in his absence the poor Princess was obliged to spend her life in great sorrow and poverty. Dear Aunt, is it not to the encouragement of a poor man when he sees that those of a great princely house too suffer poverty, and that God deals with them as with him, and that if they are obliged to suffer he himself may suffer more 56 LETIERS FROM TURKEY lightly? If the poor saw princes and great lords in perpetual happiness, would they not think of them that they were above the dispensations of God, and could not be reduced to a lower estate? Solon, one of the seven wise men, went to the court of Croesus, and Croesus received him with great honour and showed him his treasure, and the king said to him: 'Do you see how wealthy and happy I am?' But the philosopher was unimpressed, which the king took amiss, as he had thought that he would praise him, and he showed him further treasure, but to all this Solon said to the king: 'Nemo ante mortem beatus', no man is happy before he is dead. If that did not please the king, at least he had to hear it said. And in time it came to mind; for Cyrus plundered his treasure and his kingdom, and he himself was captured and condemned to death, and then Solon's words came into his mind. As I have been telling you history, I will adduce a further two examples on the subject, that you may see that we too know our ABC. Osiris, the most famous King of Egypt, conquered six or seven kings and enslaved them, so that wherever he went these pulled his chariot, and he made them eat under his table. On one occasion, as they were pulling the chariot, one of the six looked again and again at the wheel. Osiris in the chariot noticed this and asked him why he looked constantly at the wheel. The enslaved king replied: 'I am watching the part of the wheel that is on top go down, and the part that is at the bottom, rise.' The King of Egypt pondered this answer and at once set free the kings, and sent each back to his kingdom with great honour. At the risk of boring you, I will quote another example; for I am not always in the right mood to speak of history. A king of Samos2&, his name does not come to mind, had never experienced the least sorrow or unhappiness, and once wished to cause himself sorrow, so that he should be able to regret something as other men did. Therefore he took from his finger a very favourite ring and threw it into the sea; now he pined for the ring; but next day a great fish was brought to his table, in the throat of which was found the ring. But in time this king fell into great wretchedness, and then he realised that after fine weather there comes rain, and that we must take in good part the sorrow that is visited on us from above, and not that which we make for ourselves. Dear Aunt, I will say no more about history, but just this, that we must not fall into despair: God can cheer us, since He can bring great princes into sorrow. But here there is yet more bad news, for an epidemic of the plague is beginning. They say that there is plague in your region. Your health, dear Aunt, at this time you must be very much on your guard for 57 LETTERS FROM TURKEY your health, that has never been more necessary than now. I shall be ceaselessly concerned about you; for it is no light matter. Two or three of Bercsenyi's servants have died already, and their Jesuit has gone after them, who was a worthy priest. He himself is coming with his wife to live with us, as if it would be safer among us: but I do not care, for little Zsuzsi will be closer. To that you will say: Heavens! How can you think of such a thing at a time of plague? Dear Aunt, while we live we bear nature within us, and we must love our rib whether we will or no. Dear rib-bone Aunt, take care that your bones be healthy and not taken to the cemetery. Therefore you must not leave the house, you must remain in- doors, and let us hope that the good Lord will preserve us. Amen.
XLIV
Biiyiik Ali, 24. Junii, 1722.
My dear Aunt, now we have nothing to laugh at. Look at where I write from, you can see that something is happening. What it is, is that we have had to move here, three met:fbld away, and leave town because of the plague. It is now two days that we have been here in tents, beside a wretched village. Lord Bercsenyi and all his household are living in a dilapidated grange or farmhouse in the village. The plague has spread throughout the whole town. There are days when a hundred and fifty are buried. None of us has yet succumbed, although two of the servants have had the plague, but they recovered. In view of all this we could no longer remain in town, and for the past two days have been camping here with all our people. True, we are in a pleasant place, but the dread disease has taken away our capacity for enjoyment, and all our laughter is false. This is indeed a foul disease; a man is well in the morning, is taken sick toward evening and by the third day he has been buried. I am very anxious on your behalf; for I know that the plague is great where you live, but now we are in it and must swim as we may, and trust in the Lord concerning all things; for He will not forsake us: so we must walk the way of the Cross. The exiled Hungarians even in exile must seek refuge, that they may in some respect be like the exiled Son of God. How our affairs will be afterwards, God alone knows. Lord Esterhazy is not with us. He has gone with his wife to live in tents in a meadow near Rodost6. More I cannot write; for writing has no attraction in the condition in which we find ourselves. May God preserve us. Take care for 58 LEITERS FROM TURKEY
your life and health. Even in the midst of such sorrow I must not fail to make you laugh; for we have laughed enough at it. I wrote and told you that Lord and Lady Bercsenyi came to live with us before the plague. When they had been with us a while that old lady had a little swelling in her groin, and at once thought that perhaps it was the plague, she told no one, did not dare to ask for any medicine, but when the good, devout woman went to bed at night she bathed the swelling with the holy water beside her bed until it went down, always in great secrecy, and then, when it had gone, she told her husband. She has convinced herself that she has had the plague. All of us, the Prince included, laughed enough at her pious doctoring: you too may laugh a little. God be with you, my dear Aunt. I almost forgot to tell you that in our sorry state we have ceased to wear coloured clothing: for all of us are in black-we are in mourning for the Princess. In our condition, certainly, mourning becomes us, even if we were not wearing it for anyone's death.
XLV
Buyiik Ali, 12. Aug. 1722.
Do not be surprised if I have not written in the past month; for we are in so doleful a situation that I do not know whether I can write. In the past month the man that made desserts and coffee for the Prince, having made his morning coffee, was taken ill after lunch and on the third day died of the plague-and he lived thirty paces from me. Furthennore the two sons of our chief cook soon followed him. From this you may judge what a sorry time we are spending here. Fear is perhaps even worse than this disease; since one cannot know the moment when one may fall sick-one goes to bed in the evening healthy and finds oneself sick in the morning. Thanks be to God I am in good health, but as there is talk here of nothing but the plague it has so closed in our minds that all the time I imagine within myself that I am ill, and as such imagination causes fear in the mind one is in a state of constant boredom and unease. How many times have I gone to bed thinking that I would not see the dawn, not because I truly felt any change in my health, but because mental unease caused such thoughts in me. Do not think that I alone am thus affected; we are all in the same condition, and you may therefore imagine with what merriment we spend the time. I cannot spend half an hour in my tent, but I pass the time with 59 LETTERS FROM TURKEY much walking in the countryside, in order to amuse myself somehow. Laughter, however, is so rare among us that if we remain here a long time yet nature will make us forget it, and we shall be amazed if we see others laughing. What if we were to go at some time to a town where they laugh at all times, as I have read of some ancient town, that the inhabitants had always to laugh and might say nothing without laughing-even if the councillors were debating some matter of state in the council, each would express his view with a laugh, in brief, they could never speak of any matter so weighty that it could be spoken of without laughter-they announced to one another the deaths of their fathers, mothers, wives and children with laughter? Truly, I would not like living in such a town, but at least we should go hence to one such, if only for a month-but I think that even there we could not be made to laugh; for to us even a smile is a burden. And the procession that we saw here of late certainly could not be observed without the shedding of tears. A very tragic death was the cause: Lord Esterhazy came here to Mass on all feast-days, and on the last occasion heard Mass on the day of the Transfiguration of Our Lord, ate his lunch and toward evening mounted and returned to the meadow where he was living with his wife. Here after lunch a great headache came upon him, but we did not think that it was at all dangerous, but it was a symptom of the plague, and on the third day we heard that he had died of it. His wife brought us the news, who had seen her husband die and, not knowing what to do in her distraught state, took a servant and a little girl and, leaving her husband's body there, walked all of two mb:fold to us. When we saw that sad procession it was impossible not to weep for that woman's sorry plight. The Prince sent her back and made arrangements for his Lordship's burial. After all that, how could we retain the least good cheer? But not only are we in low spirits, we shall have to remember all our lives this sorry state in which we are now, just as I shall never forget and shall ever hold in mind the times through which we have lived here. But before I end my letter, I must not omit to write to you of the fire which frightened us, even though we are living under tents; for the other day the servants set fire to a canvas tent; I do not know what they were thinking of, but they had put a candle near it, and in a moment the whole was ablaze. Sibrik lived in it, and scarcely managed to escape, and they were able to save his belongings-but you could not have seen a better fire than that; for as the tent was of material of various colours the flames displayed them all. The blaze did not last more than a quarter of an hour, 60 LETTERS FROM TIJRKEY but in so short a time quite an expensive tent was destroyed, for one such costs at least two thousand thaler. Dear Aunt, let us put our money to a stone house and not a canvas tent. I wish that God may preserve you.
XLVI
Rodost6, 11. Octob. 1722.
The plague, thanks be to God, has completely ceased in the town and yesterday morning we left our camp and returned hither. We cannot render sufficient thanks to the Lord for preserving us in so great a plague, particularly among all the servants that are here that do not know how to protect themselves, as do the wiser. You may convince yourself that we returned here joyfully, and with such joy as men experience that have been delivered from some danger. Only we may know what tedious days we spent there; for it cannot be described, and the greater the suffering that our minds endured, the greater the thanks that we render to the Lord that took such great care of us and freed us from such mental anguish, which is neither lighter nor less, but may perhaps be considered more grievous than bodily distress; for in whatever abundance and well-being the body may be, if the mind is not happy and calm the body too becomes likewise. Therefore it is that we may see many, that outwardly are in goodly estate but yet are out of sorts; for there is some trouble in their minds: on the other hand we may see such as are in straitened circumstances, when nothing goes well for them, but their minds are stable and they are always happy and good-humoured. Mental unease is therefore much more important than bodily fatigue, and an hour's grief and anxiety are much harder than a day spent hoeing. All this I end with the sole thought that at all times we must seek the help of God. Whether our minds be uneasy or our bodies destitute, let us turn to Him-He alone can give relief and peace. Here the plague has greatly reduced the population, and no such great plague can be remembered in the town as this recent one; but, thanks be to God, it has ceased and we are here. If only I might receive your letters more often! God preserve you, my dear Aunt. We are not laughing yet.
61 LETTERS FROM TURKEY
XLVII
Rodost6, 15. Apr. 1723.
Dear Aunt, what a forgetful condition I have been in, to fail to write to you ofthe death of poor Ferenc Horvat. It is two months now since he left us for ever. This news you have known for some time, but you must also know that we have lost a most kindly man, who even at the age of sixty- nine was hale and hearty, always good-humoured-there was none more cheerful among us. What a fine thing is a good nature! It is not to be wondered at if he had forgotten his native land; for he that lives 43 years in exile in a strange land forgets where he belongs. But I fear that there may be another funeral here, and that a gentle lady, who, in the days of Abraham, would have been considered young, may be about to close her eyes: but in this case sixty-nine years confer no adornment, and a woman of such an age need not make up her cheeks lest she give rise to thoughts. From all this you will realise that I write of Lady Bercsenyi, who is perceptibly fading and, as it were, melting away. You know that even at such an age she always had a pink complexion, but now she has become quite pale, and herself realises that the hay will soon be mown. Formerly her favourite conversation was of returning, but now she understands that she will see Heaven sooner than Hungary. Certainly, the former is better than the latter; but what harm would it do to go to Heaven from Hungary? Suffice it that in view of the condition in which the gentle lady is, I think that she may go to her eternal home at any time. Whom shall we give to Lord Bercsenyi afterwards? Consider this and write to me some news; for here we have none.
XLVIII
Rodost6, 26. Apr. 1723.
My dear Aunt, however long a man may live, or in whatever frame of mind he lives his days, death is the end of all. My poor Lady Bercsenyi too has so ended her life, who had been ill for several days, suffering not so much pain as the extinction of nature within her, and she fell asleep, as it were a candle burnt out, yesterday at about three in the afternoon. We had observed that this was imminent and she was asked about her wishes; our lord was at her bedside and she answered everything, and indeed 62 LEITERS FROM TIJRKEY would have liked to say something more to the Prince and had actually begun, but after a word or two she quietly passed from this world-we scarcely noticed her death. The poor woman had yearned greatly for her earthly homeland, but God has taken her to His eternal kingdom. It seems, dear Aunt, that for sixty-nine years she could have thought only about that holy land. It may be said of her that she was a lady of the highest virtue and pious, that she lived at all times in the greatest honour and had only heard mention of need. It could not have been otherwise, at least when she was married to Draskovics and ErdOdi, and with her third husband too she had been at all times well-to-do, even in exile. Today we laid the poor thing in her coffin, and I think that she is being taken to the Jesuits in Constantinople-I know that you will be at her funeral. · I know that you are expecting me to write in what condition her husband was in these sad hours. When his wife was ill he did his utmost to cheer her, and when she was at the point of death it so happened that he was asleep-they were unwilling to wake him in order for him to be present. When he awoke and learned that she was no more in the world, truly, he wept a little. We had thought that he would sob greatly, but he was much calmer than we had anticipated, and in his grief he was concerned for the coffers. Such is life! I wonder whether he will marry again? There is no other spinster here except Zsuzsi, and there are two old widows. There is another, too, that would set his cap at Zsuzsi, but he that is the richer is the stronger. That is enough for now; for one must not write a long letter about sorrowful matters.
XLIX
Rodost6, 22. Aug. 1723.
It is my fault, my fault, my grievous fault that I have not replied to a number of your letters. I see from your last that you are a good prophetess. But it seems that one should not mock those that are in sorrow, saying: the bird has flown to the hand of another. If I had as much in my coffers as another, perhaps the bird would have remained, but usually the poor man catches the bird and the rich eats it. Suffice it that your prediction is about to be fu1filled, and even if we are approaching sixty we still like lamb. It is by now almost certain in the eyes of others, but to me quite certain; as I am obliged to know the secret, that Zsuzsi is at any moment to become Lady Bercsenyi. In a way I do not mind at all, 63 LE1TERS FROM TIJRKEY because she deserves it on account of her great virtues, and it would be impossible to find one better in this country: but judge for yourself, what are girls like? I know that no part of the heart will be in this marriage, and she knows herself that nor will the body, but let the title of Countess ring in our ears and we can scarcely wait to say 'I will'. I will leave it to you to pronounce judgement on whether all girls are so. Suffice it that the intending bridegroom, or rather bride-head-lad, is no longer troubled by the gout, and that for Zsuzsi's sake he washes more often; for you shall know that while the poor lady was alive we did not wash once a month, but now we are conducting ourself a little more smartly. What a marvellous thing love is! How it rejuvenates a man! Do you suppose we could shed twenty years or so? Have you ever seen the almanac of an old man that has a young wife, how he is to preserve his health and at what times and seasons he should not lie with his wife, and when he definitely must not? Zsuzsi and I have laughed enough; for I have made her an almanac. She says that she does not like such a thing. It is impossible for me not to give you an account of the old man's almanac. It shows no other signs but teaches him how to look after his life and health. As in other almanacs propitious and unpropitious days are set out, so here are indicated those on which he should not lie with his wife and those on which he definitely must not. For example: during Lent and on fasts which are the eves of feast-days, he definitely must not. On Fridays and Saturdays, he definitely must not. On Ember Days, definitely not. He must observe the three Feasts of Tabernacles with their octaves, therefore he definitely must not. On the Feasts of the Apostles, definitely not. On the Feasts of the Evangelists, definitely not. On his own saint's day and for eight days thereafter, definitely not. Furthermore, in winter, when it snows, definitely not; but when the weather is fine it is permissible. As spring approaches, if he has a cold or catarrh, definitely not until the end of May. In summer he loses enough moisture through the heat, therefore definitely not. In autumn it is permissible until the misty weather sets in, as in misty weather-definitely not. In time of rain, definitely not. If there is thunder, definitely not. If he has indigestion, definitely not for eight days. Apart from that, definitely not in the eight days following an eclipse of the sun. If the eclipse is of the moon, definitely not for twelve days. Behold, dear Aunt, the old man's almanac. I do not know how you find it: but Zsuzsi says that it must be burnt; for it says often: definitely not. But I love you in mist and rain alike, and remain your youthful servant. Are we caring for our health? 64 LEITERS FROM TURKEY
L
Rodost6, 15. Octob. 1723.
Where are the musicians? Let them play in the roast beef and strike up the bridal dance. From all this you will judge that a wedding is taking place here today. But you should also be quite certain that there is to be no wedding-feast, and that at today's celebrations only dry draughts will be quaffed-perhaps the bride will have nothing better to do. Suffice it that today Lord Bercsenyi and Zsuzsi have wed, in the presence of two or three witnesses, and that secretly. You may imagine Zsuzsi's delight. She eertainly merits the title of Countess, and one must marvel at God's dispensations in her favour, Who has taken so under His protection the orphans dwelling in a strange land. My dear Aunt, I will add to that how good it is for those with sufficient in their coffers; for Lord Bercsenyi has married not so much out of necessity, as because he finds the opportunity. For I know someone, and you know him too, whose need of marriage is greater than Bercsenyi's, but non habet pecuntam. And it is not only a pilgrimage that costs money, but so does the bridal dance. Was it not a good law of Lycurgus in Lacedaemonia, that one might spend a probationary year with a girl? They would live together for a year, two years; if they could not rub along together the marriage did not take place, and each sought for themselves .a new partner. But let us not look for this law among the ancients; we shall find it here too, for a man and woman or girl go before the Turkish magistrate and the man declares to him that he takes this person for a year or two years; at the end of that time he undertakes to give her so much money. The ~strate gives them a piece of paper and they may freely live together29 But the magistrate has to be offered a gift; for without that the matter will not be settled. I would like to know what Transylvanian women would say to this? I imagine that many would say: Placet. But perhaps even the men would not lose by it if such a law were customary. I know that the new Lady Bercsenyi means to write to you, and .she can write of more secret matters than I. But I ask you, what is the difference between the sacrament of penance and that of matrimony? I shall await your answer to that, and in the meantime I wish you robust good health and remain yours.
65 LETIERS FROM TIJRKEY
LI
Rodost6, 19. Decembris 1723.
Dear Aunt, I have not received your reply to a number of my letters. You may make the same complaint of me, but I offer the excuse that for the whole of the past month our lord has been sick and unable to stand because of the gout. To that you may say that my fingers have not been gouty, and I could have written; .and to that I will answer that both my heart and my mind have been gout-stricken. I had not even seen the newly-wedded woman since her wedding until today. I would not have seen her even now had I not been obliged to go thither with the Prince; nonetheless I must admit that the obligation was a pleasure for a gouty heart, and while I was there a little cross reproach, that I had not been to see her for so long, took the place of medicine. But, dear Aunt, such medicine causes even greater pain; what medicine, then, is better7 It would be better, perhaps, were it possible, to _do without medicine; but that is the hard part. Nonetheless, if I were good, I ought to say that I can accomplish all things in Him that can give strength. Here we are as if we had always lived here, and as if we always must. I no longer marvel when I hear from others that one can forget one;s homeland; for perhaps I would forget it myself, had I not received a letter from my mother in recent days, who writes that she will obtain a pardon if I wish to go home, that my master is mortal, and what will become of me after his death in a strange Iancl That may all happen, and in any event I regard my fate as uncertain; but whether here or there, we must resign ourselves to the will of God. And let us not think as certain godless do, that God has made the world and left it to go its way as best it may, and that He is not careful of the least little thing, as a clock-maker makes a clock, winds it up and leaves it to run as it pleases. The Christian must not believe that, who is taught by the Gospel that God has as much care for the poor as for kings, and that all our doings must be in accordance with His will. If we believed otherwise we would have to believe that there was no next world and that this one had been created only for the great and the wealthy; the poor and lowly are on this earth only for their benefit, as little fishes are in the water for the big ones, and as dumb animals are for the purpose of bearing burdens. God forbid that we should hold such beliefs, and that we should follow such so-called Chris- tians: for I believe that God has such concern over me as over a king, and that He watches over my life and my fate as over those of the wealthiest 66 LETTERS FROM TURKEY man. True, in worldly ways they are better off, but as we are Christians we must say only: God's will be upon us. Inadvertently I began my letter with the newly-wed woman and am ending it by preaching. But, dear Aunt, a little good thought does no harm. And you see that I leave to the will of God that which has never yet been my lot, when it has been Lord Bercsenyi's three times. I will only say, like Aesop's fox, who could not reach the grapes and said: they are not yet ripe, I too say, the time is not yet come; but it has come for you to write, and to take care for your health. I was almost .fotgetting to ask you a riddle. Tell me, what is the difference between the sacrament of penance and that of matrimony? Perhaps I have asked you this riddle before, but I cannot think when; but as my letter began with newly-weds, I will ask it once more. A few more lines of poetry come to mind, about newly-weds. But certainly they cannot be made to fit Zsuzsi; nevertheless I will simply quote them, having nothing else to write:
When a maid, good Kate, hadst thou In thy kindness.mvoured me, I'd have been thy friend, I trow, But I'm kept in thrall to thee.
Husband! Long ago I learnt 'Blow on porridge, be not burnt'. Once another did deceive me, And I feared thou too wouldst leave me.
Good night, dear Aunt, I will write no more. Perhaps you will receive no more letters from.me this year.
67 LEITERS FROM TURKEY
Lll
Rodost6, 18. Februarii, 1724.
Dear Aunt, I must not have received your replies to several of my letters. I know that you receive my letters seldom and late, for at this season the ships go infrequently because of the strong winds. Your last letter you wrote twenty years ago-but I must not tease, twenty days ago. I do not know where it can have been lost so long at sea, yet you write that it is high time that I came to see you. I would dearly wish to, but if I were twenty days at sea I would probably be brought to you dead, and you would have me made into cabbage30• I have spent several days at sea, but in well-found ships, whereas those here are simply wretched. And so set aside that desire for a little while, love me even if you cannot see me, and rest content with my letters .. You write that you cannot remember my telling you the riddle before, and ask me for the solution. I laughed a lot at your explanation; for you consider matrimony better than penance. The truth is that now it is more splendid, butnot every man and woman would say so. But until someone explains it better, I think that the difference between the sacraments of penance and matrimony is that the former must begin with pity and regret, but finally changes into bliss; whereas the latter begins with bliss, but ends in regret and sorrow. If anyone does not like that let him find another explanation. Dear Aunt, even though I do not know her I felt affection for the girl of whom you wrote, who had risked her life for her mother; for it is worthy to love a kind heart. But we see such kind-hearted girls among pagans too, among others in the time of the ancient Romans the court had sentenced a woman to death and would have her put to death by no other means but, in order that she might die of hunger, she was taken to the cell and neither food nor drink given to her, none might speak to her, and only her daughter was permitted to visit her, and she was searched on every occasion lest she should take food to her mother. The jailer, seeing that after twO weeks the woman was in good health in the cell, went before the court and reported that after so long a time the woman was alive and in good health without food. The court discussed this and ordered the jailer to be more vigilant and to search the woman's daughter more thoroughly. The jailer did so, but after fifty days the woman was not about to die of hunger. The jailer therefore was puzzled and wondered how this could be. 68 LEITERS FROM TURKEY
He decided to spy on the prisoner's daughter and see what she did while she was with her mother. Therefore he found a place for himself from where he might observe secretly what happened in the cell. Next day the prisoner's daughter came to her mother at the usual hour and the jailer went to his secret place, and then he saw how the prisoner had lived so long; for every day she lived on her daughter's milk. The jailer told the court how her daughter was suckling her every day and the court was atDazed, praised the girl highly, released her mother, and rewarded her at civic expense for her well-doing. Even two thousand years later it is right to feel affection for the kind-hearted woman. But we find more examples of the sort among men. Forgive me, that I have to say that. Therefore I shall write no more, but wish you good health and remain your servant.
LID
Rodost6, 28. Junii, 1724.
I am very pleased that you are beginning to leave your bed after such a protracted illness, and that health wishes to make peace with you. Dear Aunt, when it does, you must not infuriate it further, but pamper it and embrace it frequently, so that it may remain at your service for at least another thirty years .or so. There was really no need to apologise for being unable to write for so long. When something happens not in accordance with one's wishes, but because of some other unpleasant impediment, then it is easy, indeed our duty, to forgive. Perhaps it is unnecessary to tell you with what delight I read your long-awaited letter. Thank you too for once for not having replied to two or three of mine; for that would have put you to inconvenience. But I am delighted that you so finnly take the part of women; for from that I can tell that we are now in better health. I did not mean that there are no good-hearted women, but it is rare, and ~ood hearts are more commonly found among men. A king of Naples3 went to the queen's house and the queen was making cord. The king asked why she was making cord. 'I am making this cord,' replied the queen, 'to strangle you with.' This the king took for a jest, but next day the jest became reality; for he was indeed strangled. Dear Aunt, let us not set such a one among the good-hearted women, perhaps rather in the company of wild animals. We do not find the good-hearted only among the common people, but even among princes, which is unusual. -Dom Antonio, a king of 69 LETIERS FROM TURKEY
Portugal32, having seen in a long and unsuccessful war against Ferdinand and Isabella the exhaustion of his treasure and army, decided to travel to France, there to seek the assistance of the king. He arrived at the court of Louis XI and was regally received, and Louis assured him with fine promises that he would help him. But seeing after a suitable interval that he was being detained with mere assurance, he began to press his request once more. Louis was reluctant either to sadden or really to cheer him, and replied to all his requests that a campaign against the Duke of Bur- gundy was the reason for so much delay in rendering assistance. Dom Antonio was left with the promise alone and again began to press the matter. Then Louis replied clearly, and confessed that he should expect nothing from him, and that the help that he had promised he could not provide. This doleful reply threw the Portuguese king into despair, and he considered it a great disgrace to return to his country with such a reply, he would rather have exposed himself to any danger. But before leaving France he wrote two letters: one to his son, who was ruling in his absence, and the other to the French king, which he gave to a lord to hand to the king when he was far away from the court. The son of the Portuguese king received the letter, assembled the great lords and read it before them; in it Dom Antonio complained of the bad tum which events had taken, and said that he blamed the failure to obtain any assistance on his sins, for which God had turned His wrath upon him, and that if he returned God would extend His punishment to his people; in order then not to become the cause of their wretchedness he would leave the country and go to Rome, and thence to Jerusalem, where he would live out his life in a monastery praying for God's mercy on his people. But he required the whole country to recognise his son as king and to swear allegiance to him. This letter saddened the young prince and the whole council, but wishing to obey the king they crowned the young prince king forthwith.- Meanwhile King Louis too read his letter, and his heart went out to Dom Antonio and immediately he sent after him to tum him back, and commanded that he be escorted back to his country and throne with assistance. Dom Antonio received this news in sorrow, fearing that whereas it had been easy to lay aside the sceptre it would be harder to resume it; nevertheless he made his way toward Portugal at Louis' request, but foreseeing with great heartache that perhaps it might be necessary to fight his son, in whose favour he had abdicated his crown, and who might perhaps not easily give it up. Such were his thoughts on the journey, and when he arrived in the first city of Portugal how great was his amazement at seeing there the new king and his whole court 70 LEITERS FROM TIJRKEY waiting for him, who, prostrating himself straight away at his feet, offered him back the crown, only requesting that he should not withhold from him his fatherly love. This youthful king had been crowned only two weeks before, and when he had heard of his father's return he had gone at once to meet him. Dom Antonio was amazed at his son's deed, that so young a prince should give back the crown so easily out of love for him, and thought that he could show no greater gratitude to his son than to give him his throne, of which he had shown himself so worthy. Immediately a great argument broke out between. father and son, which moved those present to tears; as the son would make his father sit on the royal throne: and the father asked his son not to leave it, and each strove with sound and wise reasons to overcome the other, which dispute ended to the glory of both victor and vanquished. Finally, the father, overcome by his son's many pleas and tears, resumed the royal throne and entered Lisbon with great ceremony, and the people in great delight blessed father and son alike. My dear Aunt, if that story does not please you, write a better-it pleases me, that is why I have written it. It also pleases me not to be living under a tent, for our lord has been living under tents these two days and·I have been left here to attend to domestic affairs. To that, I know, you will quote the verse: 'Let my brother stay at home; for he is no courtier'. However, so be it, for here I spend the time more profitably. I would spend it even better if you would write longer letters; for they are even shorter than a hare's tail. Do you love me? Are you paying attention to your health? I can write no more, and so to bed.
LIV
Rodost6, 19. Julii, 1724.
Dear Aunt, even if there were a padlock on my mouth I would laugh nevertheless at your letter, when you say that if you had been the wife of the son of the King of Portugal you would not have permitted him to give up the crown. May the Queen forgive me, it cannot be called foolishness but rather a highly moral act, and the rarer the more praiseworthy. Did not the present King of Spain33 abdicate and place the crown on the head of his son? And some praise him for it, some do not; but few praise him for resuming the crown on the early death of his son. 71 LETIERS FROM TURKEY
We read of a Roman emperor who, wishing to lead the life of a hennit, passed the imperium to his son; but being unable to remain in retirement he went to his son to take the imperium from him. To this end he assembled the great lords and the army and went in their presence up to his son on the throne, thinking that everyone would be pleased at this. And there he expounded in a long speech his plan and his son's unworthiness for the imperium. When he had finished he pushed his son from the throne, whom all loved, and to whose side all rose, in particular the military, to such a degree that they threatened to kill the old emperor. He saw that the affuir had not proceeded as he had thought and turned it very cleverly with a jest, crying in the hearing of all: 'I only wanted to discover whether you loved my son, and as you do, I leave him here for you.' He descended from the throne much ashamed and returned to his cave. The King of Portugal acted much more praisewortbily than that emperor: true, a Christian king must be of higher morals than any pagan emperor. You say rightly that we must never act hastily when we propose to begin something, and must consider the outcome. Alas! dear Aunt, if we had done that we would not now be exiles, but there are things which, in our minds, appear to have bettet outcomes than beginnings; but good sense requires that at all times we begin everything sensibly, and we must leave the outcome to the Lord of Wisdom. But we are such wretched wonns that we cannot bring anything to a good conclusion unless we receive help from Heaven, and certainly we must proceed in accordance with that which has there been ordained for us, and that ordinance has always regard for the glory of God and is to our profit if we live closely by it- but for this, too, we need help. That was brought upon us by Adam's apple, for he, too, lightly obeyed his wife; but alas! who would not love so beautiful a rib? Dear Aunt, you know that our lord has been for a while living under tents, where it is better from the point of view of health than in town, though the entertainment is the same; we may assume, however, that you do not know that yesterday he moved back into town. But you know by heart that I love you, if we are being careful of our health.
72 LEITERS FROM TURKEY LV
Rodost6, 18. Aug. 1724.
Dear Aunt, if you knew in what great sorrow I am your heart would go out to me and would melt like butter by the fire, and eggs could be cooked in it. Just think, dear Aunt, it is now two days that our lord has not been here, he has gone nine merflJld away to hunt and will be there for perhaps two weeks. He has left me here to look after the house and servants; 'Only let my brother remain at home, for he is no courtier'. Pity me, Aunt, pity me: see, I have been unable to go to the hunt, I have to go and see Zsuzsi every day, I cannot shoot partridge. I can only talk to Zsuzsi, what a severe punishment! I wish it would last a month! But however long it lasts, I shall be so sorrowful that I shall die of delight. The other day I was talking to Zsuzsi about her marriage and saying that eighteen months ago she would not have thought that she might become a Countess, although for her high morals she deserved it. Suffice it that in the course of conversation I explained to her how a woman's marriage may be shameful and fortunate; I will explain to you too, to pass the time. In France a rich municipal judge's clerk fell in love with a girl, asked for her hand and the day was named. There it is the usual custom that the feasting and dancing continue until evening~ and in the evening they go to church for the ceremony, and thence to bed. Suffice it that the clerk was cheerful over luncheon and danced with his bride afterwards, who, in the pleasures of the dance, or for whatever reason, chanced to break wind a little-the clerk heard it, was ashamed, and that little wind so cooled his ardour that he stopped dancing and informed his bride that he refused to marry her, and she might marry whom she pleased. You may imagine with what consternation the girl received this message, but others laughed at the clerk's p_ettiness. Suffice it that next day the judge learned what had happened, summoned his clerk and lectured him thoroughly on his foolish action, in withdrawing from marriage on account of a trifling matter, at which he should only have laughed. The judge, seeing that he would_ not come to his senses and marry the girl, told him that as he had refused her he would take care of her; but he must leave his house. Then the judge told the girl that he would marry her, if she would have him-she took that as great good fortune, and agreed. The judge arranged the wedding quickly, but being old was only able to live with his wife a short while, and left his considerable wealth and property to her, who then went to 73 LETIERS FROM TURKEY
Paris and began to live as a grand lady. Well, as she was beautiful a rich old general fell in love with her, but he too was soon called out of this world and he too left his all to his wife. Well, now she had quickly become a grand and wealthy lady, but fortune carried her higher yet; for King Casimir, having abdicated from the throne of Poland, went to live in Paris, and there caught sight of our fortunate lady, fell in love with her and married her; but nevertheless in secret. The lady was not troubled by not being called queen; for such she was, albeit secretly. From the foregoing we can see, dear Aunt, on what a wondrous road we are led even when we do not know the way, and that o~n misfortune is the servant of good fortune, as was the case with our secret queen, for who indeed would not have thought that that little wind would not have ruined her for life? But it turned out quite the contrary and rendered her fortunate; without it she would merely have remained in lowly rank, and that gentle wind wafted her to the shores of happiness. But nevertheless I do not advise girls to depend for happiness on such a wind; for perhaps such an example never actually took place. But what are we to say of the clerk? I say that such a wind was what he deserved. It seems as if the frater was making a fuss over nothing; and that is what he was left with. If such a wind can blow love out of a clerk, he deserves that the girls should eat a lot of beans and radishes and then smoke him like salt pork-1 know that you will sentence him so. Dear Aunt! I am the lord here now, I spend my time as may be, now well, now badly, now in good work, now in bad, but it is spent and I jog along with it. But I ought to be concerned that I do not spend it as I should, and wish to be good only when I marry. That is uncertain, and I ought to be good now in order to be better then. Therefore all that I must say, dear Aunt, is that I remain your unworthy servant.
LVI
Rodost6, 15. Sept. 1724.
Dear Aunt, if you had said nothing in your last letter about your health I could have told that the blood was flowing strongly in your veins; for I laughed enough at your letter. Who would not read with good heart your witty and pleasant letters, in particular when we are in good spirits? But my only complaint is that sometimes they are short, whereas you could never write me too long a letter, and I read them with such pleasure, that sometimes I write a short letter, so as the more quickly to receive your 74 LEITERS FROM TURKEY reply. Almost everyone writes letters, but not all know how to write such a one as will please. There are those that write down what they wish to say, but it is merely dry, insipid and devoid of taste; some, on the other band, are able so to embellish the most trifling item, and to impart to it such savour, that it will please. May your rosy cheek forgive me if I make it blush, but few men or women know how to write such fine letters as you: which are as pleasing to the mind as fine, flavoursome food is to the mouth. I was about to say 'cabbage', but I dared not lest you should say that I was comparing your letters to cabbage. But let us not object if in :tact I do so compare them: what harm would I do? I only say that a finely written letter is as pleasing to the mind as cabbage cooked with dill and smothered in clotted cream, which looks at a distance like a little mound of silver, from which ifthat soft silver cover is removed a precious herb is found beneath. I know we shall say: oh, you and your cabbage! Do not be surprised; for I mean to write a great book about cabbage. In the first place I shall expound how the celebrated Romans, I know not the reason why, prohibited medical doctors from the city and for two hundred years treated all manner of disease with cabbage. But though I spoke no other praise of it, is it not enough that it is the heraldic symbol of Transylvania? But when my book is finished I wish to be accounted among the other writers of renown; that is to say, if books are written about gold, silver and other metals, and precious herbs, why might I not write about cabbage? when a dish of cabbage is worth more than a hundred pound of copper to an empty stomach. As I have mentioned things of the stomach, perhaps I may continue a while. One cannot always be speaking of great matters-sometimes more necessary things circulate in kitchens than in chancelleries; therefore today I will observe that I am left in the kitchen, and am writing thence. And so it comes to mind that there was of old in Sicily a Greek city, called by the name of Sybaris34• There the inhabitants were so gluttonous that they made great gifts to such cooks as could concoct ever newer dishes, and they lived so fustidiously that they would not suffer in the city such artisans as made a noise in their trade; indeed they did not keep cockerels lest they be awoken from their sleep. Is a more fustidious life possible, dear Aunt? If these inhabitants had gone to our friends to luncheon, how would they have fared? Truly, there are such as would have entertained them well; but there are others where their teeth would not have become greasy. But I know a story in which a woman consumed a million, and her teeth remained free of grease. 75 LEITERS FROM TURKEY
The famous Cleopatra once disputed with Antony as to which of them could give the more costly luncheon. Antony declared that he could give one costing three or four hundred thousand florins; Cleopatra replied that that was a trifle, and that next day she would, in his presence, eat one worth a million. When Antony found that impossible, next day Cleopatra invited him to luncheon, took the ear-ring from one of her ears and dropped it into vinegar; the pearl rapidly dissolved, she put it into her food and ate it forthwith, saying: Do you see, Antony, I have eaten something worth a million? Dear Aunt, are we to praise my lady Cleopatra for that? I wonder at her, but I do not praise her. But if she had not done that I would have nothing about which to write to you. Dear Aunt, do not you eat your pearls in that fashion; for we are exiles. Ifthe queen had been an exile like you, perhaps she would not have committed such an act of extravagant madness. Truly, it was madness; but the report of that madness has lasted these eighteen hundred years. Almost everything in this world is madness, so why should that be preferable to the rest? Alexander the Great performed an act of greater madness; for he wished to rule the world, destroyed a few million men, and a little while later died himself like a beggar. All are equal before death. So was it not madness on the part of that Roman mayor who had a number of villas outside the city, each decorated in a different way, in each different servants to keep it and to prepare in each a rich luncheon and dinner every day, so that to whichever the mayor went he would find a ready house and food? So what do you say of the Roman emperor Vitellius, who had a pie made for his luncheon filled with nothing but pheasants' tongues-costing fifty or sixty thousand thaler-was that not madness? And what of Caius Caesar, who had his stables decorated like his own house, and appointed officers of court for them as for himself, fed his horses golden barley in golden dishes, and sometimes invited them to luncheon as if inviting a king: is that sort of thing not madness? Do not be afraid, I shall write no more madness, but the truth, that I love you from the heart and I remain.
LVII
Rodost6, 19. Nov. 1724.
In your letters you always reproach me for not writing of how we spend our time. In our great merriment we only sigh, and so good is our humour that we shall die of sorrow-what else would you? If I were good I would 76 LETIERS FROM TURKEY spend it better, for our lord sets us a sufficiently good example; but I am bad, and I fear that I shall remain so. But perhaps time will make me wiser, whether I will it or not; but in enforced wisdom there is no merit at all. We would attain some little merit if it were possible for us to eat forbidden fruit, but we do not eat of it, nor shall we, since we have no great appetite for it. But now, if only for a few days, I shall be beUer behaved; for yesterday your Archbishop arrived and will stay for some days, and for so lon_g we shall be very fonnal, sticklers for etiquette. Dear Aunt, we had to send a carriage and so on for him. In olden days bishops would have been offended at that; for previously, especially in the lands of the East, bishops commonly went on foot-I am not speaking of the elderly, who would ride a donkey or mule. This was always the custom in the Greek church; therefore they used not to yearn for such conveyances. Among all the wealthy patriarchs of Constantinople there was perhaps one of whom it is said that he owned 200 horses. 1bat is not to be wondered at, as being the younger brother of the Emperor he preferred the lordly, rather than the episcopal style. In proof of this, he had a favourite mare which was in foal; at the time he was saying the office with the clerics-and on hearing from the head groom that she was giving birth he immediately disrobed, left the service and went to the stable. We can see that the Emperor Constantine ordered the governors to provide with carts or other vehicles for the journey the bishops on their way to the Council ofNicea; for they had had to come from distant lands, and the elderly would have been unable to travel so far. But from that we may deduce that the bishops themselves usually did not possess any vehicles for the journey. Certainly it is said that a carriage and one horse sufficed for a patriarch of Alexandria, and they were wealthy; nevertheless we see that the famous Athanasius crossed the Theban desert on foot. It was rather the western bishops who were the first to require conveyances and to keep horses, leaving travel by donkey to Christ and the Apostles. True, StMartin rode a donkey and went round his diocese on it, but those were very early days, and at that time the high-ranking families had no great ambitions toward the episcopacy; but when the sons of great lords began to place the bishop's mitre on their heads, they would have regarded it as a disgrace to ride donkey or mule, but went on horseback, accompanied by a great retinue, when they went to visit their dioceses, so that the poor parish priests were driven to complain that when the bishops and their numerous retinues descended upon them they were eaten out of house and home. But I always have to laugh at St Gregory's complaint, when I think of it; for a certain deacon was 77 LEITERS FROM TURKEY entrusted with the care of the treasures of Sicily, and sent to that Pope fine donkeys and mules; the Pope wrote to him: thou has sent me fine donkeys, but fine though they be, they are but donkeys; do but send a horse, that I may be able to ride. The truth is that the Holy Father .was more attentive to the finer points of singing at the altar than to those of a horse. We read concerning another Holy Father, whose name l f01get, that he was travelling to Constantinople and disembarked somewhere near Thessalonika, where some conveyance was sought for him to finish his journey. In those parts the wife of a certain nobleman had a very fine horse, which only the lady rode. She lent the horse to the Pope, he rode it to Constantinople, and from there sent it back, but from that day on the horse would not allow its mistress to mount-who, seeing that she could not ride it, sent it to Rome as a gift to the Pope. Dear Aunt, it is true that even today we regard it as a very fine thing that the ancient bishops, of their own free will, lived such a life of poverty, which resembled more closely the life of the Apostles. Let us not think of them that they were poor; for just as nowadays so in ancient times there were bishops rich and poor; but the difference is that in olden times the rich bishop conducted himself as the poor; nowadays a great distinction is made between the rich and the poor. But let us say that of old it had to be so; for such was the fashion; nowadays, however, the fashion has changed and a rich bishop would be an affront to the honour of the episcopacy if he did not cause himself to be respected by externals, and went about in ragged clothing. What would people say nowadays ~ut the archbishop of Tolentinum in Spain, who has an annual income of three or four hundred thousand in gold, if he only kept a single servant to cook beans for his luncheon and went about his diocese on a donkey? This may have been the way in olden times, but were he to do so nowadays men would be amazed, but they would not follow him, and they would so disrespect him as to call him a miser. Why were the wealthy Hungarian dioceses established? Because of old they were required to oppose the Turk, and to maintain a son of the king. What would we say if our bishop of Transylvania were accompanied by a solitary deacon and went to Council on a donkey? We would be ashamed of him. One has to follow the accepted fashion. He who starts a fashion for no good reason pays for it: but he who none the less follows this fashion of necessitY, and with the best of intentions, nothing can be said against him. I know that the good bishops keep a court not for the sake of lordship, but because it is the fashion, and so that they may rather do honour to the estate of their office. 78 LETIERS FROM TURKEY
Dear Aunt, I now realise that I am writing a letter, and have not been entrusted with writing on the customs of those in holy orders. I am writing this only to you-nevertheless, let us pass the time; for I can write no news hence, but I write what comes to mind; fur when I write to you. it seems that you are before me and I am speaking to you. Suffice it that our Archbishop deserves respect both in a carriage and on foot-he is to stay here for a few days. I will end my letter, for if it becomes longer you will not read the half of it. I beg you, punish me with a longer letter, and let us take great care of our health.
LVIll
Rodost6, 13. Decemb. 1724.
You write, dear Aunt, that if I wrote more often you would receive my letters more often. Quite true, but what am I to write? Shall I put that I am angry? But who would not be angry, when you write that you might now be a priest, so well have you learnt ecclesiastical ways from my letter. The time will come when I shall take revenge for that. What a fine age it will be when women are admitted to the priesthood! That will be a fine time indeed! Then we shall see some changes! Oh, I rejOice already in that age, as if I were living in it. I can see in advance that the great fast of Lent will be made a very little one; or perhaps struck off the Kalendar altogether, and Carnival so lengthened as to become thirteen weeks instead of the present six. Oh, happy time! The seventh sacrameJles would then be put in first place; oh, fortunate time! Divorce would then be easy, and only one thing would receive attention, not as at present; oh, kindly time! And what. about confession? For I cannot judge whether it would be done away with or not. Nevertheless, when l consider that women like to know everything, perhaps it would be left and penances shortened, but oh! how long confessions would be! for if. I were to :full into the hands of the sort of priestess that wished to know everything, she would ask a hundred questions, would wish to know one's very thoughts: but on the other band she would impose light penance. Oh, my dear Aunt, how I yearn for that time, but I may have to wait long and be buried first-and after that I shall retain no interest in whether womankind ever become priests. I wonder whether they would believe at home what very warm weather we are having here, especially warm rains, and much thunder? You at 79 LEITERS FROM TURKEY least will believe it, for I tell no lie.-We hear no louder thunder in summer, nor more of it; but the good thing is that thunderbolts strike very, very seldom. I know that you have heard of the manifold and curious powers of the thunderbolt; but perhaps you have not heard of one more amazing than something that I read about. When I think of it I have to laugh; you must laugh too. A French ambassador to Rome was at table with his wife when there was a great thunderstorm, and as the windows were open the thunderbolt came into the room-everyone was frightened, but no hann resulted-but when it was passing through the ambassador's wife felt heat, guess where?-and as she was at table it was impossible for her to put her hand under her skirt, but after the meal she burst into tears of laughter when she saw that the thunderbolt had scorched ... Just consider, dear Aunt, where it had rummaged? and who would not laugh at that? I recall now that I must answer a question of yours. And I know of no reason why we eat meat on Fridays when Christmas falls that day, except that the English began the practice because it is written in the Gospel: the Word was made flesh. And in the course of time that practice has been adopted elsewhere. Therefore the French on many occasions from Christmas until the Feast of the Purification of the Blessed VIrgin eat meat on Saturdays, because during that time the Blessed Virgin lay in childbed. It is a long time now, dear Aunt, that we have lain in exile. We know that we have spent nearly all this year here; but we do not know whether we shall spend another here. What a fine thing it is that one does not know one's future; for if we did know we would fall into despair; but not knowing one has faith, hopes that things will tum out as one desires. There is in this world no dance longer than the friendship-dance, and that we must dance as long as it is played. May God grant us health, and let it be as pleases Him; for health is a fine thing, therefore watch over it, and let us write more often.
LIX
Rodost6, 16.Jan. 1725.
