In this city, commercial affairs have assembled so many foreigners, and produced such profit to the bigotted and barbarous rulers of the land, that the severity of Turkish customs seems to have been greatly relaxed in favour of the strangers; and in reading the description which Mr Macgill gives of its society, we appear to be viewing some European town, where a Turk only intrudes as a casual visitor. In the suburbs, the scene is somewhat more Oriental; for there, a Christian cannot walk without insults; and the natives will be every now and then firing off their muskets atim, as if he were a dog or a mark, and rather take a delight in killing or winging the unlucky infidel. In like manner, when a party of Christians goes out to fish on the river, if they are not pretty well armed, the natives will let them fill their boats with fish, and then, in their unceremonious way, fall upon them and take all the produce of their day's sport, besides, perhaps, killing a few of the company. But if the sportsmen are well provided with arms, those followers of the Prophet will stop short, and salute them courteously with a Salam, or some other compliment. When a Turk hears the paddle of oars passing him in the dark on the river, it seems to be his instinct to fire in the direction of the noise, for the chance of its being an infidel traveller. In this way our author was frequently shot at, and had only the satisfaction of returning the fire as nearly as possible in the direction of the former shot.

Although the plague had not been known for five years previ ous to Mr Macgill's arrival at Smyrna, the Christians and other foreigners there lived in perpetual expectation of that terrible visitor; for whose inroads, however, they seem to have been very well prepared, The following passage gives us an accurate idea of their very judicious precautions, which, if generally prac tised, would in a few years root out that dreadful malady from the whole face of the earth. It is scarcely necessary to add, that the children of Allah never trouble themselves with any such thoughts, and view the infidels as eminently silly, or rather sinful, for their attempts to counteract it; resembling herein Dr Mosely, and the other worthy disciples of that very small school, which has of late been opened in London against the system of vaccination, with but moderate success; but which should properly be transplanted to the Turkish dominions, where a certain success awaits its enlightened labours.

The precautions used against the plague by Christians are simple and effectual. Their houses, that is to say, the best houses in Frank-street, are for many reasons built like little fortresses, and in general extend from the street down to the water side. At each of them there is a strong gate, mostly of iron, to prevent their being

set

set fire to, and within that one toward the street, at the distance of ten feet from it and each other, are two more formed of spars. When the pestilence rages violently, both the outer and inner gates are kept constantly locked, and the master, or some confidential person, has the keys. When any one rings at the gate, the door is opened by a cord, and the person is admitted to the first spar gate, through which he communicates the intention of his errand. If he brings provisions, within the middle gate stands a large tub of water, into which they are thrown from a little door, and are not taken out again until the outer gate is shut: if bread is brought, it must be hot, at which time it cannot communicate infection. Letters and other papers are conveyed on the end of a piece of wood or cane, with a slit in it, and are fumigated with nitre and brimstone. By these means, it is almost impossible that the plague should find entrance into the houses, where the inhabitants keep themselves closely confined till its rage is spent.

The greatest danger is at the first breaking out of the disease, before they make use of any precautions; for they seldom think of shutting themselves up, until they hear of eight or nine accidents, as they are called, each day.

In case of any member of a family being attacked by the plague, the person so seized is immediately carried to the hospital; the rest of the family sprinkle themselves with vinegar, and are fumigated. They generally leave the house they are in, and inhabit another for forty days.

The hospitals are attended by people who have had the plague; but it is a mistaken idea, that, under these circumstances, they are secure from future infection. Padre Luigi, a humane friar, who has attended one of the hospitals for upwards of thirty years, says, that every time there is the plague in his hospital, his old sores open afresh, though with less virulence; but that a great number of the plague nurses die under as violent attacks of it as if it had seized them for the first time. This worthy father Luigi says further, that he never found any remedy so effectual as friction with oil, when applied in time, and carefully repeated: he has frequently witnessed its salutary effects. I. p. 120-123.

It is a common popular belief in the Levant, that they never have the two plagues, of locusts and pestilence, at the same time; and Smyrna, which has for some years past been quite free from the latter, has constantly suffered from the ravages of the former. Against them the storks are the best defence; and Mr Macgill furnishes us with some curious particulars relative to that useful bird.