Let us be merry in the New Year, and, if we have the chance, get married. But that possibility has been taken from us, and only the thought left at our disposal. But this is beginning to be tedious; for when all is said and done, what is the good of thinking about it here? The marriage of exiles is 80 LETTERS FROM TURKEY a very sorry marriage. And whom to marry? Your Greek girls? Far be it, Certainly, they do not merit the title of wife. All that they are good for is to sit all day on the couch, taking not the least thought for the house but a very great deal for their clothes, so much so that for every great festival they must have new, and should that ever fail to happen the woman would say to her husband's face that if he will not have a dress made for her, she will find someone that will. Here a husband would give his wife jewellery worth fifty thousand thalers; but out of that the woman would not give her husband one poltura worth of help, if he were to fall on hard times, she would rather eat dry bread than sell a pearl necklace. If she cannot change two or three times a day she is bored to death. From the silks and pearls that one sees them wearing, one would think that each was a countess. Their tables too are like their dress, on which a bit of dried fish or a little rice porridge take the place of luncheon and dinner. Nor do I want a French woman; for they think of nothing but cards and singing. The Spanish too take refuge in clothes like the Greeks, and in having little feet-they would show all that they have rather than their feet. What if they had such tiny feet as women in China! There, when a girl is offered to a man in marriage, the first question is, has she big ears; for the biggest are considered the most beautiful-and has she big feet; for if they were larger than my little finger he would not marry her. That will not surprise you, as you shall hear that in that country, when a girl is eighteen months old, her feet are bound, and remain so, and after that she does not run about much. True, she will have little feet, but she will have a life of misery, and will not be able even to go out of the house.-They consider that the gait of a lame woman is what pleases them; but I leave that to others, dear Aunt, give me a Transylvanian wife; for I know of no country where the women bear the title of wife as worthily as in our fairyland.-But in the condition in which we are, that cannot even be hoped for-everywhere there is great peace and quiet; but we should fish in stormy waters. We know of no war elsewhere, except between the Turk and the Persian, and that has now been in progress for some years. We must hope that the Turk may emerge victorious, for we eat his bread. And exiles are not assisted elsewhere as they are in this country. This nation is not as monstrous as it is reputed, I know of no nation that lives so peaceably as this; and nowhere could we have remained so undisturbed as here. Thanks be to God! not the least misfortune has befallen us: wherever we find the Turk, everywhere he is pleased to see us; for the Turk loves the Hungarian most of all. In return for all this we can wish them nothing better than that they may yet become Christians. Amen. 81 LETIERS FROM TURKEY
But if we had had to deal with those arrogant Greeks we would have been unable to live here as long as this. Although they are Christians they hate us. Certainly, we do them not the least harm; they would do us harm if they could, but they dare not, because for the least thing they would receive a hundred strokes, and so the rod causes us to be held in respect and honour. For here regard is not paid to one's rank, how wealthy one is, or whether one is of ancient lineage. These considerations save one from neither the cat-o'-nine-tails, nor a double taste of the hundred strokes. Who could live with such an arrogant nation ifhe did not make them bow to the ground? I ~ most of all here that there is nowhere to have your letters printed36. Ifit were as easy as they deserve, I would have no anxieties; for I know that others would read them with delight. None should be praised to his face, but at 25 merflJld it is permissible. Therefore if you reproach me, I cannot hear it; but I do wish to hear that you are well-that we must see to, for food, drink and more besides are good for the healthy. May God grant you long e'er dawn sleep like one that's newly-born, and to see the shining mom.
LX
Rodost6, 22. Apr. 1725.
Where is he? Where is the marksman that shot the wolf that ate the goat that my father bought at market?-Where is the man that found the letter that I wrote from here to you? Can I help it, dear Aunt, if you have not had my letters for a long time? If I had not written any I ought not to be surprised ifyou had not received them; but as I have, where can they have been lost? But why worry about it? They may be reading our letters even in Vienna. But if they have been lost at sea, certainly they will not grease the fishes' teeth. Dear Aunt, if a letter or two has been lost let us write twelve in their place, that is no tiring matter, and will not disturb idleness. But what shall I write? For here there is no news, unless I say that the Armenian women are hard at work, because now they are sowing the cot- ton. So let us write about cotton, for here that is no slight tnatWr, but indeed a very profitable thing, for nowhere is there grown so much< aS here, nor is there such great commerce. On our land I do not think that it would grow, because it likes warm soil. But I am surprised that it is not tried in Hungary37, because there are places there where it would grow, 82 LEITERS FROM TURKEY and bring great profit to the country-at least the money which is spent on cotton would remain in the country. The cotton seed is as large as a pea, but black, and the sowing is just beginning. It grows to a height of not more than one and a half spans, but three or four branches sprout from a single stem, and on each of these hangs a round fruit, like a green walnut, and the flower is yellow. Before it is ripe, if it be opened, a sticky substance is found inside; but when it begins to ripen this substance becomes the cotton, and it opens of itself so that the warmth may ripen it fully. When it is fully open, in September, it becomes completely white and the hair dries out; then the cotton is picked seeds and all. But as there is a lot of seed, and the cotton comes from the seed in a thread, in such a way that it would be hard to separate them by hand, the women have little wheels with two axles; the one is of iron, the other wood, one turns one way, the other the other, so that as the cotton and the seeds are dropped in between, only the cotton passes through, is pulled away from the seed, falls clean away and is easily collected separately. Without such a wheel a handful of cotton could scarcely be separated from its seed in a day, but with the wheel a sackful is light work. And so the cotton is ready, you have only to spin it. But, my dear Aunt, although cotton would not grow at home you could render our country a service, for which your name would be worthy of inscription in gold in the history of Transylvania. If God takes you home, why should you not have so much silk so that you would not have to buy what you needed for money? When they saw you, other ladies too would follow, and gradually those of common rank too would take it up for profit. With time it would flourish in our country too, as in others, where it made a slow start. In Turkey a Greek emperor handsomely rewarded two missionary priests for being the first to bring from a distant land the eggs of the silk moth; they hatched them out, tended them, bred them, and demonstrated how to look after them and what to do with the silk. They, wise men that they were, had learnt it all. Here it spread, the Italians taking it from the Greeks, the Spanish and the French in time from the Italians, and so it slowly spread, and thus profit came to the country through trade. I would laugh if you became the one to establish the silk moth in Transylvania. If someone were to begin such a thing others would follow, and the person to begin it is one who understands it; for it only seems difficult if one does not know how to go about it. How could a lady have a more pleasant and profitable hobby than to see a few thousand caterpillars quietly working for her? But these animals are great eaters, 83 LEITERS FROM TIJRKEY and they begin to eat at once. Their favourite food is the leaf of the mulberry38, and both red and white varieties would be grown almost everywhere in our country with little attention. It seems to me, in any case, that one ought not to begrudge attention to such workers as will repay one with silk for a few leaves. I will also say in anticipation, and I have no doubt in the matter, that you would not know how to treat those silk-producing workers, but as I have nothing else to write I will give you an account of what I have read on the subject, and then you may set them to work as you will. First of all a clean cage must be made for them, with good windows through which the sunlight may shine, and into which mice and other small animals cannot enter, nor draughts. In the middle of the cage rush matting must be fastened with four pins to fonn a bed, or if rushes are not to be had, slender twigs must be woven as in a plum-drying room. Now the cage is ready, let us bring the workers into the world. The eggs of the silk moth are very very tiny, scarcely visible, and when laid they are put on paper, several hundred eggs together, allowed to dry and placed in safety until spring. And so let us take out that paper and hand it over to a plump girl, who puts it in her bosom, and in a short while the warmth will bring them to life. When it is noticed that there is movement, tender leaves are placed on the paper, I have already said from what tree. When they are a little larger they must be transferred to the bed mentioned above, and carefully covered with leaves; their mattress too must be of leaves. But first care must be taken that they be assigned a carer who will be diligent and understanding, who will love his charges and give them every day at the same time fresh leaves, after first clearing from the bed droppings and leaves. When that is done, the fresh leaves must be very gently spread on them. Since nothing is so harmful to these creatures as uncleanliness and damp, let the carer be careful not to give them damp leaves. He must dry leaves picked in wet weather, and if rain is foreseen he should pick them beforehand, so as not to starve his charges; for brief as the time is that those little creatures live, they do not wish to waste it, and they eat ceaselessly. If they fall into such great need that there are no tree-leaves, then they may be given lettuce or cabbage leaves, and these they will eat if driven by necessity, but on such a diet the silk will be less good. Having kept his charges clean and well fed, the carer must be sure when the weather is fine, to keep their windows open until evening and to keep the cage clean, since cleanliness and fresh air are very good for them. Now let us consider a little what changes they undergo.
84 LETIERS FROM TURKEY
When this wonn emerges from the egg it is very very tiny and black. A few days later it starts to become paler, but it sheds that coat, and as it grows fatter it assumes a paler, greenish colour. After a few days it stops eating completely, goes to sleep for a day or two, then begins to wriggle and be restless, so much so that it turns red with the great effort, and then its skin splits and it shrugs it off. Now it puts on a third coat! Is it not enough, to change coats three times in a month? Then it begins to eat, and becomes quite different in appearance from what it was. Having feasted for a few days it again falls into a deep sleep, and when it awakes it puts on a new shirt, that is, a new skin. Then once more it sets about feasting for a little while. But finally it becomes tired of life and society, wishes to withdraw from all these and begins to make itself a little retreat which is scarcely to be admired sufficiently, nor the Creator sufficiently worshipped. Dear Aunt, I have now become tired of writing, therefore I will leave our little hermit's work unfinished-! will describe it next time. But now I will beg you to watch over your health; for I am who I was, and shall be who I am.
LXI
Rodost6, 23. Maji, 1725.
Dear Aunt, forgive me, I have lied, or rather my quill has lied: for I have dated my letter from Rodost6, whereas I am not in the town but outside it, for since yesterday we have been living under tents. If my advice had been sought we would have left camping for another time: for the house of canvas is only good when none other is to be had. But one must trot in accordance with the will of the Lord. Suffice it that, being here released from my many trifling and insignificant duties, I may freely accompany you on a visit to our little hermit. Let us therefore call on him, and look at what a cave he builds himself; for since my last letter he has had enough time, and once he shuts himself in he will not speak to us. It seems that in my last letter we left him at work, building himself a little house of silk. When this creature proposes to set about the task, it ceases eating and searches everywhere for a place to build, therefore twigs are woven for it, and branches are hung on the walls. When they climb onto the branches they at once begin to put out silk and bind themselves up in it. The first silk is not as good as that which comes later. When they have well and truly enveloped themselves they further line that little house with a soft, thick skin 85 LETTERS FROM TURKEY through which air cannot pass. Having completed this final task it goes to sleep and prepares for transformation, as we see, the caterpillar changes into a moth. For this change two or three weeks are required. While that is taking place, you should know that the little house is of the same shape and size as a pigeon's egg. The silk which is used must be imagined as covering such an egg. The skin that I spoke of above is like the shell of the egg. When the three weeks are over it rises from the dead, but in another shape, for it pierces a little window in its house and from there flies forth in a beautiful white form with wings. It leaves its former skin in the house, leaving it for its carer for his trouble. But as the silk is completely ruined as it bores through it, only a few are left for seed, and the remainder are subjected to heat, so that the creature inside dies, and cannot come to life, so that the silk is left in a single strand; for as the creature never interrupts its work, the house consists of a single strand of silk, the length of which is nine hundred feet, sometimes more, and furthermore that strand is double, the two parts being glued together. Imagine what a slender thread that must be! Now I will return to those that are kept for seed. They burrow out of their houses and do not go far from them. The female is much larger than the male. They spend a few days at liberty together, then the female is placed on a piece of paper, as it were in confinement, and on that paper she lays at least five hundred eggs. From that you can judge that not many need be left for seed, and that four or five pairs will leave enough posterity. Now there remains the silk, but that is tightly coiled around the house and glued to it. To remove it is another art, but that too I will reveal, just to please you. First of all those little egg-shapes are placed in lukewarm water, so that the glue may dissolve, then they are stirred with a few twigs, so that the silken strand is wrapped around the twigs-but only six strands are coiled together, and until they are coiled completely the little houses are left in the warm water. You should know that the silk is by nature yellowish, and a fine white when it is washed. By now you are certain to be laughing at my seeking to teach you things that you already know. But as you have expressed the wish, I must obey. But perhaps you do not know that there are those that have enquired whether spider's web is even stronger than silk, and whether that might be cultivated like silk; but as it would be more costly they gave up, as thousands of spiders would have to be kept in meat. So have I ever told you that in Egypt thousands of eggs are placed in a warm furnace, and twenty days later so many thousand chickens emerge. But it is said that in 86 LETIERS FROM TURKEY
this case the chicken flesh is not so good. Today I see that I must write to you about the work of a housewife; but I will leave it, for I was forgetting that we are in camp. But our camp is like that of the Israelites, where a gunshot is not to be heard: and so I bid you good night, for here there is no enemy to fear, only earwigs.
P.S. You know the order that we keep in town: here too we keep to the like order and customs. There is nothing finer than the observance of good order. Even a common man may perform that in his house, but in our country even the lords are not much inclined to it. But do they do right?
LXII
Rodost6, 11. Junii, 1725.
I laughed enough, dear Aunt, at your courteous thanks, as if I had deserved it, and as if I had taught you something new: but I must put away laughter and understand that your gratitude is only intended to cause me the more bravely to reveal the range of my knowledge. It is good sometimes to encourage a man, for there are many that are ashamed to expose their thoughts to the light, although they often have better ideas than those that spit them out readily. You think very wisely that you would like to have your son and daughter educated as the French do in Pera. Dear Aunt, there you only see tradespeople: but you should see how the children of the nobility are educated in their country. Truly, they have their own king, in a country where all manner of sciences and crafts flourish. It is true also that the well-being of a country depends on the good education of the young-that is when they begin the study of warfare, sciences and crafts. In our unhappy land the youth have no opportunity of any of these, although they would be as apt for such things as any nation. It seems, however, that it would be possible to educate the young better none the less, if their fathers were to think about it better. Many of them, however, are ignorant, and it is hard for the blind to lead the blind. But if they were fonder of learning, they would be able to teach their sons more, for a well educated and trained son will educate his son accordingly. Shall we then consider how the young are generally educated in our country? Until the age of ten or eleven they do not leave the village, but attend the village 87 LEITERS FROM TURKEY school. In that time they learn to read, but with the reading they acquire only peasant ways. When they are not in the school, they see nothing else at home either, but their father drunk seven days a week, who cares nothing for instilling any noble or decent Christian morals in his son, and just leaves him in the company of the servants, from whom he sees and learns all manner of bad ways and bad morals, which remain with him almost all his life, and because of his upbringing among the peasantry at large he does not know that he is the son of a nobleman. Perhaps there is no other way that he might find out except by the farm hands' calling him their young master. At the age of twelve or thirteen he is planted in some college, from which he gains his liberty at the age of twenty-four or five. Elsewhere, at his age, such a young man is a good Latinist, a good historian, acquainted sufficiently for his needs with geometry and geography, already an officer in the army and capable of being entrusted with affairs of State. But let us take our twenty five-year-old student home from college with much ceremony, and let us see what he knows, after so much studying, and what use he can be with his knowledge to the country or to himself. First of all our student makes every effort to obtain fine clothes and a fine horse-he will bury his book or two and his philosophy in an old cupboard and then go from village to village visiting his relations. There he will let fall a few Aristotelian ~erms, but he would be ashamed to speak Latin lest the women take him for a student. What does he do at his relations' houses? His most profitable conversation is about hunting and horses. At table he would regard it as a disgrace not to drink hard, and again he would be taken for a student if he declined. After the meal he will display among the women or girls what he has read of VIrgil and Ovid. But so as to forget completely what recollection he has of school, he considers it necessary to take two or three lovers from among the maids. Having thus made the round of the relations, and having washed from his throat every word of Latin and the dust of the school with a few drinking bouts in their company, he hurries home with what he has learnt from his relations. And what has he learnt? That knowledge he will display when guests arrive at his father's house; for it will be his greatest care to make his father's guests drunk, and to gain his father's praise for it next day. In this way he spends two or three years hunting or drinking or in Venus' court, and what he has spent so many years learning is, in a very little time, almost all forgotten. But what did he learn in all those years? Having learnt only Latin and nothing else, he cannot bring much profit to his home, and he is as ignorant of agriculture as the rest. And of 88 LETIERS FROM TURKEY
physics he does not know as much as the miller or the smith, being unable to tell the reason why he sprinkles the burning coals with water so often. After so much studying he has to ask the bailiff whether his vineyard looks northward or southward. Let us enquire when he will take advantage of his logic, if it does not profit him when he has married and taken to fanning? He goes to Parliament, and knows nothing of the affairs of the country-he has to listen to bills in total silence, since, if they debated there as in school, he would immediately leap from his place and cry: Nego maiorem39• But as he has no understanding, he has to advise that intellect be rejected. Not that he would know where the advantage of the country lay, he does not even know which countries border on Tran- sylvania, whether the Maros flows into the Tisza or the Danube, and where would be quite another matter. From all this we can see that eight or nine years of study bring profit neither to himself nor to the country, for they would reap the benefit of the Latin language if they were to read books on warfare, the administration of the country and other scientific matters. And thus, in a couple of years, our philosopher will be as ignorant as his farm manager, and if he did not find it necessary to write to his bailiff he might well lose reading and writing too. I do not wish to infer by this that Latin is useless, but I mean that it is a waste of time for a nobleman to devote so many years to the study of that language alone, when he might be studying so many useful sciences as well; it is even less profitable for the child of a peasant, and once he can read and write it would be better to learn some trade, since trades and commerce bring profit to a country. I know that in our country a young man can study nothing else, for there are no colleges for the purpose, as there are in other countries, where a youngster of twenty-five knows four or five subjects, and a commoner knows two or three trades. But one must not require the impossible from the poor Transylvanians. Neither do I. But parents are severely to be criticised for not educating their sons with greater care, and for not setting them an example of noble, good morals, but rather of drunkenness and of a life dissolute and indolent. If boys were only set to translating Latin books into Hungarian, then their studies might be turned to the common good, as there are many that would be apt for this. And ifa man translated only one book in his lifetime, by so doing he would bring profit both to himself and to others, and would see the fruit of so many years of study. But all the merry-making, the hounds, the all-night drinking leave no time for this, and do not permit the mind to be occupied with anything useful. And when they grow old they cannot even give good counsel: for they have frittered away their youth-and an 89 LETTERS FROM TURKEY ignorant Lord of the Council is to a country like an empty barrel to a cellar. But, dear Aunt, I now realise to what purpose I rack my brains. Although, as a patriot, I would wish that knowledge were as common in our country as is ignorance. However long a letter I might write to you on this subject, the ways of our young people would not thereby be changed, nor would the fathers depart from long-established table-manners. To you, however, I recommend that you have your son taught such knowledge as he may use to the advantage of his country. I have preached sufficiently about boys, therefore I shall now descend from the pulpit and you may go up to preach about girls: that is your concern; for the education of girls should be subject to as much care as that of men. But I will say more yet, that it is as necessary to educate girls as it is men, and the one is as valuable to the country as the other. How can that be? Is it not true, dear Aunt, that a well brought up, well educated intelligent girl, when she becomes a woinan, will be able to bring up and educate her son well, and to teach him and render him fit for the service of his country? Ergo, it is of profit to the country if girls are well brought up and educated. The ancient Romans rewarded mothers that brought up their sons well to the service of the fatherland. I shall write no more of this, and could not have written more even if I had a son: but I have none, and regret it. I also regret that today we have again come to live under tents; for a few days ago we went back into town. Here we have to roast under canvas, and the sun roasts us like kolduslab being cooked on the fire. Dear Aunt, let us take care for our health, and say a rosary for me, for my tent is full of many earwigs.
LXlll
Rodo~, 7.Septembris 1725.
Dear Aunt, you will be amazed that it is possible for a jelly to write; for under our tents we have all but melted, and I have been restored to health only since yesterday. The reason for that is that yesterday we returned to our beloved boring town, and are now spending the time here as best poor exiles may, now sadly, now sorrowfully. But that God cares over us that sustains those that are in their homeland; them He has left there, us He has brought hither: one hand has done all. 90 LETTERS FROM 11JRKEY
An ancient philosopher once asked another what God does in Heaven. And he replied that he exalts one and puts down another. WISe too was the reply of Solon to King Croesus, that nemo ante mortem beatus, for none may call himself happy before death. If they are not happy that are in their homeland, how should we be here, that fill the air with our sighing? You are reading the account ofthe fall ofConstantinople40, a very fine and profitable way to spend the time. Mahomet the Second, who took the city, was a very great warrior prince of the middle of the fifteenth century, and it is written of him that he knew several languages, which is very rare among the Turkish Sultans. I have also read of him that he had his galleys and big ships taken over the hill of Pera, which nowadays would be quite impossible, and which in those days must have been a prodigious labour. Such befitted the ancient Romans, who performed almost incredible feats which, even today, we look on and marvel. The Turks of the present day would be incapable not so much of accomplishing such great works, as of conceiving them: but Mahomet found it necessary to set about such a great task, for he had to deal with such a Greek emperor as defended his city stoutly, and would have saved it if he could have had a fresh army every day after the fighting. But in the lengthy siege each day reduced his people, and finally he had to battle with the Turks in the streets, and was himself killed there. Mahomet, however, did not spare his own men, and any that so much as retreated during the siege he killed himself. But seeing that the heart had quite gone out of his men, and that they would not go gladly to the siege, he had it proclaimed all through the camp that he would give over the city to plunder. At that the whole horde arose and went to the siege without bidding. To save their wives and children those in the city bore themselves bravely, and for that reason when the city fell there was much blood let. Then the Turks ravaged the whole city, robbed and plundered it and did dreadful deeds. That city Constantine had built, and a Greek emperor likewise named Constantine41 lost it, together with his life. But if you are actually reading the account of the fall of the city, how shall I not describe to you a cruel deed of Mahomet-perhaps not every historian quotes it. After the fall of the city a very beautiful girl was taken to a pasha, who, on account of her beauty, gave her to the Sultan. He fell in love with her, and for three days spent the time alone with the girl, none might go to him, nor did he give any orders. The Vtzier and the other pashas were scandalised, and the Vtzier was required to go to the Sultan and to report that the whole army was in consternation over his action. 91 LEITERS FROM TURKEY
The VIzier reported to the Sultan, who commanded him to summon the pashas to his presence. They gathered before him, and the Sultan caused the girl, whose name was Eirene, to be splendidly dressed. The pashas began to wonder at the girl's beauty, and the Sultan asked them whether it was not a worthy thing to spend three days with such a girl. They cried to a man that it was indeed. The Sultan said to them: Then why have you become agitated, and why did you think that I had forgotten my duty? But I will show you straight away that although I love my pleasures I can leave them, and am worthy to command you. Becoming thus incensed against the pashas he drew his sword, and struck off the poor innocent girl's head, and said to the pashas: He that was the cause of that will pay me. And pay they did, for he at once had the counsellors beheaded. But though he took such revenge for the poor girl, he himself ought not to have been her executioner. Dear Aunt, at that girl's death my heart has sunk as if I had known her. And thereby Mahomet sullied all his great deeds, for truly it was a monstrous act of cruelty to be the executioner of so innocent a person, with whom he had spent the previous hours making love, whose flower he had picked. Nature is repelled by such an act, since even among dumb animals we can see gratitude. If Mahomet had failed to take Constantinople it would not have been so much to his shame as this deed. But let us say no more of that executioner of girls, and let us weep no more for the poor maiden. But do you watch over your health, and you must love me very very much, for I deserve it, do I not, dear Aunt? Let me end my letter as I began it, with commending our exile to God; if we sigh, let us not weary ourselves with sighing, for there are many in a worse plight than we. To that you will say that it is no great encouragement, and what use is it to a man dying of hunger that good bread is baked in Kolozsvar? True, but it is also true that inconsolable yearning is wearisome to God: sighing softens sorrow, for
Sighing soothes the sorrowful, Greatly calms their pain. 'Tis said that pagans merciful Let their slaves complain.
But sighing and sorrow become both lighter and more profitable if we commend them to God, and if we sigh only for His aid. There is nothing easier than to give good counsel. I am such as that priest who rebuked his flock for everything, and always gave good counsel. Once they said to 92 LEITERS FROM TURKEY
him that he gave good counsel to others but did not follow it himself He answered: I preach only to you, not to myself Perhaps I may say the same to you, together with a blessed good night.
LXIV
Rodost6, 23. Sept. 1725.
My lord and I have been to visit Lord Bercsenyi, who is in a very bad way, and though he has borne his illness for some time, yet he will not bear it long enough to be cured. A very great deal of fluid is coming from his legs, which the barbers declare is bad, and they fear for that accursed gangrene, which, if it enter a dwelling after a flood, not a company of barbers can drive out. God preserve us from that. But, if God does visit that upon us, we must follow the example of Job. How many sufferings and illnesses did God send upon the saints, who loved and served Him, in order that the wicked like myself might see that if such saints were made to suffer, what suffering do I not deserve? They suffered in order to be an example, and that they might be better purified, like gold in the fire; but I must suffer in order that even against my will I may make an end to my wickedness. Dear Aunt, what a precious thing is health! But all too often we ruin it ourselves; for why do we see among religious and artisans so many healthy old persons? It is very simple to give the reason for this: because neither religious nor artisans suffer so much mental instability- covetousness, miserliness, envy do not tonnent them. There is nothing that shortens life more than these. Disquiet, anxiety damage the mind, and the mind the health. But let us not speak of the mind, rather let us consider what a regular life religious and artisans lead, and it is no wonder that they live long; for their food and drink is plain and regular, they live almost all the time on moderate amounts, do not burden their stomachs, and if of a Sunday or some other festival a workman or two happen to eat or drink to excess, next day toil and sweat cure them. But let us wonder that we see old men among the aristocracy, and not when we see them sick; for what can be more inimical to health than gluttony, immoderation and a life of indolence? And what shortens life more than drunkenness? And what turmoil is not caused in the stomach by all the many savouries and sweets, the many cooling and warming things? And they fill themselves with heaps of all such things, and then not so much 93 LETTERS FROM TIJRKEY fail to assist the digestion with a little exercise, as actually damage it with two hours' sleep at midday. And what does the dreadful drink do into the bargain? as the poor stomach has to swim not in flood-waters but in a flood of wine, unable to digest the things which they cram and hurl into it. That is then the cause of the many bad humours or fluids, and of thick blood, and all manner of ills arise from these. For this reason there is the maxim: A man digs a pit for himself with his teeth. Suffice it that in my opinion the poor lord will not recover. Poor Zsuzsi is therefore very sad. I would gladly cheer her, but she laughs only half-heartedly and it cannot be otherwise, so much anxiety must she suffer; for that is when the good wife reveals herself, when her husband is ill. Dear Aunt, do you watch over your health; for it is a worthy consideration-and I will remain your servant. Amen. LXV
Rodost6, 4. Octob. 1725.
Today I am only writing to you because there is a definite opportunity, and if I were to let it slip I know that I would be reproached, and revenge exacted; for women are vengeful, one one way, another another. But in order to avoid your terrible wrath I will rather write. But what? for by my beard I swear that I do not know what to write. For here we are all in such peace (with the exception of Lord Bercsenyi) as the souls in the Elysian fields, where, even according to the teachings of Mahomet, the souls are in surroundings of great beauty, and live in luxury with maidens of ineffable loveliness. Who are so sweet, that if one of them were to spit in the sea it would at once become fresh, and lose its saltiness. For the Turks maintain that there women will be different, and not those that live here on earth. So of what shall I write, dear Aunt? I can say that today we have a great festival; for our lord was christened Francis. If I were a priest I would therefore have to write down the life of St Francis: but I do not wish to, like a certain priest, whose every sermon was about confession-he cannot have learnt any other, and at every festival just repeated that one. Once he was asked to preach on St Joseph's day-he began his sermon as follows: Brethren! Today is St Joseph's day. St Joseph was a carpenter, and as a carpenter he made confessionals; therefore let us talk about confession. It is not, therefore, necessary for me to write the life of St Francis-any Franciscan monk can teach you that. We know that he led 94 LETTERS FROM TURKEY an angelic life; but we also know that he would have been angry with the foolish monk who, long after his death, compared him in his writings with Christ, saying that in his birth, life, sufferings and death he had been like the Saviour; that any who die in a Franciscan habit cannot be damned, and that every year St Francis goes down into Purgatory, there to release the Franciscans whom he finds there. Even we do not find such writings good, any more than so humble a saint would have done. Here at present they are picking the grapes, therefore let us talk about the vintage. And will you tell me the reason why it happens that the vintage falls almost everywhere at one time? There are great differences in the time of harvest, some earlier, some later. I have been in a region where the wheat is harvested in May: but the vintage begins at the same time as at home. Many reply to this, that the ancient Roman emperors commanded that the vintage should take place at one time throughout the Empire. I will allow that the command was given, but was the sun amenable to command? I do not think so. In this country, certainly, the heat is greater than in Transylvania; nonetheless the vintage begins on almost the same d3.y there as here. Can it therefore be said that the sun was commanded to ripen the grapes everywhere at one time? It cannot; but it can be said the vintage takes place almost everywhere simultaneously at the command of Nature. Nevertheless it seems to me that in those warm regions, where there is almost no winter, the vintage should be held at least a month earlier than at home; but it is not, and the vintage in Europe takes place almost everywhere at the same time. We know that in Hungary, on the Hegyalja, the vintage is in November, but that is not general even on the Hegyalja, and less so in other regions. But until you answer my question I will give you to know that Lord Bercsenyi is definitely preparing for the next world; nevertheless, whom God will cure of his deadly disease may be cured with dried figs alone. That is enough for now, more next time. Only let us take care for our health. Dear Aunt, how long is it since I asked, do you love me? for that you must not forget.
LXVI
Rodost6, 29. Octob. 1725.
Today we visited poor Lord Bercsenyi, who is now in such a state as was Job, except that he is lying in bed and not the midden; for there is no part 95 LETTERS FROM TURKEY of his body that is sound in the least. The fluid has run out of his legs and putrefaction set in. One's heart goes out to him when one sees how the rotten flesh is cut from his legs. And as we hear him groan and cry out in agony it seems that I see the martyrs of old in their pain. Truly, I cannot express to you how repulsive it is to see it; and yet in what pain is he that suffers it? But the soul is cured by the pains of the body, and God the merciful has put Purgatory into his legs, wishing to save him from that in the next world. And so there remains not the least hope for his life. How could there be, when he is rotting within and without? He has made his will. And imagine poor Zsuzsi, in what distress she is. But one must believe that she will not remain woe-begone. As this is a sorrowful letter I will write no more; for a sorrowful letter must be brief But, so as not to overwhelm you with this sorrow, I will end with a little story, which really happened. A gentleman had a young and beautiful wife and was suspicious of her, although he could find out nothing for certain. But in order to find out he took his wife a glass of water, saying that she must drink it. The poor woman began to drink, trembling-when she had drunk half of it her husband took it from her lips and drank the rest himself, saying: 'I shall go after you.' When the woman heard that she was immediately frightened that she had drunk poison, and her terror was so great that she began at once to be ill and to vomit. At once she sent for the priest and called her relations to her. When they were all around her bed the woman confessed to the priest in the hearing of all, and when she had finished she said that she had made the confession so that after her death her husband might not be suspicious of her, and should know that she had been innocent. Her husband went to her bed and embraced his wife, and in a word told her not to be afraid; for there had been no poison in the water and that he had merely wished to know whether his suspicion was correct or not. Those that were in the house, mourning the patient's death, on hearing that wiped their eyes and began to rejoice. The poor woman too, feeling no actual illness within her, began to convince herself that she had not been poisoned, and fear gradually left her mind, she rose from her bed and felt well. The rest saw this, grief turned to joy, they sat down to dinner and drank until dawn. What do you say to that? Suspicion, truly, is a great sickness, but I cannot recommend to everyone curing it by such an experiment; for what if the woman were to take revenge for such a thing at the first opportunity? I leave it to your judgement, whether the man acted well or not. And I bid you good night.
96 LEITERS FROM TURKEY LXVTI
Rodost6, 6. Novembris, 1725.
Dear Aunt, here there is now weeping, wailing and sobbing a-plenty. Poor Zsuzsi is left widowed, and all Mrs Kajdacsi's moisture has flowed from her eyes, so much has she wept. Worthily too, for poor Lord Bercsenyi reached the end of his exile and left us today at two o'clock in the morning. His mind was clear until death, and he passed from the world in a manner befitting a Christian. He has now gained the reward for all his suffering, and one need not mourn; but those must be mourned that are left orphaned here in a strange land. But they too will be cared for by the great servant Master that will never die. Our lord was at his side at all times, and displayed his true affection for him until his death. What is this world? and why do we set such store by it? The beginning of life in it is woe, the middle part unease, the end pain and grief. This lord, truly, suffered in his life, but had a share in many worldly good things. True, he has died in exile, but not in need. Here we are gradually fading away, for we have now buried a number of poor exiles. What will happen now? Let us leave it to our good Father, and say that this world is not worthy that we should cling to it; for in whatever splendour we may swim, we shall have to climb out of it, and we shall be made to leave it.
Nothing but sighs brings the pleasure that's past, That of the present is naught but a shadow. Clutch at the future-'tis straw that you grasp; Why think of happiness, you wretched fellow?
I have said before that a sorrowful letter must not be long. This is sorrowful enough; for I have to speak of death, therefore it must end. You know, the poor lord was a great smoker-he smoked until his very death; for two hours before the end he smoked a pipe of tobacco-but he has died, and may God preserve you alive. Amen.
97 LETTERS FROM TURKEY LXVIII
Rodost6, 12. Novemb. 1725.
Let us not wonder, dear Aunt, ifthe poor lord died. True, all must die; but he more than others bad to; for after his death his body was opened. and not the least of his mgans was sound, and his inward parts were completely putrified. I truly do not know whether the body was not taken to Constantinople because it would have been very costly, or because it was not permitted. But I do know that it was buried in a little Greek chapel. His will has been opened, he left Zsuzsi a thousand gold pieces and sundry belongings. He also made bequests to his servants, and to us too, of various items. To me he left his late wife's bamboo cane. One must not regard the gift but him that gives it, and the manner of the giving. The rest of the contents of his coffers went to his son-clothes, items of silver and gold, all things which might be to a woman's taste. All of us bad thought that his ready money was plentiful; but after his death we were disillusioned. Nevertheless this General had more than the ancient Roman Generals. Among others, a Consul by the name of Regulus went to Africa against the Cartbaginians with a hundred and forty thousand men. While he was campaigning there, his wife wrote from Rome and advised him how his affairs were proceeding. Thereupon Regulus wrote to the council at Rome and asked that another Consul be sent to continue the campaign in his stead; as he bad to return to set his affairs in order; for his bailiff bad died, and the people that tilled his land had taken all his ploughs and other agricultural implements, and if he did not cause his fields to be tilled he would be unable to support his wife and children. And shall we see of what this great estate consisted? A farmhouse and seven arable fields. Dear Aunt, how we would nowadays laugh at such a General, who commanded a hundred and forty thousand men, as would complain that a few ploughs had been stolen, and that his family would die of starvation if seven fields were not tilled. But rather let us marvel at that happy time, in which so great a military man should seek only the wealth of his homeland while remaining poor himself, and in which such great men, before whom kings bowed the knee, lived lowly lives depending on working the land. We can see yet another Consul42 that was dragged from the plough and a hundred thousand men put into his hand, and to whom kings went to pay homage-but when the campaigning was done he returned to the ploughing, for the ancient Romans bad no income except 98 LETTERS FROM TURKEY from the land. He whom they made Consul would leave his fanning and go campaigning, and then kings and princes would stand before him with great respect. A year later, his period of office being ended, he had to return to Rome and lay down his office, and put all the great treasure that he had gained in the wars, to the last coin, into the public treasury, and then the great General, before whom a few months previously the nations had quaked, and to whom great cities had sent hundreds of golden crowns, and who had entered Rome with great pomp, conquered kings often preceding him in chains: that very General, dressed in an ordinary robe, would return to his farmhouse and there live on peas and lentils, tilling his little plot, or having it tilled. And men such as this, in the course of time, took almost the whole world into the Roman Empire. Sha.ll we call that time happy? I think that we can call happy the time when the great lords sought nothing but the advantage of the country, and in which men lived so frugally. For he can be called happy in body and spirit alike, who seeks little and is satisfied with little. But now it comes to me that I began my letter in Rodost6, and have flown off to the ancient Romans. But I must fly back, for I cannot restore the ways of old, nor set the Generals of today to the plough. And so I will return to Zsuzsi, and I will tell you that I know one that would wish to cause Zsuzsi to put off her black, but she will not. I do not know the reason for this, although I do know that before she was married they were fond of one another. Is it because she does not wish to lay down the title of Countess? or because gold does not gleam much in the young man's coffers? But it suffices that she has no inclination for it~ although love is there. As we are Christians let us say that if God has not ordained one for another, he shall not have her. What news is there with you? for here I write nothing but gloomy tidings. Is your health good?
LXIX
Rodost6, 7. Decemb. 1725.
I have started to write this letter, but, by my moustache, I declare that I do not know what to write-and if I write, I do it only in order to receive your reply. Shall I say here 'springs and floods of my tears, arise', and that the weeping and sobbing have not yet ceased here among the widows? But in time they will; for merciless time wears everything out and away. It is no great cheer to write to you about that; but I have to 99 LEITERS FROM TURKEY
write something. So I will write that here they are ploughing and sowing, whereas at home it was over long ago, unless someone wishes to plough snow. The other day I read about how to propagate wheat. As you are returning to the occupation of housewife, you must try it. As an example, cook thoroughly a bushel of wheat, but with plenty of water, until it is done, meanwhile put four bushels of wheat into a cauldron. When the wheat is well done strain off the water and while it is hot pour it onto the wheat in the cauldron and cover it tightly; in a day or two, when you see the wheat beginning to swell, and when it has taken up most of the water, then send it out into the fields, and have it sown in good soil-but plant it sparsely, for each stem will produce three or four branches with a head on each-and in this way you will have fourfold more wheat than usual. That is what I read, I do not know whether it is true or not, but let anyone that disbelieves it, try it. It is not a difficult matter, and if it is true he will not grudge the effort. But the news that I have only this moment heard I would not be able to believe if we did not know it to be certain. There among the French you will be able to hear it sooner. But whether you know or not, I will write that on 5. Septembris the King of France married, and lay with the daughter ofKing Stanislaus43 . Who would have believed that so great and mighty a king would marry the daughter of an exile, a king in name alone? And that he would reject the daughter of so great a king as the king of Spain, whom he was previously to have married? These indeed are the ways in which the wondrous deeds and power of God are clearly manifested, who moulds the hearts of kings as if they were wax. Truly the French queen can say after the Blessed Virgin that He has regarded the lowly estate of His handmaiden, and has raised them of low degree and cast down the mighty; for she could not even have flattered herself with the thought of ever becoming Queen of France. If her father had been in Poland I would say the same; but he is in exile, forced to abandon everything, even having no hope of sitting in the chair of Augustus; we must marvel at and worship such dispensations of God, for such works surpass the power ofhuman understanding: Ludit in humanis44• And how, before God, kings and princes are as children, and their might and greatness but children's toys. Let us worship, dear Aunt, all the dispensations of God, and let us hope that He will have a care for us too, for He is merciful, and will aid us, for He is mighty. The Greek priests and bishops have laid many false charges at the Porte against the popish Archbishop of Sophia, and the Vizier has sent an order that the Archbishop and his priests be taken and sent under arrest to 100 LETTERS FROM TURKEY
Constantinople. The Archbishop learnt of this and escaped, but three or four of his priests have been brought in chains to Constantinople. The Archbishop has fled hither and is secretly in our midst. I know that our lord is seeking to set free those poor priests, who have even had a taste of the knout. Thus our poor priests suffer for the faith. And not only here, but all over the world, and among the least gracious of peoples. Who could tell how many Jesuits and monks have been eaten in Africa and America by those savages that have a liking for human flesh? But they do not care for monks; for they killed a Capuchin and were about to make a good meal of him, but when they had cooked the flesh they found it both dry and very tough, and since then they have not cared for monks. Now on one occasion a poor Jesuit was going from village to village as is their wont, to convert someone, and he emerged from a wood and came upon a village. The savages, seeing a big man in black, with a big hat on his head, going on all fours, all fled from him; for as they had never seen a horse they thought that the horse and the man were all one. The Jesuit saw that and dismounted, and the savages slowly returned to him. We can truly say that only our priests really follow the Apostles. Although I too would follow them in all things, but I do only follow them in that they slept, and so do I, therefore, dear Aunt, good night.
LXX
Rodost6, 16. Jan. 1726.
I have received with great pleasure your letter, sweeter than honey. Dear Aunt, if some stranger were to read our letters he would not believe that we were relations, he would think that between us there was something more, for the letters of relations are usually written in colder ink. But both our relationship and our inclination oblige us to love one another. But I will say even more:
Sometimes, loved I you less dearly, I'd forget you were my aunt.
But let us admit, dear Aunt, that we are good because we love one another. More than that, that our love causes us no inconvenience. Therefore we sleep well, eat well, and it causes us no disquiet. Our hearts are always fresh and cool, and do not shrivel like meat roasting on a spit. 101 LETTERS FROM TURKEY
And let us not be like those whose hearts are burnt in the flame or on the griddle, which ought to have been ashes long ago, if what they say is true. Can you require anything of me that you can discover better there on the spot? I have written about the Armenian wedding. I am in a position to know because we live among them; but to ask me with what ceremony the Turkish Sultan gives his daughter in marriage is perfectly risible. Never- theless I will tell you, not in order to instruct you, but to demonstrate that I can obey you. When the Turkish Sultan wishes to give his daughter or other relation in marriage to a Vizier or a Pasha no priest is needed for the oath-taking, nor any other officer for the contract, because for this the will of the Sultan alone is required. If the Sultan wishes to marry his daughter to a Grand Vizier or other chief officer, he makes this known to him and he must (if he is married) rid himself of all his wives and take many presents and slave-girls for the Sultan's daughter. When it pleases the Sultan that the wedding shall take place, he summons the bridegroom to his presence and places in his right hand a mace and a letter, the which he places in his bosom and straight away goes to the Sultan's daughter, whom he has previously never seen. The girl is alone on the couch, the bridegroom enters, bows the knee to her three times, and declares his great love for her and says with what great delight he accepts the Sultan's generosity. The girl does not wait for him to finish, but as if very angry she rises from the couch and reaches for a scimitar with which to strike him down. No other woman may wear the scimitar, a long knife, but those of the royal line. The bridegroom, however, with great alacrity takes from his bosom the Sultan's letter and hands it to the girl, and her anger is immediately transformed into joy, she takes the letter, kisses it and reads it. In it she sees the Sultan's wish and replies to the bridegroom: the Sultan's will be done. At that the bridegroom kisses her robe and withdraws. Next day he has to send many gifts to the girl, and she is taken with great pomp to her husband's house. It often happens that she does not live with him for a month, but is given to some other pasha, especially if my lady has some complaint against him, and if he does not seek to please her as she would wish.
For the flower must be watered Lest it wilt in heat of summer.
Dear Aunt, I regard Turkish marriage as ill-contrived. They do not see one another beforehand, but only at the point when they cannot change 102 LETTERS FROM TIJRKEY their minds. Often the bridegroom thinks that he is to lie beside some beautiful person-when he sees her next day she is frightful. But their law is favourable to the man, in that if he is so disappointed in his wife he is permitted to begin again, for he can have a number of wives if he wishes and can afford it. But even besides that they can keep as many slave-girls as they wish, and the real wives can say nothing against it, as long as they receive their due; for if the master of the house omits it for three Fridays, the mistress may bring the matter before the magistrate, and if he persists further in delaying payment of what is due the woman may divorce her husband. This is a rare occurrence, but the law permits it. But if the man divorces his wife, and subsequently wishes to take her back, that is possible, but only with the proviso that the woman is per- mitted, if she wishes, before going back, to spend a night, with her husband's knowledge, with any man of her choice. That is a shameful law, and I cannot see what the law-maker's purpose was. Let him see that I do not care about it, only about your being healthy. But a good idea has just come to me, as to why the women here cover themselves up so and envelop themselves. Perhaps it is in order that they be the more sought after, for:
Strong must be the locks confining That which is to us forbidden; Though to gain it we have striven Let our efforts end in pining.
I beg you, dear Aunt, let me write no more, for in winter one cannot write a long letter, because it is cold, whereas in summer it is very hot- and now it is eleven o'clock, and my quill would sleep.
LXXI
Rodost6, 13. Martii, 1726.
I received yesterday your letter, written with ink sweeter than sugar-cane. The other day I received two at the same time. It seems, if I have not been dreaming, that I replied to them, but I am not certain. But you may be certain that if I have not written, you have not been able to receive the reply. But oh! how lightly we forgive one another's sins! Nevertheless do not deceive yourself with this. One must not follow a bad example, and 103 LETTERS FROM TURKEY one should not take revenge. Or perhaps it is as a punishment that you ask me for something which has not entered my head for twenty years. For indeed, how do you think to ask me who were the Templars and why were they destroyed? I would rather laugh with Zsuzsi for half an hour than write about that for ten. Nonetheless, would I not obey you? Even if I could not write, I would do so. Dear Aunt, I will only write about them what I have heard and read-you do not require more than that, do you? The Orders of the Knights of Malta and the Templars originated in Jerusalem. The Knights of Malta are the older. In 1112 a Frenchman by the name of Gerardus built a hospital in Jerusalem for travellers and pilgrims which was called the hospital of St John the Baptist, and it accepted all those that voluntarily devoted themselves to caring for the sick and pilgrims. But as these were almost all military men, Gerardus or- dered that one part of them should remain in the hospital and the rest should fight against the Saracens, he drew up a Rule for their obedience, enjoined them to a life outside marriage, and to fight until death against the infidel. This Order or organisation spread rapidly, and was called the Knights of the Hospital of St John at Jerusalem. They had to wear black robes, on which was embroidered a white cross with eight points. When the Saracens took the Holy Land from the Christians they too had to leave, and they settled in the island of Rhodes. But in time a mighty Turkish Sultan could not abide such doughty neighbours, attacked the island, took it with great difficulty, and permitted such Knights as sur- vived to leave the island. They left and settled in Malta, and became called the Knights of Malta. The Order of the Templars began in the year 1118 in Jerusalem. Eight or nine French noblemen in a company swore to the Patriarch of Jerusalem to live a life of obedience and celibacy, and to devote all their goods and lives to the protection and service of pilgrims to the Holy Land. They were a military order at the same time, and when their numbers grew Baudouin, King of Jerusalem, built them a lodging next to the Temple45 , and for that reason they were called Templars. Pope Honorius the Second drew up a Rule for them together with St Bernard, and then they had to wear white robes, and Pope Eugene the Third in the year 1146 commanded them to wear a red cross. They had to hear Mass daily, might eat meat only three times a week, might not keep more than three horses, they were forbidden to hunt, even birds, and their dress was only distinguished from that of the laity by its colour. The Templars performed many notable feats of arms. They became very famous under the Kings of Jerusalem, and together with that fame they amassed much property and 104 LETTERS FROM TURKEY treasure in all parts of Europe. But after the loss of the Holy Land idleness and much property were their ruin, and they lapsed into all manner of immoderation, especially drunkenness. That is why the French have it in a saying that one drinks like a Templar. Two of their number, however, caused the destruction of the whole Order; having been dismissed from it they accused the whole Order falsely (or truthfully, it has not yet been possible to determine which) before the King of France. The charge was that every knight that was admitted to the Order had to deny Christ and spit on the Cross, and although they refrained from women, yet other abominable forms of intercourse were practised among them. The king had other objections too against the Order, and made these things known to the Pope; but seeing that the Pope merely temporised on the matter, he commanded secretly that on a certain day the Templars in the country were to be seized. The Pope was therefore very angry with the King, but nevertheless he summoned before him some seventy Templars and was astonished to hear with what they charged themselves. The Pope immediately commanded the bishops in all lands to look carefully into the matter. The examination was carried out, and everywhere they were found equally sinful. The Pope was at that time holding a council in France, in the city of Vienne46 , at which all the fathers pronounced that the whole Order must be disbanded and its property confiscated. Everywhere the kings accepted that and in almost a single day stripped the Order of its property and killed almost all of them, and thus the great and wealthy system of Orders was destroyed in little more than a day. I have read a number of books on this subject. Some consider that they were justly dealt with, but some, that they should not have been so mercilessly treated, that the many innocent should not have been confused with the wicked, and that because of their great wealth they had many enemies. Suffice it that, for good or ill, their name is only to be found in books. Even in Hungary there are to be seen ruinous churches that were theirs. But I do not know why the Hungarians call them the red monks, for they cannot be so called from their robes, nor were they monks, but a military Order. But let them see; I do not care what they call them. Suffice it that I have been obedient and have written a short account of their history in accordance with your command. May you not ask me for more. But I would like to know whether they had a house in Transylvania. I think that they did not. I will write no more, for I am weary. But I will write only that there has been something of an earthquake. If I were a Slovak I would say that the earth had shaken itself. Dear Aunt, good night. And as the song says: Ifyou love me, I will love you too. 105 LETIERS FROM TURKEY
LXX:ll
Rodost6, 12. Apr. 1726.
Dear Aunt, I have nothing to write, and if I write it is only to show you that I would write if I had something, and that you may relieve me of a name for idleness. Yesterday I received your letter, which was full of thanks and praise-it is good that you do not praise me to my face, for I would faint away with shame. I would not have thought to have received such thanks for the red monks. But it does no harm, for another time I shall write more bravely, and a little courage sharpens the wits. Among the ancient Romans such a General as lost a battle would not have been disgraced, but rather cheered with praise and given an opportunity of taking revenge on the enemy, for it is impossible for a man always to be victorious, or always to speak wisely. There must be shortcomings in every man. What great blemishes do we not see in the greatest emperors? Emperor Theodosius the Great had two or three thousand men killed in Thessalonika for a trifling matter47 . True, he showed remorse afterwards, but that did not restore the dead to life. True, it is to the credit of the great Emperor to see his self-abasement for his deed; for when he would go into church for divine service, St Ambrose, Archbishop of Mediolanum48 , caused him to be detained at the door, and he would not allow him to enter, saying: 'Thy hands are yet red with innocent blood, and thou wouldst go to divine service? If thou hast followed King David in his sins, follow him in the doing of penance also.' The Emperor was contrite, prostrated himself on the steps of the church and requested the Archbishop to impose a penance on him. And he banned him from the church for six months. That is a fine example for Archbishop and Emperor alike. Did not the Emperor Constantine the Great kill his son because he was falsely accused of loving his stepmother? And he only learnt of his innocence when his deed could no longer be remedied. And in that he would not follow King Seleucus. Nor perhaps would other fathers. For that king. of old had a very beautiful wife, whom he loved dearly. By his previous wife he had a son, whom he loved to death. The son fell in love with his stepmother, and perceiving himself the impropriety of their love and the great obstructions to it he kept it for a long time as it were buried within him: but in time love prevailed and he fell seriously ill. The doctors could not ascertain the cause of his illness; but one of them, after much 106 LETTERS FROM TURKEY not guess with whom he might be in love, and began to investigate and to question the young prince, but he kept the secret within him, and his illness increased. The doctor began to examine the young man when certain women and girls came to visit him, but could observe nothing. Now there was nothing left but to suspect the Queen, whom he had not considered in the least. Usually the King went to visit his son accompanied by the Queen, and the doctor was present and tried with all his art to discover something; and as the Queen entered the room the patient began to be hot and cold by turns, now jaundiced, now pale. Seeing this the doctor was convinced that the young man loved the Queen; but in order to study him better and to be more certain, he waited for the Queen to visit him three or four times, and finding identical changes in the young man on each occasion he told the young man that he knew the cause of his illness, and that he should keep back no longer the secret that he loved the Queen. The young man confessed, and the doctor undertook to assist him in so far as he was able. The young man accepted, although hoping for nothing. The doctor went to the King and said that he should take eternal leave of his son, for love was about to kill him, a love such that the King could not cure. The King was saddened at that, and said to the doctor: 'Go, tell my son that whomsoever he loves, I will give her to him, only let him live.' The doctor said in reply: 'What if he were to love the Queen?' The King loved his son dearly, and replied: 'Even if he loves the Queen, I will give her to him, only let him live.' The doctor hurried to the young man and told him. Sick as he was, the young man arose and flung himself at his father's feet. He called the Queen and the King told her why his son was ill and asked her to save the life of her stepson, and that he would permit her to marry him. The Queen did not hesitate long, and next day the King gave to his son both his wife and his country. This is a very fine example. Nowadays Christians, it is true, could not follow it; but if it were permissible, he would be a rare father that could. An example is the King of Spain Philip the Second, who obtained the hand of a girl for his son, and when she was brought married her himself. Dear Aunt, I wish you good health. I am who I was, and shall be who I am.
LXXIII
Rodost6, 24. Maji, 1726.
Since yesterday we have been in camp, and we are living under tents, in the usual place on the outskirts of the town. I do not think that we need 107 LETTERS FROM TURKEY greatly fear the enemy; since there are some three merfold between us, therefore we can sleep in peace and need only fear earwigs and gnats. Dear Aunt, I would like to know how your health is, your arms and fingers; for to spend a month writing a letter is a great effort, and it grieves me that you should so strain and exert yourself on my behalf. Nevertheless, you should not emulate that noble lady who has never read a book because when she has to turn a page that causes a draught and the draught must not give her a cold. That may be taken as fastidiousness. But may your worthy fastidiousness fmgive me and at no time endure; for setting aside relationship I shall seek revenge, and then we shall both sigh. Dear Aunt, here we merely vegetate, waste away like poor exiles. We pass the time as best we may. It pleases our lord that we are living in the fields; for boredom here is very great and our poor lord is left here with just a few of us. I often go to visit the widow Zsuzsi-she is preparing to go to Poland-if she does not remain here I shall not recover from it. I know one gentleman who married an elderly woman, and used to say that to lie with an elderly woman is just as meritorious a deed as to give alms to the poor. But if she does not remain here, then amity will not be at an end, and faithfulness will remain, if it may-and I say, if it may; for any great fire will die down if it is not given fuel. But I do not maintain, as did Forgacs, that faithfulness is only for dogs. It is nothing new if I say that marriage depends on God, and if he leaves it to us alone that is not good, and the cause of a bad marriage is that He was not at the wedding-feast. I have threatened Zsuzsi that if she goes we shall not have a christening. Indeed, Aunt, what a disgraceful marriage I read about the other day! I will simply describe it, even if you may know it; for I have nothing else to do. It is true, and happened in Italy. A noble widow had a son and loved him dearly; she had a servant, with whom the boy fell in love, and pressed her for a long time to have his way-finally the girl reported the matter to her mistress, who praised her for her high morals, and said to her: 'Go, tell my son that you agree to his request; but let him come to you at night'. The girl told the boy, who was delighted. After dinner the woman said to the girl: 'do you lie in my bed, and I will take your place; my son will come, think that I am you, and I will thrash him'. So it was arranged, and the woman lay in the servant's bed waiting for her son, until she chanced to go to sleep-the boy came and did not look whether she was asleep or not; but he seized his opportunity-the woman then awoke, but, so as not to make a stir, and so as not to distress her son, controlled herself and with calm patience waited for it to be over-then the boy left, and the woman. sadly went to her own bed, and 108 LETTERS FROM TIJRKEY over-then the boy left, and the woman sadly went to her own bed, and said nothing to her maid. Next day she did her utmost to prevent her son speaking to the maid, and at once set about preparing to send him abroad. That being done she sent him off, and pined greatly for him; but she pined even more when she realised that she was with child. But she succeeded in keeping that a secret, and when the child was hom she gave it to a rich peasant to bring up. The girl reached the age of thirteen and her mother had all but forgotten about her; in the meantime, however, the boy had returned from abroad and arrived in the village where the girl had been brought up, and on seeing her he fell desperately in love with her and im- mediately began to ask for her. The peasant, seeing a nobleman asking for her, gave her to him at once, all the more readily since she had been left with them long since. The boy took his wife home and his mother was angry that he had married a commoner without warning: but in a few days peace was restored. Seeing that her son was married, the woman wished to have her daughter sent home as a maid: but what was her consternation, when she discovered that it was her daughter that her son had married. The woman spoke of the matter with others, but all found the affair to be without precedent, and the marriage was left unopposed. That boy, dear Aunt, married three persons in one: his daughter, his sister and his wife. This really occurred, but even if it did, what need was there to write about it? However, one has to pass the time somehow: I by writing, you by reading; for to live with nothing to do is a very great thing. The Archbishop of Sophia, who took refuge here a few months ago, will leave in a few days for Raguza; for although considerable efforts have been made to enable him to return home, in the end nothing has been accomplished. And those workers in the vineyard must return to their homes and leave the Lord's vineyard. I too will end my letter, but first I must enquire whether you are in good health? do you love me? and will you write to me?
LXXIV
Rodost6, 16. Junii, 1726.
Pity me, dear Aunt, pity me, for I wish to write, and know not what. But what news could I tell you from under a tent? Here we never see a stranger and we hear no news-one day is like the next, except that one is warmer or windier than the next; for here there is little fear of rain in 109 LETTERS FROM TIJRKEY summer. Suffice it that perhaps eventually we shall move out of houses and live only under tents. On the borders of Persia there is a race that lives under tents in the desert, like the Gipsies in our country. The latter are however all thieves, but the former are known as Kurds. In the land of Egypt too the Saracens all live under tents with their kith and kin. But as their sole wealth consists of fine horses, they take their money from other men's purses, and they themselves, their women and children would be naked if they did not cover themselves with the garments of others. Therefore when they see some traveller in a fine robe they ask him for it nicely, saying: 'Give up that coat, for thy mother hath need of it'-which means the speaker-or if they find some fine item in the possession of another, to that they say: 'Thy mother hath need of that, therefore give it up'-by which is meant their wives. and thus the poor traveller is obliged to clothe an unknown father and a unwanted mother. But we, dear Aunt, do not follow their example, though we live under tents, but rather the Patriarchs, who showed with their canvas palaces that man is but a pilgrim on this earth, a stranger and a passer-by. True, those holy pilgrims wandered in riches, whereas we remain in one place in poverty, and I have the advantage of not having to rise in the night to feed the cattle. Dear Aunt, if I had a shepherdess it seems that I would like the pastoral way of life, for those blessed herdsmen lived a peaceful life. The huge, awesome pusztas and pastures were theirs, they set up their tents where it pleased them, and remained there as long as there was grazing for their cattle. True, as concerns drink they had not an easy life, for in that region rain is infrequent and water scarce-which is why scripture speaks so often of wells. They did not bother with building palaces and decorating them richly. They were safe from tedious litigation. Stewards, bailiffs, butlers did not inconvenience them in the least. They did not care about having to spend winter in this property-or to go into that one in summer or autumn. All manner of carts and wagons were not required. They were free to choose from all the lovely meadows, and day by day they could establish their canvas cities in fresh places-they were not so bound to the spot as we. From childhood they grew accustomed to ordinary food. They covered themselves with ordinary clothing, especially the men, for the women even then were women, as now: that is, even then they liked to make a show-wore gold bracelets and earrings-in this day and age I would not recommend that. In short, they lived without all the various ills that are commonplace to us, and which we no longer consider to be ills because we have grown accustomed to them. Truly, the life of those 110 LETI'ERS FROM TURKEY herdsmen was blessed and innocent, and God did not wish them to live in cities and mingle with other nations. But it seems to me that such a way of life was very aimless and idle; they are an example that nowadays live under tents, eat others' bread and cover their bodies with others' garments. What profit is such a nation to the other races of mankind? Such a way of life is but indolence and ignorance. Indeed, it is a way of life free from care, but it is empty, and its dwelling-place desolate. What delight it is to a farmer, by contrast, to see in fruit the trees and vines that he himself has planted and to reap from nature the reward for his labours. From all of which you will observe that I have no high opinion of the tented life. Here, however, we can have everything, for we can hear the cock crow in the town, but that too is tedious, if it lasts long; for to have oneself roasted needlessly in the sun seems no delight to me. The whole of Europe is now at peace, and living in houses, only we are under tents. And so if some country were to emulate us, you can judge how the stonemasons and carpenters would curse us. But that need not be feared, for each is reluctant to leave his vine-hill. One could eat as good bread as in a town, there would be no failing in that respect. Do you know what the Saracen women do? There an oven cannot be made in the ground, because everywhere is sand, nor can pogacsa be baked, there is no wood, but they keep a great pot and make therein a fire of dried stalks, and cover it thinly on the outside with dough, and so make themselves pogacsa. I wonder whether it might not be possible to bake what is called at home kolduslab in this way? But forgive me if I write no more; for the sun too is baking hot. And so I end my letter most humbly, and remain who I was yesterday.
LXXV
Rodost6, 28. Julii, 1726.
I can have no complaint; for your letters come and go to my hand. But some are so brief that scarcely have I begun to read them than I come to the end. I receive some letters that I could wish consisted of only two words, so boring are they; but your letters are flavoursome, I could almost eat them paper and all. Do you know why that is? It is because we love one another, and a letter from the beloved is beloved. But it is also because you know how to set down your thoughts well, and how to dress up even a trifling matter so that is appears great and pleasing: others, Ill LEITERS FROM TURKEY however, render that which is great or profitable flavourless, and one is reluctant to read it. I confess, dear Aunt, that if you were of the same nature as are many, I would not waste paper on writing; because I cannot bear it, when I see some ladies writing to their husbands or relations, as if they were writing to some judge or bishop. Pleasant though they be in other respects, yet in letters they wish to hold themselves aloof, as if the mind were not to be applied to a pleasant, light-hearted letter. I would like to show your letters to such persons, they could learn from them what is meant by a letter written with pleasantness and wit. I do not speak of my own letters; for you are accustomed to them, and find them truly good: nor do I require more. Since I last wrote we have moved into town; for rough weather had set in and tom our canvas houses. But yesterday another enemy drove us hither, before which even the hordes of Darius would have fled. Alas, dear Aunt, what a vile affliction is the plague! To be well one day, dying the next, is not conducive to good cheer. I do not know who has brought this disease into our midst. Would that it had remained whence it came; for there are many other diseases that affect other countries as time passes: for example, we consider that the Saracens brought the smallpox to Europe. The savages of America have only known that disease since Europeans have been going there-and that is not long. And what, dear Aunt, of that wretched disease that we call the French disease, and which, thanks to our healthy Transylvanians, we do not know? That is not known in distant lands: but it is so common in Spain, that a noblewoman thinks no more of telling everyone that she has it than we do of saying that we have a headache. But why need we speak of disease, let us change the subject. But what I want to say is unpleasant to me; for the little widow Zsuzsi continues her preparations, and every item that I see her packing in the chest is a knife in my heart. I know that you will not concern yourself, as is your merciless way: but pity me a little, even if it does not distress you. I try enough to dissuade her. I think that her heart counsels her likewise, but I cannot overcome her head; for her eyes have become accustomed to seeing full coffers, and her husband's purse was much fatter than mine. Even when she caresses me she is thinking of the future-she is afraid of disposing prematurely of the thousand gold pieces that she has been left. She knows that I can do nothing about it-she can see that all my happiness and my property is built on ice. Therefore she seeks counsel not of her heart but of her head: what can I say against that? For it is certain that wisdom gives us better advice than the heart; for the heart 112 LEITERS FROM TIJRKEY merely sighs for what is present: whereas wisdom takes thought for the future. In our present condition we must indeed consider that, and we exiles more so than others, who are up to the ears in wealth, which death alone can take from them. And so I can say nothing against Zsuzsi's intentions; for as the French saying goes, each must know what is cooking in his pot; and in my pot there cooks no prospect of returning home. For would I wish that another should bear my misfortunes in addition to her own? I have never yet spoken the words: marry me, you poor thing, and we will be poor together. Let anyone that pleases follow that course, I do not care, but I will not follow it: and others will not care if I do not. Dear Aunt, permit me to end this letter; for it is so hot that I am afraid that today the sun will set fire to my tent. Being cooler in a house, you can write me a longer reply. Dear Aunt, let us watch over our precious health.
LXXVI
Rodost6, 17. Sept. 1726.
Dear Aunt, forgive me for not writing for ten years, or for being unable to write-or just for not writing, for I could have done. Tell me, dear Aunt, why I have not written; for I do not know-I have had opportunity enough-the task could have done me no harm, if all this lying idle and smoking do not. But let me confess and state the truth, no other diversion has occupied my time; except procrastination, and only idleness causes that. For it is not good when a man persists in postponing an action until the morrow-that morrow comes, but accomplishment does not come with it. How much harm do men sustain through procrastination, how much backwardness in affairs! I too merely said, I will write tomorrow, tomorrow I will write, however I did not, and time has gone by-what have I gained from it? The receipt of an unpleasant, embarrassing letter as a reward for my idleness. But as I have deserved it I will accept it in silence; for when a man acknowledges the fault in himself he bears the punishment more easily. It is true that in every nook and cranny of the past months only idleness has not permitted me to write. But, if it were possible to save myself before your judgement-seat, I could offer the excuse that there has been great heat-is that not sufficient defence? As a very fat priest once asked the king not to make him say Mass in summer; for he sweated greatly, and it would spoil his vestments. But my dear stem judge, for the present month I have a better, or in any case a cooler, excuse; for I thought in the 113 LETTERS FROM TIJRKEY beginning and early part of the month, that I would become cold meat: but it only happened to me three or four times, and once on the third day. But here in the great heat everyone shivers with cold; for here all have taken the ague. We are sorry most of all for our lord, who has had a tertian fever. It toOk leave of me this morning. With this in mind, as of yesterday we have had to leave the canvas houses and move into town. There is often not a single one of the numerous servants able to wait on the Prince. The cooks shiver, roasting beside a good fire. But, thanks be to God, these are not dangerous agues, nor long-lasting. Our poor lord is now suffering not so much an ague as great weakness, and we trust that God will cure him. Nevertheless, he has a more Christian turn of mind than we; for it can be seen from his preparations that he will go gladly, if God calls him from this world. With that in mind he has made his will; but may God preserve him. Aunt, do you know with what I cured myself? With a precious Transylvanian medicine. Everyone laughed about it, especially the Prince, when I told them. This precious medicine is cabbage soup-if that is efficacious, why go seeking costly medicaments from India?. But now I fear a greater chilling, greater than the first, and which a barrel of cabbage soup will not cure; for in three or four days' time Zsuzsi will leave for Poland. Shall I ever see her again? God knows. It is a good thing, is it not, that a man cannot die of his sorrow; for otherwise they would have to bury me-Zsuzsi would not wish that, as who would then write to her? And to whom would she write?. On such a point a VIzier49 comes to mind who, when he had so confined the famous Muscovite Tsar beside the Pruth in 1711, that he would have been completely lost with all his men, the King of Sweden went to him and said: 'Behold, thou hast in thy hand the Tsar, his wife and all his men; thou canst either cut them down or lead them back slaves to Constantinople.' To that the VIzier replied: 'If I enslave the Tsar, who will take care for his country?' At that the King of Sweden reproached the VIzier and left his camp. Suffice it, dear Aunt, that I shall bear my separation from her with good heart. If she wished, she could remain here-or rather, it is God that wishes that she should not wish it. All things must be accomplished in accordance with His ordinances, and to that we must submit. You write, dear Aunty, what kind of man is that Frenchman50 that has lately come here; for he is false. The Colonel has been to the Muscovite Tsar, but nothing came of it, as he could reach agreement with no one. He wishes to persuade everyone that he knows everything and has seen everything. If he says twenty words, nineteen are untrue. He has 114 LETTERS FROM TURKEY convinced a few here that he can make gold. I think, as I see it, that perhaps he will prosper here, as such wordy, polyglot vagabonds as he are much admired. His name is Viguru. Good night, dear Aunt-bona sera!
LXXVII
Rodost6, 4-d.ik: Dec. 1726.
Pola teti! Aunt, two years have passed; for it is now two months since I vanished hence. One cannot remain in one place for ever-travelling is good for the health, and one must escape from idleness from time to time. You will deceive yourself if you imagine that I had a merry time in the vil- lage where I was at the vintage. My greatest delight was that I was for so long not here, and I spent two months there without a care-for a month I watched them picking: for a month I walked a lot, for here autumn is the best part of the year, and the vintage is the saddest part of entertainment, it is not as in our country, when one sees all the men and women pickers-noble women and girls go out, eat and enjoy themselves- sweeten the wine with their presence and picking. Here, by contrast, the owner ofthe vineyard engages two or three men, they pick, the grapes are taken home in baskets and everyone treads them at home, very quietly. While I am speaking about grapes, near Constantinople you may have seen a vine as thick as a plum tree, and the grapes on it as big as plums. But I was not amazed so much at their size, but on some of its branches there were ripe grapes; on others, unripe grapes no bigger than gooseberries; and on yet others the blossom was opening. It was a fine sight, three crops on a single vine, and it is so from spring until winter. I may have told you of this before, but it does not come to mind. But I have not told you that at the house of a Greek bishop I saw a rosemary bush as big as an ordinary willow. None of these were to be found in Zagon, but we managed without them-here there are neither plum trees nor pines. I have found a good few of your letters here, dear Aunt, in which there is a little merciless teasing, but it is easily laughed away if one's heart is in the right place.
Nothing is more harsh than parting, Parting from our secret darling; Like a reed the wind must bend us, Lock our sighs within to rend us. 115 LETTERS FROM TURKEY
They say that there is no better medicine for things that cannot be cured than forgetfulness. It is hard, but time does lend a little assistance with this, and then wisdom too gives one strength to endure. I have not tried, but do you think that love will go bad like bacon-that absence will make it rancid? Nevertheless, there is no finer thing than enduring friendship. In France a young man was betrothed to a girl, and, I do not know how, was carried off by pirates and sold in Africa, and nothing was heard of him for a number of years. The girl received many proposals, but she loved her betrothed and wished to maintain her faithfulness to him. Long after- wards, some slaves were set free from that country and brought news of the lad, that he was the slave of a Turkish master in such-and-such a place. On learning this the girl spoke with a female friend, they disguised themselves in men's clothing, and she took from home what she thought would be sufficient money to redeem him. They embarked, reached Africa and found her betrothed, who was quite astounded. Then they spoke with the Turk about redeeming him, but the money that the girl had taken was insufficient. The three of them took counsel together, what should be done. Either the girl or the man had to return for more funds. The man advised that there was nothing for it but that the girl must return with the money, and perhaps some of his relations would free him. The girl would not accept that, saying: 'If I go home I shall be unable to do anything for you, and my parents will guard me so closely that I shall never be able to return here; but my companion and I will remain here in slavery in your place, and you go, obtain however much money is required to make up the rest.' The man would absolutely not accept that, saying that he could not leave her in slavery, principally because if the Turk discovered that they were not men he would not release him for that amount, and he would remain a slave. To that the girl replied: 'Go now, do as we have decided; for even if it did transpire as you say, and your master recognised us, my father has enough to ransom us.' The man told his master everything as they had decided and left the two girls in his place. He reached France, quickly obtained the money and took it back to his master who, by the time he returned, had discovered that he had left in his stead not men but girls; for the girl had had no alternative but to confess all to the Turk. He was delighted by her faithfulness to her betrothed and released them, and all three returned safely to their homeland and their homes-and the wedding took place forthwith. Perhaps, dear Aunt, they that live under the ground too have celebrated weddings and danced; for the day before yesterday we felt a great movement of the earth beneath 116 LETIERS FROM TURKEY
us. We thought that the whole town had been placed in a wagon and was being taken along. Even among all these earthquakes I remain, dear Aunt, your servant.
LXXVIII
Rodost6, 8. Jan. 1727.
It grieves me sorely, dear Aunt, that you have anticipated me with your kind and fiunilial greeting and salutation for the New Year; whereas I should have been the first to discharge this responsibility. And let us not boast that this primacy is a mark of your more frequent thought of me, and my cooler affection; for I will not on my life permit that, and if we were to place our love in the balances it is certain that the scale would show a hundred pounds more on my side. Nevertheless you are good and so am I. The fishes of the sea are my witnesses that I could not have written sooner, for there have been such great gales at sea that only they could go there, and not men. I would have given them my letter, but you live on a high hill, and they do not care to go up hills. But as for your greeting, I return all your wishes two-fold, and further I wish you much strength for the writing of letters. Just the day before yesterday, as is my custom, I set out your letters, which I put in order at the beginning of each year: mine, if you will take my advice, must be burnt, or apply them to whatever necessity you wish, I do not care. Dear Aunt, did you receive many gifts on the first day of the year? I do not know from whence the French took the custom-1 think, from the ancient Romans; for they were accustomed to exchange gifts at the beginning of the year, which was on the first day of March. Pagan though it be, it is a good custom; especially for him that receives. Many pagan customs have lingered on under Christianity; indeed, even in holy Mother Church we can see such as the popes and bishops of old have left. Such as, the lighting of lamps and candles in church. It is certain that this began out of necessity, for the early Christians had to worship in cellars and hidden places. Later they continued the practice as a matter of ceremony; as candles were lit in the presence of the kings of old, and whenever the old Roman consul went anywhere he was preceded by torches and fire. Likewise, lamps were lit beside the bodies of kings and the wealthy. Even now such ancient vaults are to be found, where a lamp is kept burning beside the coffin. How could such a lamp last for so many hundreds of years? the reason is no longer known: everyone knows that 117 LETTERS FROM TURKEY such burning lamps have been discovered, but when the air reaches them they are extinguished. Carnival, which we keep with such great piety, was taken from the pagans. And from where did we take Easter Monday, can you tell me? Or what a strange custom there was in a certain French county? When a nobleman, then known as a vassal, held the land of a lord, when that man married, first the lord lay with the bride: but fully dressed, boots and all, and he might only put one foot on the bed, and that for a little time. Now this custom has been abandoned, but they give the lord a ham. And what is still the custom there when a gentleman goes to hunt on the land of another? As many partridge or hare as he shoots must be taken to the owner's house-this must be done as laid down in the agreement, even if the owner is not at home, otherwise he would lose his property. I knew a gentleman that conducted a lawsuit for years over such a matter. Alas, dear Aunt, perhaps I have at some time written of such a thing, but I cannot recall: but I have not yet written that our lord had a slight ague yesterday. I am tired of writing of all these customs; it is however my custom to go to bed at ten and not to open my eyes before half past five next morning-and now it is ten o'clock; for I began to write late, and one must not depart from a good custom, therefore I remain Madam's respectful and humble servant. The first letter of the New Year must end with a degree of formality.
LXXIX
Rodost6, 15. Martii, 1727.
Dear Aunty, I have received your dear, sweet letters-and you alone, no other, can write with ink of sugar-cane. Nor would it be right for everyone to follow my aunty; for in our little fingers we have more wit than others have in all their bones together. Here we simply live in peace, we pass the time, drag it, drive it. Every entertainment flees before us. But indeed, why should entertainment seek out exiles, when it can find others? For us there is but sighing-I have sighed so much by now that it seems that I breathe in air of no other sort, only my own sighs. It pleases God, so let it be. You write, Aunt, that I should answer certain questions, and that to pass the time you mean to ask more. What a trouble you are to me! If Constantinople were deserted I would have nothing to say; but every day 118 LETIERS FROM TURKEY we are among witty, intelligent people; and yet you would pose me questions-am I not to object to such a thing? But I dare not, rather I will obey, and, badly though it be, I will address your questions. Those profound questions, if I recall correctly, however, are as follows: Has the Papacy in Rome always been superior to the Patriarchate of Constantinople?-When did Lent start?-Should there be three Masses said on Christmas Eve?-And since when has organ music been heard in church? I am not so surprised that you ask me these questions; for it is only to annoy me; but I do wonder where you find them. Suffice it that to the first I may answer briefly that in my opinion the Patriarchate of Alexandria is older than that of Constantinople, and that it must lay down to the other Patriarchates when Lent begins and when Easter is to be celebrated. This, however, had to be calculated from Epiphany, so that the bishops in the eastern regions should all begin Lent at the same time, and keep Easter together-and in those days there were not all the calendars that we have today. But as time went by the emperors, especially the Greeks, living only in Constantinople, elevated their Patriarch to ever greater dignity, to the extent that they placed in the Patriarchate of Alexandria the man chosen by the Patriarch of Constantinople. But even with all that elevation it was a long time before the Patriarchs of Constantinople took it into their heads to rank themselves on a level with the Popes of Rome-as we can see in a number of Councils that the representatives of the Pope sat in the first place. But as time went by the Patriarchs of Constantinople, because of their great wealth, became so conceited that they began to hold themselves not inferior to the Popes but their equals. And finally treasure and power so elevated them that one of their number began to wear slippers of a colour permitted to the emperor alone. The emperor dared not speak against this; for had he done so he would have been out of his throne the next day; but only the Pope of Rome ventured to admonish him. But the haughty Patriarch did not yield to the admonition, and preferred to quarrel with the Pope and to part from the western mother church, rather than take off his imperial slippers. This same C~eus 51 it was that began the schism, and his successors followed him. More than once they wished to return into union; but in the end they did not; for they did not truly desire it. When the Greek emperors needed the Popes, then they would promise anything. Principally when the Turks began to approach Constantinople, then the emperor himself went to the Pope with his Patriarch, and there they promised everything, but on returning and seeing that he could not obtain from the Pope as much help as he had 119 LEITERS FROM TURKEY thought neither he nor his Patriarch kept their vows. It is certain, dear Aunt, that the bishop of Rome has at all times been supreme in the church both eastern and western. This is shown particularly by the Councils, at which were the Patriarchs together with three or four hundred bishops. The second question is when did Lent begin? We generally consider that Lent is an Apostolic institution. But even if, as many maintain, it was instituted in the year 130, then it was instituted by disciples such as could have known the Apostles. The third question is when did the custom begin of saying three Masses on Christmas Eve? Certainly, the number of Masses said was, in former times, not so regulated as it is today. We read of holy Popes and bishops such as were often so exhausted by the number of Masses that they said that they had to be helped by others. Among the Greeks it is the custom to say only one Mass daily, even on feast days.-Even if there are ten bishops together, and all ten say Mass-one is celebrating, the rest repeating after him.-Some, who do not care to seek in reliable books the reason why three Masses are said on Christmas Eve, maintain with great piety that a priest must say 365 Masses in the course of a year. As not all can say Mass on Good Friday and Holy Saturday, they remain two Masses short, and make up the number on Christmas Eve.-Is that a good reason or not? I need not decide. But I simply say in answer to your question that it is commonly held that the practice was adopted in the year 140. That is an old enough custom. The fourth question was when was organ music first heard in church? The answer to that is: a Greek emperor sent an organ as a gift to a king of France. That was the first in Europe. Whereabouts that was I do not recall. But it is written that organ music began to be heard in churches in the year six hundred and fifty. How the Greek emperor could have sent an organ I do not know; since in their churches there is no music of any kind. Well! dear Aunt, are there any more? Now that I have acquired the taste I would like there to be about two pounds of questions. Nevertheless, let us make an end to questions and not begin again. But take care for your health; for asking many questions could be harmful.-And do ];,Our best, dear Aunty, to consider 'Kelemen' not 'kelletlen' but 'kellemetes' 2• God be with you all your days.
120 LEITERS FROM TURKEY
LXXX
Rodost6, 7. Maji, 1727.
Aunty! I received your letter, sweeter than honeyed pogacsa, with throbbing heart. There really was no need to thank me for my answers to your questions; for what you are so kind as to receive from me takes the place of thanks. But I see that the thanks are merely for the purpose of making me answer your questions once more. Which I will do with good and willing heart, in so fiu' as my ragged mind will permit. For if there can be ragged soup53, why not a ragged mind? Enough. I know, dear Aunty, that according to custom we spend this month on the shores of the waterway. Would that I might be there; for there can be no finer place to live. There is not its peer in Europe. If anyone has not seen it, let him imagine a wide and long lake-perhaps five mbftJld in 1~. The one end of it goes into the Black Sea, the other into the White Sea . But what fine towns could be built on both banks! There are towns there now, but if some other nation inhabited them they would all be quite different. How I liked to watch the many great ships passing my window, and the many pretty little boats! But here all I see is awful black Ar- menian women. But for us it is all one as regards entertainment whether it be May or December-:-we merely stay at home and do the same thing summer and winter alike. I know of no cloister. where order is kept as it is with us. Truly, if any of us were to become a monk he would not have to spend a year in the novitiate; for here everything is done to the hour and minute. I have a little dog, and it knows the order as well as I. When the drum beats and I go to Mass it does not so much as look at me; but when it is beaten for luncheon it jumps up and comes to me. Certainly, I have taken care that this dog shall know the rule so well. It simply observes, when I leave the house, where I go; if to the Prince's or to church, it does not move, even if I call it-it knows by now that it is not allowed to those two places. There is no animal more intelligent than the dog. It is said that the elephant is, but I have never seen His Greatness. But I have seen a dog that could recognise cards, and knew its abc as well as a young schoolboy. Oh, dear Aunty, I was forgetting that I have yet to discharge my obligations to my mistress, and must make ragged answers to your ques- tions. You ask, dear Aunty, who were the Crusaders? Secondly, is bell- ringing in churches an ancient custom, because there you hear no sound 121 LETIERS FROM TURKEY of bells, and you do not see a Turk in a carriage. And why is consecrated bread not eaten in our churches as it is in France, and whether that is an ancient custom. To the first question I will answer as I have read. Long before the tenth century the Saracens and later the Mamelukes ruled the Holy Land. These all followed the faith of Mahomet. The chief of the Saracens lived in Damascus, and was called the Caliph. The Mamelukes ruled Egypt. But whoever ruled the Holy Land, Christians had always gone there, sometimes in great trepidation, and the Orders of Malta and the Templars were established for the defence of Jerusalem and of pilgrims. In the eleventh century these two Orders would not have been enough for luncheon for the aforesaid twin enemy, had not the Orders received assistance; and that was little enough, and did not last long. During that time in France a monk55 arose who, with the permission of the Pope, began to preach in the towns and villages the deliverance of the Holy Land. From thence he went to Gennany, and his preaching became so influential that it was thought that these countries would be left to the women, and that all the men would leave, since very many of princely rank took up the Cross; for a cross of broadcloth had to be sewn on the shoulder, I do not know which, of those that wished to go. Countless numbers of the common people marked themselves with the cross. This should not be wondered at; for it was a novelty, and men will always be attracted to that which is new. Furthermore, the many spiritual promises spurred them on. Temporal well-being too caused them to take the cross; for the man of the cross was very privileged. For he that took it up could not be brought before the law until after he had returned and laid it down again. Nor did he pay his taxes until then, and that after a certain time. No one for any reason dared trouble his wife or servants until he came again. So one should not wonder if the army of the cross was always at full strength. And these were they that at first were called the Crusaders. Their leader was some king or prince, I cannot recall. Suffice it that these people arrived by sea in the Holy Land after much difficulty and loss, and a long time was required before they could come to grips with the enemy; but straight away they experienced the need of sustenance. However, disease and famine cut down half of the army, and they could not stay long there but had to return without any achievement. Such raising of an army and travelling to the Holy Land took place more than once, and always unhappily. But finally the women too took up the cross-some with good intent, others wishing to share with their loved ones in things spiritual and 122 LETTERS FROM TURKEY bodily alike-to such an extent that there were countless women in the forces of the cross. And those that write of it declare openly that there cannot have been an anny more degenerate in every way than that of the cross. And it is no wonder that God did not once bless the Crusaders, and that in a hundred and fifty or two hundred years they did not achieve the least success. In that time how many hundreds of thousands of men died in the Holy Land! The largest army of the cross went to the Holy Land with King Andras56; since he was commander of both French and Gennan armies. All these had to cross the Greek empire. But as the Greek emperors did not like having so many guests they tried to prevent half of them from even seeing Jerusalem, as most often was the case. And to this end, being under compulsion to send much flour to the armies, with Greek duplicity they made up the quantity of flour with quick-lime, and before this was discovered in the army many thousands died. Only half of the army that set out reached the Holy Land, and half of that was ravaged by disease and the enemy. The small part that remained had to turn back, and few of them saw their homelands again, fewer still their homes. But even after all this disaster and loss the next generation forgot what their fathers had endured, and when an army was raised enough came together to go. It seems that the last expedition to the Holy Land in great force was under King StLouis of France57; for after that the desire for pilgrimage began to cool in all. This good king was defeated and imprisoned. He lost his two brothers at Alexandria. But the king soon ransomed himself, together with those that had been taken with him. Finally the Popes and the kings saw that there was little to be gained by crusading, no more armies were raised and in all of Europe it was forgotten. Dear Aunt, short though my account has been you can see who and when the Crusaders were. I could have written even more briefly, had I put: they were and are not; but that would have been very brief I cannot write at greater length, for this is a letter, not a history book. I will answer your other questions quickly, as the drum is sounding for luncheon, and after that the ship will leave with the letter. The sound of bells in church is indeed an ancient affair; for even in the early fifth century it began to be heard. Carriages are very rare in your city, and small wonder, for the Turk in a carriage is a rare bird, he does not like it and must have a horse. Small vehicles, however, like bird-cages, you will see in plenty, in which women ride. The carriage has become widespread only recently among other nations too. When a French king, Clovis, took home his wife, St Batild58, it was in a cart pulled by four oxen, and he was given only twenty thousand florins with her. Henri rv, another French 123 LETIERS FROM TIJRKEY king, not so long ago5 9, excused himself to a lord for not going to call, as his wife had taken the carriage. Dear Aunt, why is consecrated bread not eaten in our churches as in France? Because it is not our custom. They too laugh because lambs are consecrated in our churches. But the con- secration of bread is ancient; for it began in the fourth century. I, however, have finished this letter in the eighteenth before luncheon, and shall immediately drink your health. Of which take care, dear Aunt, and do not eat many cherries. Pola teti!
LXXXI
Rodost6, 14. Junii, 1727.
Aunty, yesterday we christened an ass of a Jew. It was about three days ago that a Jew came to us in great secrecy and asked the Prince to have him christened, for he wished to become a Christian. The priests spent two whole days with him and prepared him for Christianity. Yesterday he was christened-our Prince stood as god-father, and actually wept for joy. The Jew, however, was able to conduct himself calmly and the chris- tening passed off with all due ceremony. Yesterday he informed our Prince that now that he had become a Christian he could no longer live among his relations nor engage in trade, therefore he asked the Prince to assist him with a little money. The Prince, out of the kindness of his heart, gave him a hundred thalers. This morning the Jew was sought but he was gone-he was enquired for everywhere, and it was said that he had embarked with other Jews for Constantinople. Thus the ass of a Jew had deceived us-or rather himself. And there are some here that have found out about the affair, and told us that both in Smyrna and elsewhere he had done a similar thing, and had had himself christened on a number of occasions. He knew so well how to conduct himself that there was no need to tell him what to do. We were surprised, but the ass had done it several times. I merely wished to tell you that you must not trust Jews. But you may surely trust, dear Aunt, that I love you. Amen.
124 LETIERS FROM TURKEY LXXXll
llodrnrtb, 17.Junli, 1727.
I can no longer hold it back, for I would be sorry if you learnt from some other, dear Aunt, that our Prince's second son had fled Vienna, gone to France, and the day before yesterday had arrived thence here. You can imagine with what delight such a father as our lord received a son of twenty-six, whom he had never before seen.fll. Another cannot conceive of the love that futhers feel toward their sons, for that one has to be a :fu.ther. I. however, noticed that the son did not greet his :fu.ther with the same heart-felt joy with which the father greeted his son. Perhaps it is natural that sons should not feel that great love that futhers do; or perhaps love is more abundant in some sons than in others. A fine example is the son of Croesus, who was dumb, and seeing that the enemy was about to cut him down from behind made so great an effort within himself that the words came out, and he shouted to the king to beware61 • We can say of our Duke that he is a handsome young man, intelligent and clever, but that is by nature; for study has not embellished those qualities, nor a good education adorned them. Just as there can be no pleasantness in either the conduct or the speech of a beautiful girl that has had the education of a peasant, and her beauty will not be so highly regarded. Fine, gentle work will make even gold more valuable. However fine a mind may be it must be embellished by sound study and education. The unpolished diamond is like the stone known as flint. Our Duke has had no education, and an effort has been made to prevent him learning anything, and successfully- I am surprised that he can write, even badly. His father perceived all this at once and took it to heart, but what can he do? The reed is beginning to thicken, and it bends with greater difficulty. His elder brother is still idling in Vienna. He is quite well spoken of-we have yet to see him. Enough good has been said of this one too. As I have observed his nature, he is calm and mild. But one cannot get to know a son while he is still under his father's wing, but when he flies out. I do not know how he will take to our monastic life; for here he will starve of entertainment. I know that his futher will seek to amuse him-send him out hunting, go with him himself: although for the past year he has gone seldom, whereas previously he went twice a week. And so here he can hunt his fill, but let him forget all else. I think, however, that he will prefer that all else to hunting. But here one has to dance the friendship-dance, no other tune is played. And by now I know that dance so well that I could certainly be a 125 LETIERS FROM TIJRKEY dancing-master. Your health, dear Aunt. The guest is still too new for me to write more of him. Lxxxm
Rodost6, 19. Julii, 1727.
Aunty, today the Prince granted an audience to the biblical Simeon62 • But if it was not actually himself, at least his younger brother; since today a venerable Armenian patriarch was with the Prince. When the Prince had ended his conversation with him, seeing that he had reached a ripe old age, he asked him how old he might be. The Patriarch replied that he was only a hundred and seven, but nonetheless still strong and healthy. Dear Aunt, what a fine thing it is to live long, especially in good health; for in poor health it is not to be wished for. If men could generally live with their great grandfathers, what a fine thing that would be. Great grandmothers are more commonly found among women; for they may be married younger. If a girl marries at the age of thirteen, as is not uncommon, she can have a daughter by the age of fourteen-marry her off in thirteen years-and she will have a daughter when she is fourteen- and so on, at the age of forty two a woman can be called a great grandmother. I do not think that you will approve of all this; but I cannot help that. You yourself will allow that man lives but a little while. There are animals that live longer, such as the eagle, the owl, the stag and others besides, although I do not know which. The other day I read that Rudolph, king of Burgundl3, often rode his centenarian horse. But the amazing thing is that it is principally working men that live so long; for it is certain that of all animals man suffers and toils the most; and yet how many aged workers do we see! I know that we do not let it fall into the dust when I write such a thing; for you write that the Duke is not such as--and that it is my young lord that prefers that other to hunting. To that I reply that we know my young lord, and therefore we speak so; but if we knew the Duke, we would speak differently. But, dear Aunt, we have now become weary of living here, it is in our eyes an unaccustomed thing to hear Mass every day, to refrain from meat on fast days and to leaf through books from morning to night. And so we go hunting, but only in order not to be at home, and if we pursue something for half an hour the rest is tedium. If there were birds with crests here, or hares in skirts, oh! then we would be real huntsmen, even if we did not eat until evening. Here it is forbidden to look 126 LETIERS FROM 11JRKEY at women. They are with us fruit such as is never taken to the table. There will :finally be among us the custom as is with the Greek monks on Mount Athos, where no woman is pemritted to go; and where indeed it is not permitted that any female animal be kept, not even a chicken. There not even Eve, our forebear, would be admitted. Here we have not yet attained that strict regime, but we are not far short. True, however, none among us is about to follow Origen. Ask others who he was64• I will not tell you-you reproach me enough as it is, my good Aunt. But by now I am as accustomed to it as a Russian wife is to being beaten, who will complain that her husband does not love her if he leaves her unbeaten for a while. Customs differ in all countries. Our Szekely women will not endure that, and require a different indication of love. But I require from you that you watch over your health and send news. I remain my Aunt's servant unto death, and no fiutb.er.
LXXXIV
Rodost6, 20 Aug. 1727.
Today, Aunty, we returned from the great watery visit. For you should know that five miles hence there is a medicinal spring. And as our Duke is always unwell on account of boredom (for I can see nothing else the matter with him) his father took him thither to drink of that spring and recover, like the thirsty bart at the cool brook. In my observation, however, he is thirsting for a warmer spring. But he will have no oppor- tunity of such medicine with his father's blessing. Suffice it that before drinking of this water one has to bathe in the mud. Perhaps I have written to you about this. If it is beneficial, truly Nature has provided a very common medication. I think that the pool in Jerusalem was clearer even when the angel stirred it6.'J; for it is nothing but actual mud. I too had to go in with the Duke. I do not know what good it did, but I know that we emerged like animals that eat beech-mast. There haS to be some good in it; since the people of the region journey three or four days to be there. There are many women and girls that cover themselves with mud, like slimy spectres, but not otherwise. Suffice it that there one may see twenty Mudd's, and as many Mrs Mudd's too. From that black apothecary one has to go to the waters. We went and made the Duke take a good drink. But one must drink it not by the glass but by the bumper, so much that he who over three days can fill his stomach with some forty ejtel will no 127 LETTERS FROM TIJRKEY longer have need of Hippocrates' preparations. True, our Duke did not drink so much, but he has no need of that sort of medicine, and his illness is to be treated with the friendship-dance. There is no medicine better than that; for it heals body and soul alike; there is no finer dance either. Some historians, however, have it that the bridal dance is happier-you know better than I. You write by way of news, Aunty, that the Queen of France had not previously had any children; but now she has had two daughters together. Quite a bountiful start. But it would have been preferred for her to begin with a son. But that good, pious Queen will obtain permission for a son. There are none more unhappy than the daughters of kings-if one in six is given in marriage, the rest have to grow old in a cloister. But the usual arrangement is that in whatever cloister the king places his daughters, there are two large cloisters of monks not far away, and the abbess is head of each, cares for them, and they depend on her completely. He who founded these cloisters favoured women. But what am I to say? For many maintain that when a woman rules in a country, that country is always prosperous during that time. What reason is given for this? The reason that usually women follow the advice of men: but kings and princes, that of their wives. We can see that God has permitted his people to be ruled by women. They have given orders for war, made laws among the people. Look at England: queens have always ruled well. Their Queen Elizabeth was a very great queen. She would have been greater still, had she not darkened her reign with two deeds: if she had not had her cousin, or her brother's wife66, so unjustly killed, whose greatest fault was her beauty- for which the queen hated her. That Elizabeth gave perhaps ten princes her word that she would marry them-she never married a single one, but died a virgin. But, something to laugh at, she even sent word to the Pope that she would marry him if he would have her. And the second thing was that she interfered with religion and made herself head. And as she loved pomp and ceremony she kept priestly vestments-therefore she used to say that the Calvinist was a very naked faith. We can see from examples of all times that women are fitted for the governance of countries; but they should not handle the thurible. You pose me the question, where did the grooming of horses begin? That, dear Aunt, was in Rome. And I will ask, when was the first woman hanged in Paris? But, so that my letter shall not end with a hanging, I will tell you that in a few days' time we are going to decamp hence, and will be camping three miles away. This is all in order that our Duke may be entertained. But he needs a different sort of entertainment, as indeed do I. 128 LEITERS FROM TURKEY
Good health. Dear Aunt, I do not know when I shall be able to write, or when I shall receive your letter. All this 'I do not know'; but I do know that no one loves you as I do.
LXXXV
Rodost6, 8. Nov, 1727.
Pola teti! Dear Aunt! I really must tell you that your kindly written letter has been kindly received. The letter was a little on the short side, but what can we do about that? True, I cannot become accustomed to it; but such a thing has at times to be rendered unseen, and the shortcoming forgiven, and the hope entertained that you will not persist in the habit. Some days ago we returned from camping, at which numerous red partridge had to die-but we took all the hares that were running about captive. But as the enemy was about to go into quarters we too went to our own. But, if I must tell the truth, the reason was nothing other than that the rain drove us in. For whose goodwill I have many a time given thanks; for without its watery power we might have spent the whole winter under tents. It must be confessed, dear Aunt, if with a sigh, that our lives, as the lives of all Christians, are but a pilgrimage. But ours is doubly so; for if he that lives on his estate has to regard himself as a pilgrim on this earth, and as one without his eternal home; what then are we, that have not a foot of land, nor any abiding place67? We pass our precious time in mere wandering, as we have now been squandering it in futility. Time that has been spent never returns, and leaves behind it only profitless and bitter sighs, which every day we, sorry examples that we are, taste and experience. We would, however, be happy if we could serve as an example to others; but we shall not. For how many thousand men have been lost at sea, and are lost daily? Nonetheless, they go to sea aplenty. So did we not have an example before us? Yes; but did we learn from it? Others too do likewise-they study it but do not avoid it. But what can be the cause ofthis? Nothing other than restlessness and covetousness. Not half of them consider the well-being of the country; but all cry 'Freedom!' at the top of their voices. For the majority only run after change and novelty; they do not consider the future; they neither know how to profit by the present good, nor can they value it; rather they sigh for the uncer- tain future good, which either will be impossible to attain, or will seem good only because it is not in our power and only springs from an unquiet mind. From this it follows that man can never become happy, for he never 129 LEITERS FROM TURKEY values his own condition nor that which he possesses; only that which he cannot possess. For the sake ofthe uncertain he sets the certain at nought, and the unquiet, covetous mind always urges him that he would be better off where he is not. And thus he is never satisfied with his present certain tate, in which God has made him, but yearns for the uncertain, and cannot live with the present, but abuses it. A good patriot should never cause trouble, nor desire it under any pretext. God gives Princes, and both good and evil alike must be accepted from His hands; the good is blessing, the evil punishment. He alone knows how long grief is to continue and when the end of it will come, how long bad weather will last and when it will be fine.
A ploughman undertook to the gods that he would give them more gifts, only let them hear his requests and give rain or shine when he desired, and let the weather on his land be according to his wishes. The gods granted his desires, and when he asked for rain on his corn, rain there was; when he asked for fine weather, fine it was. But it so happened that at harvest- time he had much less of a crop than others-and so he began to complain, but the gods answered him that he himself was at fiw.lt: for he had not left matters to Nature as others had, and why did he wish to be wiser than the gods, who knew when it was time for rain and shine alike? Religion teaches us that God governs the nations, and He raises up the one and casts another into servitude. He anoints princes, good and bad alike. Holy Writ is full of such examples. Therefore man may not change this, and it is not possible. Dear Aunt, I often write a sermon-I have nothing else to do. I have to write down my thoughts, profitless though they now are-since we are like the man that has fallen into water, who must struggle ceaselessly and clutch at every branch until he escape, or he is doomed; for to ponder the fact of falling in would be madness. True, until now every branch has broken in our hands; for we have not set great store by the help of God; But perhaps it may be said that God will not alter his general dispensations for the sake of a few. So let us swim on, dear Aunt, while we may. I only regret that all the time the flower is becoming a dry stick, and that will not be placed in the bosom. But I have been an exile all my life, and left my native land for ever at the age of 16; and it is certain that the search for freedom was not then in my mind, and if my exile has lasted until the present, truly, it is blind love for my lord that has caused it. So I may say according to my nature; but in Christian tenns it is the dispensation of God, and I must kiss the rod with which He beats me. I can write no more now. There is no news here, but only great 130 LETTERS FROM TIJRKEY
dull stagnation, especially in winter. Nevertheless I beg you, watch over your health. And I will remain who I have been today.
P.S. The first woman was hanged in France in 1449. But as I must notwithstanding end my letter on the subject of hanging, I will write a little story. A man was taken out to be hanged in Paris. As they were about to hang him it happened that a duke passed close by, on his way to the king. And this duke was a man that liked a joke. The man to be hanged asked: What lord goes there? and they told him his name. And he told them to call him, for he had a great matter to impart. The duke was called and he said very secretly to the lord: 'Do you see all these standing here? The have so frightened me that I have had to relieve myself in my trousers.' The duke could have laughed, but kept a straight face and said to the officers: 'This man has told me a great secret; but I will at once report to the king, until then be so good as to wait.' The king knew that he always had some amusing story. He asked him as soon as he saw him: Well! what news?' The duke told the king all about it-the king laughed heartily, pardoned him, and the duke informed the officers.
LXXXVI
Rodost6, 12. Jan. 1728.
I wish my dear Aunty from the heart a fine and prosperous New Year, and therein a robust, lasting, trusty and enduring health. That is enough of wishes between us two; let us leave to others the making of litanies, which is quite profitless, and all beyond measure. It is not the most protracted expression of good wishes that is the most profitable, but the brief and heartfelt. Aunty, should I not be cross? Every day you are in the company of priests and monks who could answer your questions: but no, it is better to ask me. I will sit on the judgement seat, then, and from there I will answer. You ask, dear Aunt, why the Anglicans kneel to receive the Lord's Supper? To that I answer that they took this custom from their fathers, who were Papists; as the Papist religion was in bloom among them for a thousand years, and Henricus Octavus, who in rage introduced the Calvinist religion to the country, wrote enough against them; but anger and love made him change his cloak. In 1552 he drove the priests and bishops out of the country, dispossessed the monks, forcibly opened the 131 LEITERS FROM 1URKEY monasteries and left them deserted, those nuns that were tired of virginity he married off, and distributed the priestly lands among the lords. He left the dioceses in place and appointed Calvinist bishops. And so that the common people should not rise up and notice the complete reversal of religion, the priestly vestments were left, the outward ceremonies too, pictures in churches and other appurtenances, together with altars, and confirmation likewise with forms of worship and ceremonies, as is customary in Holy Mother Church, and as the many holy bishops that they had were accustomed to perform. The King was driven to all this by blind love, having fallen in love with the daughter of a lord, Anna Bulena, and for her he would with pleasure have divorced the Queen; but that was not so easily done, for at that time he still belonged to Holy Mother Church, and had to obtain permission from the Pope. The Pope, however, saw no just cause and temporised over the divorce. Both love and Anna, however, were strongly urging the King to divorce. The girl's father had by this time secretly changed his religion, as had the girl too. This being so both father and daughter began to preach effectively to the King and to encourage him to take revenge on the Pope, since he would not grant him freedom; to change the religion, introduce the Calvinist faith and make himself head of the new religion. The King gave way to the frequent sermons of the girl preacher and married her, sent his Queen away and brought in the Calvinist religion. When the Pope heard of these changes, in order to avoid great trouble he would have granted him freedom; but it was too late; for having driven out the old, the new religion was in power in the land. Dear Aunt, thus, briefly, did the change of religion in England take place, and thus certain of the former customs were retained. But the ordinances of God did not leave her unpunished that had been the cause of such change; for in time the king had Anna killed on some pretext. And just as the schism began on account of a woman, so the punishment was inflicted by means of women also; as after Anna he married two or three wives, but had each of them killed one after another. After so great an exemplum, Aunty, one might write of love for women, what great havoc it wreaks; but in vain! Few will heed the counsel of an author who writes that one should only love women when one is happy, for those lovely rib- bones have been, are and will be loved at all times, and in this the exemplum is of little profit. Many write that the first murder between the two brothers took place over a woman. What strife has there not been? What empires have not fallen over a woman?
132 LETIERS FROM TURKEY
Truly, one should not follow the example of a French king, who was taking to wife a daughter of the Danish king, and when she arrived so fell in love with her that he would not eat until he had married her. But when the wedding took place, straight away he conceived such a loathing for her that he could not live with her. Perhaps few too will follow the example of another king, who loved women but strove to keep the Ten Commandments. When he loved one woman in particular, in order to keep the Commandment and to give rein to his love, sometimes he would lie with the woman and make her husband lie in the bed too. That is a ridiculous tale, for it is said that a third party is always de trop in love. Do you see, Aunt, if the shepherd had not been there the wolf would have eaten the lamb. It may be said that love is no bad thing, but should be applied to the end for which God ordained it. There is no need to dig up vineyards because drunkards do not go to Heaven. All things are good, dear Aunt, women, men, wine, silver and gold alike, but let us use these things only to the end for which they were created; God has created nothing evil, but we have abused' His creation and turned it into evil, and to our injury. Wme is hannful to the weak; should the wine be blamed, or the worker in the vineyard? Neither, but just oneself. See, dear Aunt, that is the end of the sermon, let us go to bed. I wish you a good night, and with it few fleas, a sweet, pleasant dream, and an awakening on the morrow. Amen.
LXXXVll
Rodost6, 19. Febr. 1728.
Dear Aunt, we laughed a little at your letter of complaint; for even your complaining is pleasant. You write, dear Aunt, that the wind of Constantinople whitens the hair more rapidly than that of Transylvania. Certainly, there, according to Nature, it is only time that whitens it; but here it is not only time, but also the wind of much sighing. A certain great king used to say that the wind of grief had whitened his beard. Certainly, five or six years do not whiten the hair as much as a month of sorrow or anxiety. Something of the sort happened with a young man who had been condemned to death, fear and dread of death produced such a change in one night in that young man that next day, when they came to lead him out to execution, they were amazed that he had become an old man, so white had his hair become, and for that reason he was pardoned. 133 LETIERS FROM TURKEY
It is a futile thing and n6t good to complain of the length of exile; for by that means we do not shorten it, but make it harder to bear and longer. Suffering accompanied by lack of patience is much more grievous, and God lengthens suffering accompanied by complaints; for at such a time we kick, as it were, against His will. If we were to persuade ourselves that God has given exile for our benefit, we would endure it lightly. And indeed it is not otherwise, for God in all things has regard for our good. But His wise judgement sees our good differently from ourselves; for we consider that alone to be good, with which we can sate our desires. According to our religion we must consider that our exile is both profitable and necessary. But furthermore, if God were to take any of us home, that man would the better be able to value his homeland and inheritance. Indeed, the prodigal son, while his house was full of white bread and pastries, did not even think of black bread; but when he was driven to beech-mast, then he forgot white bread and sighed for black. So let us not complain of exile. Let us accept everything from the hands of God with cheerful heart, and thus our exile will be lighter. I am and shall be what I was.
LXXXVlll
Rodost6, 24. Martii, 1728.
Dear Aunt, yesterday there was here a little weeping and welling up of tears. That was because Duke Gyorgy left yesterday on a French ship for France. The greatest fault that I find in him is that he cannot speak Hungarian. But that is not his fault. He has been educated by Germans, who would not let him learn so much as the Our Father in Hungarian. There is too something of his mother in him; but perhaps he will lose that in time. But otherwise his heart is in the right place. And the country where he goes may prove to be of great advantage to him; for it is a good school. Our poor lord, who is very fond of his children, was very upset at parting from him. But what there is to be learnt in this country, we know: there is nowhere that a man can be as bored as here; for he can strike up no acquaintance, go to call on no one, and if he does not care to occupy himself with something he can only go round in great boredom. That all should fill the time as our lord does requires a gift from God; for until luncheon he passes the time in reading and writing; but after luncheon anyone seeing him would say that he was an artisan; he either drills or carves or works at the lathe. And his splendid beard is often full of 134 LETIERS FROM TIJRKEY turnings, so that he laughs at himself. And he sweats as if he ought to eat his bread in proportion to his work. Everyone is amazed at him; and he laughs at those that complain of being bored. There are few here, dear Aunt, that can so adapt themselves to the time, but all, if I may put it so, adapt time to themselves. His son, being finally unable to do so, has done well to leave. We wish him a prosperous voyage, and that he may see his homeland again. And we? Let us too live in health for that purpose, while it pleases God.
LXXXIX
Rodost6, 3. Octob. 1728.
Dear Aunt, in order that we should not forget our pilgrimage in this world, we went camping on the ninth of last month only three miles hence, beside a little Turkish village. Nothing in the world is more dismal than a town or village occupied only by Turks; for in such a place there is not a man or woman to be seen in the street, nor even a child. One would suppose that life in the village was extinct; for here each only stays in his own house, especially the women, not as in our country. Suffice it that we passed the time there as best we could. But as our lord's legs have begun to swell, yesterday we returned to our bitter-sweet abode. I know that you will not complain of a long letter. Dear Aunt, take care for your health.
XC
Rodost6, 18. April. 1728.
You must by now not be surprised when I say that I was very pleased to receive your letter: but it would have been a surprise if I had not been. But how is it that we have still not once been cross with one another? For it is said that a little quarrel in a friendship is as good as pepper in food. Nevertheless, dear Aunt, let us omit such peppering and live in unity; for I like quiet friendship. Ill-tempered friendship is for cats. Can you not tell fortunes from signs in the heavens? for on the seventh day of the month we saw a star here at one in the afternoon. It was clearly visible until three68• We cannot say that perhaps our star has risen for once; for the stars too have forgotten about us by now. So that your little finger may not hurt, you really must know that the local Greek 135 LETIERS FROM TURKEY
Archbishop has been with all ceremony to call on our lord together with the four bishops under him. But even though they go on foot, do not you believe that it is through poverty; for our Archbishop could keep two- and the bishops too. But under Turkish rule they may not ride in carriages, indeed, they have to conduct themselves as if they were poor; since furthermore the Turks and the Greek Patriarch alike frequently despoil them. For the latter creates him Archbishop that pays him most, the Archbishops appoint as their bishops those that pay them most, and the bishops, in order to be able to pay the Archbishop, place in the villages such priests as promise most. Now can you judge how the bishops and the priests take every penny from the purses of the poor on all occasions? Here there are many festivals, many fasts, all profitable to the parish priest. And in the course of the year there are. numerous customs that bring him income. On Sundays he says Mass in ragged vestments, to the best of his ability, but it should not be expected of his ignorance that he should preach. But from what should he learn to compose a bit of a sermon, and when? For I have been in the houses of a number of parish clergy, and have never seen a single book; but they keep an altar-book with its pages loose, and that is all the books they have. And when would they learn anything? When all week they have to work in the fields, to feed their wives and children and dress them in the best? In a word, here the shepherd does not only guard the sheep, he also holds them on lease, and if he does not skin them he shears them very close. On this subject I recently read a good story-you may enjoy it too. The rabbis give the following ridiculous reason for the revolt of Kore against Aaron. When a poor widow that had only one sheep sheared it, Aaron took the fleece from her, saying that it belonged to him according to the law of Deuteronomy 18:4-Dabunt sacenloti lanarum partem ex ovium tonsione. The woman appealed to .Kore to tell Aaron to restore to her the fleece; but she did not prevail. To cheer her, Kore gave her four pieces of silver, to buy the amount of wool sheared from the sheep. In time the sheep produced a lamb, and Aaron took that too, saying that in Exodus 19:2 and 1269 the law commanded that all first-born be dedicated to the Lord: whatsoever openeth the womb is mine and that is the first bred of thy cattle. The poor widow, seeing that she could obtain no profit from her little sheep, and that she was only keeping it for the benefit of the priests, decided to slaughter it. But Aaron discovered that and went to her and began to demand that part of the sheep that belonged to him by law, as Deuteronomy 18:3 enacts: Let this be the right of the priests from 136 LETIERS FROM TIJRKEY the people70, whether an ox or a sheep be slaughtered, they shall give the priest the shoulder and the belly. At that the poor woman was very embittered, and in her rage she said: 'May the flesh of my sheep be accursed in the sight of the Lord.' At that Aaron took the whole sheep, saying: 'All that is accursed in Israel shall be unto the priests.' And the poor woman lost in every way. Dear Aunt, good night.
XCI
Rodost6, 5. Octobris, 1730.
Where are you, dear Aunt? Why have you gone to Paphlagonia? Such great events are occurring in Constantinople, and you are not there; how is this possible? How dared they depose the Sultan and set another in his place without your consent? It is to be believed that affairs would have taken a different course had you been present. However, it was all done very quickly. You have heard that a little while past the Vizier crossed to Scutari on campaign, with the intention of marching against the Persians. As the Sultan had many fine pleasure-houses there, he too often went over to Scutari. As you know, between the Sultan's palace and Scutari the sea is a mere gunshot wide. It so happened that two common Janissaries, both serving in the ships, raised a rebellion. The name of the one was Musli Pasha, the other was Patrona. As the Sultan was not in his palace and the Vizier not in the city 28. Septembris, these two Janissaries assembled their comrades in a square, some fifty strong. Patrona divided them into four, gave each party a banner, and they all began to march through the streets of the city and to cry out, let all that were true Turks stand with them, for they desired only the deposition of the Vizier. They opened the prisons, swarmed through the city, caused the shops to close, and by evening had gained greatly in strength. The astonishing thing was that none in the city opposed them, although there are in the city at least forty thousand Janissaries and an army of cavalry, but none rose to the side of the Sultan. On the 29th almost the whole of the Janissary force was with them, and they had become so numerous that it would have been impossible to stand against them, whereas the previous day they might have been dispersed with a hundred. That day they appointed a new Aga of Janissaries, and many high officers were in their number. Now on the 30th the Sultan was in his palace with the Vizier, the Kapitan Pasha, the 137 LEITERS FROM TURKEY VIzier's major-domo, the Ulema (the order ofHigh Priests), all of whom he had called together, and he asked them what they thought was the cause of this uprising. One said one thing, another another, and he called the Chancellor, they chose two men and sent them as emissaries to the rebels to enquire their intentions. They replied that they were satisfied with the Sultan, but not with the Vizier, his major-domo and the Mufti, who by their greed had been damaging the Empire. And although they were satisfied with the Sultan, let him nevertheless give those three persons alive into their hands. All these things and more they set out in writing and sent to the Sultan. The Sultan repeated his request that all should state the cause of the rebellion. A member of the Ulema gave as the cause the Vizier and the major-domo. The Vizier, however, perceiving the danger in which he stood, had seized the major-domo and the Kapitan Pasha and had the latter strangled. The Sultan saw the written desires of the rebels and did his utmost to extricate the Vizier but fuiled, since there was by then a shortage of bread and water in the palace because of the rebels. The Ulema too urged him, saying: 'If thou lovest thy life, grant their desires. At all events thou must surely set in their hands the Vizier and his major-domo, but let us not surrender the Mufti, for it would be a shameful deed in the eyes of the world to surrender the prince ofthe chief priests. God is this day punishing us for the death of one 27 years ago. But rather let him be sent into life-long exile.' At last the Ulema and his sons so urged the Sultan that they obliged him to seize the VIzier and his major-domo. Then they informed the rebels that these were in captivity and were to be sent to them, but that the Mufti would not be sent, nor would he be killed. Ifthey were satisfied with the two, they would be sent to them, but if not, let them choose themselves a giaour Mufti (giaour, that is, unbeliever, is a coarse Turkish name for the Christians) because the Mufti would not be given into their hands. With that they sent emissaries to the rebels, but while they were on their way the poor VIzier was strangled, and when his major-domo, depraved, repulsive and perverted as he was, saw that he was to be strangled he died of fright. These they killed so that they might not be compelled to deliver them living into their hands. The emissaries returned and the bodies of the VIzier, his major-domo and the Kapitan Pasha were placed on a cart and sent to the rebels. They took pity on the Kapitan Pasha and sent his body to his mother for burial, they gave the body of the major-domo to the dogs, and sent back the Vizier's body on the pretext that they desired him alive. The people saw these things and all took their part. The Sultan saw that the VIzier's body had been returned, reflected privily, summoned the 138 LEITERS FROM TURKEY
Ulema, and said: 'These rebels will not acknowledge me as their Sultan and lord, therefore I wish that none shall incur any risk on my account, and so of my own free will I yield my throne to my brother's son, Sultan Mahmud. Call him into my presence, and with good heart I will submit myself to him before you, only let this rebellion cease, and all be spared from danger.' And this they did, leading thither Sultan Mahmud, and Sultan Ahmet came down from his throne, went to him, embraced him and himself seated him on the Sultan's throne in place of himself, and was the first to kiss the hand of the new Sultan, and made the Ulema do likewise. Then he said to them: 'This is my lord and Sultan, and yours, take care in the name of God and of your souls that he does nothing contrary to justice; but if you fail to admonish him for an evil deed you will give account before God on the Day of Judgement, concerning which you shall be obliged to answer to me too in this world and the next.' Then he turned to Sultan Mahmud and gave him much good council, and spoke to him such touching words that all that heard wept. Finally he said: 'That thy beard fall not entirely into the hands of thy Vtziers, remove it. I entrust my children to God and to thee, bring them up, nourish them as thy own, taking godly care of them. And do not forget that this lordship is not in any man's hands for ever.' All these things are so, and the next day at dawn Mahmud became Sultan and the reign of Ahmet was ended. What a great change!
Dear Aunt, when God intends something, with what lowly implements He works that His omnipotence shall be revealed by lowly means. Who brought down the Sultan in so great an empire? Just two common Janissaries. The one was called Patrona-he was an Albanian, not even a Turk-and a few days previously he had been selling melons. The other was called Musli, and he was formerly a tellak, an attendant in the bath- house. So shall we say no more of the unfortunate Vtzier? They are here like kings, from the point of view both of their treasure and of their power. This one in particular had been in office 12 years. And furthermore he was the son-in-law of the Sultan. The dogs ate his body, whereas he had had a tomb made for himself for some thousands of thaler. I will confess to you that we here were afraid and had grounds for considering that here too there would be unrest and looting, and kept watch at night; but here everything was so peaceful that the rebellion might have been a dream. No one would believe it, who did not know what orderliness is preserved even during mutinies, and that accordingly 139 LETTERS FROM TURKEY there is little damage. For indeed, who would think that at such a time there should not be a great deal of looting. Shops might be broken into, the Sultan•s treasury attacked: but no, for the office where everyone is paid remained open to us too, as usual. Before I end this letter, it is good for you to know that in the Empire it is the custom, when there is a change of Sultan, that the monthly pay of every Janissary is increased by one penz a day, and in addition each is given 15 thaler bakshish (that is, as a gift). Now, as this was paid, 5,000 purses went for cash. You know: one purse is five hundred thalers-half would be sufficient for us. Good night, dear Aunt, dream about the Sultan. xcn
Rodost6, 27 Novembris, 1730.
Dear Aunt, the play is still not ended. The players have to be paid. Today the news was brought that on the 25th of this month in Constantinople the Sultan had the rebels executed. Which took place as follows: hearken, you female rebel, with dread, for I will omit nothing, neither will I add anything. From the very end of the final part of my last letter you could see with your ears in what way the end of the rebellion occurred, and how the new Sultan wished to extinguish the fire that Patrona had ignited, and which, though to all appearances he had extinguished it, yet inwardly Patrona had kept alight to this present day, since his desires increased in many ways from day to day, to such an extent that the Sultan and the Grand Vizier alike were obliged to do sufficient to satisfy them, fearing that a further rebellion would break out, for he had many adherents. The principal magistrate of Constantinople (Stambul Efendi), Deli Ibrahim, has tried by all manner of means to contrive to become rich. For this purpose he tried to make use of Patrona, so that any that desired any office had first of all to pay him much money in order to acquire it. The other day Patrona went to the Vizier accompanied by the Aga of the Serdengechti (these are troops that are always in the van in both battles and sieges, consisting of such heroes as must pay no heed to death) and having obtained everything from the Vizier was so confident that he wanted to make a butcher Voivode of Moldova at the request of Deli Ibrahim, who had received much money from the butcher. But the Vizier replied that it was not in his power to make anyone a prince without the 140 LETIERS FROM TURKEY consent of the Sultan. With that he saved himself But in order that Patrona's plan in this regard should be completely thwarted, it was suggested that use should be made of his comrade Musli Aga for the purpose, who was major-domo to the Aga of Janissaries. He was sensible, and it was pointed out to him what an unsuitable thing it would be to make a butcher Voivode, and that he should undertake to prevent this hap- pening. Therefore Musli did so. He went to Patrona and pretended that he very much wanted the stupid butcher to become Voivode. Therefore he told Patrona that it was necessary to proceed in that matter with great circumspection, and that it would be good to go to the Jesab Pasha (that is, the head of the butchers), who was held in high regard, and was responsible for all the butchers. When they arrived, Musli asked him: 'Since a thousand purses of money are promised for the Voivodeship of Moldova, we wish to know of you whether you are willing to stand surety for that butcher, that he will deposit the money if the Voivodeship is obtained for him?' The head butcher replied that he would not stand surety for that butcher for so much as fifty poltura. At that Patrona was much embarrassed, and consigned that foolish and ambitious butcher not to Moldova but to prison. Deli Ibrahim, however, was in no way satisfied, and every day made ever greater demands of Patrona so that the latter every day made further requests of the ministers. And the great offices that they wished to give to him himself he would not accept. The Sultan could bear his arrogance no more, and called Janum Kosha to Constantinople to make him Kapitan Pasha (that is, the principal general ofthe maritime forces), and the Pasha ofNisa, to accompany the pilgrims going to Mecca. They arrived in Constantinople at almost the same time. Patrona suspected that the latter had been summoned for a different purpose (as was the case), and took council with his followers how the Sultan's plans might be anticipated and wrecked. To this end they divided among themselves all the hiff!l offices. Musli was forced to take the office of Steward of the Slaves 1, and they wished to make him Aga of Janissaries, and Patrona they made Kapitan Pasha. They wished to depose the Mufti, likewise the Kadilesker, the Chief Justice. In short, Patrona wished to appoint all the officers from among his followers. And if he had achieved that he would have overturned the whole Empire. The Sultan discovered this, and pretended that letters had arrived from the Pasha of Babylonia, saying that the Persians and the Saracens were doing great damage, therefore let all that considered themselves true Moslems go to his aid. With that in view the VIzier called a great divan to take council with all the Ulema and the military leaders. The foolish 141 LETIERS FROM TURKEY Patrona went to the divan with Musli and the agas of the Serdengechti. Then the messenger with the letter was called into the divan-the letter was a forgery-and was made to relate all manner of ominous news. This being so, the VIzier immediately promised Patrona a Pashaship of three horse-tails, and other high ranks to the Aga of the Serd.engechti, if they would go to the aid of Babylonia, but they did not fall into the trap, since neither was willing to go. The VIzier saw that there was nothing to be accomplished that day and said that there would have to be another divan the next day in the presence of the Sultan, and therefore he required them all to attend early next morning. This was in order to lead the rebels into an ambuscade. Next day, therefore, on the 25th of the month, they all gathered in the Sultan's palace. The palace has three courtyards and in each a divan- house was prepared, so that the divan could take place in three places. In the innermost courtyard the VIzier held council with the Tatar khan, the Mufti, the Aga of Janissaries, Patrona and other leaders of the rebels. In the second court Janum Kosha held council with the Agas of the Serdengechti, in the third the Pasha ofNisa and officers of various ranks. The servants of the Sultan, together with the bostanji were hidden, anned, in each courtyard. There had presented himself a certain chorbaji 72 that bore a grudge against Patrona, as he had taken his orta or regiment from him. He had offered his services to the Sultan for the accomplishment of his plans. And he, with other Janissaries that were hostile to Patrona, entered the Sultan's palace secretly. And when the whole assembly was in the council-houses, each seated in his place, the Sultan summoned to himself the Mufti and the Tatar Khan. At that a shot was fired, as a signal to close the gates. Immediately the chorbaji entered the divan-house in which the VIzier was, took off his cloak, was revealed to be in annour, and began to hack at Patrona, while those that were with him fell upon his followers. In similar fashion the followers of Patrona were killed in the other two courts also, and in each court there was a great blood-letting. The bodies were piled on carts and thrown into the sea. By noon that day all the rebels had been slain. And from that day Mahmut has been able to call himself the true Sultan. I too am your true nephew, and remain, dear Aunt, your servant.
142 LEITERS FROM TIJRKEY xcm
Rodost6, 25. Martii, 1731.
Dear Aunt, I would tell a lie if I said that I had not been pleased to receive your letter the other day. And did you so receive mine? With pleasure? Now I am going to write about a rebellion, I wrote about a great one last year, and now too I could, if I were required. The cause of these is that you are not living in Pera now. Suffice it that the other day there was once more an uprising in Constantinople. This was the work of the Albanians, who had gathered together, mingled with Janissaries some two or three thousand strong, and dispersed throughout the city with the noble intention of overthrowing the Sultan's court. This they would have accomplished had not precautions been taken some hours previously. Thus the Sultan himself had been in danger. But he forestalled the deed, and the chief officers bore themselves firmly, many of the rebels were killed and the rest scattered. This rebellion was blamed on the Sultan's daughter, wife of the unfortunate VIzier Ibrahim, who indeed was a brave woman and would have liked to govern the Empire as she had done during the VIzier's lifetime. Suffice it that, true or false, the rebellion was blamed on her and as punishment she was thrown among the fish of the sea. Such a princess, it seems, could have been weeded from the world in some other fashion. But as it has happened so, what is to be done about it? Is your health good, dear Aunt?
XCIV
Rodost6, 15. Apr. 1731.
It should have been so before this, and she should have left Adrianople long ago. Such are the thoughts that almost come to my mind, that some magnet is holding you then~-I shall be paid for that word: but it matters not. Suffice it that I have received your letter, and I thank you humbly. I have seen the true cause of your sojourning there and I grant you absolution. But, dear Aunt, may I write no more bloody and cruel letters such as I wrote the other day. It seemed that my pen was dipped not in ink but in blood. But it is impossible that I should not write you just one more bloodthirsty story, and no more. It comes to my mind since you tell me how vengeful the Italians are. 143 LETTERS FROM TURKEY
In Italy a lord had a great hunting-park, with many deer and stags. The lord told his servants that if any of them should happen to kill an animal in the hunting-park he would show him no mercy. It so happened that one day one of his servants took a gun into the park to shoot birds. As he was aiming at a bird on the ground, to his misfortune he shot a stag which had been lying in a bush, and which he had not seen. The servant, on realising this, fled at once. His master could not understand the reason for his flight, and let the matter rest; a few days later, however, he was walking in the park and came upon the dead stag, and could see gunshot wounds on it. He realised immediately that the servant must have shot it. Thereupon he wrote letters to all parts, had such-and-such a young man not been seen anywhere? A long time later he received word that a man resembling his servant had been enslaved and that pirates had taken him to Africa. The Italian lord promised a la.Ige sum of money to the priests that went to those parts to free slaves if they would free his servant, and he would bear all the expense. The priests were delighted to set him at liberty and sent him to his master. The unfortunate slave-lad feared nothing-years had gone by. But when the Italian saw him he began to question him, why had he shot his stag? The young man began to defend himself: but the Italian was not satisfied with this, and one night he had the wretched lad killed. That is the true Italian nature. I laughed indeed, dear Aunt (for surely one must laugh as well as write of doleful matters), at those merchants' wives giving themselves airs, as if each of them were wife of the Governor of Transylvania. Certainly, those merchants' wives cannot give themselves such airs as do the Greek women; for the Greek is haughty by nature, and the women especially so. Far be it ~ them that one should consider herself lower than another. When one meets them in the street one would think that every one was a countess, so ornately do they dress and fastidiously mince along: but when they reach home, it is good if they sit down to three poltura worth of food. I recall that when Carolus Quintus 73 was in Brussels he caused a great banquet to be given, but two great ladies would not attend so that neither should be seated above the other. The Emperor learnt of this and thought that it might stir up trouble among the guests, and so he resolved to be the judge ofthe matter. To this end he assembled the court, took his seat with all ceremony, and then the two ladies' lawyers appeared before him and each began to argue mightily in favour of his lady's superiority. The Emperor saw that each had an equal claim, and might equally claim precedence: but he did not wish to give either cause for anger against 144 LEITERS FROM TURKEY
himself, and so he pronounced that the one of them that was the more amorous, she should take precedence, and the assembly was ended. All found the judgement sound. After that the ladies did not dispute precedence, as neither wished to be publicly considered to be of an amorous disposition. I do not know whether such verdicts are pronounced before your judgement seat? But would it not be good to acquire the craft of recognising amorous women? But while on the subject of love-which is good in itself, and instilled in us by Nature, or rather the Lord of Nature; Whose every work is good; but we misuse it-1 pose the question: a young lady fell asleep in a forest, and someone wished to violate her; but as she was defending herself she received a fatal wound. The young lady's three lovers were hunting nearby, and found her in this woeful plight. The first lover went after him that would have violated her; the second swooned in his grief; the third immediately began to help her and bind her wounds. The question is, which of the three loved the young lady the most? Until you have pronounced on that I will end my letter. Good health, dear Aunt.
XCV
Rodost6, 1731. 20. Septembris.
In your letter of the other day, dear Aunt, you wrote that the VIzier had been deposed. I, however, will repay news with news, for yesterday the new VIzier passed by here with great pomp to assume his office. He is said to be a good man. He is a trifle harsh, a sign of which he gave en route, for he had a village kadi hanged at his door-one may think that he was less than just. This man is called Topal Osman Pasha (that is, Osman the Lame), as he has a limp. He was lamed in some battle; but his mind was not crippled, for he is said to be very clever, though he has read and written little in the course of his life, for he can do neither. This is now the third VIzier since the deposition ofthe Sultan. What a brief tenure, but the office is great. As I see it, the new Sultan has taken the advice of him that was deposed, that he should not allow the VIziers to rule for too long. But whether that advice was good or bad I set before your judgement seat. For if a VJ.zier were good, would it not profit the empire more to leave him and let him rule on, learning the art of government-of the affirirs of the country both domestic and foreign-and becoming better able to conduct external affairs with foreign ministers. But he is not given time 145 LEITERS FROM TURKEY for this, because he is deposed just when he is beginning to become familiar with things. Some are removed so quickly that it is as if they were VIziers only in their dreams. All this would be greatly to the detriment of the empire, if precautions were not taken; for more often than not all the chief officers are dismissed along with the VIzier, while the juniors remain. If the Head of the; Chancellery is dismissed, all the officials of the Chancellery, the scribes and clerks, remain, and the new Chancellor quickly learns from them what business is in hand and follows them. The new Treasurer likewise learns from his inferiors how the Treasury is organised. In this way the newcomers soon become old hands and the conduct of affi1irs and organisation do not change with the replacement of officers. The affairs of state simply proceed as before, but it seems to me that if a good VIzier were left in post for a long time they would proceed even better. But what am I to say, Ibrahim Pasha was VIzier for a long time, and for that reason came the final attack: for whereas while they are still VIziers their power is very great, it is all but impossible for them not to abuse their power. And this the one never learns from the other-they are all from the same mould. They ought to contrive some means whereby they are not so quickly deposed. They cannot act as Pilate did. This just occurs to me. There was a complaint against the fiunous Pilate, which somehow reached Rome. He had to go from Jerusalem to Rome to defend himself before the Emperor. But Pilate had taken Christ's seamless robe from the soldiers. It so happened that when he was commanded to go before the Emperor he was wearing that robe. The Emperor marvelled at his action: 'How is it, that I have summoned Pilate hither to send him into exile: but no, I even rise to greet him and receive him kindly? What can be the cause of this?' But Pilate was all the more amazed at the Emperor, for he could not understand the cause either. The Emperor summoned Pilate a second time. Again Pilate appeared in the same robe before the Emperor, who received him ceremoniously as before. The Emperor was all the more astonished at what he did, and Pilate likewise: neither knew to what to ascribe it. Some days later the Emperor summoned Pilate once more, but my lord Pilate, to his misfortune, was taken by surprise, put on a new robe and left off the seamless one, that had saved him twice. And so when he appeared before Caesar not only did he not rise to greet him, he spoke harshly to him and exiled him to Gaul. Believe that as you please, and I shall remain who I am.
146 LETTERS FROM TURKEY
XCVI
Rodost6, 24. Decemb. 1731.
I dare no more wish you a Merry Christmas as custom requires; for you have now adopted an alien custom. In foreign countries, especially in France, they exchange greetings only at New Year: whereas we do it on the three great festivals. Which custom is the better? That I leave to the learned. Let each country observe its own custom-that is best. I too would observe my own, were it possible, and would send some news, if there were any: but here we lead a life of such utter peace that it seems that elsewhere everyone is dead, and we alone are alive. But if we consider the matter properly, others are alive and we are just asleep. But has the exile anything else to do? Dear Aunty, how could I answer your wise and clever letters? I need not write so clever a letter-my intellect does not cleave the heaven, as does yours; it merely walks on earth. And so, most respectfully setting aside the remainder, I will answer just the one. You write, Aunt, that lack of faith, doubting and black envy have gone into exile with us as if they too could not have remained in the country. This is all true, and so it is. But it is also the case that the Turkish Sultan has not authorised an issue of bread for them; though they linger on. How many of our number have we buried by now74, and yet that accursed envy still remains and only factiousness remains healthy and grows not old. Perhaps these will bury us too, unless the good Lord relieves us of them. It seems that those in exile should live better than their brethren remaining at home: but until now my experience is to the contrary. Indeed, the more our numbers decrease, the more envy and factiousness gain strength. And it has always been s~and I regret to see that it will remain so for ever and ever (but I will not say to it Amen). It may be said that our pious lord has always striven to drive them from our midst, but his success is yet incomplete. But how is he to accomplish what death cannot? Had it been up to me, I would long ago have had them burned; for what do they seek here? We are all in the same situation-one has abandoned his property like another. Here honours and lands are not distributed. The north and south winds are distributed to all alike; there may, however, be the difference that the one has better health, another can eat and drink more, a third has sounder legs and can walk more on the beach. If such are worthy subjects of factiousness and envy, let us take then before the judgement-seat of Prester John75, that he may judge them. But before we reach there, I have 147 LEITERS FROM TIJRKEY fonned the opinion that it all arises :from the fact that for exiles life is full of inanity, they easily become weary of their exile. There is little to occupy them. the passage of time bores them, and if they live together they become bored with themselves, and seeing only one another's :fuces at all times, that too is boring; and thus in the final analysis the confounded nuisances mentioned above are the product of sheer boredom. We read in the histories an exemplum to the effect that it is not good to mistrust others. This is given by a pagan but beautiful queen, to wit, my lady the celebrated Cleopatra. You know how much she and Marcus Antonius loved one another. After the battle of Actium they fled to Egypt. Marcus Antonius thought that as he was now in misfortune he would not be loved as before; for to love the unfortunate is a misfortune. And so he was fearful at all times that Cleopatra might send him to the next world with a little drink, and take to herself one more fortunate. Cleopatra realised this and gave a banquet, at which all that sat at table wore on their heads garlands of flowers. You can imagine what a fine garland Cleopatra made for Marcus Antonius, but perhaps you can not imagine that she sprinkled it with a poisonous powder. At the banquet, then, all were wearing garlands on their heads as was the custom-the queen was in a good humour, and very affectionately disposed toward Marcus Antonius. When she saw that he was becoming intoxicated not only with wine but also with love, and was in that condition which she desired, she told him to put a flower from his garland into his glass, and she would do the same. Marcus Antonius heard this and, wishing in all things to do only the queen's will, immediately took from his garland a flower, tossed it into his glass, and was about to drink it to the health of Cleopatra. But the queen put her hand to his lips and restrained him, saying: 'Do not drink it, Marcus Antonius, and see what can be accomplished when one wishes something. I have sprinkled those flowers with poison. Judge from that, whether the suspicion which you display towards me could save you from peril, whether I could bring myself to destroy you, and whether I could live without you.' But seeing that Marcus Antonius doubted her words, she straightway caused to be brought from the dungeon a slave that was condemned to death, made him drink the wine in the glass, and he fell dead before them. That is how to cure someone of suspicion and lack of faith, bitter though the medicine might be. But let me give you another exemplum concerning envy. A French king, who was yet new in his kingship, was constantly reminded by his courtiers, seeking to flatter, how much grief and suffering had been inflicted on him by the officers of the preceding king in his time. 148 LEITERS FROM TIJRKEY
And so it was now possible for him to exact retribution on them. To this end they so wged him that finally the king commanded that the names of the officers ofthe pl"f"«Yling Icing's court be brought before him in writing. These were promptly banded in with great delight. The king took the list in his hand and marked the names of many with a cross, then locked away the list. The courtiers saw that and were happy to consider that those whose names bad been marked with a cross were ruined men. In their great delight they could not wait for what the king meant to do to them, but let it be known in advance how the king bad marked their names with crosses. At this news many of those whose names had been marked took fright, and fled the country secretly or took refuge in the provinces. The king learned the reason for their dq>arture from court, and in the hearing of all, and to their amazement, spoke these memorable words: 'Why have they fled from my court? Did they not know that the cross is the guarantee of reward, and that through the merit of the cross their sins have been forgiven?' Then he commanded that they be all summoned back, and when all bad returned he confirmed each of them in his office. That was an act as fine as the envy bad been uncouth. And so I shall speak no more of it; but I will say that the weather is hot here. This month I have only twice bad a fire lit. A question for you: which loves better, he that does not leave his benefactor or he that takes his leave and goes? May you reach the New Year, dear Aunt, and see it out with God's blessing. Shall we not wish one another new hearts? for as we love one another, ours are now quite burnt up. But why have we taken from the pagans the custom of wishing one another a prosperous New Year or a good journey? We do not invoke God's blessing or assistance, but merely good luck! Inasmuch as there is no luck in the eyes of God, Christians ought not to take account of it. Well! I will end my letter, and let us give thanks to the Lord, that he has preserved us through the year. I remain.
XCVII
Rodost6, 14. Martii, 1732.
I have received, dear Aunt, with pleasure and delight your letter, written as it is with cane-sugar. Let us admit to the world that we two are good, and that we are well able to love one another. And the fact that we never quarrel, even when we do quarrel, cements our friendship all the more. I 149 LETTERS FROM TURKEY really would not have expected your news-and now it is right to be angry-who would have thought that Topal would be deposed so soon from the Viziership? Everyone liked him, and all feared him. The truth is, I believe, that the Germans wished him dismissed, for he hated them; whereas for us, God bless him, he did quite a lot of good in so short a time. Ifthis continues, in two or three years time there will not be a Turk that has not tasted the Viziership. I leave out of the reckoning Count Bonneval, even if he is a Turk, because God will not permit that such an apostate shall advance even here. Ifthat pasha is still in Babylonia whom they say is to be made Vizier, when will he arrive? But he is all the more worthy for being the son of a doctor, and not of a barber or a wood- cutter-as has already happened. Here Viziers are raised from the dust and then cast into it. I will adduce a little story concerning that. Here, when poor orphan children are discovered that are comely, they are taken in the collection of taxes and brought up in the Turkish faith, and the handsomest are educated in the Sultan's court. One of this number, as he still appeared very weak, was not given to the Sultan's court but to a pasha. He showed favour to the boy, gave him the best education here available, and brought him up with great care. The boy, whom we will call Ibrahim, both studied and conducted himself very well, so much so that the pasha thought that perhaps he would earn himself favour by giving him to the Sultan's son Suliman, who became so famous after the death of his father. Suliman received the gift with great pleasure, and as he was of the same age as the boy Ibrahim was his constant playmate, and he became so fond of him that he would be served only by Ibrahim. The latter realised this and desired to take advantage of the opportunity, but not for any wicked purpose, but in order to find benefactors and help the poor. Suliman, in whom there was a truly princely nature, was pleased to see this noble heart in him and esteemed and loved him all the more. And when he became Sultan76 he gave clear indication of the fact to all, because he made Ibrahim Kapiji Pasha, and a little while later Chief Aga of Janissaries. Seeing his rapid promotion, Ibrahim feared that his good fortune would be impermanent. Frequently there came into his mind the misfortunes of the great lords of the Porte, and their tragic deaths caused him gloomy reflection, so much so that gloomy thoughts so preoccupied him that he lost the good humour that had often pleased Suliman. The Sultan saw this and, as he loved him sincerely, he enquired the reason. Ibrahim confessed the truth, saying that the cause of his sadness was nothing other than that, having considered the Sultan's great favour towards him, he feared that this would give rise 150 LEITERS FROM TURKEY to envy and hostility towards him and that these would grow and cast him into the same wretched state into which other great lords had previously fallen, and that finally he would suffer such a loathsome death as they. This fear was constantly in his mind, and so he requested him to show him :favour only in moderation, so that he might live his life in an ordinary station, in peace and quiet; since even in a lowly position he would be able to show him favour, just as he did in the exalted rank to which he had raised him. Suliman heard these wise words and his heart went oUt to him, and he praised his good nature, and was unwilling to deny him anything that would make him happy; he undertook with a great oath that his life would never be in jeopardy as long as he lived, from whatever cause. Having regard to such great promises Ibrahim was cheered, and began to serve with even greater zeal. And Suliman, to give an even greater sign of the faith that he had in him, made him Grand VIzier. Then Suliman campaigned successfully in both Hungary and Persia. Ibrahim played an important part in both. He became so powerful and wealthy, and was so much in :favour, that all trembled before him. The Sultan's women, that is, his mother and Roxelan, the wife of Suliman, saw all this and began to be envious, realising that now affairs were no longer so much in their hands, and that everything was in the hands of the Vtzier; and so they sought a pretext for his destruction. Ibrahim had a presentiment of this and fearing that indolence would give Suliman cause and opportunity to be convinced by his mother's concern and his wife's embraces; with this in mind he urged Suliman to a further expedition against the Persians. Such incitement pleased Suliman, for never was a prince so fond of campaigning, nor was one ever so fortunate. Nevertheless he did not immediately follow Ibrahim's council, for he had only recently made a treaty with the Persian king. But Ibrahim very much wished to prevail on him, and found the means by summoning from Damascus a famous astrologer whose name was Muley, who was believed to know well what the future held. Princes have their weaknesses as have other men, and those are happiest in whom least are to be found. Suliman desired to see the astrologer. Ibrahim took him to the Sultan, but first spoke with him privately. The astrologer foretold that if the campaign was begun it would make him king of Persia. Covetousness blinded Suliman, he forgot the treaty that he had made with the Persian king, and set out against him with six hundred thousand men. He spent some years at it, but the campaign was unsuccessful, he returned to Constantinople with a quarter of his army and was very angry with both the astrologer and his Vtzier. The Sultan's women sensed his wrath and 151 LETTERS FROM TIJRKEY immediately laid the misfortunes of the campaign to the charge of the Vtzier, and rousing up against him others also they began to persuade Suliman that the Vizier had been in league with the Persian king and had received a great deal of money from him. They summoned to the Porte the Pasha of Babylonia and took him secretly to Sulitnan, who said much to him of the VIzier's deceitfulness. At the same time the Sultan's women discovered somehow that the Vizier had been carrying on correspondence with Charles V and Ferdinandn. They contrived to obtain some ofthese letters and gave them to the Sultan. He, seeing from all this the wickedness and ingratitude of his chief minister, resolved inwardly on his death. But recalling the undertaking that he had faithfully made, he assembled his preachers and priests. In the presence of the Mufti he set before them the state of affairs and his promise. They argued for a long time but reached no decision. But one of the priests said to Suliman: 'Whereas thou hast promised the Vtzier that in thy lifetime thou wilt not slay the Vtzier, have him strangled while thou sleepest-for sleep is as death-and thus thou wilt abide well enough by thy word.' The rest too considered that good. Suliman summoned the Vtzier, entertained him to dinner, then placed his letters in his hands for him to read. Then he reproached him for treachery and ingratitude, had him seized, and commanded that the Vizier be strangled while he slept-which was done. So good night, dear Aunt, I too am going to sleep, and I have commanded that while I sleep all my fleas be killed, for there are enough of them.
XCVIII
Rodost6, 4. Martii, 1733.
Kings too close their eyes as we do, dear Aunt. For the news has just come that on the first of February Augustus, King of Poland, died like any ordinary mortal. The soul went out of him, and death remained. God rest him, for he was a good king. Long he ruled and deservedly, for perhaps no king was as able to display such kingship as he. Never had the Poles a king that gave them such hospitality or so many and varied enter- tainments as he. I will not speak for the women, for they may mourn him a hundred years: while he was alive they could not even think of Paradise, so good was he at pleasing them and seeking their favour. In a word, he was worthy of kingship and knew both how to obtain its advantages and how to turn it to the pleasures of this world. At first, it is true, his reign 152 LEITERS FROM TURKEY was very thorny, until the Swedish king was defeated; but thereafter he was able to pluck many roses. What inexpressible amount of good things followed upon his conversion to our religion? Since the days of Martin Luther the root and nest of Lutheranism had been in Saxony. For two hundred years since his days Holy Mass had not been said in the palaces of the Electors of Saxony: but now it is said there, as elsewhere in· the country. How his conversion was to the great glory of God, and the great benefit of holy mother church. His son is now a Papist-his children too-and in a short while so will be the whole country. He was a great benefactor of our lord. It is impossible that we should not now see war in Europe, for the election of a king in Poland is never accomplished peaceably. Now there are two aspirants: the son of the dead king and Stanislas. The Emperor78 and the Russian Tsaritsa79 will be supporters of the former, the French king of the latter; for as he lies with his daughter it behoves him to come to his aid. Let them argue with one another. I know that they will have advocates of gunmetal-as when the French king went to war against the Emperor over his wife's property, Leopold asked the French ambassador what right his master had to begin hostilities? The ambassador replied that he did not know; but he did know that his master had in readiness two hundred thousand advocates, and that they would speak for him. And he won the case80• Dear Aunt, what a fine thing it is to go to law with so many lawyers. But it is a fine thing also if you are healthy, especially during the fust.
XCIX
Rodost6, 15. Sept. 1733.
Here we are merely keeping our ears to the ground and waiting to see what disturbs the surface of the water, and whether we might be able to catch anything .. But the luck of the poor is poor. And if I send hence some gift will my Aunt find fault with it? A fine thing is ingratitude. It is inevitable, he that lives with Greeks must become a Greek. But there are none more ungrateful or more cunning than Greek women, and they love only themselves, but that with a Greek love, not befitting the nobility. The other day I read a conversation between two women concerning love of self-1 do not know whether to give an account of it or not? But I will, for I have nothing else to write81 •
153 LETTERS FROM TURKEY Silvia, Julianna.
Julianna. How is it, my dear Silvia, that at this time you are walking in your garden, and alone: whereas usually you like to walk in the company of many? Silvia. Everything has its season. There are times when I like to be in a crowd; and there are others when it is pleasant to be alone. I have been in this latter condition this morning. That is why I have sent for you. Juli. Does this desire to walk alone spring from something unusual, and has your heart no part in such walking? Silvia. I have not called you hither to conceal things from you. I will confess that a little mood is affecting me. Could you bring yourself to believe, my dear Julia, that I have within me a tinge ofjealousy? Juli. Although such jealousy becomes so great a disease that one must pity the sufferer; yet nevertheless I cannot but be glad that you experience it; for when you say that there is jealousy in you, it is as if you were saying that you love someone. And I have always desired that you should, with wisdom and feeling, bind yourself to someone. Silvia. My dear Julianna, your wishes in this regard remain unsatisfied. It is true that there is jealousy in me; but there is none that I love, neither have I any inclination towards love. Juli. What do you mean? You feel jealousy, yet you are not in love? Silvia. Certainly not. What I envy is that Telamon so seeks the favours of Diana, and I cannot bear that he should go to her and not to me. Cause me sorrow though it may, I do not love Telamon and never shall. Juli. How should I not be amazed at what you say? Hitherto I had always believed that jealousy sprang from love, and that, if it is hard for us that someone should give themselves to another, it is because we love them. Silvia. You deceive yourself greatly, lovely Julianna. But you must understand that love of ourselves is sufficient for worry and jealousy to spring up within us even in the absence of love of another. Juli. If you feel only love for yourself, then your jealousy is directed only at Diana, and not at Telamon; since, as you do not love him, you need not concern yourself with his actions. Silvia. I-jealous of Diana? It is impossible that there should be such weakness in me. She is beautiful, she is clever-that I know, and I admit it: but that love of myself which vexes me because Telamon prefers her to me likewise causes me to believe that I am not her inferior in beauty or wit. Nor do I regard her as one that loves the same person as I. And that 154 LETTERS FROM TURKEY vexation in which I am because Telamon visits only her and not me arises from nothing other than love of myself, on account of which I say of myself that none should be regarded as superior to me, and that I deserve at least equality. Juli. I confess that I have never permitted love of self to grow to that extent. I have maintained that it is an internal emotion such as causes us to esteem ourselves and makes us think little of others. Thus I have regarded it as a sin which we must resist with all our power; but I could never have thought it to be such an internal emotion as would cause both disquiet and anxiety on account of a situation which was none of our con- cern. Silvia. Ah, lovely Julianna! To what a small space you restrict a sensitivity that knows no bounds! In fact, love of self is the feeling of goodwill towards ourselves that makes us love ourselves in the first place. But you must also admit that we have it to thank for the desire to make ourselves loved by others, and that all that we do is to that end. Love of ourselves directs our every action. It is through this that we love or hate; give or withhold; take revenge or forgive; in a word, it is an emotion which, in all our actions, considers only ourselves. Juli. What? Then my generous friendship, with which I link myself to you, is not for your benefit, but only for my own? Silvia. Nothing else. If you found nothing pleasing in my company, if my words did not please you, if my ways conflicted with yours; you would neither love me, nor would you visit me. I can say the same for myself with regard to you; if you were to me unwelcome, profitless or dull I would not befriend you. Do you think that when someone attaches themselves to us it is for our benefit? No, Julianna, no; but only for themselves, and therefore on account of the delight that they take in love of us. Love of self is even greater in men that in us; for they require us to be faithful to them and to love only them; they, however, leap from one beauty to another, and would wish to be pleasing to all women. Juli. But in this way you obliterate fine dispositions, true friendships; you set at nothing sympathy, that secret disposition that so marvellously unites hearts; you demean the finest actions; and if everything is done for love of self alone, gratitude becomes of no account; duty is mere madness; and you give to good morals such a beginning as will obscure their nobility and illustriousness. Silvia. I do not do these things; indeed, I even maintain that love of self ennobles fine dispositions, strengthens friendships and brings about the accomplishment of fine deeds. Two persons that agree in nature, ways 155 LEITERS FROM TURKEY and desires feel attracted one to another. Having been aroused by love for themselves, they will seek with equal desire to be worthy one of another. Love for ourselves causes us to do only that which is praiseworthy and honourable. What else have those :fiunous men that have gained countries considered in their campaigns but themselves, and did their love for themselves not inspire them? In short, we see in glory, constancy, fidelity and gratitude only that by which we may satisfy love for ourselves-and it is to be found in all of them. Juli. I will agree that, as concerns the actions referred to, they could contain an element of love of self; but is it possible that when I have sought the advantage of a benefactor, of which none can know, in some important affair, that I have done so not in order to place him under an obligation but in order to satisfy my love for myself? Silvia. My dear Julianna, your benefactor may indeed be hidden from the world; but is he hidden from you, who have performed the action? Do you not feel within yourself that inward pleasure towards your noble action? This is an emotion common to the human race-you are no exception, and is this emotion not love of self, which causes some to conceal the gift, others to proclaim it? Juli. Therefore I must not hold under obligation any to whom I have done good; because I have done it for myself alone? Silvia. Does the delight that you experience in giving spoil the delight that the other experiences in receiving? Has your benefactor no love of self, as you have? Does it not provoke gratitude in him? Does he not say inwardly that he would be the most ungrateful in the world if he had no obligation to you for what you have done? Love of self militates against ingratitude and actually makes us grateful. Juli. Since you have now become a protagonist for love of self, and defend it so cleverly, do not decline to listen to my questions and to answer them. I will grant you, young, beautiful and clever as you are, a degree of love of self; but how will you convince me that it is acceptable in the aged, or the despicable? Silvia. It is never stronger than in these situations; for love of self leads us to remedy the harm that Nature does us at our birth, or as we grow old, either by means of our wits or through good conduct, wisdom or good morals. Are we not rendered praiseworthy, even in the absence of youth and beauty, by knowledge, wisdom, munificence and generosity? And would it not be possible to call love of self that which is known as honour? This love not only obliges us to conceal our shortcomings; but also enables us to be perfect in the sight of others. And I will say more: 156 LEITERS FROM TIJRKEY for I cannot believe that there can be love of self in a wicked person; for love of self can only derive from the feeling of some good thing within ourselves. How can there be love of self in him in whom there is no good? Juli. I was waiting for you to say that. How can you prove what you say: when every day we see that men and women in whom the good morals that you desire are not to be found? Those that have high opinions of themselves, is this not love of self? Silvia. Not at all. For that is, as it were, delusion among men and mindlessness among women. Think well of love of self, and do not confuse it with such shortcomings. The mother of love of self is wisdom, and you refer to persons who are devoid of wisdom. In the light of wisdom we can recognise the good or evil in our natures-and through the love of self we display publicly the one and keep hidden the other. In a word, my dear Julianna, I say once more that all things from which praise, esteem and delight can come spring from love of self alone. Juli. As that is so, lovely Silvia. according to your belief love of self is the fount of all good morals. Silvia. Their pillar at least, and that which displays them best. Juli. My dear Silvia. you have convinced me quite, and I have taken the part oflove of self. But where will your love of self be ifTelamon marries Diana? Silvia. Although by virtue of my love of self his choice has gone bard with me, nevertheless it will cheer me, and will convince me that he was not worthy ofmy affection.
Dear Aunt, what do you say to that? Is there any love of self in you? It cannot be said that there is none in the women and girls of Transylvania. But it may also be said of them that they can say with confidence: 'I love you as I do myself. For if they love themselves, they know how to love others; for there is in them both good blood and a good heart. But a Greek woman would perhaps take it as a curse if she were told: 'I love you as I do myself' Whereas if she were to say such a t:hiiig one would not have to believe it, forSt Paul says: the Greeks are liars82• Dear Aunt, I love you as myself, and myself as sleep, and so I bid you good night.
157 LEITERS FROM TIJRKEY c
Rodom6,4.~bris, 1733
Have you heard the rumour, Aunt, that at any moment there is to be a great war? But do you know the reason for it? Towards the end of October the French [king] informed the German emperor, in a most amicable way, that he was declaring war on him. The cause of this was nothing other than that as Augustus, the Polish king, had closed his eyes, the French court endeavoured that Stanislas should be elected King of Poland. On discovering that almost all the counts palatine would support this he had sent Stanislas to Poland to be elected, as almost the whole country had elected him King in Parliament and had proclaimed him as such. But at the same time a number of palatines and bishops had assembled and elected as king the son of Augustus. This little assembly took place with the assistance ofthe emperor and the Muscovite Tsaritsa. At first sight this had not seemed a viable proposition; but a little while later it appears that the Muscovite army entered Poland, whereupon the magnates too altered their opinions and took his part. And the greater the force that entered Poland, the more that went to Augustus' side, and all was accomplished by the emperor's underhand dealing. The French court was angry therefore, and declared war on both of them. But whereas the king could not send Stanislas an army either as easily or as quickly as he would have wished, he had to leave Warsaw and yield place to Augustus. Because of all this we are very much expecting war to break out. What benefit it will be to us God alone knows. We shall hope and hope on until we die. The Italian proverb says that he who lives by hope dies in hospital. Ifnot in hospital, perhaps in Rodosto. Wherever it may happen, we shall have to close our eyes one day. But until then it is good to take care of our health, dear Aunt, and to drive out sadness, and not to allow thoughts and melancholy to carry us off. Let us not be like that French gentleman who, having buried his wife, that evening. as dinner was being carried to the table would not sit down because his wife was not present. He became tired of waiting and told the cook to inform his wife that food was on the table. The cook told him that she could not come because she had been buried-then the gentleman came to his senses. There is much sadness in this world.
158 LEITERS FROM TURKEY CI
Rodost6, 15. Febr. 1734.
It is high time that I heard from you, dear Aunt. I have written three times this year. The news is that Stanislas is spending the winter in Danzig. Let us see how his affairs prosper in spring. The French and Spanish anny is advancing strongly on Italy. The King of Sardinia83 too is preparing. I do not know what the emperor thinks, but I think in his stead that if he allows Stanislas to lose the throne of Poland he can fear himself being deprived of Italy. The son of the King of Spain84 is not satisfied with his two duchies85-his father can yet make him a king: now is his time. So is it time for us to expect something? What our poor lord can do with his quill he does not shirk. He writes letters enough to all parts; for we are like the sick man in the Gospel that had waited thirty years by the pool for one to carry him in when the angel disturbed it86• We too are waiting for someone somewhere to cause some disturbance, for we can do no good for ourselves. God will bring our time too-if not now, then later. Who would not laugh, dear Aunt, as you so fittingly describe the French as inconstant in their every action? In so far as a Frenchman is prepared to love two or three girls and as many ladies at the same time, it is so. Two ladies nicely took in a Frenchman, who had gone with each and made each believe that he loved her. These two ladies were friends and exchanged confidences, and learned from one another how the Frenchman had deceived them. They made a plan and went together to call on the Frenchman, and, as it were in sport, under many fine pretexts they so tied him up and trussed him up, like a little child, so that he could only move his head. That being so they set him against the wall like a wooden statue and there said all manner of nice things to him. When that was done the ladies went to the home of one of them and caused two lads to bring their trussed-up lover thither, and there fed him like a child. Then the ladies went to bed, and placed the living doll between them, and there they did to him everything that they could, omitting nothing; they reproved him, ad- monished him, derided him, and did not allow him to sleep all night. As morning approached they promised him that they would release him, only he must conduct himself honourably. The lad agreed to everything. The ladies rose, dressed and left the house. A long time later an old woman entered the house and released him. The lad asked where the ladies were, and the old woman told him that two hours previously they had taken their coaches and gone, each to her estate. 159 LEITERS FROM TURKEY More and better next time, but now I have nothing else to write. Therefore I remain my lady's servant, bound not only with twine but with rope. en
Rodost6, 18. Febr. 1734.
Never, dear Aunt, have I been so inclined as today to write a very :fine, elegant and economical letter. Nor have I ever had such a great appetite as today for the writing of a long letter. But as I fear that I shall not accomplish either in such a way as to be pleasing in your sight, I will end my letter, and from this you may learn that I am still alive and that I remain to my lady, my dear aunt, a good kinsman.
P.S. Dear Aunt, where can there be a finer letter, short though it be, than that written after a battle by a famous general to his wife, saying: 'We have beaten the enemy, I am a little tired, good night, my dear wife.'
em
Rodost6, 15. Martii, 1734.
The only news from all parts is that everywhere preparations are made for war. Many Germans, French and Spanish are advancing on Italy. One might think that there was some great banquet to be held there, for which they are gathering. Eugenius, however, is moving toward the waters of the Rhine. It is said that the French are sending thither some hundred thousand men. Now why, dear Aunt, are these gathering there? Perhaps to go fishing? But King Stanislas is in Danzig. The Muscovites and the Saxons are preparing to confine him there. There will be quite a set-to. What will come of it all God alone knows. It seems that King Stanislas will lose most if he contrives to lose the throne of Poland, as may well happen, the way his affairs are progressing at present. But even if he does lose that, his daughter is queen of France. And how will the emperor be able to resist three kings in Italy, each of whom is trying to deprive him of Sicily and Naples, and to place new kings there? But what benefit shall we derive from all this? Perhaps none. Our time has not yet come-until then we must merely dance the friendship-dance. 160 LETIERS FROM TURKEY
In order not to end my letter on a gloomy note~ I will translate for you a letter to a benefuctor of mine-I would have sent the letter, but it is in French.
You know well, my dear benefuctor, in what affection I hold Julianna, and by what a dance she has led me. I was no more than twenty when I devoted myself to her service; and I have spent more than thirty years in dispute with her. I have loved her all the while until she has grown old, like an old cat: but what a one she still is. She has been very hard to reach, but nevertheless to my eyes she seems a beautiful old woman. True, we have sighed many fruitless sighs together, that we did not marry sooner; but she is at fault, not I. You know that she never consented to our marriage while she yet had a single tooth in her mouth. I have had these words engraved on my engagement ring: 'In the thirty-first year of my love.'
Dear Aunt, what do you say of such a man? But I say that such an example should be admired but not followed. Aunt, your health! As I was about to seal my letter I thought of the daughter of Carolus magnus87. This emperor so loved his daughters that he would not permit them to marry, so that they should not leave him. And in this he succeeded, though not to his profit. One of his daughters was very friendly with her father's secretary, and on one occasion among others the secretary went one evening to visit the princess, and it happened that while he was with her snow fell heavily. The secretary took his leave of the princess, saw that there had been a heavy snowfall, and was afraid that his footprints would be seen in the courtyard. The princess, seeing of what he was afraid, said to him: 'I will carry you across the courtyard, so that it shall not appear that a man has gone that way.' No sooner had she spoken than she acted, tQok the secretary on her back and carried him across the courtyard. To their misfortune, or good fortune, the emperor could not sleep that night and had gone to spend time at the window. But imagine, dear Aunt, how he stared, on seeing his daughter carrying her burden. But he said nothing, but next day told his counsellors, and they decided to give the princess her precious burden for ever.
161 LETTERS FROM TIJRKEY
CIV
Rodost6, 12. April. 1734.
My profound and humble thanks, dear Aunt, for the fish. Which doubly deserves my thanks: firstly, because it is sent by my Aunt; and secondly, because we are fasting, and we have need of it. For here good fish is a rarity: whether because fish do not like these parts, or because our fishermen are asses. Here one may fast most abstemiously with regard to fish, but we are well supplied with eggs, and have only those for our fasting. There are times when I feel that I have chickens in my stomach. Perhaps it is no lie when I say that we need more than a hundred eggs a day. Count up for the whole fast and place three noughts after the four, and you will see that it comes to four thousand-but I will subtract a few days. Ifwe could go to the table of the emperor Vitellius"8 we would not have to eat omelette: for it is written of him that on one occasion he had two thousand kinds of fish on his table, some grilled, some boiled, and another time seven thousand kinds of birds. All that seems a lot, especially to such as we, who look with favour on a single fish on the table. But when we think it over, perhaps it was to be expected of an emperor who ruled the world but showed his greatness only at table. But some may ask, are there seven thousand kinds of birds? To that Noah might be able to reply. But until then we shall eat only omelette. Nor would it be good to indulge in so many kinds of fish, especially in so rare a fast as the present. For perhaps you have never known StGeorge89 to fall during Lent. Thank you too for the wine, though not so much as for the fish; for we have wine enough. And not only enough-but good-as table-wine goes; they are not wines for the cultivated palate, nor women's wines, as the saying is. But they are good enough for our requirements and for sustenance-what more is needed? Moderate drinking is beneficial to our health. It is considered that four toasts at a meal are sufficient~ the first to ourselves; the second to our benefactors; the third to merry-making; and the fourth to our enemies. This custom is not observed in our fairy homeland. You say, Aunt, that you have found an error in my recent letter. Certainly, you can both recognise and correct that error. But perhaps it is not a matter of substance. Perhaps I have erred only in omitting the dot from an i? Just now it comes to me that a prize was once offered to a number of young artists, to be won by him that could paint the most 162 LETTERS FROM TIJRKEY
beautiful picture. One of them painted the most beautiful, and the prize should have gone to him that, in depicting the Last Supper, he had, to his misfortune, thoroughly larded the paschal lamb that was before the Apostles. The Jews, however, did not eat bacon-and so the prize was given to another. If you have found such an error, perhaps it does not merit death. What you have written of, to my deep regret, I cannot perform; but what can we do about it? I forgive your request, and do you forgive my inability to comply. And I remain, wishing you good health.
cv
Rodost6, 16. Junii, 1734.
The news has now come that the Muscovites and the Saxons have besieged Danzig. They have closed every path and hole that King Stanislas may not flee. It is easy to fire upon the city and to take it: but it is very hard to prevent the king from departing thence. He will yet have to resign himself to so doing, since the French ships have not hastened to his relief. The fortress that cannot be relieved will be taken. All the more so, because the City Council of Danzig has no practice in such games. But let us leave Danzig, surely there is much gunfire there, and let us go to Italy, and look how the numerous armies that have gathered there are faring. It is said that by this time the French have taken two or three fortresses there. But the greatest thing is that even in Milan they no longer call 'Wer da ?'. Thus the emperor's affairs prosper little in Italy. If, however, the Spanish house once takes root in Italy, as it has begun to do, it is to be feared that the guest will eat the master out of house and home. The son of the King of Spain has gone to assume the three duchies left to his mother in Italy. But, if he is fortunate, perhaps he will yet establish the kindgom of Sicily. But whatever may happen, if only something to our advantage would result. But I cannot hear with my eyes nor see with my ears anything that may tum that way. It will come in time. Dear Aunt, what a fine thing is a long life. Thirty-three years have gone by of this century, but in that short time very great matters have been accomplished. What, then, if we live, may we not see? I have seen that when you send something to me, you complain. But one grows fut on complaints, although it is said:
163 LEITERS FROM TURKEY
Sour the bread the grudging give, Thick with poison dough and crust; They that eat it sighing live, Soften it with a tear they must.
But, dear Aunt, complain though you may, you do not deal with an ingrate, and you cannot maintain:
Make no rich presents to a friend, For gratitude may thereby end.
And I will cap that, even if I have to lose an ear:
Who gives a gift and counts the cost Ne'er redeems what he has lost.
I know, you will say that I have slept well at night, because it is easier to tum out verse after a good night's sleep. Therefore I have put away my verse-making tools and remain always my dear Aunt's etc.
CVI
Rodost6, 27. Julii, 1734.
Aunt, dreadful great things come to pass in this our wretched dwelling- place. We sleep peacefully, while elsewhere men are forceably laid down for the long sleep. Even ifthose events do not involve us, none the less we pray for the works of God on others, and then let us proceed to Danzig, where the artillery fire has ceased, for the city has surrendered to the Muscovites, to whom a few hundred thousand florins will have to be paid, and a like sum to the Saxons too, for not having looted the city. Receiving such a guest has proved very costly. One can believe that in future they will be unwilling to accommodate such a guest, on whose account their city and the surrounding regions have been so ravaged that twenty years will not suffice to set them in order. But the city was given up after King Stanislas had fled thence with only two companions. He had exposed himself to great danger, and had been sought in every nook and cranny by the Muscovites, but it was by then too late, for the bird had flown the 164 LETIERS FROM TIJRKEY cage, and he had gone to the territory of the king of Prussia, to Konigsberg-there we need not fear the Muscovites. Indeed, by leaving Poland he has given up the throne. But he that was the first obstacle to his becoming king of Poland will pay for it dearly, because the saying: 'He that digs a pit for another falls therein himself refers not only to such as we, but also to emperors. As we see, when we move from Danzig to Italy. Let us go there, then, and look how the guests are faring there, for many emperor-birds have been killed. For it is surely written that the French, the Spanish and the Savoyards have defeated the Germans, and the battle is said to have taken place near Parma at the end of last month. All these things are pleasing to the son of the king of Spain, who, at the age of twenty-two, is very near to the acquisition of the crown. How well he rides that sits God's saddle! How smoothly his affairs proceed that God helps! And on the Rhine the French have taken Philipsburg. Eugenius and all his army were there, to make the fortress safer from capture. The French general that had taken it was shortly afterwards struck in the temple by a musket ball. You may imagine which was the harder. I would write to you about ourselves, if there were anything to write. But we are still watching all these things from afar, for the poor man's fortune is poor. But our consolation is that He who performs these great things sees us too and will remember us in due time. Love me, Aunt, and be in good health. Amen.
CVII
Rodost6, 12. Octob. 1734.
Our lord has sent friend Papai to the Porte. I know that the two of you have laughed together a great deal. If he accomplished the purpose for which he has gone we would soon leave here for France. It is now some two or three weeks since the French ambassador informed our lord that his eldest son, without taking leave of anyone, had unceremoniously left Vienna and had arrived in Venice. Now there is not a single Rak6czi in the emperor's clutches. We have also heard that he is not coming here yet but going to Rome-though his father is eagerly awaiting him. It seems to me that he should come here in the first place: but the love of father and mother is longer-lasting than that of a son. That we can see even in dumb animals. The smaller an animal is, the more it loves its mother, and as it grows, so love is extinguished in it. It is all the work of Nature. A 165 LETIERS FROM TURKEY mother's love is necessary for both growth and protection. With what great care a chicken feeds and guards her young until they are able to find food for themselves and care for themselves in their fashion. The swallow carries food to her young only until they are able to traverse the air, then she leaves them to starve so that they will leave their parents' house and obtain for themselves another kitchen. After that they never return, nor think more oftheir mothers. In each of these Nature is at work. We can commonly see this in men too, though in a different way. The son that sees that he has no expectations of his parents leaves home just as easily as the young swallow. But affection towards his parents must remain in him both because he is an intelligent creature, and because it is commanded. How should the son of the king of Spain not love his parents when they are obtaining for him a fine, valuable kingdom? For in the past month his father's army has again defeated the Germans. The battle took place near the city named Guastalla90• Now it can be said that the emperor has lost the two Sicilies in Italy. The Spanish king took from him Spain, and his son now takes from him the crown of Naples. He will restore the French Kingdom ofNaples after, if my memory is correct, two hundred and fifty years. It must be confessed that the emperor iS paying dearly for the crown taken from Stanislas. But the saying must be fulfilled. And I will end my letter; for if the letter is small, the news is great, and the boatman is waiting for me. Good health.
CVIll
Rodost6, 14.Decembris, 1734
Dear Aunt, there is quite a lot of snow here, which is not very usual. It might be said that it only snows here at certain times so that the Armenians can entertain guests. Perhaps you will laugh at that, but it is so; for out they go, fill a big dish with snow, but it must be snow that is three or four days old, for so it both tastes better and is harder and more gritty. Then they spread over it pekmez. And do you know what that is? They cook the grapes in big cauldrons until they are thick like brewer's yeast; then they drain them and fill barrels. In colour and sweetness it is like hydromel. They prepare in this way that food that falls from heaven and set it in the middle of the house. Then the master of the house and his whole family surround it, each spoon in hand, and they scoop it up 166 LEITERS FROM TURKEY
straight away like the top of milk. Even suckling children have to eat it. But do not think that the mistress of the house entertains her children in this way every day-that would be a lot. She does not spoil them every day, but only when she wants to give them a treat, and to put everyone in the house into a good humour. When winter is so miserly that it does not snow in town, then the filther ofthe family may travel a merflJld for snow, and then will regale his relations with it. But now their joy is complete, for there is both snow in abundance and this is the month for weddings, and they will work the two-stringed fiddle a-plenty. But they have the ridiculous practice that when the son ofthe mistress of the house takes his wife home they close the poor bride's mouth, as the Pope91 does the cardinals', and she is not permitted to speak until her husband's mother gives her permission. Until then she is like a dumb woman around the house and may only speak with her husband and with none other. When the mistress of the house addresses her or gives her some order the bride may only nod. This silence sometimes lasts six or seven years. If the mistress of the house likes her son's wife she sets her free from her dumbness more quickly; but if she does not like her she must remain dumb for ten years, though they live in one and the same house. The reason for this custom is that the bride shall be unable to cause strife in the house, but shall, through great silence, be dependent on her husband's mother. Do you not think that such a custom would be good among us? That is enough about the Armenians for now, but I cannot fail to write about them, for we live among them.
The only news from all quarters is of how many fortresses and cities the Spanish have taken in Italy-perhaps they will leave nothing for next year. It crosses my mind that Carolus quintus was besieging I know not which fortress in the empire, but there was delay over its surrendering and so he was angry with all its inhabitants, and he infonned them that only the women would be spared whilst all the men would be killed. Therefore all the women and girls that there might be were next day to leave the city-and he would pennit them to take what they could carry on their backs. Next day the emperor and all his anny were astounded to see that each of the women that came from the fortress carried a man on her back-the married women their husbands, the girls their relations. When, so laden, they came to the anny, they said to the emperor that in accordance with his pennission they could not burden themselves with any possession more dear than .their husbands. At that the emperor pardoned the whole city92• So that there are times when even women do 167 LETIERS FROM TURKEY something good. Good health, dear Aunt. May the Lord grant that we reach the New Year, not only in our skins but also even in our health.
CIX
Rodost6, 16. Janu. 1735.
If all our affairs this year proceed as did friend Papai's worlc at the Porte, then all our affairs will creep backward, not forward. The Porte did not reply definitely that it would not allow our lord to go to France, but that it did not recommend it at present, that this was not the time. But the reluc- tance of a Sultan to recommend is a command, and nothing is to come of our attempt to leave. Who thwarted it God alone knows, but we must believe that He performs everything for our good-and it will turn out to our benefit that we are not to be released. This we now regard with the eye of the spirit, but in the future we sba1l yet see it with the bodily eye; for after all, ifthey are prepared to make peace as quickly as they went to war, what would we do there then? Would we be received back into our nest or not? Let us rest assured, therefore, that Our Father knows better than we what is good for us. Let us be grateful to Him when He hears our requests, and bless Him when He denies our wishes. God has brought us hither among a people that is always kind to others, and by their hand He feeds us abundantly, for which we must be thankful to the band also. Dear Aunt, what a fine thing kindness is! None has ever been beggared by it, but many a rich house has fallen through failure to show generosity. Inestimable merit is gained from showing it: but even if it were not (which is impossible) what inward delight does not the noble heart experience when it does good to someone, assists someone in th~ need. Let us examine this in ourselves and we shall see that our hearts rejoice more than with dancing all night. Should we not be ashamed that a pagan emperor93 gave such a fine example of this? who said one evening, on realising that he had shown no favour that day: 'I have wasted this day, for I have done good to none.' The other day I read that the following words were written on the coffin of a charitable man: 'What I spent, I have lost; what I owned, I have left to another; and what I gave to others I have left in a lasting place.' But I do not fear, dear Aunt, that the mice will eat me for miserliness, as they did a Polish king94• So how is your·health? for I have not received a letter for a long time-about three days. Pola teti! 168 LETTERS FROM TURKEY ex
Rodost6, 12. Martii, 1735.
I might perhaps call this month May, so fine is the weather. And the weather is much happier than my frame of mind, for in the past few days I have seen that our lord is not his usual self. For conceal it though he may, one can see that he has something inwardly amiss. The perpetual good humour that characterises his nature is not so frequently exercised, and seems to require an effort. I will add that for some little time past he has begun to lose weight appreciably, and his plump body and face have become thin. All this, dear Aunt, has plunged me into a certain anxiety; for if it derives from inner grief, or some internal disorder, or both together, it is not to be wondered at ifthe burning candle is going out. The Superior of the Jesuits is here, who is so priestly a man that time is not wasted with him. Our lord spends his time with him and his workmen; for he is having a house and garden built. After God I cheer myself only with the thought that our lord is of a very strong constitution and able lightly to bear his fifty-nine years. I know that such cheer is built on sand, and that happy is the man that does not have to contend with sickness; for any strength whatsoever must fall before it. But such is our condition that we must seek some consolation in our grief It might not be necessary if I were a good Christian; for all things must be left to the will of God. But when we love someone deeply, then the visible makes us forget the invisible. That I may not finally end my letter with a sermon, I will write that Abdullah, who was recently made Aga of Janissaries, and who spent several years with us as a chorbaji, even in his elevated position takes his duty to our lord so seriously that yesterday he sent a fine horse together with various other Persian gifts. Dear Aunt, if I might write better news in a few days time how I would laugh-at present I am not laughing.
CXI
Rodost6,25.Martii, 1735.
Dear Aunt, if I wrote my previous letter with an unquiet mind, this one I write in sorrow, for I see our lord in a bad way. The disease has now made itself evident. The day before yesterday, at eight in the evening, he went to undress as usual, and the cold made him shiver. I was present and 169 LETIERS FROM TURKEY he asked me whether I was not cold? I replied that the weather was quite mild, I was not cold-to that he answered that he was very cold. At that I was at once worried; but then I thought that the approach of spring was causing a change in health. Our lord undressed and lay down, and I went to my lodging. A ljttle while later they came to me and told me that he had vomited. I said that perhaps that he had eaten something that his stomach could not bear. Next day at six, when he is accustomed to rise, I went to his house: but what was not my alarm when I saw how he looked. He that has always been ruddy by nature had become so yellow that he might have been rubbed with sa:ftfon. Now for two days he has felt so weak-he has constant fits of ague-and his whole body is so yellow that it seems that all his blood has turned to mud. Today is a feast-day, he dressed and heard High Mass. Bui it is not to be wondered at that he has eaten very little. He feels no pain at all, but great listlessness. Dear Aunt, let us pray God to preserve this great man, whose very enemies consider him great.
c:xn
Rodost6, 8. April, 1735.
What we feared is now come upon us. God has made us orphans, and this morning, after three o'clock, took from our midst our beloved lord and father. It is Good Friday, and we must bewail the deaths of our fathers, heavenly and earthly alike. God has delayed the death of our lord in order. that He may sanctify the sacrifice of his death through the merit of Him that died for us on this day. Such was the life he lived, and such the death he died, that I believe that it was said to him: 'This day shalt thou be with Me in Paradise.' Let us pour forth abundantly our tears, for the mist of grief has indeed tallen upon us. But let us not grieve for our worthy father, for after all his sufferings God has taken him to his heavenly home, where He will give him to drink of the wine of joy and gladness, but let us grieve for ourselves, who enter upon great bereavement. It is impossible to tell what great weeping and grief there are in our midst, even among the lowliest. Judge, if you can, in what condition I write this letter. But since I know that you will be eager to learn in what manner the poor man's death occurred I will describe it with ink and tears alike, although in this way-1 shall increase my grief. It appears that I wrote my last letter on the 25th of last month. Then the poor man was feeling a great lassitude at all times. He did very little, but 170 LEITERS FROM TIJRKEY
otherwise everything in accordance with custom. He worked at the lathe, despite his weakness, until the first of April. That day, however, he felt the cold acutely, and it weakened him all the more. Next day he was a little better. On Palm Sunday he could not attend church because of his weakness, but heard Mass from a neighbouring room. After Mass, he knelt to receive the consecrated palm from the priest who brought it to him and said that perbaps he would never receive another. On the Monday he was a little better, the same on Tuesday, he even asked for tobacco and smoked. But all of us were amazed that until the hour of his death he omitted nothing from the order of the house, nor permitted anything to be omitted on his account. Every day he rose, dressed, dined and retired at the customary hours. Although he was scarcely able, none the less he observed the order, as in the time of his health. On Wednesday afternoon he lapsed into great weakness and slept frequently. On a number of occasions I asked him how he was. His only reply was: 'I am well, I have no pain.' On Thursday he was very near his end, becoming very weak. but received the Sacrament with great fervour. In the evening, when it was time for bed, his anns were held on both sides: but he went into his bedroom by himself It was by this time very hard to understand his words. As midnight drew on we were all at his side. The priest asked him ifhe would receive extreme unction. The poor man showed by a sign that he would. That being done, the priest spoke to him with fine exhortations and words of consolation, but he could not reply; yet we could tell that he was conscious-we saw tears come from his eyes at the exhortations. Finally, after three o'clock in the morning the poor man gave up his spirit to God and fell asleep-for he died as a child. We had been looking at him ceaselessly: but we only noticed his passing when his eyes opened. He, poor man, has left us orphans in this strange land. Here there is much and fearful weeping and wailing among us. May God grant us consolation.
cxm
Rodost6, 16. Apr. 1735.
Here, dear Aunt, we eat our bread with weeping, and are such as the flock without a shepherd. The other day we opened the poor man's will and had it read out. He left everything to his servants. To me, five thousand German florins. And to Sibrik the same. But all of us ought to collect that 171 LEITERS FROM TURKEY sum in France-when we shall do that God alone knows. We also dispatched his letter to the VIzier, in which the poor man requests that he should not forget us. We opened his body the other day, placed his o.rgans in a casket and buried them in the Greek church. His body, however, the barbers stuffed with herbs; for we do not yet know when we shall be able to take it to Constantinople. According to the barbers his death was no wonder; for his stomach and blood were :full of slime. The slime had penneated his whole body. His brain matter was healthy, and was as much in quantity as is usual for two-and his mind was as great as twelve men's. He left his heart for us to send to Fran~s. We laid out his body after Easter in a big hall, where services were held for three days. Anyone was allowed to view the body. Thirty Turks who had known the poor man well came together and saw it, but none the less they do not believe that he is dead and are spreading a ru.mour that he had gone away secretly, and that we had dressed someone up in his stead. If only they were telling the truth! Yesterday after the service we laid the body in a coffin and placed it in a little room, where it will remain until we receive pennission to take it to Constantinople.
CXIV
Rodost6, 17. Maii, 1735.
Usually, dear Aunt, the farther one becomes from the cause of grief, the more the burden of grief is lessened, and time gradually makes us forget all. And the farther one is from a thing, the smaller it appears. But in this case it is not so; for it seems that our grief for our lord is growing, not diminishing. For more and more we are aware of what a father we have lost, and what a shepherd has deserted us. But if our good Lord holds in one hand the rod, in the other He holds consolation. The Porte has sent hither Ibrahim efendi, to consider how things are with us, and to decide with Lord Csaki and the other Hungarians that are here whether we wish our late lord's eldest son to be summoned hither. All of us agreed to this. Then, that he should discuss with Sibrik, our lord's steward, upon whom devolved all the care of the house, the matter of the tahin which the Porte has ordained for us-ten thaler a day, to be divided among the Hungarians that had been in the Prince's service; but neither Sibrik nor I would consent to its being divided among us alone; for there remained many foreign servants of our lord, who would have received nothing. But 172 LETTERS FROM TURKEY
we resolved that all those that wished to remain would live on that money until the young Prince arrived. Dear Aunt, until now I have been a Hungarian, or Szekely, only inwardly: but now I am outwardly too; for after twenty-two years I have today put off French dress. cxv
Rodost6, 18. Julii 1735.
The Porte having given permission for us covertly to take the body of our poor lord to Constantinople, I had a large crate made, put the coffin in it, had it put on board ship and, on the 4th, set off with a number of companions for Constantinople, where we arrived on the 6th and sent the crate with the coffin inside to the Jesuits. They removed the coffin and opened it to see the body. And they dug a grave on the spot where our lord's mother had been buried. Only her skull was found, and that was placed in her son's coffin, and they were buried together. How wondrous are the dispensations of God! While I was in the great city the Vtzier was deposed. And I left there and returned hither to the place of sorrow, where indeed everything incites one to sorrow. Which ever way I turn, everywhere I can see places where our lord lived, walked and talked with us; but now I see those places deserted, and those deserted places fill our hearts with grief We have been abandoned by our good father, and we cheer our orphaned state by the shedding of tears. As if this sorrow were not sufficient for me, I fear that responsibility for the whole house may come to me; for Sibrik's sickness grows worse by the day. And when I consider that he may die, what trouble shall I have until the young Prince arrives: this fills my time with gloom. I end this letter because in upsetting myself I shall upset you too. Letters written in sorrow are better if they are as brief as may be.
CXVI
Rodost6, 15. Sept. 1735.
In the condition in which we are, dear Aunt, if it were possible to find consolation I would find enough in your letters. And it is true consolation, such as the true heart gives; for here there are a few that console me while 173 LETTERS FROM TURKEY inwardly taking pleasure in my sorrow, and wishing for its increase: but God, in whom we must have faith, will not fulfil their desires, and will give me strength and understanding for the bearing of the cross that He has laid on me. Although permission has been granted for all to leave here and go where they please, few have chosen to avail themselves of it, and they mean to await the Prince's arrival. God knows when that will be! He was sum- moned a month ago. And until then no payment will be made to anyone here, but each as before will receive his messing. They will be fed on the ten thaler that are received daily, and none can expect more. Thirty or forty can be fed on ten thaler, but no money or clothing can be provided from it. Our poor lord used to have sixty thaler daily. He was able to pay well and did so; for some had 600 thaler, some 400 and many 200. But now they are not given even a little of the little that there is-firstly, because the annual budget will be spent on food, secondly, because out of it the lowly servants that work in the kitchen have to be paid, thirdly, because if money were given to one, the rest would want it, and there would be grumbling; but as no one is given anything there are no grounds for grumbling. I wish you good health, dear Aunt.
CXVII
Rodost6, 8. Octob. 1735.
It seems that we should bear more lightly the cross that we foresee. Poverty too is more easily to be endured if one falls into it gradually, for one becomes accustomed to it. Dear Aunt, the good Lord has laid on me a further cross, which I had already anticipated: but for all that I find it none the lighter. But I hope that He that has laid it on me will also give me strength to bear it. Judge, aunt, whether it is not a heavy cross upon me that yesterday we had to bury our good old Sibrik. God has taken him to Himself after a long and grievous illness. In part we should not mourn; for God has put an end to his sufferings; but otherwise I may mourn, for all the care and woe have fallen upon me, and that is no small matter in the condition in which we are. I have trouble with two factions, that do not love one another96. There are those that were formerly not under my hand, who are not accustomed to subordination to me, who maintain that now they have been set free from every other restraint, and those who think that the Prince will soon subordinate to anyone until then. They also consider that I, to whom they should in truth be subordinate, do not myself know the Prince, and that I do not know how I shall stand in his eyes; for it often happens that he whom the father has loved is not favoured by the son. And I will add that when neither generosity nor punishment are to be expected, obedience is less than full; for men are governed either by desire for profit or by fear-seldom by affection or respect. One in authority cannot really flatter himself that all will love him selflessly if there is nothing that they can expect of him, as there is nothing to be expected of me. True, one should endeavour at all times that one's inferiors should love one rather than fear. But we must not flatter ourselves, but one in authority must endeavour to give each his just deserts. Let him desire to discharge his own office well for the sake not of men, but of God, and let him love truth dearly. But ifhe does accomplish everything well, will he escape censure? No. Those in official positions are always criticised: but he that walks in the right way will always have the means of consoling himself. Console me, dear aunt, for I have need of it. And my one source of consolation is that you should look after your health. It crosses my mind that I ought before this to have sent you our lord's letter of farewell to the VIzier. Never was a Christian prince in such good standing with the Porte as was the poor man. His advice was both respected and followed. Believe me, Aunt, he certainly could give good advice. A copy of his letter of farewell to Ali Pasha, Grand VIzier of the Sublime Porte, written before his death. To the Grand VIzier in the first rank of this glorious empire, an outstan- ding man imbued with great wisdom, the dear friend of my heart, whom may Almighty God bless with good things. The VIZier, my dear friend, will no doubt be surprised at receiving this letter with the news of my death. But since the mortality of human nature has shown death to be inevitable, love for God has called me to prepare for it, and my gratitude to the invincible Sultan has compelled me not to depart this world without taking my leave. With which in view, and being yet in sound health, I have given instructions concerning all matters and commanded the principal officers of my court that in the event of my 175 LETIER.S FROM TURKEY death, when informing the VIzier, they are to send this letter to my dear friend. May therefore the last words of a true friend influence his heart, and may he show to the Sultan, my gracious lord, the last speech of a heart full of gratitude. I have always attributed to the ordinances of God's incomprehensible wisdom my coming to this glorious empire. But especially that feeling that I had, moved by which I came at a time when the affairs of the empire were whirling amid the unhappy fortunes of war. Confidence in God and the hope that I placed on the Sublime Porte had convinced me that I would not be deserted. And now, even in the final hours of my life, I can say that I was not deceived; for it has done honour to my person, cared for the small number of adherents that are with me and protected me from the plans of my enemies. I have carried these things before my eyes in my life, and I leave this mortal world without blushing; for conscience does not pursue me, that I have troubled any in the empire, and that I have failed to seek the good of the Sublime Porte in any way open to me. It has frequently cheered me in my life that the ministers of the Porte have recognised this my single intent, and have been well-disposed towards me. And having lived thus in peace and quiet, I have prepared for this my last hour, by which alone I could expect release from my WQCS. Whereas, however, my law has commanded that I love God above all things and my neighbour for His sake, I may say that I have regarded as sons all those that God has placed in my care in this world, even though they were ordained for my service, and have loved them, and, feeling as I now do, have divided what I have among them by my written testament. But I am not ashamed to confess to my circumstances, which are so straitened that I have been unable to leave anything to the officers that the Sultan has placed at my side, and who have served me in good heart and with assiduous f8ithfulness. With which in view, if I had been able to acquire any merit in the eyes of the invincible Sultan I would have requested that he should show favour on my behalf to all those that he placed at my side. But as I myself have been for so many years rather a burden to the Porte than a profit, I can only commend them to the Sultan's favour, and in particular Ibrahim, my faithful interpreter. May almighty God reward him with His most precious gifts for his kindnesses to me, and in the name of that God I request that he permit my few followers, as it were sheep left without a shepherd, to carry out the wishes expressed in my written testament-to lay to rest my body without worldly ceremony beside that of my mother- to make their way without let or hindrance to foreign lands or, if it please them, to remain in the empire. And after all these things I, FR, his faithful 176 LETIERS FROM TURKEY friend unto death, soon to be dust and ashes, end these words, desiring for the Vtzier and all the empire God's every blessing temporal and spiritual. cxvm Rodost6, 15. Nov. 1735. I have received a number of letters from you, dear Aunt, and among your other encouraging words I am most especially glad that you are in good health. I have received a letter of sympathy from the young Prince too, in which he makes fine proposals. This is all well, as long as it does not tum to smoke. If I knew him I would be able to form an opinion of him and would know what to expect from him. But who does know what his nature is? His father had high expectations of him, and it is to be hoped that he did not deceive himself. I shall make no pronouncement-let us see him when he comes. With God's help I propose to place in his hand all his property as his futher left it. And ifit is possible, I shall bear the truth before me, so that I may give an account of everything; not so as to curry favour with him, but so that God's blessing may be upon me; if those with me have made and are making many unfavourable judgements concerning me, then what may they say to the Prince himself? But I will merely laugh at that; for they do not speak the truth, and God is on the side ofthem that walk in the right way. If they have cursed Him, why not me? Perhaps you yourself also believe that our poor lord left a lot of property. Many deceive themselves on that score. The most valuable among his possessions is the table silver, and even that is not much. It was sufficient for his circumstances here, but elsewhere a shopkeeper would have better silver. Things of value he had very few, and he had no jewelled items at all. He had two diamond rings, one of which he left to me. He had furniture for two horses. But he had enough domestic items, for he was always having things made. He never bought things of value or jewellery; because he did not care for them, but only bought what was essential. He left two pocket watches; one he left to poor Sibrik, the other to me. From this you will realise, dear Aunt, that he did not leave very much property, because he, poor man, would not have given in exchange for jewellery a table or a chair that he had designed himself. And there were many such; because he had no money to spare for such things. And neither his son nor any other can make such use of them as he did; for none of his furniture was made in such form as is customary to others. They are all 177 LEITERS FROM TURKEY differently shaped. The chairs and tables all come to pieces so that they can be packed in chests. You can imagine now that the carpenter and the blacksmith made more out of him than the goldsmith. In brief, dear Aunt, the French saying was not fulfilled in them, that 'Happy the son whose father is darnned'-meaning the sort of father who leaves his son much property falsely acquired: for he, poor man, left very little, even though honestly acquired. I found six or seven gold pieces of his in his writing- set, and all his treasure at the time of his death came to five hundred thaler. Might you enquire what he did with his money, for he received sometimes seventy, sometimes sixty thaler daily? I will answer you in two words, that he kept many people and gave them a lot of money: and he spent as much on building; his third and most profitable expenditure was on divine service and the chapel. And the poor man reaped the benefit of it. It could not have been said to him that was said to a French king, who wished to give a gift to a Spanish ambassador on his return, and said in the presence of the lords: 'I would make a gift to this ambassador, but I wish to give him some article that has cost me much, but from which I have no profit.' One of the lords, who was given to joking, said to the king: 'Give him thy chapel; for thou hast spent much on it, but it is no profit to thee.' Surely the poor man knew how to profit by his chapel. But he made many other expenditures that were profitless. Perhaps it might also be profitless for me to write more in this vein. Therefore I end and remain, dear Aunt, your servant, wallowing in grief and sorrow. CXIX Rodost6, 18. Januarii, 1736. The Creator of all things has granted us to reach this year-praise be to His Holy Name. I have reached it in grief and sorrow enough, but from Him that gives the cross consolation must be expected. I have received a letter from the Prince. He has sent to Count Bonneval97 his authority to attend to everything and take possession of all his property until he arrives. That will be greatly to my relief, because I shall have someone to whom to direct him that complains. But if our poor lord could see it he would look with bitter eyes on this action of his son, that he would prefer to entrust his affairs and property to a foreigner than to those that have served his father from childhood. But I can forgive the lad, for he does not know his father's servants; whereas he met Bonneval in Vienna before he 178 LETTERS FROM TIJRKEY denied the Faith and was still a general. He has, praise be, very little credit at the Porte. God has ordained it so that others that would follow him may learn from his example. You write, Aunt, that the Silikta.r Aga98 has been appointed to the place of the Vtzier that was deposed last month. Such is the world. One may think that he is more adept at war; for not more than four days had elapsed when here in the town war with Muscovy was proclaimed. Let them fight, I care not-we shall have neither harm nor benefit from it, but may God grant us only peace of mind. Amen. cxx Rodost6, 15. Maji, 1736. Do not think, dear Aunt, that we might have died. I am still alive; for I eat and write: whereas the dead so conduct themselves as to do neither. Every day our bodies eat well, but our minds are starved for gladness. The rest feel their own pain; but I feel double-I both feel my own and must also watch that of the others, even though I can do nothing about it. I have never been in such a conditiOn, nor may God grant that I be so again. There cannot be the least relief-the good Lord has truly left me to myself. Every day I see much paying off of scores; but the grace of God does not permit me to feel it. Those with whom I am most, who most of all give their word and display the greatest friendship, these same desire to besmirch my honour. My slightest pleasure is poison to them, my displeasure sweet. Every day their gossip against me is renewed. The cause of all this, Aunt, is nothing but that I will not diVide the Prince's property among them. And as I will not divide it, they think that I am keeping it for myself. Let them talk, I alone will walk in the right way. Now warfare has died down elsewhere. Augustus is king of Poland and Don Carlos king of Naples. The dukedom of Tuscany has been given to the Duke of Lorraine in exchange for Lorraine. And the French [king] has given Lorraine to King Stanislas to keep for his lifetime, and so all are satisfied with their portions. Here, however, another war is beginning to inflame Turk and Muscovite. The horse-tails99 are out in Constantinople, which is a sign of war, and in a month's time the Vtzier will leave with the armies. May God, Who governs all things, grant us good cheer. 179 LETIERS FROM TIJRKEY CXXI Rodost6, 15. Aug. 1736. I have had no reply to a number of letters. I was beginning to persuade myself, dear Aunt, that you had gone on campaign with the Vizier. But surely even from there you would have been able to reply to my letters. Here the news is that the Vizier has pitched his tents beside the Danube. And the Muscovites are hotly pursuing the Tatars in Tataristan-if they eat them all I shall not care. But I do care that we are having to live so dismal a life. Our hearts and our spirits are drooping-all that I can hear is much sighing. I have received a few letters from the Prince, with which I have consoled my more intimate companions. But the consolation lasts only until the third day, and then the sighing begins anew. I have to console and reassure all of them; but I have greater need than the rest of consolation; but me only the one God consoles, and He gives strength to bear the cross. I have to stifle my sorrows within myself. It would be futile to parade all my trouble before others. But furthermore, the most difficult of all, I have to restrain myself and pretend to be in the best of humours; whereas inwardly my heart feels quite differently. In his every letter the Prince writes that he is coming, but he is not yet here. Need, however, is growing, trouble and complaint are increasing, and as they do not know whom to blame, as they see me all the time they turn their complaints upon me. I would not mind if it did them any good. Whatever situation God puts us in, we must adapt ourselves to it. Our poor lord's prediction often comes to my mind; for on one occasion among others, when I was going to give an account of the purchases (for I organised the buying of what was required by way of his clothing and domestic items, and the paymaster, who bought on my instructions, gave me an account and I showed it to the Prince), but one should know in advance that the poor man's nature was such that he did not examine the account to see on what thirty or forty thaler had been spent: but whether an item costing ten or twelve poltura had been bought cheap or dear-he would always make a fuss about small things like that. And so his eye lit on some item in the list costing a few poltura and he began to say with some heat that this had been expensive, I should not have spent money like that. At that, contrary to my custom, I became annoyed, because it seemed that he was doubting me, and I said rudely: 'If you do not trust me, tell another to see to the buying.' To that the poor man made no reply, merely put the account in my hand and turned frorn me as I deserved. At 180 LETTERS FROM TIJRKEY that I went out. Next day he did not speak to me, and I waited and waited for him to say something. The following day too he did not speak-by that time it was weighing on me, for I could see how foolishly I had acted. On the third day I could stand it no longer, I went in to see him in his study, and there I fell down before him and with tears in my eyes kissed his hand and begged his pardon. Thereupon that rare and great man embraced me and said: 'I forgive you-you will think of me often when I am dead-you will often remember me: but then it will be too late.' If I heard those words then weeping, there are tears in my eyes when I recall them now. They have been fulfilled indeed! God has willed it so-may His holy name be glorified in all things. I have said that a sad letter must be brief, and so I will end. cxxn Rodost6, 6. Decemb. 1736. Thanks be to God. Late though he be, J6zsef Rak6czi has arrived. We thought that the two of them would come; but only the elder has. The ship has remained at Gallipoli-he himself, with a few companions, has come hither by land. Yesterday evening, not wishing to come into our midst, he stayed in the hostelry. His arrival was made known to me and I went to him there. Today too I have spent several hours with him, for he has gone to Constantinople. I still cannot pronounce judgement on him. God knows what he will be like. I did notice that he is irascible. He has come in the nick of time. I must be glad that I shall escape from all that trouble. There were not more than ten thaler for all the expenses of the household. But He that gave us teeth will give us to eat likewise. 181 LETIERS FROM TURKEY LEITERS CONCERNING THE ARRNAL IN TillS COUNTRY of PRINCE JOZSEF RAKOCZI CXXIII Rodost6, 2. Jan. 1737. God grant that we may begin and end this year with his blessing and consolation. The Prince spent a few days in Constantinople and returned on the 17th of last month to the midst of his exiled people. The reason for this sudden return was that when the Porte learned that he had arrived in Constantinople they immediately ordered him to return hither. Nor should he have gone thither: but Bonneval was the cause. For whereas there is as yet peace between the Porte and the emperor, and furthennore the emperor is the negotiator between the Porte and the Muscovites, the Porte did not wish to give the emperor grounds for complaint by causing the Prince to come to its side; for here they are very much afraid of giving the emperor reason for taking revenge for something-for they do not want to make a second enemy-one is quite enough for the present. For this reason they sent the Prince back so quickly, and how he will adapt himself to us I do not know: but as I am beginning to realise, the apple has fallen far from the tree. God's will be done-more another time. CXXIV Rodost6, 8. Martii, 173 7. Much we have gained in the change, dear Aunt, if you will forgive my saying so. We looked to this young Prince for consolation: but he has brought us regret. The fine order, that his father had wrought among us, and which he had struggled hard for so many years to keep and to make us keep until his death, in three days the son overturned, and with its destruction so began his life here that in this short space of time not a trace remains of that Christian and princely orderliness. Everything has been wiped away, and a cloud of great disorderliness has descended on our house. From this anyone can see what we may hope for, especially we 182 LETIERS FROM TURKEY that were the servants of so great a Prince, whose every action was governed by wisdom, order and graciousness. Now, however, we see the exact opposite; for great disorder has supplanted order; flightiness- wisdom, bad temper and foreign ways-graciousness, to such an extent that our thirty years of exile have never seemed so burdensome as these last three months. Now more than ever we sigh for our late lord; for we must look with regret upon the difference between father and son. Such is the pickle that we are now in. When he arrived here I handed over to him faithfully all his father's property. True, I did not escape abuse; for false wretches had accused me of much, and the Prince had examined the false accusations closely in secret; but he could find nothing to my discredit. And he admitted as much to me. There is nothing better than to walk in the right way. It would have been desirable for him to follow in his father's footsteps; for certainly the Porte will enquire about him, what sort of a man he is. Might you be disposed to ask, dear Aunt, what he thinks of me? Just the same as the rest. He did not say so much as 'God reward you' for my looking after his property and servants. There was a big earthquake here yesterday. The earth cannot rest beneath us. Good health, Aunt. cxxv Rodost6, 20. Julii, 1737. Here all our affairs, dear Aunt, are proceeding in a disorderly and chaotic fashion, all upside-down-I am amazed that we walk on our feet and not our heads. One thing is certain, however, that God has given this Prince many fine talents. He has given him a good brain, and if he had been educated and brought up as might be desired it would have been a praiseworthy act. But his nature ought to have been curbed and brought to order while he was still young. But he has been left completely unrestrained, and his nature has become disorderly, inconstant and unstable-that is why he is so irascible and changeable. He has never been taught, and nature has not inclined him, to try to have men love him rather than fear. Because he has not been brought up in wealthy surroun- dings, but only in great licentiousness, he does not even know what miserliness is, neither rightful keeping nor fair giving, nor what is meant by love for his countrymen, for he has never had the opportunity of their company. 183 LETTERS FROM TIJRKEY It is now certain that in the course of this month the emperor has broken the Treaty of Passarowitz100, and laying aside the role of mediator has sided with the Muscovites. Let the theologians decide whether or not it is legitimate so to break the Treaty; for it has been decided that it is not Christian conduct for the heathen not to keep faith. Since God is as just and eternal a god to the Turk as to us, He will be as just to them as to us. I do not know when the Turk broke a treaty; but I do know that a Christian emperor101 broke one-and was punished for it. Now we may learn from such an example. If the Turks might not hope that God would now exercise justice on their behalf, they would be in despair. And sure enough they are, for they must fight against two great and mighty emperors, the two of whom can drive them out of Europe-but let us add, if God has so ordained. Perhaps the Porte will regard us with this in mind; for our affairs are still in a very bad way. Do we deserve anything else? CXXVI Rodost6, 13. Sept. 1737. The Treaty has been broken; it is therefore not necessary for the Porte to beware what it has hitherto had to beware; with this in view the Kaymakam has sent a letter from the VIzier Aga in which he informs the Prince that the Porte wishes him to go to Constantinople: the Porte wishes in this way to show that its hostility to the Germans is total, and to make of us an object of dread. What would the late Prince think if he were alive, and what would he do? For I often heard from him that he did not desire war between the Porte and the Germans; for he dreaded siding with the Turks, and would have preferred to die here rather than see depredations on his account in Transylvania. Suffice it that we are to go, God knows to what end. It is good to know also that a new VIzier has been set in the field. I will write no more, for I must prepare. When one has spent many years in a place it is hard to leave. Good health, Aunt! 184 LETIERS FROM TIJRKEY cxxvn Constantinople, 21. Sept. 1737. We have left Rodost6, dear Aunt, after all these years. We have broken out of there, but how? only in a chaotic manner. The Prince left with only a few companions, but as ifthe enemy were at our heels. He did not even give himself: or us, time to pack things away. This was perhaps only so as to be able to say what he told me: 'I shall not die here like my :tather.' I did not reply to that, but I thought that perhaps he will not die in Transylvania either. Suffice it that yesterday at about lunch-time we reached the outskirts of the city and were taken to a palace. There the Sultan's officers entertained the Prince. After lunch both he and we were given horses. Leaving there, the Sultan's officers accompanied him to his lodging, which is only a furrier's house, but a prince may live therein in luxury. All the houses have been decorated in the local fashion on the Sultan's orders. As we are quite new here I cannot write of any new matter, but I will write, merely to pass the time, that I have seen a huge animal of a sort that I have heard tell of from my childhood, and have wished to see. From that you will have realised that it was an elephant. This great creature has hair like a mouse. Its head is as in pictures. Its ears are like a lady's fan. From the sides of its mouth there sprout two teeth as thick as my arm. These are long too, and cannot be much use to it for eating; but it is certain that Nature has bestowed them for a purpose-«rtain too, that turners put them to much costly work. But what I wondered at most in that animal was its nos~but I cannot call it a nose, because from the base of its nose comes a hanging portion, like that of a turkey. And it is more than half a fathom in length, and as thick as my arm. It hangs like a whip-and its end is like a pig's snout, two nostrils go the whole length of it, as it were two suction tubes. With it the animal sucks up water when it drinks, or sprays itself when it washes. With it the animal takes food, as we do with our hands. It will pick up a poltura with it, or a bale of straw, and fan any part of its body; for its tail is no use for this. And anyone that it strikes with it is struck well and truly. In a word, one cannot imagine without seeing it how many uses the animal makes of it. Its legs are equally thick at all points, like pillars, and are as thick as a man's thigh. Its height is 13 spans, and this was a small one. Wondrous is God in his works. Enough said for now about the great beast. 185 LETIERS FROM TURKEY CXXVIII Constantinople, 11. Octob. 1737. On the 7th the Prince had an audience of the Kaymakam, who also sent a horse for him. Likewise there were finely furnished horses for us too. The Chauz Pasha came for the Prince, and led him with great pomp to the Kaymakam. He had only been there a short time when a pelisse trimmed with pine-marten was put on the Prince; and each of us received a caftan, then we all kissed his kaymakarnly hand and then returned with like ceremony. We have begun the play, for here it is thought that the greater the honour they do us, the more the Gennans will fear us. This is the second time that I have seen such a perfonnance in this country. How we are to leave the stage remains to be seen. Gratianus remarks that when the juice has been squeezed from a lemon it is thrown away-and when one wishes to drink from a stream one bows before it; and then one turns one's back on ie02• Such is the world! I cannot say that we wasted yesterday; for the Prince went with just a few companions to call on the wives of the Voivodes of Moldavia and Wallachia. Both of them behaved very formally toward him. The Prince was given gifts-and we too were each presented with a handkerchief They were both gaudily dressed. But their husbands must be satisfied with their beauty. I saw very few of their menservants, but there was a great crowd of maids around each of them, like a flock of chickens at a farmhouse. True, our Prince looked very coldly on these Greek princesses, nor did he give a lascivious thought to the handsome chickens; for at the time that ague was upon him that for some time past has affected him almost every day, and since he arrived in this country his health has been quite ruined. Perhaps that is also what causes his anger at every little thing. True, it passes in a moment: but every moment it is renewed. Good health, Aunt. CXXIX Constantinople, 3. Decemb. 1737. After that, Aunt, I must write of nothing but ceremony. We have today attended a great one, which I shall describe, boring though it be. Yesterday the Porte infonned the Prince. that today he was to have an audience of the Sultan, therefore today early in the morning he took ship 186 LETIERS FROM TIJRKEY with all his court and disembarked at the gates of Constantinople, where the Chauz Pasha was awaiting us with numerous chauzes and horses. The Prince mounted the Sultan's horse, we other horses, and at nine o'clock we reached the Sultan's second gate. The Prince dismounted and was given a seat between the gates for a while. This was only to demonstrate that whoever one is, one has to wait at the Sultan's gate. A little while later the Chauz Pasha announced that we might enter. We entered the second gate and came upon a courtyard almost the same as the first. In this courtyard, however, there was on the right hand a crowd of some thousand Janissaries, and there were set out at some distance one from another five hundred dishes of food. When we were in the middle of the courtyard, the order was given and the Janissaries with a great din rushed upon the dishes as if upon an enemy, to see who could seize one first; in a moment not a dish remained on the ground. Such is the custom when the Sultan entertains the Janissaries on the day when he pays them. And it is a bad sign for the Sultan when the Janissaries will not run for the food. On the left, at the roadside, there were 12 horses in a line, each held by two men with silver chains, and each richly caparisoned, especially the four last, all with tack adorned with rubies, plumes on their heads and their saddle- cloths embroidered with pearls. Nowhere· will you see finer horses, nor more ornate. Two Chauz Pashas preceded the Prince and he entered the divan house. The Kaymakam and other exalted persons rose and greeted him, and seated him in the customary place. Now, the divan room is a square, vaulted hall. He sat at the side, between the Kaymakam and the Vizier, with other officers on both sides. Above the Vizier's head there is a little window, from which the Sultan can see and hear everything, but they cannot see him. Then, according to custom, such persons were called in as had some suit or complaint. These went one by one before the Kaymakam, presented petitions to him-the petitions are read aloud- and what the Kaymakam said was written briefly on the petition, which was placed in the hands of the petitioner, who was ushered out of the room. Then others were brought before him and were dealt with likewise. In half an hour he had dealt with all the woes and suits oftwenty persons. One word from the Vizier puts an end to the whole judicial process, and he dispenses justice on any great matter in a moment; if he sentences a man to death, he is straight away taken to be hanged, if he grants the restoration of a man's property, this is done at once. These summary judgements came to an end and it had been a fine thing to see, then nine hundred sums of money, all in leather bags, were placed in three rows in the middle of the house. In a little while there came the Chauz Pasha with 187 LETTERS FROM TIJRKEY the Sultan's order, the Kaymakam went to meet him at the door, took from him the order, put it to his head and kissed it, sat in his place and read it out. It contained the instruction to pay the Janissaries. He commanded straight away that payment commence. In an hour all that money had been carried out in great order and calm. That being over, tables were set before all that were seated in the divan and identical meals were set on all the tables at the same time. At least twenty dishes of food were set on each table one after the other. But for all that the meal lasted no more than half an hour, for the Turk eats often, but not much at a time. He takes two or three mouthfuls from a dish and it is removed and another put in its place-he takes as much from this, and so on to the end, even if there are a hundred dishes. After lunch there was eomplete silence in the divan room for an hour, as if there had been no one there; yet it was full. Then two Chauz Pashas came to the door, called out the two kadileskers, and took them to the Sultan. A quarter of an hour later they returned for the Kaymakam, who rose with the Kaptan Pasha and went to the Sultan. A little while later they came for the Prince, and took him thither, having put on him a caftan trimmed with pine-marten. When he came before the Sultan and saluted him, the Sultan said: 'Thy father served me long and faithfully, and I believe that thou wilt follow him.' The Prince left the Sultan's presence, and we were all in caftans, and outside the second gate he mounted the Sultan's horse, which had been presented to him; we too mounted and set off for our lodging. The Chauz Pasha went before the Prince, escorted him to his lodging; and that was the end of the show, and of this letter. cxxx Constantinople, 16. Dec. 1737. Today we were shown why one grasps at this world. Aesop's words are fulfilled daily, for the sage, pagan though he was, spoke the truth; for once he was asked what the gods did in the sky. And he answered: 'Their only occupation is to raise up one and put down another-from one they take, to another they give.' This happened today to the Vizier. Returning from the wars he passed through the city with great pomp. Perhaps he sensed it, for his face was sorrowful. He deposited the banner of Mahomet in the Sultan's court and had scarcely reached his house when his seal was taken from him and he was put out of office. All his belongings were confiscated, and the Kaymakam has been put in his 188 LETTERS FROM TURKEY place, to sit there as long as may be. His name is Mehmet Gumrukchi. Up till now he has been well disposed toward us. But we still do not know what we are to do. This Vtzier was chief customs officer-you can imagine whether he knows how to wage war. Let him find out, but let him be favourable to us. Good health, Aunt. CXXXI Constantinople, 25. Januar. 1738. Yesterday the Vtzier informed us that in three or four days' time we should be on our way, and that today we should attend upon him. And thither we went, with great watery display; as it was raining heavily. The Vtzier sat the Prince at his side and had coffee brought shortly afterwards, a pelisse trimmed with pine-marten was put upon him, and we were be- caftanned. That being concluded the Vtzier and the Prince rose, and the Vtzier handed the Prince ·the ethname, in which document the Sultan recognises the Prince as Prince of Transylvania; the Prince handed to the Vtzier the document of alliance with the Porte, and they took leave of one another-and we got our caftans soaked in the pouring rain. And after lunch the Sultan sent thirty horses to the Prince-half were horses of quality, the rest ordinary-and besides a VIennese carriage with six horses. Suffice it that we are now preparing in the customary way, that is to say, in considerable disorder; for the day after tomorrow we have to leave, whether we will or no. Therefore I can write no more. CXXXII Adrianople, 5. Febr. 1738. Dear Aunt, we arrived here afloat; for one might say that we floated everywhere in the mud. But now I must tell you when we left that imperial city. And so we finished the play there on the 27th of last month, prepared with great haste, and set off after lunch in rare and brilliant disorder. For so that at the Porte and elsewhere they might esteem us the more, the Porte had the Prince escorted out of the city by two Kapiji Pashas. One will be with us at all times, to see to everything on the journey, and there will be a defterdar, to pay. We shall be here for perhaps 189 LEITERS FROM TURKEY two days more. What an uncomfortable journey we anticipate having, with regard to the weather, the road and other factors. Here the Prince has been received with much respect and honour. One cannot write long letters when travelling, therefore I shall end, and I wish you good health. cxxxrn Chernavoda, 19. Febr. 1738. Thanks be to God, we reached here yesterday with very great difficulty; but safely. Yesterday was Shrove Tuesday, but we began the fast then, and if we continue to fast as we have begun it will end in starvation; for we found nothing. Perhaps things will improve; for we shall be here for a while. We met much snow on the way-especially coming through the hills. Almost everywhere there are good Bulgarian villages, where food was to be found-and plenty of wine. In those villages there is enough bacon, a very rare delicacy in Turkey. But first of all one has to cross oneself in front of a Bulgarian woman, and so she will give one bacon; otherwise she would not. The reason for that is that if she were to give bacon to a Turk the others would see and she would suffer for it. Chernavoda is in a very unpleasant place: but it is a big village and there are fine houses there. The inhabitants are half Wallachians, half Bulgars, and not many Turks. And there are wealthy merchants here. They all prefer to trade with Transylvania. The houses are all of similar construction. I would write more ifI had anything to write. I remain etc. CXXXN Chernavoda, 5. Martii, 1738. Perhaps you have forgotten how to write by this time. I have not yet forgotten, and the reason that I write is that yesterday I returned from Bukurest. The Prince sent me to greet the Voivode Constantine, who received me most courteously and took me ceremoniously to his house. While I was there the voivode did me the honour of accommodating me, and allowed me to leave quite properly. I went dry-shod on the Danube and crossed. I was very much afraid that my feet would sink in. I would have fared worse than St Peter. The Vtzier's letter arrived today, in which 190 LETTERS FROM TIJRKEY all sorts of promises abound. In it are many assurances, that he will place at [the Prince's] side 30 or 40 thousand men; but in this respect I am a doubting Thomas. Finally it is written that we are to leave here for Vidin-why? to what purpose? God knows. They are treating us like children, and want to make us into bare bones; for the Porte considers that when we reach Vidin all of Hungary and Transylvania will mount and come to us. Perhaps they might have, had our old lord been alive. But now no one will come to us. God forbid it; but may He preserve you. c:xxxv Vidin, 7. April. 1738. We have finally succeeded in completing the journey hither, but by post; for we can travel by no other means, even if it has taken us ten days of travelling. Suffice it that we ran from Chernavoda on the 27th of last month. You must not think that the enemy drove us out, but we do everything on the run. We have been given post-horses everywhere, for ourselves and our baggage. One might say that our baggage costs the Sultan more than us; for the Sultan pays for all these post-horses. Our route has not been dull; for we have traversed very beautiful country, at almost all points beside the Danube. True, it is somewhat desolate, for the villages are at present deserted because of the war. This fine land is all in the hands of the Serbs, who are not very industrious-the women wear very unbecoming high fur hats. Yesterday, when we must have been two mer.fold from Vidin, the Pasha sent three or four hundred cavalry ahead, all gaudily attired, who had some good quality, some ordinary horses. And the Pasha's tents were pitched on the banks of the Danube less than a mer.fold from the town. His tiha came to meet us, greeted the Prince in the Pasha's name and took him into the tent where the Prince was entertained. After lunch the Prince mounted the Pasha's horse and with great ceremony we entered the town to the accompaniment of cannon-fire. We are lodged not in the fortress but in the outer suburb. I will write more another time, that is sufficient for now. 191 LETIERS FROM TIJRKEY CXXXVI Vidin, 11. April. 1738. Yesterday our chief general entertained the Prince. It seems that I can safely call this pasha a general, and if that is insufficient I will call him governor, for he is a commander with three horse-tails, and in time of war has under him at least sixty or seventy thousand men. His Pashaship is both twice as broad and twice as long as Transylvania. So should not such a one be taken for a general or a governor? And he is perpetual lord of his territory, so to speak, until he is ejected from it. And so the pasha had tents pitched outside the town and at 8 o'clock we went thither with great ceremony. The pasha too arrived an hour later, also with great ceremony, and took up residence in his own tent. I must point out that he did not wait for us in the tents, but we for him; for the Turk is very good at standing on ceremony. An hour later the Prince went to call on him, and the conversation lasted an hour. This pasha is a handsome man, and a born leader. He is of Armenian descent, and so he is called Halvach Mehemet 103• He is a very gracious and wise man. True, he used not to be a military man; for he was promoted pasha from head customs officer. In this country men spring up like mushrooms to fill such pashaships. Suffice it that he is about to depart at any moment to cause at least fifty thousand men to bombard Orsova. After the conversation the Prince went to his own tent, and sat down to lunch with his officers, which the pasha had had prepared-at least fifty dishes succeeded one another on the table. The pasha ate in his own tent. After lunch the pasha made about sixty good horsemen display their prowess with the lance, then there was shooting with flintlocks, then archery and his horses were made to perform tricks. When all that was over, dinner was served at five o'clock, and after dinner we mounted and made our way home. A little later the pasha too returned to the town. Such sorry amusement is Turkish enter- tainment. He invited us to lunch but did not eat with us. We have not even seen him since. When we left he did not desire us to take leave of him. This is the way that the great Turkish lords are accustomed to entertain distinguished Christians, that drink wine. The inner town is not beautiful, the outer suburbs uncouth, desolate and muddy. But outside the town there is fine countryside. But here every day we have witnessed sad scenes; for every day slaves are driven through the streets, men, girls and women with children. Happy is the woman that is bought with her child; for it often happens that one will take the woman, 192 LEITERS FROM TURKEY another her child: in an hour they are so fur separated as never to think of one another more. But there was a good story about a Turk that wanted to sell a poor German, and led him through the streets shouting: Ten thaler, six, five thaler for him': but no one would offer anything for him. The Turk was poor, and fur from being able to keep a slave he had not a poltura to his name. In his rage at no one wishing to buy him, he took him to the coffee-house and there exchanged him for a cup of coffee. Thus has the value of an imperial eagle fallen! cxxxvn Vidin, 9. Julii, 1738. We are in flight; for we must make preparations, at the run as is our way, to leave here. With whom and for where? Listen in silence and be patient. On the fifth of this month the Vizier arrived from Nisa in great haste: With him were some 80 thousand able-bodied men. As he is in haste, he will leave his army in peace no longer, and today we march on Orsova. The reason for this is that some month and a half ago the pasha here attacked and bombarded Orsova. But now two weeks ago General KOnigszeg drove him off and relieved the fortress. On learning ofthis the VIZier has come here to assist, and today we march to the pasha's rescue. He has brought heavy cannon with him and all things necessary for the taking of a fortress. There are cannon here such that sixty oxen pull them. The day before yesterday the VIZier sent word to the Prince that he should leave Vidin and go into camp with him. Therefore we made ready according to our accepted custom, and went into the VIZier's camp. But how did we go?-for we are quite unprepared: none of us has a horse, or the necessities of camp. The VIZier has had us supplied with horses aplenty, the soldiers too, but these are post-horses-can you imagine going on campaign by post-horse? Suffice it that we shall go on these, and return by post too. But all this may certainly be how events will tum out. The VIZier is dragging us along, thinking that if we are in his camp many Hungarians will come and join us. But praise be to God, not one has come that is worth anything. Those that have come are avoiding being hanged on the gallows. Many fine words are spoken, but they will not make any further use of us. Dear Aunt, a little prayer would be beneficial to such as campaign on post-horses. 193 LETIERS FROM TURKEY cxxxvm Fetislcin, 11. Julii, 1738. It is certain that the VIzier gives the Sultan no more detailed an account of where he goes and what he does than I shall write to you. It seems that my dear Aunt ought to be directing this war. First, then, the VIzier left VIdin with all his camp very early in the morning. We were made to P CXXXIX Fetisl:in, 26. Aug. 1738. Dear Aunt, as you commanded we have taken Orsova. Now the cry there is 'Allah', not Wer da?' This change took place as follows: the commandant saw that the Vizier would not leave until he had taken it, and also that the cannon were daily making very many gateways in the stone walls. But what mainly urged him to surrender was that there was much sickness in his army; for in addition to the great unquiet the island is very unhealthy. Let me add that the Vizier had it proclaimed that any that would go to the siege would receive 25 thaler. With that prospect many 195 LETIERS FROM TURKEY hundreds of Janissaries enlisted. When they heard such news in the fortress they must have been disposed to surrender. On the 12th the commandant sent word to the Vizier to send someone to him to arrange for the surrender of the fortress. The Vizier sent Ibrahim Efendi, who made all arrangements, and on the 15th the commandant came to the Vizier-who received him with great courtesy-surrendered the fortress to him, and was sent back bearing a gift. That same day the Janissaries occupied one of the gates of the fortress until the Germans had evacuated it completely. That same evening there was a feu de joie in the camp. Now our army is beginning to disperse, and perhaps we shall be left alone with the Vizier. For the present the war will not continue. Our business too will soon come to an end. The Vizier yesterday ordered the Prince to make ready; for he might march on Temesvar with 30 thousand men. But today he told him that he must not even think of Transylvania, but must march with him on Vtdin. God has preserved our dear homeland from pillage. Suffice it that tomorrow we depart hence and leave the bread baked with black straw, soil, grass and sand. The Vizier has promised that he will consult with the Prince on the way-we shall see. With that I remain. CXL Vtdin, 1. Sept. 1738. Now we may surely say that the performance is over, we have been honourably removed from the theatre and the Vizier has unceremoniously dropped us. Perditio ex te Israel. On the 27th of last month we left Fetishin and went after the Vizier towards Vtdin. We had very small forces with us. The Vizier had advised us that on the way he would speak with the Prince. The Vizier, as he was at all times in front of us, stopped at about nine o'clock for lunch; and we were told that after lunch he would speak with the Prince. Therefore we hurried after him, to be able to reach the spot after his lunch. But as the Vizier had no intention of meeting us, therefore he ate quickly and when he could see that we were approaching his tent, he sat himself in his coach and set off leaving us behind. This was a serious matter. Then we were told that the meeting would be in Vtdin. The Vizier arrived in Vtdin and was a long time in his tents with all his retinue. As we approached the tents we were told that he could not see us then; for he was unwell, but we were to continue on our way towards our camping place, which was 196 LETTERS FROM TURKEY on the bank of the Danube, beyond the town. At that we were grievously downcast, seeing how shabbily we were treated. What a change! A few months previously we had been brought into Vidin with great show; now they did not even want us to pass through the town, but made us take a circuitous route through the gardens. Finally we arrived at our destination and here we are by ourselves in tents, like men ostracised. We arrived here on the 29th. After this the Prince is not going to say, as has been his wont: 'The Porte holds me in greater esteem than it did my futher.' Today after lunch the word came that the Prince might speak with the VIzier, only let him call on him. But a little while later we were told that it was not possible; for he had a headache. Feigning illness hides reluctance. And yesterday he set off very early in the morning with all his retinue, and left us here. How long we are to stay here, where we shall be taken for winter, God alone knows. But we know that the Prince is in a very bad state of health. He has never been well since he came to this country. And in particular he has been very sallow for a good while. His bad temper damages his health. I wish you good health. CXLI Vidin, 4. Octob. 1738. This will neither be a letter of great consolation, nor can I write any news to my Aunt. What indeed might I write, since none comes near us-it is as if we were the only people in Turkey. Our camp is quite long, but very narrow. There are about a hundred and fifty of us altogether. But now at any moment we shall be left without a head; for the Prince is in a very bad way, with an incessant fever. His fuce is wasting away, his body is becoming fat, this is not good. But he would merely pass the time in pleasure, if there were anyone or anything to do so with. It would give him great pleasure to keep his illness secret, he takes no medicine but seeks to cure himself by taking walks. The other day, contrary to the advice of the barbers and doctors, he embarked in a ship and we went a long way down the Danube. But as we were returning he fuinted twice. We did not even think that he would reach home alive, it required four men to lift him from the ship and carry him to his tent. Because of the restlessness occasioned by his illness, some days ago he had his tent pitched at some distance from the rest. But he could not remain there, but had a bed set up near our tent. He lay there until evening, and when he 197 LETTERS FROM TURKEY wanted to return to his own tent he could not walk unaided, and four men carried him. As he was being carried he fainted. I thought that he had died, and at my cry he regained consciousness. Since that time the alternation of high and low temperatures has become more pronounced. The flesh is as it were falling off him. But the bad temper does not leave him, which must be attributed both to his nature, and to the filet that it is hard for him to see the condition in which he is. We have to make preparations. The VIzier has sent an aga here to arrange for ships; for we are to go down the Danube to Oroszcsik. From there we shall go to Csernavoda for the winter. We leave in two days' time. And so you must send letters there, and take care for your health. CXLll Oroszcsik, 14. Octob. 1738. And so here we are, as I write from here, and surrounded by so many terrible dangers. But noble blood either wins or loses, but tries. At all events we arrived here safely. Sometimes we were at the eBe!,lly's back, sometimes surrounded by several thousand, but none the less we had no need of a barber. I must therefore give an account of the great danger. Was it not a great danger, when we had to go through the midst of so many thousand sturgeon? What ifour ship had been capsized? Suffice it that on the 6th of this month all the exiled gentlemen took ship; that is to say Lord Csak:i. young Lord Zai, llosvai, Papay, Daszti (an Italian), my lords Pazmany and myself. The Prince was taken on board in a very sad state, and did not wish any of us to attend him on board, which we did not really mind; for thus we enjoyed our watery journey the more. Certainly it is a marvellous thing to go down the Danube in good company, which we were; for every two hours we came upon latge and beautiful islands, and :from time to time passed sizeable towns. The towns are all on the Turkish side. The famous Nicapolis is the most handsome of all, but it is built in a very unlovely situation. Opposite the town the sweet waters of the Olt run into the Danube. That I could not see without a sigh; for it runs from that dear land from which I have been excluded for 31 years. As it is dangerous to travel by night, every evening we moored by some island. Often the ship was tied up only to the horse-radish on the shore of the island; for so thick are its roots, they are like the shaft of a cart. When 198 LETIERS FROM TIJRKEY grated it is yellow, and it is good to eat it at once: but it is tasteless if left for a while. There was also blood-letting; for especially in the Wallachian parts there are pigs almost everywhere. Whether they are wild or domestic I do not know; for they live on the islands by themselves- perhaps they could have owners. Suffice it that on one island we killed two. We ate well while they lasted. But how we were cursed as we ate! for our ship's captain was a Turk. He said often enough that we were defiling his ship. We just laughed at him, and he just had to swallow the greasy smoke. Good Moslem he was, perhaps he sold his ship as it was tainted with the meat ofthe pigs. Yesterday, that is the 13th, we arrived here safely, praise be to God. The Prince arrived in a very low condition. From here we leave soon for Csernavoda. With that I remain. CXLIIl Csemavoda, 7. Nov. 1738. Even if I do not receive my dear Aunt's letters I still write. At least from that you will be able to see that I am still alive. But how can I receive your letters when we never remain in one place? We are on the move, now by land, now by water, now in the ether. If only I could write about something good, and did not always have to write about sorrow. On the 19th of last month we left Oroszcsik. Some three or four hours later we arrived here in a bad way. But the Prince was insistent on maintaining his nature to the end. Three or four days after our arrival here he banned all of us from him, even his barbers. True, there is plague here, and for that very reason he should keep the doctors by him. He dismissed the servants that were about him too from his lodging. He has kept with him only an itinerant doctor, a cook, a deserter from the Italian musketeers and two women. Of those his court consists. And these are persons that a few days ago he did not know. Can he entrust his life to such? A few days ago, in the night, those at his side thought that he was dead. They ran at once to me to tell me that he was dying. But so as not to anger him I did not go into his presence. I only replied, as did Esther: 'If the king does not call me, I will not venture to go before him.' 105 The Turkish officers saw that he was acting incorrectly and advised the Prince to call one of us to him. If his death were to occur, let there be one of us at his side. Therefore he sent word to me to be with him. And so I have been living with him for some days now. Of necessity he has called the 199 LETTERS FROM TURKEY barbers to him, and has had himself bled against their advice and wishes, as if out of vengeance. In a word, I believe that he is in such a condition that he will not recover from it. With that I remain. CXLIV Csemavoda, 10. Nov. 1738. Dear Aunt, we have seen the end of J6zsef Rak6czi. For a long time we had seen that he was going out like a candle. Yesterday he felt very weak, confessed, received Communion and made his will. Today towards dawn the ague came upon him very strongly and he was so enfeebled that the candle was burning out. None the less he spoke well until eleven o'clock, although by then his eyes had clouded over, so that he could only tell us one from another by our voices. At twelve o'clock noon his speech failed and he was in a very great fever, and we could only tell from his groaning that he was in pain. At two in the afternoon the priest was about to give him Extreme Unction, but as he began the prayers he gave up his spirit to God, at the age of38 years. May the Lord have mercy on him. His body was opened-his liver was swollen beyond measure. I have had his body placed in a cellar, and it will be there until we receive a reply from the Porte. In his will he requested to be buried beside his father, but I do not think that this will be permitted. What faults there were in this prince were the result not of nature but of upbringing. His mind was fine, his heart good. But he had never been warned about his temper. Although it passed quickly, it flared up frequently. And he had never been advised to cause others to love him. In a word, if his father could have brought him up, he would have been of quite a different disposition. That is sufficient for now, more another time. CXLV Csemavoda, 15. Decemb. 1738. I am in no doubt, dear Aunt, that you have by this time received my letter, in which I wrote that we are again left without a head. But we shall not for long be in need of a head; for the other day we buried a fellow- countryman, and the number of us that remain will find room in the shade 200 LEITERS FROM TURKEY of a plum-tree106• He that created us, may His will be done upon us. He has made us an example to our whole nation, and happy are they that will learn from us, and stand by the country, and do not desert nation and inheritance for causes as insubstantial as smoke. God grant that none may follow us and shudder to hear tell of our long exile. But, dear Aunt, were we the first examples? Certainly not. Did we learn from others? No. Will others learn from us? No. And why not? Because at all times the same sort of cause has led, leads and will lead men into such a condition as is now ours. But he will be more fortunate that the Lord imprisons, as it were, in his own estate. For I myself never had any cause to leave my native land except my great love for the old Prince. Although in the eyes of my heavenly Father I had to leave it for other reasons. And I must adore his ordinances. The other day an aga arrived from the VIzier bearing letters from the Sultan and the VIzier, in which there were fine promises. In accordance with the poor prince's will all his property has until now been in my care, but a few days ago the Turkish officers assembled here with an order from the Porte, listed everything, took everything into their charge and at- tached seals. I too have left the lodging and gone elsewhere. Such is the world! What you have gathered, whose will it become107? With that I remain. CXLVI Csernavoda, 1. Jun. 1739. On the 14th of last month the defterdar returned with orders from the Porte. And since the Porte will not give permission for the poor prince's body to be taken to Constantinople, we buried him yesterday evening in a Greek church. May the Lord Jesus set him at His right hand on the last day. Here the dispersal of the apostles will take place at any moment. Lord Csaki is to go to Vidin, young Lord Zai to Kocsin and I to Jaszi: and the two of us will go together as far as there. From there we shall go to Bukurest and thence right across Wallachia to Moldavia. We leave here in four days' time, because in our finnan it is stipulated that we shall leave an hour before. For here it is not stated in an order, when someone is sent anywhere, that he should hasten, but that he should leave an hour sooner than would be necessary, and arrive an hour earlier where he is sent. Suffice it that even if I cannot see Transylvania, I shall be able to see its 201 LETIERS FROM TURKEY mantle; for we shall be passing the Transylvanian snow-peaks. Even if I cannot drink beer in Zagon, I can drink the waters of Bozza-I will greet them in your name too. It seems to me that I have given you a full enough account of the affairs concerning the poor prince and the end of his life. Now we have buried two Rak6czi's here--God preserve the third, he is not eating Turkish bread. Before I end my letter and put away my writing things it is impossible for me not to write a rather amusing story-I have written enough that is sorrowful. Suffice it that with us there are deserters from the German musketeers, whose purses are very flat, and are tired of drinking water but do not know how they may drink wine, for they have no money. And so they consulted among themselves, how they might obtain wine without money. One of this thirsty gathering said to the rest: 'Do but as I say and we shall have wine.' So he sent four of their number out with picks and shovels. These went late in the evening to a Greek priest's door and there began to dig and throw the earth about with a will, as if they were digging a grave. The priest heard men working outside his door and went out and asked them what they were about. They answered that they were burying a corpse. The priest told them to bury it elsewhere: but they went on digging. The priest thought it over, and asked them whether the deceased had died of the plague. They replied that it was so. Thereupon the priest was alarmed and said: 'My friends! Do not bury him here, and I will give you three buckets of wine.' But they went on digging. The priest offered them four buckets, then five. When the deal had been agreed the priest looked round and saw that they were carrying the corpse on a plank. At that he was even more alarmed and watched from inside his door to see the burial completed. The musketeers called to him that if he would give them the five buckets of wine they would take the corpse away. The priest agreed, if only they would go away. They immediately went in and took the five buckets of wine. The priest went after them to see that they were taking away the corpse. But what was his surprise when he saw the dead man rise and actually be the first to drink the wine. The poor priest did not know whether to be angry or to laugh at being deceived. Dear Aunt, from this time on letters must be addressed to Moldavia, and you must not do as did a certain lady, who neither read nor wrote nor sewed, because she was ashamed to put on her glasses. And I will remain etc. 202 LETIERS FROM TURKEY CXLVII Csernavoda, 4th Junii, 1739. I am glad, dear Aunt, that you are well. Here the apostles are about to disperse, some to the west, some to the north. The firman has been brought in which it is ordained that Count Csili shall go to Vidin with the unwise Hungarians that have deserted their homeland, your dear, good and handsome young servant shall head for Moldavia and young Lord Zai to Kocsin: but together we shall go as far as Jasz. You will ask whether I care about this order? I will reply that I do not. In our firman the two voivodes are ordered to receive us honourably. And in our firman for the post it is proposed that we leave an hour earlier than necessary. This is the custom of the Chancellery; for here it is not laid down that one should leave promptly or hasten when one is sent anywhere; but it is written in the :firman that one should leave an hour earlier and be there an hour sooner than necessary. I think that this puts it nicely. Do not write to me now, Aunt, until I write from Jasz. But then you must write an hour sooner, so that I may receive it likewise. And I will write again from Bukurest. How kind I am: but then, so are you. The poor prince enacted that he should be taken and buried beside his father, but that was not pennitted and so a few days ago we buried him in a Greek church in the evening. I can say of his father, as was said of a great man of old: 'Once he was born, if only he had never died'; of his son, however, that if he had never come into this sorry world there would have been no loss. For the Vizier treated the poor man like a child, al- though he was approaching forty. He gave him only fine words and promises concerning external things; for as for internal things we could have no complaint; for we were given enough, many fine horses, much splendid harness. And eighty thaler a day was ample for us to live on and maintain our dignity. But we could not allow ourselves to be assisted in anything, and advice was unnecessary. The poor man's mind was fit for much, but he had been very badly brought up. And he did not like learning anything; for he was not accustomed to learning. And a mind without learning is like land that lies fallow. In another country something might have been made of him: but he simply was not the right man here. All his conduct, his habits were anathema to the people here; for nowhere is a man's conduct watched so, as here. And if he did not love his nation that is no wonder; for he was brought up in a place where our nation is hated. But us in particular, whom his father had loved, he could not 203 LETTERS FROM TURKEY befriend. Suffice it that the poor man's whole life and activity in this country were nothing more than a flash in the pan. And so let us say no more about him-may God have mercy on the poor fellow-but talk instead about my having to make preparations and pack, for tomorrow or the next day I shall remove myself hence. And even if I cannot see Transylvania itself I shall see its mantle; for I shall be travelling not far from the snows of Transylvania. Aunt, I will greet them in your name too. I do not think that I shall go and reap on the Bozza, but I shall drink to vengeance of its waters. As I am packing all my writing things I will end this letter. But you must not forget me, and you must take care for your health. And you must write, and not do as a certain lady, who never wrote nor read nor sewed-and only because she was ashamed to put on her glasses. CXLVIll Bukurest, 11. Junii, 1739. One must always keep a promise; for by a promise we place ourselves in debt, and a debt must always be discharged whatever it may involve-to give an example, if it consist of a kiss, one must pay up. And it is about kisses that I must now speak, since I must ride for another seventy hours hence. What if some inhuman wandering soldiers were to bind me and so carry me off into Transylvania. That would be for me a bad dance. Here we were received with great honour outside the city and lunch awaited us in a monastery. The Voivode sent his secretary to meet us-the same entertained us in the Voivode's name. After lunch we entered the city with great ceremony in the coach of Mariasza voda. There I have begun where I should have ended, like one that has first married his relation and then desires freedom. On the 5th we left Csemavoda in good company, brother-in-law Janos Papai, who has come here for the cure, young Lord Zai and myself, for I must not forget myself Yesterday the Voivode sent his coach for us and we went to call on him-we spent almost an hour with him. His eyes are crossed, but his mind is not; for he has wits enough, even if they have a Greek tinge. For the Greeks have brains of a different colour-one cannot really say that they are black, but they are certainly brown; for all the time they are concerned with the opportunity of deceiving others. The Voivode has a house and garden outside the city-that is where we called on him. Actually, he himself is there in camp-well, must he not defend the cabbage? In the daytime he is in the 204 LETTERS FROM TIJRKEY house, and at night he lies in the tent; for when the Vtzier is in camp the Voivode too must go into camp, if only in a cabbage-patch, and must remain there as long as the Vt.zier is in camp. Now the Voivode has given us a carriage, post-horses and carts, therefore with God's help we shall move on tomorrow. He has given us also a number ofWallachian soldiers to accompany us; for I doubt whether they would defend us. At all events, they will bear news to the Voivode if we are captured. Here there is no other news except that yesterday a Muscovite ambassador passed this way. It is easy to see that they are treading the measure of peace. I think that here they are dancing it briskly1oa. Never, dear Aunt, has it been so important to watch for your health as now. Rather promise it more money not to desert you; for I must give mine some Pitesti wine-which is a grievous punishment! CXLIX Jasz, 21. Junii, 1739. Dear Aunt, we have arrived here safely. As far as Foksim we travelled in lordly fashion in the Voivode's carriage. Perhaps it belonged to the first voivode ofWallachia. Whatever the case, it was still a carriage, but from Foksim on we jogged along peaceably; for everywhere there were frightfully bad post-horses. But what a delightful journey we had! I am not speaking of the weather; for all the time it rained-in Moldavia especially we were like soaked cockerels. But what fine landscapes, what places one goes through all the way from Bukurest to Jasz, the eye cannot see enough! What a pity that these fine and good lands are deserted; for in two days we hardly once came upon any dwelling. I have never seen finer country than that. Our journey was a delight, and a bride could have delighted in accompanying us; for all the way from Bukurest to Jasz she would have trodden nothing but many, many different sorts of flowers- everywhere the meadows were filled with flowers, so that our horses stepped on nothing but carnations and tulips. In a word, everywhere our way lay through a flower-garden. But what am I saying? for there is no such garden, in which there are so many and diverse flowers. How much greater our delight would have been had it not been tinged with anxiety; for we had to fear that some fine fellows might attack our good selves. We could have displayed the Turkish Sultan's firman, but I know that they would not have yielded to it, and would have hauled us, by force if need be, before Lobkovics for lunch. And that was an honour that we did 205 LEITERS FROM TURKEY not desire. Our guards, however, if they saw a horseman, contemplated the woods straight away. You can imagine, Aunt, what sighs I breathed as I went beside the snows of my dear homeland. I would with pleasure have gone to Zagon, but the Lord closed to me the ways thither, for the whole earth is His. Yesterday, a mer:fold and a half from the town we encountered the Voivode's secretary, who greeted us in the name of his master, and then we seated ourselves in the Voivode's carriage and rode with pomp into town and to our lodging. This morning the Voivode sent word that we might go and call on him, and sent his coach for us; he received us with great ceremony-in tents; for this Voivode too is in camp. We were with him almost an hour and a half He is more adept at dealing with foreigners- and no wonder; for he used to be chief interpreter to the Porte. After the conversation we were taken back to our lodging. They receive us now in such a fashion, because they are so commanded: but tomorrow they will not look at us. Such is the Greek, especially if he is raised one span from the ground. If the ordinary Greek is larded with disdain, how should the superior not be, when he commands a country? The Muscovites are ap- proaching Moldavia. Now I can write no more of these things-more another time. I remain the good servant of my good Aunt, if she is taking care for her health. CL Jasz, 22. Julii, 1739. For a month now I have been spending the time, bored and alone, in this insipid town; for Zai is long since gone to Kocsin. I have been to call on the Voivode a number of times. But the purpose for which I have been sent here, I can see, is a vain one. Every day gives opportunity aplenty for me to become used to boredom, for these boyars are like bears towards strangers. I do not know whether they do it from nature, or whether they dare not keep the company of strangers: but they are very shy. I have been to call on a few who have a two-headed eagle as their heraldic symbol- for they all say that they are of the line of Cantacuzena109-perhaps my landlord is· one of these, I will look at his coat of arms, although he is a tailor. One must not expect from these bears what is customary among people, that one should go to a stranger and invite him to lunch. And I intend not to go. When I go to the Voivode's I am given the title of 206 LETIERS FROM TURKEY Mariasza; for they can see how the Voivode behaves towards me. But that apart, it is as ifI were the only person in town. Up to now I have not encountered friendship from anyone as great as tbat of the local Archbishop. When I go to call on him he is very glad to see me, and to demonstrate his goodwill he has on a number of occasions sent me food of a sort that is rare in this town. I take it as a great kindness on his part-not the gift, but his being well-disposed towards me; for here I have a table tbat would enable me to entertain ten more than there are. However, I have the good fortune that there is here an Italian :fid:her, and I eat and converse with him; if it were not for him, I would never open my mouth except to eat. If I had a liking for going to the inn, there I would be able to talk freely to the Wallachian priests; fur in the inns here there are at least ten priests beside every barrel, and they surround it as if it were a corpse. From all this you may judge that my tongue is not worn out by talking. And so I will wear out my quill in writing; for I have enough time for it, and it will take the place of speech. So let us speak a little of both the town and the situation here. The town is on a hill and in quite a beautiful place. But water has to be brought to the inhabitants from a long way away. Five or six dilapidated monasteries cause Jasz to be called a town; for otherwise on account of the local houses it would only be called a village. Trade is carried on by the Jews and the Annenians. If there were a permanent Voivode here, and such as seek the profit of the country, very great commerce could be established here-much more easily and greater than in Bukurest. Where is there more beautiful and better land than here? Whatever the soil yields is better here than elsewhere-every kind of produce of field and garden. Where can one see finer cattle than here? Where can one eat such tasty beef! And the wine can be placed on any table-tbat from Gotnar is of such quality as never fails to make women lick their lips with delight. The inhabitants, however, are like wild animals; they leave the fine, good land uncultivated and live in the forest. The number of boyars here is very small-there may be ten or twelve that might be considered lords, but the rest are of no account. True, they are under Turkish control, but they are very much under the Greek yoke. The Greeks hold the greatest and most profitable offices, high and low. As the prince is always of Greek extrac- tion he fil.vours his own nation, tends to take their part and does as he pleases with the boyars. Who do you suppose is at present the chief hetman that commands the whole army? The younger brother of a Greek furrier, and the other boyars must bow head and knee before him. But what is all this to me, as I must in great boredom eat my bread and 207 LETIERS FROM TIJRKEY drink the wine of Gotnar? Here every day the news is bad: the Muscovites are approaching Kocsin, all are afraid and preparing. to flee. May God protect me-He knows why He has brought me hither. The other day a Muscovite ambassador passed through here, and the VIZier went into camp. I have been to call on the Voivode and taken my leave of him, for yesterday with much show he left here with his whole army. And what kind of an army? One cannot call it an army, but merely vine-guards. There is a pasha with him, with perhaps 40 or 50 men. The entire army was perhaps, erring on the generous side, fifteen hundred men. Bringing up the rear were the wall-battering cannon, which in case of need can be loaded with walnuts. Thus off they went and left here. I shall see what I can do. I know that the Voivode has made good arrangements for me and has entrusted me to the kaymakams; for he has left three kaymakams here in his stead, who are three local magnates-one of them the chancellor. These will not protect us. It is possible that we shall be attacked from Csik, and be caught one night in our beds. I have no need of such a dresser. I remain my dear Aunt's servant. CLI Jasz, 23. Aug. 1739. Dear Aunt, things are proceeding atrociously here. Since the Voivode left there has been ceaseless uproar in the town. Everything is in readiness, packed and prepared fot flight. The boyars have long since sent their wives into the forest. Especially since the Muscovite camp crossed the Neszter there has been terror here. The Voivode's two sons have left. In all this turmoil I myself know not what to do. At the slightest sound I imagine that the Cossacks are in my courtyard. The kaymakams come to me often and encourage me: I request that they send me hence, for they, if anything were to happen, will be able to take horse whenever they wish; I, however, have three or four servants, and nothing but my one horse. Judge, dear Aunt, in what a condition I am: only since I started to write this letter the wife ofmy landlord has made me leave it three times, saying that the Cossacks are in town. I encourage her sure enough, but for myself I would prefer that they were not here. From morning to night one hears of nothing but the Cossacks. Here there is now no other litany but: 'Lord, preserve us from the Cossacks.' I send ceaselessly to the kaymakams for them to send me away-they ceaselessly reassure me that 208 LEITERS FROM TIJRKEY they will look after me. And I am in a state of constant unease, as never before. The hardest is: there is none to whom to say one word. If only I could write or read, but it is impossible-outside my door there is a continual din. I cannot leave by my own efforts, nor can I at all until the Voivode gives the word. But to be here among this terrified populace is completely depressing. There is nothing better than to consign oneself to the hands of God. At the beginning of this month the VIzier's messenger passed this way towards Kocsin with the news that the VIzier had defeated the Germans110• If that is true one can say that the hand of God is in it. Yesterday by another messenger came the news that Belgrade had been taken. On that side God is giving victory to the Turks. On this side they are having to run before the Muscovites. God knows how it all must end: He puts down, He raises up. Suffice it that I would dearly wish to fly hence. But before I do I will write so that you may know, Aunt, that the accursed Cossacks have not carried me off. CLll Jasz, 3. Septembris, 1739. At this point I must write only of the Cossacks, but only of the Cossacks, for never can a greater dread be seen than there is here. Especially since they have defeated the Turks, and the Muscovites are by now at Kocsin, one really must fear the Cossacks. Now the churches are constantly full, but not so that people may pray, but because they are taking all their belongings to the churches. The Voivode returned yesterday, but not with such great splendour as when he left. Such is the world! When he returned I sent him a request to be sent away. And today I attended upon him in person. We spoke at some length about the present situation. But I urged him most of all to let me set off, for I know that His Voivodeship will not await the worthy Cossacks. Now I have an order, I have made ready, and I can say that God willing tomorrow I shall leave them here without a backward glance. I shall never have been so pleased to leave a place as here. Ifpossible I shall leave an hour sooner than I ought-and I remain my dear Aunt's. 209 LETIERS FROM TURKEY CLID Bukurest, 18. Sept 1739. Somehow I managed to acquire the means of slipping away before the accursed Cossacks. Here perhaps there will be no need to fear them. But if I did not have to fear the Cossacks on the way, I certainly did have to fear robbers. Suffice it that I left Jasz on the 4th. The Voivode had me provided with both horses and carts and also offered me two cavalrymen, but I did not take advantage of them and set out on that dangerous journey with just two companions; for I will not list the others. When I was outside the town it was as if a great stone had been taken from me and my mind began to be at rest. I left the Voivode and the town in great confusion-but let them see that I was able to go free. But if I had escaped one danger there lay another ahead; for as the Turkish camp had been defeated a few days before my departure, I could believe that the many vagrants scattered in Wallachia and Moldavia would attempt, beaten though they had been, to have something to take home, and would obtain it by robbery. For in such a condition the Turkish army is very acquisitive-especially the wretched Asiatic Turks, who will take home with pleasure what they can lay hands on. With all this in mind I had reason to be very fearful of bad company. Furthermore, how many forests we had to pass through, especially on the way to Foksan. But God granted it so, that until I reached Foksan I did not meet a single Turk: after that I met Turks, but these were local residents, and there was no need to fear them. Not only did I see no vagrants, but indeed I saw not a single Moldavian. It was as if I had been alone in the whole country, or as if the whole territory had fled before me. With that small reservation I had a marvellous journey. The fields provided lodging, and in accordance with the Turkish custom, which is a very good one, I set out early and put up early in the evening. From all of that you will perceive, dear Aunt, that I arrived here safely. He that God preserves is preserved indeed. I found poor friend Papai alive, though sick, and he was very glad to see me. Although there is talk here of peace with the Germans, the Voivode is afraid that there will be visitations from Transylvania. Three or four days after I left Jasz the Voivode too had to flee. Now how I shall manage here, and for how long, and how my empty purse will keep me, God knows. But He that has given teeth will also give food. Until now He has taken wondrous care of me- and I believe that He will in the future too. He has saved me from many 210 LEITERS FROM TURKEY great trials and tribulations-henceforth too may He protect me. May you too, dear Aunt, take care for your health, and write. CLIV Bukurest, 23. Octobris, 1739. Believe me, dear Aunt, even here one must fear the accursed Cossacks, for although peace has actually been made many hundreds have deserted from the Muscovite annada and descended upon this land to plunder. It seems as if they are after only me. And if they had come hither they would have found me in bed, for a few days ago, in the evening, when I was about to go to bed, a little chill came over me. I slept all night, but next day it was as if all my limbs and sinews had been wrenched one from another-! could not move, not even my fingers. In a word, I was like a piece of wood, or one in whom there is not a drop of blood. I could neither turn over, nor hold so much as a glass, although, being in a con- tinual great fever, I was constantly thirsty, but I felt not the slightest pain. Thus I was for three days. Then my strength began gradually to return, but the flesh had shrunk from me as if I had lain abed a month-the great fever had eaten it away. Then I had myself bled. Half of my blood was like cold food, the rest like ink-my diverting stay in Jasz had been the cause of this. Now I am able to leave my lodging. But you can judge, dear Aunt, in what a condition I was, for on the day when I was in bed unable to move my servant said: 'Sir, there is bad news, for carts are being loaded in the Voivode's court-the Voivode has left the city-and everyone in the city is in a panic, for it is said that the Cossacks are not far away.' On hearing that I thought that now we were sitting ducks. And I just waited for them to enter my room, for I knew that they were so uncouth as not even to announce themselves. I was by that time planning to give them everything that I had, but God so granted that next day news was brought that they were only at the edge of the city. Then the news continued to improve and we too became calmer. Perhaps we shall escape entirely the accursed Cossacks. I have written about them so often that it seems that I have frightened you, Aunt, with them. Wmter has truly set in here now. But the Voivode, who was always well-disposed towards me, has changed, because I would not accommodate his wishes. I hold my honour and nationality to be of greater value than his Voivodeship. Watch over your health, Aunt, for it is a precious possession-and write. 211 LEITERS FROM TIJRKEY CLV Bukurest, 15. Martii, 1740. I have no doubt, dear Aunt, that you have by now received a number of letters from me, and I have received your February letter. Indeed, to that alone I owe it that I have not yet frozen; for here we are having a terribly hard winter. It set in on the 18th of October, and every day since then it has snowed, and the cold has increased. It seems as if we had been taken, city and all, to Lapland, to the shores of the Arctic Ocean; for no one can recall so severe a winter, and it is general throughout Europe. An unheard of thing, one that has perhaps never occurred before, is that carts have travelled on the ice from Denmark to Switzerland. But what is that to do with me? More to the point, I have had to endure the harsh winter in a dreadfully cold room, and if in the course of it I have not frozen, then I shall be unfreezeable hereafter. My servants are amazed that I can stay in so cold a room-I can endure better than they, and do not make a fuss. But here prices are high and shortages great-men take bread from one another's hands in the streets. It has often happened that I have sat down to lunch and have had no bread. All this is not to be wondered at; for nothing can be brought from elsewhere: while here water, mill and miller are all frozen up. I will confess that I should be glad to leave Bukurest; for living here is dull. I do not know what sort of people these are, but one cannot become familiar with them. One need not fear any more than in Moldavia being invited to lunch by a boyar. I have actually known one of the local boyars since I was a child, but he displays not the least friendship towards me. When I call on him he is not sparing of words- unlike the rest. I notice, however, that they dare not converse with foreigners because of the Voivode, and keep company only with Wallachians. Forgive me, Aunt, if I end my letter; for writing is quite a penance. For every letter that I write I have to hold my quill to the fire to thaw the ink. And what sort of a fire is it? for even that is often frozen. Wood can be obtained only seldom, and at a high price-and the little that I get I prefer to give to the kitchen; for I prefer to freeze and eat well- food does one more good in the cold. Entreat me, dear Aunt, not to freeze before spring. Close though it is now, we have such blizzards here, it is as if winter were just beginning. Good health, Aunt, and a little warm weather to us both. 212 LETIERS FROM TIJRKEY CLVI Bukurest, 22. Maji, 1740. Thanks be to God, the winter has left us. But what am I saying? spring too bas all but left us, though we cannot tell that from the weather, but only from the calendar. For more than a month now we have had no Voivode, for the Gennans have given back that half of Wallacbia that he ruled, and he bas gone at once to K.ralova both to receive it back and to have himself acknowledged Voivode1 1• Such profit have the Gennans made from brealcing the peace. And God has not permitted Transylvania and Hungary to be punished on account of others; for the Turks have done no harm in either-especially Transylvania, thanks be-which is something to be grateful for. Here everything is still expensive and in short supply, especially pitta- bread. But I do not concern myself much; because in a few days' time young Lord Zai and I will be setting out for Rodost6, and I shall be glad to leave this heartless city. But here we shall leave one dear fellow-exile, our poor friend Papai, who bas ended his long exile. Thus we are slowly being diminished, and of so many that, to our misfortune, accompanied our poor Prince to a strange land only four of us remain. Our only con- solation is that others too die, not we alone, which is poor consolation indeed, but we have dire need of something with which to console oursel- ves. Still no one bas come from Transylvania of whom I could have asked questions, only a few Saxons, of whom one might enquire only about flax. We have a good Hungarian priest, a recent arrival, a lamb from Csik. He thought, poor fellow, that the cassock and the cowl would be as respected here as in Csik. We have told him several times to leave off the garments of St Francis, but he would not. The other day, as he was coming to lunch with me an uncouth Turk stroked his cheek with the stem of a pipe. He, poor fellow, endured it patiently, and next day he made most respectful apologies to his habit, put on a Wallachian robe, and no longer fears pipe-stems. I will end my letter, only so as to be able to pack the quicker, to leave and to see you. 213 LETTERS FROM TURKEY CLVII Rodost6, 22. Junii, 1740 Aunt, it is a goodly step from Bukurest to here. God has brought us back. There still remained some of that heap of bread to which we were to return, as the Turks have it. I know that I shall not spend as long here as the first time, and that I must go from here either to Heaven or to Transylvania. We set off on the 26th of last month, and arrived here yesterday. You might enquire what we were doing so long on the way? I myself do not know, but I do know that we slept a lot. We set out late every time and stopped early for the night. In many places we got Bulgarian girls to dance with us for a few poltura. But they never tire when dancing; for they dance on one spot, rarely move their feet, take a step or two forward, then as many backward, and that is all that it consists of And they do not spare the singing; for they sing themselves and dance themselves. But what sort of songs? it sets one's teeth on edge, as when one hears a smith filing iron; and· the only difference was that when some pretty girl sang her words seemed a trifle smoother. Their finery consists of amassing upon themselves lots of coins. They load their heads, necks, in brief their whole bodies with all manner of copper coins and poltura. But there is yet another ceremony; for when one enters a Bulgarian village an old woman with a sieve accosts one--there is wheat in it-and throws handfuls of it at one. One has to give her something; for she is not required to throw her wheat about gratis. After three days spent climbing the great mountains of the Balkan, God yesterday returned us safely to our former ancient and doleful dwelling- place. What a world this is, and what stupidity it is to cling to it! but still one does. What did it profit the Vlzier to do such great deeds, if he has been deposed? When did it happen that the Turks defeated the Germans? But he accomplished that miracle--I know, not by himself-he recaptured Belgrade and crowned the Turks' war against the Germans with a glorious victory. Did he not deserve lifelong appointment as Vlzier, or at least a tenure of a few years! After such great and memorable feats he could not retain the viziership for eighteen months112. What has Achmet ofNissans done, that he should be set in his place, except know how to write the Sultan's name on all manner of documents? How will he be towards us? 214 LEITERS FROM TURKEY We shall go to Constantinople in the near future to see how our affairs stand. The king ofPrussia11 died at the end of May. CLVIII Rodost6, 20th Aug. 1740. What wretchedness, dear Aunt, to live in that great city and to clamber from hill to hill, as you go from the house of one to that of another. Even if it is great trouble and weariness so must it be-especially for such as we, that must wait for things from others. But God has not yet forsaken us in this our bereft condition, and has ordained tbat of which we have need-may His holy name be blessed. I did not fare like him that went to Rome and did not see the Pope; for I saw the Sultan-he went past right outside my lodging. I did not greet him, but I wished that God would send him into Holy Mother Church and grant him health; for he gives bread to us. And we must express gratitude to him; for God bates the ungrateful. Having therefore completed my business I took ship and returned here today. I had a very good voyage, leaving yesterday evening and arriving this morning, and here I am and here I shall be as long as it. pleases Almighty God. Ifmy death is to be here, His will be done; ifHe sends me elsewhere, in that may His will be done, and may His holy blessing be upon me. Amen. CLIX Rodost6, 19th Nov. 1740. What great news, Aunt! are your ears ringing? The Roman emperor died on the 20th Octobris. This is a double piece of great news: both because a great emperor bas di~ and because the Austrian house bas become extinct in the male line11 • What a fine condition it is to be alive; for if we had died we would not have lived to see so great a thing. Our forefathers failed to do so. What a great change this must bring about in the world, this great hostehy. Under the ancient law, those that were proscribed might return after the death of the High Priestm-may we expect that? At this news a hundred thoughts crowd my mind; but perhaps nothing will tum out as I think. And so let us leave it to that Master of many servants. And if the letter is tiny, the news is very great. How are you, 215 LEITERS FROM TURKEY Aunt? Does your health serve you well? Take care of it, Aunt; for do you see, how good it is to be alive! I almost forget, that God has given us a good Pope; at the end of August Cardinal Lambertini was elected. He is now called Benedict XIv, and is 64 years of age. CLX Rodost6, 27. Decembris, 1740. According to the calendar winter has now begun, but the weather is not so inclined and is behaving as if it were summer. We still have not lit fires. And why should we? How warm it is! Day and night our windows are open. Last winter was so severe that perhaps none worse has ever been experienced in Europe; and now we have to wear summer pelisses even in winter. Who could tell the reason for that? I will tell it, let him that knows better know better. There was severe cold last winter, so that one had to spend more on wood; in the present winter the weather is fine, and wood is little in demand. From all ofthat I deduce that it is now not necessary to buy so much wood. Why? because it is not cold. Do you see, dear Aunt, what a philosopher your nephew is? Ifonly I had studied more! But even if I have not, I know such as are philosophers, is that not sufficient? Let us not speak of the cold, but of the fact that of late great swaths have been scythed down, and death has shown that he can reap not only in houses of straw but also in palaces. First of all, God took to Himself Pope Clement Xll116• The king of Prussia died on the 31st of May. A Spanish queen mother117 followed him. God called Emperor Charles VI on the 20th Octobris. He was followed at once, eight days later, by the Muscovite tsarina118• All these may cause great changes in Europe. For more than four hundred years the imperial crown has not left the Austrian house which has now become extinct. But now three parties want to divide up even that empty house: the Spanish and Bavarian kings, while the king of Prussia wishes to occupy Silesia. This latter has already started campaigning119. Apart from that, the war between the Spanish and the English continues. France is aiding the Spanish. All these are great affairs, and greater have never happened in a single year. Everywhere princes are making ready and are on the move. Only we are in very great exilic peace, as if our affairs were proceeding best of all. But the rich man eats when he wishes, and the poor man when he can get it. Now the ambassadors are gathering in Frankfurt to elect the emperor, 216 LEITERS FROM TURKEY but that will not happen so quickly. Whatever happens or does not happen, that is their business; let us only praise the Creator, by Whose will or consent all things will be, and give praise to Him, that He bas granted that we have lived out this year. CLXI ~ost6, IS,~artn, 1741 Dear Aunt, I have received a number of letters from you, have read and answered them. But it is quite sad news that the chief interpreter120 bas lost his head. He can never have sustained greater loss: I know that he would have saved it at any price, but that was not possible. You write that in filet all his property bas been confiscated, even his wife has been taken. What an ass this world is, or rather, we are asses for clinging to it as we do. He was the brother of the Voivode of Moldavia, and I know that he is now in fear. How much money and property was not found in his possession! I believe that he sought it only for his son and his wife; for himself he took no profit of anything. He lived very, very ascetically and frugally, rather as the Greeks do. I saw him in a coat three years old, though I know that he had marten-trimmed pelisses aplenty. But I also saw that his wife's head was loaded with diamonds and emeralds. It appears that that gentleman had sensed his danger from childhood; for I always saw him with a sorrowful and gloomy cast, perhaps he never laughed. Let us value what we have, dear Aunt, little though it be. And render thanks to God for our daily bread. Now I shall act as we do when three or four of us are gathered, and having nothing else to discuss we talk about the weather. I shall write about it, for until now it bas been simply autumn. All winter long the weather has been quite dry. It has snowed three times, but what kind of snow was it? Even for the Armenians it was insufficient121 • We could have eaten it ifthere had been stewed elderberries. The news of the world says (for we are outside it) that the affairs of the king of Prussia122 in Silesia are proceeding very well, and that everyone everywhere is raising armies. If each were content with his own, what peace there would be in the world. Write, Aunt, but you must cuddle your health. Here, thanks be to God, we live our exiled lives in peace. I have been devoting myself to horticulture, for I have planted a number of vines in my garden; they have taken root, and have borne two bunches of 217 LEITERS FROM TURKEY grapes. I am as pleased with them as if I owned the whole hill of Tokay. Dear Aunt, with how little must an exile be satisfied. CLXll Rodost6, 15. Maji, 17 41. How are you, dear Aunt? Does your health serve you well? Do people write in that great city in spring? Perhaps not, for I have not received a letter from you for a long time, perhaps six days. To those of icy heart, like my Aunt, that is not long: but to a Szekely heart it is very long. And I sent a long letter not long ago; for here one loves to write in spring too, and with even greater delight than at other times. For it seems that in spring friendship too must be renewed along with the flowers, and now more and sweeter words come to mind than in other seasons. What the reason for that is, women know best. Suffice it that after the dry winter we have a dry spring. But everything is showing itself in abundance; whereas we ourselves are withering, as are all our affairs. Where there is discord there is no blessing from God. There are three or four of us, nevertheless we cannot live peaceably together; for all that remains to us is that accursed discord. Even though it has no tahin from the Porte, it flourishes; for we ourselves feed it to our own detriment. If it were up to me I would have buried it long ago: but, as I see it, it will bury us. Here there is no news that concerns us; but we can see that war is imminent everywhere. The Brandenburger In has made a good start. The ambassadors from all parts are going with great ceremony to Frankfurt to elect the emperor. Let them see, I have no interest in that, but I do concern myself that my Aunt's health shall be robust. CLXlli Rodost6, 15. Julii, 1741. Do not be surprised, dear Aunt, if I cannot write more often, for there is a very severe drought-even my ink has dried up. But that would be a mere trifle, if the water had not dried up, for it is hard to obtain even what is needful. Let no one tell me after this that a dry year is a lean year: since in five months there has not been five hours of rain, yet despite that the 218 LETIERS FROM TIJRKEY harvest has been abundant-one cannot see fruit-trees more heavily laden than at present. But He that can make a hundred men vanquish a hundred thousand can give abundance without rain, as we see now. That concerns God's blessing on the fields, let us now look at His mercy on the town. We were very much afraid that in the drought diseases would prevail, and we were particularly afraid of the plague; but thanks be to God, there has never been a healthier year. Better still, it has not been heard ofin the imperial city. Ofwhat can we complain, then? Of nothing else, unless we are and shall be ungratefu.l to God for all His blessings. Until the vintage comes, let us take a little turn to Francofurtum. The ambassadors of all manner of kings have been there for a long time for the election of the emperor, but have not yet begun. Everywhere princes are preparing their armies. The king of Prussia had led forty thousand men into Silesia. The Bavarian has designs on the Czech lands, with the aid ofthe French. God's will be done. Aunt, I wish you good health. CLXIV Rodost6, 21. Aug. 1741. Do you enquire, Aunt, what we do and how we spend the time? To the first question I reply: that our principal activity is eating and drinking-to the second, that we sleep and walk on the seashore. Is that not enough for an exile to be doing? Meanwhile we wait for someone to take us home, as the sick in Jerusalem waited beside the pool of Siloam 124, for the angel to disturb the waters and for someone to cany them in. But those waters were stirred by an angel, not a man. Let us consign ourselves to the angel of wisdom. He knows all things, how they shall be. And I must desire the well-being and peace of my homeland, no less than my own. The Bavarian has, with the aid of the French, begun the campaign for the Czech lands. The queen ofHungary was crowned on the 25th Junii125• The horseback ceremony too was performed, she struck the three directions of the world with a sword to show that she would protect the country against enemies from all parts. The ceremony is very fine. Let us abandon ourselves to the will of God. Where there is no human hope, there is divine aid. More another time. Pola teti. 219 LEITERS FROM TURKEY CXLV Rodost6, 15. Sept. 1741. If I do not keep a diary of the weather I do not know what to write. Henceforth I shall only write: today there was good weather, yesterday it rained, the day before came a great storm of wind. That sort of thing is not a letter but a calendar, and I can anticipate how you would judge such a letter. Thanks be to God, dear Aunt, we spend our days in great peace. Our days are uniform, there is no distinction between them. Today is like tomorrow, tomorrow will be just like today has been. All the time we occupy ourselves with the same old matters, all the time dragging behind us our long exile, the end of which perhaps only death will bring. It behoves us to be grateful to the queen for our exclusion from our homeland, since there is more there to cause the extinction of life. Here we have no difficulty with bailiff or accountant. Our heads do not ache over law-suits. The billeting-officer does not cause us anxiety. We have no concern over the gaining or losing of estates. We do not envy the fate of others, their appointments, promotions, manor houses. And I think that others do not envy ours. We do not hear the shrewish tongue of the mistress of the house, nor her complaining that this or that is lacking. We do not worry our heads over what property we are to leave our children, how we are to educate them, what appointments or marriages we shall obtain for them. The Bavarian. aided by the French, is at war with the queen over the Czech lands, and the Prussian over Silesia. What insatiability, when one cannot be content with what one has. The Bavarian will neither be able to take the Czech lands without an accomplice, nor to hold them. The Christians consume one another, and the Turk looks on with peaceful eye. And I wish my Aunt peaceful health. CLXVI Rodost6, 1742,29. Aprilis. It is several days now since the VIZier was deposed. Ali Pasha 126 has been elevated to his place. He is now VIZier for the second time-an unprecedented thing-but he is a good, kindly man. When he is unwilling to give a man something, at least he sends the petitioner away civilly. Is 220 LEITERS FROM TURKEY LXXX Rodost6, 7. Maji, 1727. Aunty! I received your letter, sweeter than honeyed pogacsa, with throbbing heart. There really was no need to thank me for my answers to your questions; for what you are so kind as to receive from me takes the place of thanks. But I see that the thanks are merely for the purpose of making me answer your questions once more. Which I will do with good and willing heart, in so far as my ragged mind will permit. For if there can be ragged soups3, why not a ragged mind? Enough. I know, dear Aunty, that according to custom we spend this month on the shores of the waterway. Would that I might be there; for there can be no finer place to live. There is not its peer in Europe. If anyone has not seen it, let him imagine a wide and long lake-perhaps five merflJld in 1~. The one end of it goes into the Black Sea, the other into the White Sea . But what fine towns could be built on both banks! There are towns there now, but if some other nation inhabited them they would all be quite different. How I liked to watch the many great ships passing my window, and the many pretty little boats! But here all I see is awful black Ar- menian women. But for us it is all one as regards entertainment whether it be May or December-:-we merely stay at home and do the same thing summer and winter alike. I know of no cloister. where order is kept as it is with us. Truly, if any of us were to become a monk he would not have to spend a year in the novitiate; for here everything is done to the hour and minute. I have a little dog, and it knows the order as well as I. When the drum beats and I go to Mass it does not so much as look at me; but when it is beaten for luncheon it jumps up and comes to me. Certainly, I have taken care that this dog shall know the rule so well. It simply observes, when I leave the house, where I go; if to the Prince's or to church, it does not move, even if I call it-it knows by now that it is not allowed to those two places. There is no animal more intelligent than the dog. It is said that the elephant is, but I have never seen His Greatness. But I have seen a dog that could recognise cards, and knew its abc as well as a young schoolboy. Oh, dear Aunty, I was forgetting that I have yet to discharge my obligations to my mistress, and must make ragged answers to your ques- tions. You ask, dear Aunty, who were the Crusaders? Secondly, is bell- ringing in churches an ancient custom, because there you hear no sound 121 LEITERS FROM TURKEY Austrian house will never fotget Silesia. Sooner or later the peace will be broken. Whether we shall live to see it the Lord alone knows. I know that I wish my Aunt health. CLXVDI Rodost6, 1743, 15. Octobris. One cannot fiill from Heaven, although the wicked angels did: but on this earth, however high a man may climb he must descend again, something which has now happened to Ali Pasha, who was not able to retain office for a year and a halt: but bad to relinquish it. He bad tried the position twice. But the Vtzier is fortunate that now one or two Turkish Sultans have abandoned the ancient custom whereby the deposed VIZier was strangled. What a great fiill to fall from the office of VIZier; for it may be said to be an office of royal rank. He is lord of the whole empire. Affairs military and legal alike are in his power, in short, the whole of the administration. All officials depend on him. The VIZier's salary is very little. But who could tell how many thousand means he has for collecting. But in this country if the principal officers are acquisitive and become rich, that is to the Sultan's advantage: for if he deposes them they have to save their heads with many a purse of money, and if they are killed all their goods become the Sultan's. There is no office in Europe greater than that of the VIZier, none more powerful nor more profitable: but none more impermanent either, for he does not know the hour when another will oust him. Two years is a long time for him to remain in office. The VIZiers may safely say with St Paul: we have no continuing city129• The deposed VIZier never again sees Constantinople. But appointment to so princely an office is not always made from among the nobles, but at the whim of the Sultan. It can be attained by a barber, a wood-cutter, a butcher, a boatman. There have been VIZiers from all of these trades. The new VIZier130, however, is the Chief Aga of Janissaries. How long he will remain in that high post he himself does not know. But I do know that I wish my Aunt health. 222 LETIERS FROM TURKEY CLXIX Rodost6, 1746, 15. Aug. Here the greatest news is that the VIzier has been deposed and his tiha Mehmed Pasha131 put in his place. This is now the 14th VIzier since we have been reigning in this country. Reigning, I say; for since God's holy Majesty has great care over us we know neither trouble nor need. True, I cannot say that we live like fish in water; for they do not die of thirst: whereas here our water is in short supply and the streams have dried up. And that is no wonder, since in six months we have seen no heavy rain. We have no need of cloaks. But what may be a source of surprise is that everything has grown none the less, and there will even be plenty of wine. Elsewhere such a drought would be followed by famine; but here everything grows on in abundance. It seems that the soil is accustomed to drou.ght, as the summer is usually very dry and ifthere is only a little rain in spring, that is sufficient. If there were here the sort of rains that fall elsewhere the wine would be in very short supply, for as the vines are not supported the grapes would all rot, of which they are very much afraid here if there are only two days of rain. Customs are different in every country, for Nature too has different ways. Here, if the grapes were supported they would shrivel. It seems that one who dbes not own a foot of land has said enough about agriculture. I remain, dear Aunt. CLXX Rodost6, 15. Sept. 1747. Why desire long life, since Methuselah died-and why yearn for high office, since Mehemet the Vtzier was deposed last month? Ifwe wished to preach a sermon on the changeability and inconstancy of life and fortune after every deposition of a VIzier, there would be no end of it. But henceforth let us say of deposed Vlzi.ers: Give an account of your stewardship. The VIzier is now Abdulla Pasha. At the ~fjnning of this month there arrived in Constantinople the Count d'Esalleur1 2, to be ambassador at the Porte. His wife is Polish, of the Lubumerczky family. This French lord has arrived in Turkey from Paris by way of Saxony and Poland. There is much warfare among the Christians. The Turks are at peace. God grant us peace ofthe spirit. 223 LEITERS FROM TURKEY CLXXI Rodost6, 1748, 15. Aprilis. Now the Christians have made peace. At the beginning of this month a treaty133 was made between the queen ofHungary and the king of France. In this treaty the Hungarian queen ceded two or three territories in Italy to Don Filipe. May it be a lasting peace, but among kings there arise legal battles that can only be conducted by cannon-advocacy. Here we are in peace. Our Sultan loves peace. He is on good terms with his neighbours and the people love him. Any, however, that look for trouble, and are too big for their boots, he immediately sends to the realm of the fishes, but without a head. It is not, however, love of their fatherland that rouses the Turkish lords, but accursed miserliness. Here, if the Janissaries mutiny they are immediately put down with money. This Sultan has had his Kezlar Aga134 beheaded, who had treasure fit for a prince, but who did not know his place, and fomented revolt against the Sultan. There can be none in the world happier than the Kezlar Agas- they are constantly in the presence of the Sultan. They guard his women. They can gather as much treasure as they will. But for what purpose, as they can have no children? They have no need of wives, for that which would cause that need has been cut from them with a knife. CL:XXII Rodost6, 1748,20. Maji. Dear Aunt, I can see that you are tired of reading in my letters only of rain, cold and heat, and you wish me to write something about the Turkish court, its customs, direction and organisation. That is all good and profitable: but on such a topic I would have to write not a letter but a book. I can see that women become wiser with time-let us add men to that, they too have need of time to become masters of their crafts. Fonnerly we thought only of entertainment: now, however, we wish to know what customs there are in the empire. What a change is this? Dear Aunt, in this too I must submit and carry out your wishes as far as in me lies135• In the first place, it is impossible not to be sufficiently amazed at the lasting of this great empire for so long a time, and not to attribute its 224 LETIERS FROM TIJRKEY growth by military conquest to the ordinances of God rather than to the Turks' style of government, or the wisdom of those that govern. Nor can we think otherwise if we consider the omnipotence of the Sultan, who is frequently devoid of wisdom or good morals, and whose act and word, little wisdom though they contain, are law and precedent. In the Porte it is neither origin in a great family nor merit that elevates a man to high office, but the Sultan's benevolence towards him. What is the cure for such disorder? Severe punishment, for he that moves against the empire is quickly killed, and by this bit the pashas are held in check. Harshness and violence are the nature of the Turk. They devised their style of government in time of war, and it bas not changed. It bas become natural in all men that they should be like slaves. In this great empire it is necessary that he who would move against it should be prevented straight away at the outset. But indeed mere suspicion brings death here. That is enough for the present: more another time, or less. Perhaps, Aunt, you wish me to write the history ofthe empire? For that alone good health, good night. Who bas seen anyone write much in May? CLXXlll Rodost6, 26. Julii, 1748. Aunt, how are we? Our watery posts are a very long time on the way. You write, Aunt, that you read with pleasure my letter about the Porte, and that I should continue, for you will take it as a kindness-and I strive at all times to please you. Therefore I will set about not my lord's service but milady's. You know, dear Aunt, that the Turks acquired by force of arms the great and wealthy territories in Europe, Asia and Africa of which the Sultan is sole and perpetual lord. But from these one must exclude the priestly and church estates, for among the Turks too the priests love their estates. Being then the established proprietor of the land, the Sultan firstly divided the conquered territories straight away among his warriors, to reward them for their good conduct. These rewards are known as timar, but they are not our Hungarian timar136• And those that hold these estates are obliged to furnish a certain number of horsemen for the Sultan's service. But one must know that these estates, although held in perpetuity, are held as if leased, for the Sultan can take them away when he pleases. Wrth regard to his complete power over land, the Sultan is called by the 225 LETTERS FROM TURKEY Turks God on earth, or the Shadow of God. For this reason he is held by the doctors of law to be above the law. True, in certain matters the Sultan requests the judgements of the Mufti; but if the latter does not judge as pleases him, he ejects him mercilessly from office, and appoints one that will rather seek his pleasure. The Turks also maintain that the Sultan may depart from his undertakings and promises, when they in some way offend or diminish his perpetual powers. True, when he is made Sultan he swears and accepts to defend the Turkish religion and the law of Mahomet. But this same law calls him the mouth and interpreter of the law. And it is also true that the learned doctors of the law limit the· Sultan's power in religious matters: but leave him complete power in matters pertaining to the country. Now I have written enough. The Crimean Tatar would not make his slave write more in such hot weather. CLXXIV Rodost6, 26. Octobris, 1748. We have here, dear Aunt, a rich vintage. I am even making vermouth. Grapes are so cheap that for one poltura one is given three oka of splendid, fine, sweet grapes-that is nine pounds. If the grapes are cheap, the work does not take long, like most agricultural work. For example, the cotton is picked this month, the same land is sown in early December, ploughed with a wretched plough and a couple of oxen: in June it produces wheat like reeds. I had forgotten that I am summoned to milady's service. Among their other good qualities the Turks esteem obedience most highly. At least, that is what they are taught that are educated in the Sultan's court, and who are destined for the highest offices, wherefore those that obediently suffer death at the Sultan's behest are considered martyrs, and are believed to go post-haste straight to Paradise. For this same reason all that are in official positions are given the name of kul, that is, they are the Sultan's slaves. Even the Grand Vizier deems it a great honour to give himself this title. It could be said that the whole empire consists of slaves. The youngsters that are educated at court are kept locked up there for 20, 30 or 40 years, as in a dungeon. For the most part, the mothers of the pashas were slave- girls-the Sultans have at all times been the issue of slave-women. This is why the Turks are so inclined to serve as slaves. I will write no more, for 226 LETIERS FROM TIJRKEY yesterday there was a great eclipse of the sun-we could even see the stars. CLXXV Rodost6, 19 .... bris 1748. This letter will deal with the manner in which the young are educated in the Sultan's court; for the Turks consider that such must serve the Sultan as have received their education and sustenance from him. Those young men are for the most part of Christian parentage. They are eligible for the highest offices. The Turks call them ishoglan. They have to be very handsome and of a good disposition, without any bodily blemish, for the Turks consider that a vile and dirty soul cannot inhabit a fine body. First of all they are taken in and shown to the Sultan, who assigns them to schools dedicated to the purpose. But first their names are registered in a book, how old they are, where they are from, and then they are paid, four or five penz daily. They are divided among the small and large schools. Usually there are 400 in the large school, 200 in the small one. And they are educated with extreme care and rigour. The masters instruct them in religion and teach them Turkish, Persian and Arabic. The chief of the white eunuchs is in charge of them. They are well provided for as concerns clothing and food. Their beds are in lines, and in every fifth bed sleeps a eunuch, lest any disorder should arise among them. When they rise above childhood they are exercised in occupations requiring strength, the throwing of spears and archery. Further they are taught handiwork, the making of arrows and saddles, music; they are shown how to rear dogs and birds. From these schools they are elevated to higher offices, such as the washing of the Sultan's shirts, the care of his costly drinks, and their pay is increased to 8 p6nz a day. From these two houses they will go to an even higher house called Chazoda 137, in which there live forty servants, who are constantly at the Sultan's side. Twelve of these bear the principal offices of court, which are: the Seliktar Aga, his arms- bearer; the Rikabdar Aga, who holds his stirrup; the lbriktar Aga, who carries his water; the Tiilbendar Aga, who decorates the Sultan's turban; the Kemhusar Aga, who takes care of his robes and underwear; the Chemegir Bashi is the chief of those that taste the Sultan's food; the Zagatgi Bashi, who bas charge of the hounds; the Dirnakgi Bashi, who cuts the Sultan's nails; the Barber bashi, the principal barber; the 227 LEITERS FROM TURKEY Muhashchegi basbi. who sees to expenditure; the Teshkeregi bashi, the secretary138 . No more today. CLXXVI Flodrnrtb, 13.Feb. 1749. Today I will write about the half-men, or eunuchs. Since the Sultan has two kinds of eunuch: black and white. Nearly all the chief officials of the Sultan's inner court are appointed from the eunuchs. His Chief Priest and the incumbents of the imperial temples are eunuchs. The black eunuchs are employed in the service of the women. These are completely castrated, and none more hideous or loathsome than these is to be seen. Their chief officer is the kizlar agasi. It seems that here we may write about the girls of the Sultan's court. These are all slave girls from various countries; the most beautiful are selected. They are divided into two houses, like the footmen. Their occupation is needle-work, each has her own bed, in every fifth bed sleeps a very watchful old woman. These are instructed in music and danciitg. The Sultan's mother takes any of them to her side, as she requires. The old woman that is in chaige of them is called koden kiaja: the mother of the girls. When the Sultan wishes to choose from them they are placed in a line. The one that pleases him, to her he throws his handkerchief, and she is taken with ceremony to the Sultan. If she is fortunate and bears the first son she is crowned and takes the name Hasaki Sultana; the rest, if they bear sons later, do not bear that name. After the death of the Sultan those that have daughters may leave the court, but those that have sons are imprisoned until death, unless their sons become Sultan. From all ofthis it appears that the Sultan's inner court is like a school in which strict order is kept. Later I will deal with the Sultan's outer court. CLXXVII ltodrnrt6,2l.Junii, 1749. Let us move on to milady's service, and begin with the Grand V:azier, whom the Turks call Vtzir Azem139, as the head of the Council. The Sultan places almost all his power in his hands, giving him his own seal, 228 LETTERS FROM TIJRKEY on which is carved his own name. This office was instituted by Amurates the First140• There are a further six Divan Viziers, who may only give council in the Divan when it is asked of them by the Grand Vizier. The Vizier's court is a princely court; at great ceremonies he wears two feathers in his triangular turban, the Sultan three. Three horse-tails are borne before the Vizier. This great honour is given to only three pashas in the whole empire, as they represent the Sultan. All men may take their legal disputes before him. Four times a week he holds a divan in the Sultan's court, and twice in his own house. Mighty though the Vizier is, he cannot have a pasha put to death without the Sultan's order in writing, nor a Janissary without his commanding officer's consent. Although all petitions must pass through the Vizier's hands, if it happens that great injustice has been done to someone in which the Vizier has had a part, then it is permissible to appeal to the Sultan, placing fire upon his head141, and go thus to the Sultan's court to plead for justice. The Vizier's salary is only twenty thousand thaler a year. But the gifts that the pashas give him from all their provinces, and the great amount of money that he collects from all those that have business at the Porte, come to a tremendous amount; to which the Sultan turns a blind eye, since it will all go into his coffers. After the Vizier there are other great officers, known as the beglerbeg. These are governors of provinces. They are all entitled to three horse- tails, and are lords of matters military and legal. The beglerbeg of Anatolia is the first. He receives a million kis-penz a year. There are twenty-two offices of beglerbeg. Each of these great governors has his own Mufti, Reis efendi, defterdar and treasurer. So shall we not say something of the Voivodes of Wallachia and Moldavia? Of the two the Moldavian is the senior and the poorer. He renders to the Sultan sixty thousand thaler, and many gifts to one and another come to the same amount. The Wallachian Voivode pays one hundred and thirty thousand thaler. At one time the Turks were so simple that they went themselves for the tribute. There was a Voivode of Wallachia who sent after the Turks and took the tribute from them under the guise of robbery. The Turks only suffered this once or twice, then they opened their eyes, and now the Voivode's men take the tribute to Constantinople. If it is lost that is not the Sultan's loss. 229 LETTERS FROM TIJRKEY CLXXVIII Rodost6, 21. Octobris, 17 49. Here it cannot be feared that the governors of remote provinces will cast aside obedience and make themselves independent lords, since care is taken to appoint as governors those that have been brought up in the Sultan's court, who know neither their fathers nor their mothers, nor any kith and kin, who have had no hope of any support and cannot move against the Sultan. The Sultan does not permit the wealth of the father to pass to his sons. Every pasha's inheritance is the Sultan's, and from that he gives as much as is sufficient to their ehildren for them to live. If the Sultan looks with disfavour on the great power or wealth of some pasha, then he gives him his younger sister or some other relation. He has to pay a great sum of money at the time of the betrothal and to give costly gifts before the wedding; and after marriage to maintain her with great brilliance so that, whatever great treasure he may have had his wife will empty his coffers, yet she will not even live with him, for relations of the Sultan are never taken from Constantinople, and he has to live alone in his pashadom. Here no account is taken of ancient lineage. A pasha who marries one of royal blood must divorce the wife that he has previously married, however hard that may be. Seeing that he may not live with his new wife, his wife gives him for his delectation a halafka or two, that is, slave-girls. We, for our delectation, have had a plentiful vintage. CLXXIX Rodost6, 1750, 16.. Januaris. Dear Aunt, this is a jubilee year, a holy year, if only we could go to the church of St Peter; but thither we cannot go. We will pray to God here: 'Great is my name everywhere, and everywhere my name shall be blessed142'. It is now a few days since the Vizier was deposed. His tiha beg has been put in his place. This man is called Mehemet Pasha143 • Now I must write of the Turkish religion, and say that of all false religions that of Mahumet is the most dangerous, because apart from the fact that most of all it favours the senses, on a number of points it is in 230 LETTERS FROM TURKEY agreement with Christianity. Mahumet founded the religion on the acknowledgement of the true God, Creator of all things, and then on love for one's fellow man, bodily cleanliness and a peaceful life. The Turkish religion strictly forbids idolatry. Mahumet was born among the pagan Saracens in the year 570. He was by nature a worthy man. It is believed that a Nestorian monk by the name of Sergius, who had fled from Constantinople, caused him to leave the pagan state. It appears from alkoran that these two men selected from the Holy Scripture what was best in religion. But as in their time there were in Arabia many more Jews than Christians, they did not take as many customs from the New Testament as from the Old-having in mind the purpose of winning the Jews to their own religion, and of not divorcing themselves completely from the Christians. If Mahumet had not had the insane belief that he should be considered a man sent from God, his religion would not have differed greatly from that of the Socinians144. But he wished to achieve a very great feat indeed, in making others believe that he was in communion with the spirits of Heaven. But whereas he neither was sent, nor had the gift of perfonning miracles, he was obliged, for the establishment of his religion, to tum his ecstasies, which were caused by severe epileptic fits, to cleverness, worldly knowledge and craf- tiness. Finally all these convinced the people that he was much superior to the rest of humanity, and that he received instruction from Heaven. His wife Fatima and his followers declared aloud that he was the proclaimer and revealer of the will of the Lord; and he had only come to this world to make known the Lord's commands. The dove that had been taught to fly above his head raised him not a little in the eyes of the people, who believed that it was the angel Gabriel, who, in the form of a bird, was speaking into the messenger's ear. Here I will break off in the middle, more another time. CLXXX Rodost6, 1750, 15. Maji. Who would not take pleasure in the fine May days? But it is certain that May is not as pleasant here as elsewhere, for we can see trees in leaf all winter-the greenery is uninterrupted. Even in May, however, the droughts begin, the grass starts to wither, while the trees are in blossom and green as early as the beginning of April. 231 LEITERS FROM TURKEY But now I must tell not of agriculture but of Mahumet, who, in order not to chase away the pagans, was unwilling to show himself to be Jew or Christian. But that he might be able to please both Jew and Christian he selected certain fragments of the religion of each and made them his own. And he taught that the Lord had given the law to man in three written forms-salvation might be found in each, for each declared faith in one God, Creator and Ruler of all men. The first law was given through Moses, but as it was very onerous very few had been able to adhere to it fully. The second law was that of Christ, which, although full of mercy, none the less is much harder than the former to follow, because it is very much contrary to [man's] depraved nature. Therefore he said: 'The Lord, being full of grace, sends to you through me such a law as is light and fit for your weakness-so that by following in it completely you may all become happy both in this world and the next.' (That is a very great promise.) The book of alkoran is a book in which, among the good things, there are much childishness and futility. But this book, whatever it may be, nevertheless sets forth both priestly and civil law, and expounds to the Turks all that must be believed and obeyed. They dare not open it without first putting it to their heads, which with them is the highest mark of respect. They read it most assiduously in accordance with the order that it gives. ('Exercise yourselves frequently in the reading of that book which has been sent to you, and pray ceaselessly, for worship cleanses from sin.') It is maintained that anyone that reads it a certain number of times-there is a precise figure-will attain Paradise. They call it the chief of books. The Turkish religion is divided into three branches: the Saracens' faith is the most superstitious-these maintain the religion according to Bubeker145; that of the Persians, which is purer, and they follow Hali146; and the Turks are of the sect of Omer147-they regard the rest as heretical and accursed. I, however, cannot curse him that is reluctant to write a longer letter: indeed I will say that he is a kindly man for it. CLXXXI Rodost6, 16. Septembris, 1750. What a fine thing it is to live in a town like ours that is open to the countryside-one can go into the fields whenever one wishes. The great 232 LETIERS FROM TIJRKEY walled cities are like dungeons. Now it is a delight to eat in the gardens. There is much fruit, but not many varieties, for the gardeners are bad and do not know how to graft. There are no pears, apples or plums, but many peaches-many melons of two or three varieties, especially at this time the autumn melon, which lasts into December. Such autumn melons as there are here are not found elsewhere. It is quite like a cucumber, in fact one that is unripe tastes exactly like a cucumber. But there is no fruit more pleasant to eat than this melon. On the outside it is not pleasing to the eye, and even less so when it is cut, for the inside is pure green. But when it is tasted it is eaten with delight, for it melts in a girl's mouth and is as sweet as if it had been cooked in cane-sugar. Now let us to milady's service. The Turks have one article of firith, to wit, that there is but one God and that Mahumet is God's emissary. As concerns the commandments of the law, these are divided into five parts: 1. that they pray five times daily; 2. that they fust during Ramazan; 3. that they give alms and perform works of mercy; 4. if possible that they go on pilgrimage to Mekka; 5. that they suffer no uncleanliness upon their bodies. To these a further four commandments are added, but these are not indispensable for salvation: I. that Friday be kept as a holy day; 2. that they be circumcised; 3. that they refrain from wine; 4. that they should not eat the meat of the pig, nor of any animal of which they have not first spilt the blood. The Turks keep Fridays, and are required to go to temple at noon. Women are permitted not to go, in order that the men may pray more attentively. The Turkish trader does not open his shop before noon on that day, but indeed, what is more, a pious Turk would not enter the house of a Christian-as has happened to me. The common good moved the law-giver to prohibit his disciples the drinking of wine. 'Guard yourselves,' he said, 'Against wine, dice and the game of chess. These the devil has invented in order to spread hatred and quarrelsomeness among men, to keep them from prayer and to prevent them from calling for help on the name of God.' It does not prevent us, however, from giving thanks to the Lord that we have not even heard mention of the plague this year-and may we not. 233 LE'ITERS FROM TIJRKEY CL:XXXII Rodost6, 1751, 14. Febr. Dear Aunt, I am very pleased that I have so far written to your taste concerning Turkish customs and religion. I wish that it shall continue to be so. But I must tell you that here the weather has been most unsettled, but it is to our benefit, for now at Carnival many bustards are brought to us dead and alive, that have been caught in the sleet. The Turks do not care for them, and we have by now become weary of them. The bustard is a terribly difficult, stubborn creature and prefers to starve itself to death rather than eat, but the young can be reared. Now it is time to move on to my lady's service. The Mufti is regarded by the Turks as the head and oracle of their law and their religion alike. His selection depends on the Sultan alone, who chooses for this office a wise, intelligent and trustworthy man. Although his decrees and decisions may have the force of law for judges, they in no way bind the Sultan. Nevertheless his power is so great that he never opposes him in anything, nor obstructs his decisions. These consist of only a few words, and in conclusion he always adds: 'God knoweth what is best.' Nevertheless, when the Sultan takes council with the Mufti concerning affairs of state, such as the death of some pasha or peace or war, if it turns out that the chief priest differs from the Sultan in his views, he is dismissed without any hesitation, and a chief priest is appointed whose thoughts will be at one with the Sultan's. When the Sultan writes to the Mufti he gives him the following title: 'To Essad, who art wisest among the wise, who art higher in all knowledge than all them that are above. Thou who eschewest all things that are not permitted, fount of good morals and of true knowledge, heir to the knowledge of the Prophets and the Apostles, that expoundest the article of faith and revealest its true meaning. Thou art the key to the treasury of truth. Thou illuminest the obscure interpretation. Thou art strengthened by the supreme ruler, and by the grace of the lawmaker of the race of men. May the great God grant that thou remainest for ever in good morals.' When the Mufti is appointed the Sultan sends him a marten-trimmed pelisse and a thousand thaler of gold in a handkerchief. Thereafter he ordains for him 2,000 penz daily-one poltura is three penz-which comes to 16 thaler and 30 poltura148 • There are certain royal temples from the property of which he can receive fifty thousand thaler. 234 LEITERS FROM TURKEY After the Mufti come the two Kadileskers: the one is the European, the other the Asian. All manner of legal matters may be brought before them, and they may pass judgement on all manner of laws. From this office appointments as Mufti are made. After the Kadileskers are the Mullahs. These receive 500 pCn.z daily. Throughout the empire these have authority over the cadis or judges. A Mufti may come from the Mullahs. The Mullahs and Cadis are regarded as cletgy, for among the Turks ecclesiastical and civil laws are not distinguished. The Imams or priests are like parish priests. These have to be beyond reproach, and it is necessary that they be well able to read the alkoran, and that in the first place they should have served in the office of those that call the Turkish people to prayer149• And it is also necessary that the people should speak on their behalf to the Grand VIzier: otherwise they would be unable to remain in office without the VIzier's command. No other ecclesiastical authority is needed for this, nor does the Mufti command them at all. Each is free in his parish, but they are subordinate to the civil judges. The Emirs may be reckoned among the clerics, since they are of the lineage of Mahumet. And in order that they may be distinguished from the rest they wear green turbans-the colour of Mahumet. They have many privileges. It is forbidden to the Turks to be abusive towards them. I( however, they disapprove of them and see them drunk, their turbans are removed and they are beaten unceremoniously. The Emirs have a chief, who is known as Nakib Essref50• He has great power over them, and may condemn them to death and pardon them. But in order to avoid scandal the punishment is always carried out in secret. This chief has a deputy who is known as the Alemdar. He bears the ban- ner of Mahumet. The Emirs may proceed to all manner of appointments: but I will proceed no further, but will wish my Aunt good health. CLXXXIll Rodost6, 15. Aug. 1751. Dear Aunt, you do very well to write your letter of encouragement, saying that you have read with pleasure my letters about the Turks, for it is certain that I would have long ago desisted had I known that they were dull. 235 LEITERS FROM TURKEY It is good that you should know that the Turks love to build fine and elaborate temples, and that they are very generous in the founding of temples and in providing for the poor, who may pray daily for the souls of their benefactors. The greatest income belongs to the royal temples. The kezlar aga, who watches over the Sultan's women, is responsible for these and is in ~e of appointments in them. There are many temples in the empire, chiefly in the places where the Sultan is accustomed to dwell, such as Brusa, Adrianople and Constantinople, where there are many costly temples which the Sultans have had built. Wives of Sultans too have had some built. Principal among these is the temple of St Sophia. This was built by the Emperor Justinian; the Turks have maintained it and as previously devoted it to the service of God. But they have increased its income, which is a hundred thousand in gold yearly. And this is taken up in the city. The Sultan himself is obliged to pay a thousand and one penz for the land on which his palace is built, for in the time of the Christian emperors its grounds were a garden belonging to it. The Turkish Sultans have had a number of chapels built around the church in which they are buried. In them are lamps that burn continuously, and a certain income is provided for those that pray for their souls in those chapels. Furthermore, every day at certain hours alms are given to numerous beggars. (How happy they would be if these were given for Christ.) There are many temples where there are schools and the law is taught. There are hospitals and lodgings for travellers and foreigners. There are kitchens, where food is prepared for the poor. All these have reliable income, for villages, lands and estates are assigned to them. Fortunate is the village that belongs to some temple, for it has many privileges. If some private individual wishes to found a temple he may not donate land but gives ready money, and that is given out on usury. But that is only pennitted for a temple, for the law forbids giving on usury. Let us take care of our health, Aunt. CLXXXIV Rodost6, 26. Octobris, 1751. It is an exceptional thing that it should snow today. We have never seen such a thing. There are still a lot of grapes and cotton in the fields. 236 LETTERS FROM TURKEY Perhaps it will be to our advantage, as for the last three months the plague has been very much in evidence. And so it will give a change of air. It is to be believed that the plague has no great strength, since many recover from it. According to Turkish teachings these cannot die of the plague: but for those that have died, it was impossible to avoid it. For according to their teachings God abides very strictly by His pre- determined ordinances. Indeed, they even impute blame to God, for it is impossible for them to avoid it. They maintain that on the forehead of each is written what is ordained for him, and that cannot be avoided. The Turks regard the Persians as heretics, for these are followers of Haly, and the Turks of Mahumet. And they entertain a great mutual hatred, so much so that child slaves of all nations are taken into the Sultan's court, but not Persians, for it is said that a Persian cannot be truly converted. In brief, it is believed that a Jew and a Christian may hope that in time they may stand among the faithful, but a Persian never. Among the Turks there are an infinite number of religious sects, who all expound the alkoran in their own way. There are many that do not believe in the Deity. Among the Turks there are also a number of religious orders that are distinguished by their dress. Of these the most famous and the commonest are the Dervishes. The principal monastery of these is in !conium, and there are usually 400 therein. The Dervishes embrace poverty, chastity and obedience. They are very humble indeed toward their Superior. Their shirts are of very thick linen, on top of which they wear a dolman of thick grey frieze; spread over their shoulders is a white blanket; their legs are bare; their bosoms open; their belts are wide and of thick leather, fastened in the front; their tall caps are of camel-skin, and are shaped like a shako cap without the peak. These drink wine secretly, and if they can deceive anyone they do not fail to do so. They are not allowed to eat on Thursdays until evening. CLXXXV Rodost6, 1752, 20. Maji. Dear Aunt, it is five years since I received a letter from you. To tell the truth, it has been five months, but is that not a long time? Previously we used to write to one another more frequently, what is wrong? Is it perhaps that we are becoming older? But even without your letter I will fulfil your desire and will finish writing about Turkish customs. In my last letter I 237 LEITERS FROM TURKEY ended on the subject of the Dervishes, and I will write about them once more. The Dervishes' chief outward occupation is dancing on Tuesdays and Fridays. But before they begin this pious performance their Superior preaches a sennon. They insist that adherents of any faith may listen to this. The members of the order kneel in a circle. When the sennon is ended, a band of singers and flute-players strike up the singing, which continues for a long time. When a certain verse is being sung the Superior claps his hands and at that sign the members of the order rise, extend their anns and begin to whirl round, and so quickly that the watcher begins to feel dizzy. They wear a sort of skirt in thick broadcloth. And sometimes they whirl round as fast as the wheel on a cart, but they do not touch one another. When the Superior gives a sign, at once they desist from dancing, and each squats down in his place. As they are made familiar with this in their youth, they do not suffer the least dizziness. My head, however, was giddy with just watching them. They begin this whirling four or five times. They are permitted to marry, but they have to leave the order. I cannot end my account of the Turkish religion better than with a reference to their respect for Christ. It is untrue that they curse Him, as many maintain: for in this one must have regard not to the common people, but to the scribes. But if they are so unfortunate as not to believe in the divinity of Christ, they do at least revere Him as the Breath of God, as a great intercessor with the Lord. They agree that God sent Him forth, to bring a law that is full of grace. But when they call us infidels it is not because we believe in Christ, but because we do not believe that Mahumet was sent from God. We are right in so doing. CLXXXVI Rodost6, 1752, 2. Aug. Who would not write with pleasure, dear Aunt, when we have so many melons to eat; for here the melon-harvest is now taking place. I know that the VIzier that was deposed last month is not enjoying melons, and with reason. Imrehor Mustafa 151 has been elevated to his place. He was the Master of Horse. Now he is the head of the empire. He is a kindly man. He has shown us good-will in the past. At the end of last month one evening we were very startled; for there was such an earthquake that I have never felt a greater. The houses and walls swayed like the trees when the wind blows, but there was no damage. 238 LETIERS FROM TURKEY Now let us write about the Turks' marriage, which is to them a sacred and honourable affair. The priests have no part in it, for the ceremony takes place before the judge. When someone wishes to marry under the law, he reaches agreement with the father and mother of the girl. A contract of marriage, which may be ended by either party, is drawn up in the presence of the judge and two witnesses. A woman may ask her husband for divorce if he is impotent, and if he fails on three successive Thursday nights to pay his dues, the said night being that ordained for such payment. A man that does not give his wife sufficient for her to go to the bath twice a week may fear divorce. The girl is not given money, but it must be given to the young man. On the day of the wedding the bride is taken to the groom's house with great ceremony, with pipes and drums. The groom awaits her at the door and takes her down from the wagon, they take one another's hands, but the girl's face is covered so that she cannot be seen, but she can see the groom. When she has got down from the wagon they exchange vows, then the day passes in hospitality, the men in one place, the women in another. In due course some female relative of the bride takes her to the groom's house and only then does he see whether she is handsome or ugly. Such a marriage is not to the Hungarian taste. CLXXXVII Rodost6, 17. Novembris, 1752. Dear Aunt, the weather is fine here, the windows are open. Therefore I can now write of Turkish marriage. The Sultans do not customarily marry. One may believe that in this they are concerned for the peace of the country, but one may also think that they wish to avoid the dreadful expense of the wedding-feast. The Sultan may keep as many slave-girls as he pleases. Those that bring male children into the world are regarded as wives of the Sultan, and in time their sons may become Sultan. Among the Turks there are two kinds of marriage: legal marriage and lease-hold marriage, and a third, concubinage with a slave-girl. According to the law, however wealthy a Turk may be he may take not more than three or four proper wives. Lease-hold marriage is arranged without any ceremony, but agreement is reached with the girl's father and mother, being willing to hire out their daughter, before the judge, who sets down in writing that such-and-such a young man will take to himself such-and- 239 LETIERS FROM TURKEY such a girl in place of a wife, and that he binds himself to supply her with food and clothing-likewise any children arising from the union-but with the proviso that he may send her back to her father at any time, having paid hire in accordance with the agreement. As for slave-girls, the law permits the Turks to set them to anything that they please. Among the Turks, children have equal expectations irrespective of which women bear them. But the difference is that the child of a slave will become a slave like its mother, unless its father sets it free. When the husband dies first, the woman receives the money due to her: this concerns the real wife, since not so much attention is paid to the others. The Turk marries his real wives; she that he pays is considered to be hired; slave-women are chattels. A man that wishes to be divorced from his wife must give her what she became entitled to at the time of marriage. Divorce is carried out before the judge, and thereafter both parties are free. CLXXXVIll Rodost6, 1753, 22. Martii. Dear Aunt, what old inhabitants we are of this town. Yesterday 33 years had passed of our lasting exile here. Certainly, a quarter of that is more than I spent in .lagon. Shall I write, then, how long it has been since I was driven thence? That is not harmful, it is even profitable, for I shall see what deep gratitude I owe to God on high, Who has for so long watched over me. Blessed be God's holy name. But I must not foxget milady's service. The Turks, that is to say, the scribes, do not hold circumcision to be an article of faith, nor commanded by the alkoran, and they consider that even without it one may attain Paradise. Boys are usually circumcised at the age of seven. On the day ofthe circumcision festivities are prepared in the house of the boy's father. The boy is dressed up as elaborately as may be, and then taken through the streets on horseback to the sound of music. The boy has in his hand an arrow, the point of which is towards his heart, by which he means to show that he is more prepared to die than to deny the faith. His companions and supporters accompany him with delight to the temple, where the Imam (the priest), after a brief word of instruction, makes him repeat the article of faith, and then the barber places the boy on a couch, two servants hold a blanket before him, the barber pulls 240 LETTERS FROM 1URKEY forward the skin at the end of his body, grasps it with a little holder, cuts it off with his razor and displays the cut-off skin to the faithful present, saying: 'God is great!' The boy, however, cries and howls in pain, and those present greet him on being received among the faithful. Then the boy is taken back with ceremony to his father's house, where festivities continue for three days. You should know that the priest does not name a child, but after the birth the father takes it in his hands, raises it up, offers it to God, places a little salt in its mouth and says: 'May it please God, my son Ibrahim (or some other name), that His holy name be always as savoury to you as this salt, and that it permit you not to taste the things of this world.' As the Turks maintain that that which stains the body also defiles the soul, and that that which cleanses the one purifies the other, with this in view they prepare for worship by ablutions. 'Godly man,' says the alkoran, 'When thou wouldest pray wash thy face, thy hands and thy feet. Let married persons that sleep together bathe. Ifthe sick and the traveller cannot procure water, let them scour their faces with clean dust, for God loveth cleanliness and desireth that prayer to Him be perfect, that thanks be rendered unto Him for his grace and that His name be called upon for aid.' This is all well and good in part, but in other ways profitless, for poor Mahumet, thou didst not ask in the name of Christ-without which the prayer will not be heard. And I in that name desire my Aunt's health. That is enough for now. CLXXXIX Rodost6, 1753, 11. Junii. Dear Aunt, you write that you know the customs and religion of the Turks like the Mufti. It seems that one should not joke. To compare oneself to the Mufti, whose beard reaches to his knees, and who has a turban like a bee-hive! Do not bother me, for I will write no more. None the less, I will not leave my task unfinished, and I will tell you that the Turks comply with the command concerning ablution in two ways: the great ablution and the small. The first consists in washing the whole body, which is af1 obligation chiefly on those that are married, and where there is no bath the husband immerses himself three times in a running water or the sea, however cold it may be. The little ablution consists of turning towards Mecca and washing the face, the nose, the hands, the arms and the feet. 241 LEITERS FROM TURKEY After washing they cast their eyes on the ground and remain so for a short while to calm themselves, and to prepare for worship, which takes place five times daily. The first is at dawn; the second at noon; the third between noon and sunset, at about four o'clock; the fourth at sunset; the fifth about an hour and a half after sunset. But that they shall know the times of these prayers, a bell is not rung, for they have no bells, but there are persons appointed that go up in the mosque152, place their fingers in their ears and cry at the top of their voices these words: 'God is great, there is no God other than God. Come to prayer, for lo! I proclaim it to you clearly.' These skin-bells sing these words for the first time to the south, then to the north, east and west. When they all hear this they perform their ablutions and go to the temple. They all deposit their slippers outside the door or carry them in their hands. Wrth great reverence they bow and salute the alkoran in its hidden place, which place represents Mecca. Then they all raise their eyes and put their thumbs to their ears before kneeling. Then the priest rises, places his open hands on his head and his thumbs in his ears, and sings quietly, but very clearly: 'Great God! Glory to Thee, Lord, may Thy name be praised and glorified, that Thy greatness be made known, for Thou alone art the great God.' The people repeat it slowly after him. Usually this prayer is spoken and their eyes are fixed on the ground. This to them is a prayer such as the Our Father is to us: 'In the name of God, Who is full of goodness and mercy. Glorified be the Lord of the earth, full of goodness and mercy. Oh God! judge and lord of all men, we worship Thee, we place all our trust in Thee. Preserve us, for we call for aid in the true way. This way is that which Thou hast chosen, and which Thou favourest with grace. It is not the way of the infidel, nor of them with whom Thou art righteously wroth.' The beginning of this prayer is good, but the end of it is Phariseeism. The Turks always end the worship by saluting the two angels that, in their belief, stand on either side. And in this way they end: they take their beards in their hands and tum to right and left. On Fridays the Turks pray with the hope of obtaining the grace of God on all Turks. On Saturdays, that the Jews may be converted, on Sundays for the conversion of Christians, on Mondays for the Prophets, on Tuesdays for the priesthood, on Wednesdays for the dead, the sick and for slaves among the infidels, and on Thursdays for the conversion of the whole world. Dear Aunt, you probably know by now the Turkish religion. But I have no fear, for I never yet heard of a Christian woman other than a slave that 242 LETTERS FROM TURKEY became a Turk. They know that the French say that Turkey is the Paradise of horses and the Purgatory of women. cxc Rodost6, 15. Octobris 1753. Dear Aunt, if this continues the end of my letter-writing will come at any time, for a few months ago I began to wonder why I was beginning to read less than well, as if some thin film had been placed in my eyes. I can read a book, but with difficulty-! can read handwriting more easily. From that time on my eyes have been seeing more and more dimly- God's holy name be blessed for it. But I have yet to complete my lady's serv:tce. The Turks' fast is named after the month in which it falls, which is the month of Ramazan, Their year consists of 354 days. That is divided into 12 months. Their months begin at the new moon. Their fast is set during Ramazan because Mahumet declared that it was in this month that the alkoran was sent from Heaven. During that whole month it is not per- mitted to eat anything from morning till sunset, nor to drink so much as a drop of water. What is hardest of all for them, it is not even permissible to smoke. But when the sun has gone down the fast is over, and they all begin to feast by smoking; for however poor a Turk may be he feeds himself and his servants well. They will often spend in a month what they earn in a year. The feasting lasts from sunset to dawn. They sleep in the daytime, especially if it is not essential to work. What a ludicrous thing the Persians believe concerning this fast. They believe that Mahumet wished to please God, and so that He would care for his people he went to God and promised that the adherents of his religion would fast fifty days. God's holy Majesty accepted the promise. But when Mahumet was going down, in the third Heaven he met Christ, who asked him where he had been. Mahumet replied that he was coming from God, and that he had promised Him that his followers would fast fifty days. Christ said to him that fifty days was too much to promise. Thereupon Mahumet went up to God and said that he had promised too much, but let it be forty days. God's Majesty agreed to that too. Mahumet went down and Christ asked again what had been the outcome. He replied that he had promised forty days. Christ said to him: 'Do you see, I or- dained forty days to mine, and how badly they keep it?' Mahumet went a 243 LETIERS FROM 1URKEY third time and required of God that the fust be only thirty days. That too God accepted. And Christ may go no higher than the third Heaven, because a pin was found in his robes, and no earthly thing may enter Heaven. On this foolish belief I end my letter. CXCI Rodost6, 8. Decembris, 1753. Dear Aunt, I have become almost completely blind. I cannot see more than three paces. I cannot read print at all, handwriting rather better. But I am writing myself, for I can write. But I do not know what I am writing. Glasses are of no use. I shall finish what I am writing now, but in the New Year letters will be less frequent. When Ramazan is over the great bayram follows 153• This is like Easter with us. The bayram begins at the new moon. It is announced with much cannon-fire, drums and pipes, and everyone tries to spend the three days as pleasantly as may be. This feast is kept with great ceremony in the Sultan's palace. At dawn the Sultan goes on horseback to St Sophia's temple. When he returns the VIzier, the Pashas, the Muftis-in brief all the great officers greet him. Last of all to greet him is the Aga of Janissaries. The Sultan's women, who are enclosed the year round, are allowed out to visit the Sultan and the Sultana. And in the Divan the Sultan gives a great feast for the chief ministers. On that day good Turks make peace with those with whom they are on bad terms, and offer one another their hands in the street. The preachers, however, after expounding some passage from the alkoran, sing the following hymn in the temple: 'Salutation and blessing be to thee, Mahumet, friend of God, and blessing to thee, Jesus Christ, Breath of God. Salutation and blessing to thee, Moses, who foundest favour with God. Salutation and blessing to thee, David, the monarch ordained by God. Salutation and blessing to thee, Solomon, who wert faithful unto the Lord. Salutation and blessing to thee, Noah, whom God preserved by His grace. Salutation and blessing to thee, Adam, the purity of God.' The Turks' affection extends to animals, trees and the dead. They believe that it is pleasing in the sight of God. There are a number of foundations supported by bequests in which a number of dogs and cats are provided with .food. 244 LETTERS FROM TURKEY ex en Rodost6, 1754, 16. Augusti.. Dear Aunt, my condition is by no means a laughing matter, for he that cannot see well cannot really laugh. Nevertheless, all things must be accepted from God with good heart. It is now fifteen months since I was able to read. I have to ask another to write, for nowadays I can scarcely read what I write myself. But I must not neglect milady's work. The Turks are most particular about the washing of the dead. Incense is burnt beside the body, to drive away the evil spirit. Then it is buried in a cloth which is sewn up neither above nor beneath. Their reason for this is that they believe that once the body is in the grave two angels go to it, raise it to its knees and require of it an account of all its doings. For this very reason many of the Turks wear on top of their heads a little tuft of hair, that the angel may grasp it. The Turks' graves are like little cellars- the top is covered with a board, and earth is piled on top. If the deceased was a godly man, after the two angels that require the account, another two angels come to him that are as white as snow. These speak to him only of the delight that is to be in the next world. But if he turns out to have been very sinful, two angels come to him black as ravens, that will torture him. The one forces him deep into the earth, the other drags him out with an iron hook, and so they will continue to amuse themselves with him until the great day ofjudgement. Mahumet wished to please the Saracens and please them he did; for whereas their land is desolate, dry and infertile, in order to cheer them he promised them a Paradise that was full of springs, and such gardens, in which there are trees that the heat of the sun cannot wither, always full of blossom, and loaded with all manner of fine fruit. In this pleasant place there flow plentifully milk, honey and wine, but the wine is not such as intoxicates, nor clouds the wits. There too walk those perfect beauties that are neither cruel nor fickle, who are so sweet that if one of them chanced to spit into the sea it would straight away lose its saltness. Their eyes are as large as eggs, they look at all times toward their husbands, whom they love so that they are all but maddened for them, for they may take whichever pleases them. There the girls are, according to Mahumet, all pure, for there is no disease. Mahumet never said anything better of the next world than when he said that those who die in God's way are not to be counted among the dead, for they live in God by his goodness and love: but the damned, on the other hand, are cast into a great blazing fire, 245 LETTERS FROM TURKEY where their skins are perpetually renewed that the pain may be increased, they suffer agonies of thirst and drink no drink but poison, which chokes them but does not kill. But an even greater evil is that there they will find no women. What a dreadfully great pain it is that there should be no women! One has to take thought for this in this world, but in the next it is stupidity. I no longer know what to write about the Turkish religion-it seems that that is sufficient. ex em Rodost6, 23. Nov. 1754. I know for certain that you will be delighted that God in his mercy has taken the dismal darkness from my eyes. We should never wish evil upon anyone, even our enemies. But truly, blindness is worse than death to wish upon someone. The light of my eyes has returned without any medicine, merely by the grace of God. At the beginning of this month I began to see somewhat better. A few days ago I began to feel as if some dirt had fallen into both my eyes, something irritated them for two or three days, but I knew that nothing had fallen into my eyes: I asked others to look at them, and they could see nothing. It came to my mind that perhaps the thin film that had been before my eyes was about to fall off. And so it was; for after three days I no longer felt the unpleasant prickling in my eyes, and could see much more clearly. In a word, by the grace of God I was able today, my name-day, able to make use of the prayer-book, which I have not been able to do these eighteen months. I now have much more sympathy for the blind. But if bodily blindness is a great matter, spiritual blindness is a hundred times more so. Dear Aunt, may God preserve you from both. CXCIV Rodost6, 14. Dec. 1754. Dear Aunt, can there be greater news to write than the death of a mighty Sultan? Today we heard that yesterday Sultan Mamut154 departed the world. He had been sick for a few days, and the people very much desired to see him; he had himself taken to such a place that they could see him. Yesterday, in order to satisfy his people, he summoned up his strength, 246 LEITERS FROM TIJRKEY mounted his horse and went to St Sophia's temple. As he was returning, he would have fallen from his horse if he had not been held, and on returning home he quickly died. It may be said that he was a great Sultan; he was fortunate in war, that can be stated; likewise, that he never willingly started a war, and wished to rule in peace. On a number of occasions ·there were incipient risings against him, but he forestalled them, suppressed them, and removed the heads from the insurgents so that they should do it no more. He was much loved by the people, Christian and Turk alike; he himself was well-disposed towards the Christians. He governed the empire peacefully: he was not cruel, he changed his VIziers often but did not put them to death. It may be said of him that he was a great Sultan, although of small stature. His place has been taken by Osman155, his brother-and that without the least opposition. Osman's mother is still alive-and that is an escape from slavery. Both Mamut and Osman are sons of Sultan Mustafa. Now we are the guests of a third Sultan. God's holy Majesty feeds us plenteously from their hands. Dear Aunt, kalinitsa156• cxcv Rodost6, 6. Aprilis, 1755. The new Sultan changes his VIzier very quickly. He deposed the VIzier in February, and appointed the Aga of Janissaries as Kaymakam until the new VIzier should arrive. The Kaymakam is the VIzier's deputy. The new, that is, the old VIzier, Ali Pasha, arrived in Constantinople at the end of last month. I said that he was the old VIzier, because he is now VIzier for the third time, and he may thank the Sultan's mother, who used to be the slave of the VIzier's father, and his father gave her to the father of the present Sultan. This Sultana is now seventy years of age. CXCVI Rodost6, 26. Aug. 1755. The Sultan is making the VIziers perfonn a dance of change. Truly, as one may say, we have no continuing city. Ali Pasha was made VIzier in March, in May he was dismissed and Abdulla put in his place. He had been the Treasurer of the country. Today the news was brought that he 247 LETIERS FROM TIJRKEY too has been deposed and Siliktar Ali Pasha157 put in his place. He was the sword-bearer, a man very dear to the Sultan, therefore he must remain a long tiffie in office or on the wheel of fortune. More than this I cannot write. Little though it be, it is news of great men. [In this month the king ofPrussia declared war on the queen158.] CXCVII Rodost6, 25. Oct. 1755. Who would have thought, dear Aunt, that dear Siliktar Ali Pasha would fall so soon? But even so he fell not as the others, onto the earth, but under it. Suffice it that the Sultan's mother objected to him, for he had contrived that Ali Pasha should be deposed, who had been the Sultana's supporter. The Sultana exacted vengeance, and spoke against him to her son, and made it known to the Sultan through others too what devious means he employed to acquire treasure for himself. The Sultan found the charge proven, had the Vizier taken and commanded that his head be removed. But it was made known to the Sultan that it was not usual to behead Viziers, but to strangle them; the Sultan replied that in that case he should first be strangled and then beheaded. So it was, and his head was set up for all to see. Since we have been in this country I have not known of another that the Sultan has had executed. Zaid efendi has followed in his place. He speaks French, for he has been twice to France, and has been ambassador. CXCVIII Rodost6, 1756, 15. Januarii. Dear Aunt, what dreadful news have we heard? That on the first of November the city of Lisbon sank in a terrible earthquake and was destroyed. A large part of it was consumed by the fire of the earth. The churches were full of people, for it was a feast-day, and they fell on them. The whole city was changed in an hour into a cemetery, and buried its in- habitants. Carriages with men and horses sank in the streets. What a ter- rible scourge did God wield against that city? For not only was there the movement of the ground, but also the subterranean fire erupted into the 248 LEITERS FROM TIIRKEY streets. Therefore the tremendous wealth of that rich city is lost for ever. We are of the earth, and earth we must become. CXCIX Rodost6, 30. Aprilis, 1756. At the beginning of this month the Sultan made an April fool of Zaid Efendi, for he deposed him from the office of Vizier. The new Vizier Imrehor Mustafa was in Morea. and arrived here today. He is on his way to Constantinople. He is now Vizier for the second time. The French and the English have declared war on one another. The English are very merciless, hard of heart and ungrateful. The other day I read of an Englishman who was the Archduke of the ungratefu1159• It is impossible, dear Aunt, that I should not write of this. I know that afterwards you will say that he was an ass. Suffice it that the father of a nice young Englishman was a merchant, and rich, but was very miserly and wished to acquire more, and therefore took ship with other merchants for America. When they reached the American coast the captain of the ship anchored off an island, to take drinking-water on board. While the water was being brought, the English merchants went ashore to hunt. The young man too went with them. But as they were not very wise they wandered far from the shore. Savages rushed upon them, killed all the rest, and only the young man escaped. The captain observed the incident and immediately set sail. The young man was left there, taking refuge here and there in the forest in a state of great sorrow and fear, not knowing where to turn. He was constantly in dread of encountering some savage that would kill him on the spot. By this time he was beginning to experience hunger. There could be no hope of escape. Nor dared he approach the sea-shore, that he might see some ship on which he might escape, nor to find food, lest he be found. Becoming tired in the forest, he came to a little hillock. But as he was resting thereon he looked round and saw a girl coming out of the bushes and approaching him, and they began to stare in amazement one at the other, and to look on one another with favour. And if the boy was delighted by the figure and person of the savage girl, who was naked, the girl found pleasure in the young man's appearance and white face, and she fell so much in love with him that there and then she began to consider how she might save his life. And she took him to a cave, and 249 LEITERS FROM TURKEY after that brought him fine fruit to eat and took him to a good spring, that he might drink. It may be supposed that the girl was a person of standing, for every day she adorned herself with very beautiful necklaces of shells. Then the girl brought to the cave skins of wild animals for the lad to lie on, and decorated his cave with many kinds of coloured feathers. And that he might find enjoyment, she took him of an evening in the moonlight to some pretty spot, the bank of some stream or spring, where the lad might repose himself; and she kept watch. or cradled him asleep in her bosom and woke him if she heard some sound. In this manner they passed their time, until they had made up a new language for themselves. Then the lad told her that he would regard himself as fortunate if he might take her to his own home, where he would have fine robes made for her. They had spent a few months in great affection, when t1te girl saw a ship on the sea, and knowing what to do signed to the vessel to come to the shore. In the evening both of them boarded the ship. The ship made for the island of Barbados-which was where the young man wished to go. They were highly delighted at having escaped from such great unease and fear. And with what a joyful heart did the girl leave her native land and her parents to spend her life with him whom she so loved, and whose life she had saved at the risk of her own. But the closer they approached to that island, the more uneasy and anxious our young man became, considering inwardly how long he had been away, and that in that time his money had brought him no interest, and his business had not been carried on. And in order to recoup those losses, and to give a good account of his voyage to his relatives, he resolved to part :from that companion that had done him so much kindness as soon as they should reach the island. Where, as the ship came to shore, a market was being held, at which slaves were being sold, as with us horses and oxen. The poor unhappy savage girl began to weep and to plead, but all in vain. She even indicated to him that she was pregnant by him, but that young man's heart was moved by nothing except his own profit. And indeed, when he learned that she was pregnant he asked for an even higher price for her from the dealer. Dear Aunt, what do you say of that piece of ingratitude? I can only say may God repay him for his dreadful ingratitude. At least he need not have sold her, if he did not wish to keep her himself. Oh, miserliness! How many souls hast thou brought to perdition. This month the Prussian has commenced warfare against the queen without cause, and unjustly occupied Saxonia. 250 LETTERS FROM TIJRKEY cc Rodost6, 17. Januarii, 1757. Dear Aunt, do you know that Imrehor Mustafa has been deposed and the Pasha of Aleppo set in his p1ace160? He was previously Reis Efendi, and what is worse, used to be a Christian, for he is of Greek extraction. I say, what is worse, because hitherto apostate VIziers have never been as kind to the Christians as those born Turks. The new VIzier is still in Aleppo, and it will be a long time before he arrives. You write, dear Aunt, that the situation of the Sultan's daughters is bad, since they cannot live with their husbands, and that many are given to elderly pashas. True, they cannot desire marriage, whether they are given to an old man or a young one, but they may not live with their husbands, and after the wedding the latter have to leave Constantinople for some great pashadom. I believe that this is done in order to prevent them beginning any uprising, and if they have a male child it must die as soon as it is born. Although I do know of a VIzier that had the Sultan's daughter at his side. Here, in any case, such a thing does not occur as did with the daughter of the Emperor Charles the Great. The emperor had a secretary by the name of Eginhart. He performed his duties so well that all loved him. But among the rest the emperor's only daughter loved him even more; and he, likewise, was very affectionately disposed towards Imma. But as this love grew and grew, he undertook a thing most dangerous by way of a test. For one night he went and knocked at Imma's door, as if the emperor himselfhad sent him. But when he had been admitted, he began to speak to Imma of something else, which she received with great delight, and received him with gracious affection, and they remained together until the dawn. At dawn, however, when he would return, Eginhart saw that there had fallen much snow while they had been disporting themselves. He began to be very much afraid that he would be recognised from his footprints in the snow, and that it would become known whence he had come. He told the emperor's daughter what he feared, and how anxious he was. They took council together, what they might do so that nothing should be discovered. Finally the princess found the way. It consisted of her carrying her lover over the snow on her back. The emperor, however, had spent a sleepless night, had risen very early in the morning, was standing at the window, and saw his daughter carrying her burden with such difficulty, putting it down and returning with all speed. At this the emperor was both amazed and 251 LEITERS FROM TURKEY saddened. Eginart, being certain that what he had done would not long remain a secret, wished to leave the Court, and casting himself at the emperor's feet requested permission so to do, saying that he had not received reward for his services. The emperor replied that he would consider the matter, and gave him a certain day on which he would announce his decision. On that day, however, the emperor assembled his Council and set before them the sin of his secretary, and told them what he had seen. He asked advice of them in this matter, which had sullied his house. Each gave different advice; but he himself said that if he punished Eginhart it would increase rather than diminish the disgrace to his name, therefore he preferred to conceal the sin under the mantle of marriage. Eginhart was called in and was told that as a reward for his services he would be given the emperor's daughter: 'Indeed I will give her to you,' said the emperor, 'that out of kindness carried you on her back.' The princess was called at once, and given into Eginhart's hands. Let them please themselves, but I wish you good night. [At the beginning of this month a godless person tried to kill the French king, but paid for it.] 161 CCI Rodost6, Aprilis 22. 1757. Last month the new VIzier, Rekeb Pasha, arrived from Aleppo. Let him be a good one. But how could he, as he is a Greek. Actually, this month on Easter day in Jerusalem the Greeks plundered our chapel. You know, Aunt, that the chapel is built on the spot where Christ's coffin was. Many emperors and kings have beautified that chapel. There are in it many bejewelled pieces. Many of those the Greeks have taken. But since the Vtzier is a Greek, the Greeks have turned him from justice by means of money, and God alone knows what it will come to. The Turks allow our priests in Jerusalem to perform the service of God in peace, but the Greeks have always enVied the presence there of our holy chapel. It was anger that drove them to plunder it. You might ask, how dare they attempt that, with all those pashas there. Oh, in this country money will do anything. Many Greeks and Armenians live in that city, but the latter are quite at peace with our priests. People gather there from all parts for Easter. And indeed even Jews go along just for the sake of seeing the site oftheir ancient temple. 252 LETTERS FROM TURKEY If these go even now, what a fine thing it was even in the time of Christ to see so terribly many Jews in the Temple. What an infinity of Jews were present when He entered Jerusalem in triumph on an ass, and when He was killed a few days later. One may judge in the sight of how terribly many people the Redeemer wished to die-all of whom desired his death-from the fact that by two in the afternoon on Easter Day two hundred and fifty-five thousand six hundred sheep have usually been killed. To eat those, it has been reckoned, requires two million five hundred and fifty thousand persons. What a tremendous gathering that was! What a tremendous number of murderers they were, since they all insisted that their King be killed. And they cried only: 'Crucify Him, we have no king.' For that same appalling murder there came upon that people the terrible judgement and wrath of God. One may realise that, since, when Titus attacked Jerusalem, by the time that he captured it eleven hundred thousand persons had been buried. And when he took and destroyed it, ninety-seven thousand were led into slavery. Truly, the punishment on them was great: but what tongue can tell the magnitude of their sin? CCII Rodost6, 28. Maji, 1757. Dear Aunt, it is customary this month to be bled. On the 6th of this month there was much bloodletting done at Prague, since the queen's army fought a great battle with the Prussian king. Finally the queen's army was forced towards Prague, and there confined, and the city besieged. God knows what will be the outcome of it, but I know that if the letter is little, the news is great. CCIII Rodost6, 30. Junii, 1757. Dear Aunt, once more I can write a great piece of news, for the Prussian king has been defeated. And it happened as follows. Marshal Daun went with a great force to the relief of Prague. He faced the king. And as both parties were disposed to fight they satisfied their desires and gave battle one to another near a town or village called Colen. The battle was on the 253 LETIERS FROM TIJRKEY 18th. The battle lasted long, and victory deserted the king and stood at the side of Daun. He received her graciously, won the battle, relieved Prague and opened its gates. In Prague, however, nothing had been known of the battle, but that day or the next a valiant bringer of good news in the person of a camp-follower was the first to bring the news of the victory. One may believe that that woman-letter was given a present. Thereafter the Prussian army departed from Prague. Who could express the delight of the inhabitants, since they had suffered great damage, destruction and fires through bombs and blazing missiles? As the other day I was reading the history of Sultan Amurates, there too was the account of a battle, which I will recount briefly so that this letter may be a little longer. Suffice it that King Lajos V 162 had made peace with Amurates; and that the agreement might be made more binding half of a consecrated wafer was given to the Sultan as a pledge. I do not know why, but the king broke the treaty and marched against the Sultan with a large Hungarian army. There were many bishops too in his camp, for in years gone by it was the bad custom for bishops to have to take the field with their own forces; that was the case at this time, but it is not in accor- dance with the Gospel that neither faith nor agreements need be kept with unbelievers. The battle took place at Varna; at first the Hungarians conducted themselves in so fiery a fashion that the Turks were forced back and were at the point of rout. The Sultan saw that he had all but lost the battle, and taking from his bosom the half of the consecrated wafer he raised it to Heaven and besought God to punish those that had broken the treaty, having bound it with a pledge of their great prophet. Having done that he galloped to the army, rallied it and led it once more against the enemy. At that the Hungarians were terrified and fled, and the king, in his flight, perished in some pool or marshy place. From that exemplum you see, Aunt, that the Turks hold Christ in high esteem although they call us gtaur, infidels, because we do not believe in Mahumet, in which we do well! CCIV Rodost6, 2. Novembris 1757. Dear Aunt, great news yet again. After a lengthy illness Sultan Osman has left his all to another. I said: left it to another; as that other too will not leave it for, but to another-as the dervish said to a Persian king. A dervish entered the king's court, spread his rush mat in the summer-house 254 LEITERS FROM TIJRKEY and lit his pipe, as if he were master there. The king saw him and sum- moned him, and said to him how dare he try to enter without permission. The dervish said that it was permissible for all to enter an inn. The king's great-grandfather, grandfather and father had left the palace to one another, just like an inn. The king laughed at the dervish's nonsense. Osman was a good Sultan, peace-loving, and he did not hate the Christians. He died on the 29th day of last month163; he had reigned for two years, 10 months and a few days. Next day Musztafa was enthroned as Sultan. He is about fifty years of age. He is the son of Sultan Ahmet. God knows what he will be like. You write, dear Aunt, that in France a duchess fell from her horse while hunting and broke both her anns. Certainly, she will bear the marks all her life. From that we can see that young women should not be allowed to ride horseback. Old women may rather be permitted, as they have not the same need of their anns and legs as the young. I have read that there was a noble lady in Thessalonika that had a favourite horse, on which she very much liked to ride. The horse was very disdainful and would scarcely tolerate anyone else on its back. Once it happened that a pope had to travel from Rome to Constantinople to visit the emperor. As he was going overland he had to traverse the lady's estates. When he arrived the lady received him with great honour. When he was about to leave the lady asked him to ride her horse and so to complete his journey. The pope was pleased to accept her kindness and mounted the horse. When he had finished his business he returned, called at the lady's house, gave her back the horse with grateful thanks and left. Some days later the lady wished to ride the horse but it was impossible; for after that it would not carry its mistress, as if to say: 'I have carried a holy pope, after which I cannot carry a woman.' Aunt, ka/initsa. CCV Rodost6, 29. Novembris, 1757. Dear Aunt, in time of war one must write of fighting. Here we sleep in peace, but in Silesia one must be constantly on one's feet, indeed die on one's feet, as happened on the 22nd day of this month to the Prussians at Breslau. It appears that the queen's forces were under the command of Count Nadasdi, while the Prussian commander was the Duke of Bevem. Even if I were to describe how the whole battle went, in the end I would 255 LEITERS FROM TIJRKEY have to say that the Prussians were defeated and the Duke captured. A few days later Breslau too was surrendered to Nadasdi. So now the queen has won back Silesia. Breslau was not long besieged, as it was given up two days after the battle. But the same almost happened to Nadasdi that befell a Greek king, Philip. He was the fathet: of Alexander the Great. The king was attacking some fortress. Meanwhile a haughty person arrived at the Greek camp and requested the king to take him into his service, as he was such an archer as could shoot down a bird in flight. The king was, perhaps, not in a good humour at the time, for he replied that he had no need of huntsmen, only of soldiers. The Greek thought highly of himself and was angered by the reply, and that same evening stole into the fortress, proposing to seek revenge. A few days later the king was going round the fortress, but to his misfortune went closer to it than he should have. And while he was inspecting the fortress he was shot in the eye with an arrow from the fortress. And when the arrow was removed from his eye writing was seen on it. It said as follows: 'For Philip's right eye.' And so it was, for the shot had hit him in the right eye. The king and everyone realised that the bowman had shot him in revenge. What will arrogance and vengefulness not cause! And I ought to take revenge upon you, for I have not received a letter from my Aunt for a long time. CCVI Rodost6, 29. Decembris, 1757. Nowadays a new and cold custom is being practised, for war is being waged in the snow, as on the fifth day of this month a great battle was fought at Lissa in Silesia. The queen's forces were led by Prince Karoly and Marshal Daun, the Prussian army by the king himself. The battle was fierce, both sides conducting themselves heroically; but finally victory inclined to the king, and he profited by the battle to recapture Breslau. God knows how long he will hold it. Once more I must record a death, for on the sixth Lord Csili's powers of speech became impaired, and on the seventh he died at 11 o'clock in the morning, at the age of 81. Almost until his death, in fact right up to it, he had been healthy, needing neither doctors nor medicine. It cannot be said of him that he died for this reason or that, because he had a certain disease and medicine was powerless; for he died simply because God has ordained that all men shall. He was the last of Ferenc Rak6czi's generals. 256 LEITERS FROM TURKEY Now there are only the two of us, young Lord Zai and myself. We are the last of all; for the Lord God has left us to be the very last-why? for how long? He knows. Suffice it that we should render thanks to Him that He has granted us to live out this year, and beseech Him not to desert the poor exiles in future, turning his eyes from them. But let us ask not with our lips but with our hearts, for men hear the words of the mouth whereas God has regard to the heart, as happened to a holy hermit. A bishop was travelling by sea and the seamen moored the ship off an island. The bishop went ashore for his pleasure. As he was going up and down he saw a little hut among the trees. He thought that perhaps someone lived there. He went quietly up to a little window and heard a human voice, as of one praying. But how amazed he was that he that was within prayed as follows: 'Cursed be God.' And he repeated these words ceaselessly. The bishop could not bear it and went in and said to the man: "My son. say not 'Cursed be God' but 'Blessed be God'." The hermit began to say those words. The bishop, having taught him this, returned to the ship, which set sail. Meanwhile the hennit forgot what he had learned, realised this, and began to run very quickly after the bishop. By now the ship was far from the shore. But the hermit did not notice whether he was running on the land or the water, having his mind only on the prayer. The bishop and those in the ship were quite amazed to see the hermit running after them on the sea. When he reached the ship he called to the bishop that he had forgotten the prayer. The bishop saw the great miracle and said to him: 'My son, do but pray as thou has prayed hitherto.' From this exemplum we see that God loves the prayer of the heart and pays no attention to our words. And I wish that my Aunt may reach the New Year in health. Amen. ccvn Rodost6, 20. Dec. 1758. Dear Aunt! not only we but all the race of men are like slaves under sentence of death, who know not when it is to be carried out. Such is our fate. How many lords, how many noble persons have we buried, one in one year, another in another? until only Lord Zai and I remained. God took him too from exile on 22nd Octobris. Now I alone remain of the exiles, and I cannot say as hitherto 'Let this one or that be brought forth'; for being left alone, I myself have to come forward as the sacrifice. After the death of Lord CSliki the Porte made Lord Zay head of the Hungarians, 257 LE'ITERS FROM TURKEY that are under the protection of the Sultan in this country. After his death I had to go to the Porte to announce his demise. As is the custom I have been made bashbug. For you must know that of those that came to this country with old Rak:6czi I alone remain. Those that are with me now are newcomers. What a world! How many changes I have lived through, but God's care has always been with me, and with us all. I could preach a whole sermon in the vale of tears concerning our inconstant life, which in- constancy we shall continue to experience until we ascend into the hill of delight. It is a few days now since I returned here. What will the Lord ordain for me in the future? I am in His hand. But I know that dust must return to dust. And happy is he that dies not to the Lord but in the Lord. After so lengthy an exile, can I desire any other happiness? When I wrote my first letter to my Aunt I was twenty-seven years of age, and this one I write at the age of sixty-nine. With the exception of 17 years, the remainder I have spent in fruitless exile. I ought not to have said 'fruitless', for in the ordinances of God there is no fruitlessness; for He ordains all things to His glory. We must therefore beware that we too turn everything to that end, and thus all His ordinances concerning us will be to our salvation. Let us then wish for nothing but the will of God. Let us ask for an edifying life, a good death and salvation. And then we shall cease from asking, from sin, from exile and from insatiable desires alike. Amen. 258