The stork, which abounds in Turkey, destroys the locusts in great quantities. These birds are great favourites with the Mahometans. They build their nests in the roofs of their houses, or in high trees in the neighbourhood of their villages, where they remain quite tame, and free from molestation. They live upon vermin and

reptiles,

reptiles, and destroy snakes innumerable. In shape and size they resemble a heron; the legs and the beak are red and very long; the body and neck pure white, and the wings jet black; notwithstanding this, they appear very ugly birds. They pay an annual visit to Turkey. They arrive in vast numbers about the middle of March, and always in the night. They arrange their progress very systematically. They send forward their scouts, who make their appearance a day or two before the grand army, and then return to give in their report; after which the whole body advances, and on its passage leaves, during the night, its detachments to garrison the different towns and villages on their way. Early in October, they take their departure in the same manner, so that no one can tell from whence they come, or whither they go. They are known in the night-time to leave all the villages, and have been seen in the air like immense clouds. They leave none behind but those who, from infirmity or accident, are unable to fly. A person who, at the season of their departure, was in the habit of coming from the interior, told me, that, on his journey the year preceding, he had seen thousands and hundreds of thousands of them near the banks of a river, and that they annually assemble there; and when the general sees that his whole army is collected, he at a given moment sets them in motion, leaving a detachment, no doubt, to bring up the stragglers. I. p. 125127.

After residing for a considerable time in Smyrna, our author set out by land for Constantinople. When he arrives there, he tells his correspondent rather archly, You will now expect that I should give you an account of Constantinople;' but he adds, that he means to do no such thing, but only to say, it looks better at a distance than when you come near it,-a very common case with most towns; and all the rest of his remarks are re ̇served for a future visit, which he makes after returning again to Smyrna. In the mean time, he makes divers other excursions from that city; and the one which he seems to think the most interesting, is to Ephesus, a journey of about a day and a half. On the way, in the morning of the second day, his feelings get the better of him, at seeing how amiably the Turks respect and venerate old age.' This virtue turns out, indeed, to be shown in the instance of an old she-camel, who was passing the evening of her days in plenty and tranquillity. Here she lay basking in the sun's rays, beside a plenteous fountain, or browsing in the verdant shade, as fancy or appetite dictated, with the children of the village playing around her. The once famous city of Ephesus is now one of the most wretched villages, even in the Turkish empire. The beautiful plains in which it stands are totally uncultivated; and the river, being allowed to choke itself up by the deposit of mud and sand, so frequently overhows its banks, that they are reduced to the state of perfect marshes.

marshes. The ancient port was about a mile distant from the present bed of the river. The temple of Diana covers with its ruins a great space of the Amphitheatre. Its huge pillars broken and scattered, numberless arches, pedestals, architraves, pieces of sculpture, are all that remain of it; but they give mighty indications of its former grandeur. The ruins of other magnificent buildings are likewise to be traced, particularly a vast palace and several mausoleums of white marble. We lament that Mr Macgill did not take the assistance of some artist, to preserve the delineations of these interesting remains. The only adventure of any consequence which occurred to our author on this expedition, was his visit to Osman Oglu, prince of the country, who was there on a shooting party. Mr Macgill joined him in one day's sport, and escaped being shot at, of which he run a constant risk, as there is no beating into the head of a Turk, that a Christian (Pesavenk Yahour, or infidel pimp, as they call him) is a human being, and merits the slightest consideration; the followers of Mahomet resembling, in this respect, our West Indians, in their conceptions of the value of negro life.

On his second arrival at Constantinople, Mr Macgill keeps his promise of describing it; but it is too well known, and he adds too little to the former accounts, to make it worth our while to abridge and extract any part of his narrative. But we shall present our readers with the account of an English ambassador's presentation, which is more minute than we have elsewhere seen, and we have reason to know is perfectly accurate,

When we arrived, we found horses from the stud of the Sultan waiting to convey us to the seraglio. After some little ceremonies we again set forward for the Sublime Porte. Before entering it, we all alighted, and proceeded onward between the gates. The outer and inner ones were then shut, and information was sent to the Divan, that an infidel ambassador was without, who wished to throw himself at the feet of the Great Sultan. The place in which we were enclosed is that where criminals are decapitated, and where the heads of traitors are exposed for the satisfaction of the Sultan. After a short time the inner gate was thrown open, and an exhibition truly novel presented itself; a great number of dishes of pillau and cakes of bread were strewed on the ground at appropriate distances, which, at a signal given, a troop of Janizaries ran in, in the nimblest manner, and carried off. On inquiry, I found that this grotesque spectacle was intended to show to us infidels in what manner the Turkish troops are fed, and also how active they are,

At length we were permitted to advance, and after crossing an exterior court of the seraglio, arrived at the entrance of the Divan, near the door of which were exposed on the ground the presents brought by the ambassador, in order to gain or secure the friendship

of

of the Turks; amongst these were several pieces of fine cloth, some of rich silk, a table clock, and many other articles.

Here his Excellency presented his credentials to the Vizir, who by some gentlemen of the long robe sent them to the Sultan to know his pleasure. The interval between this and the arrival of the answer was employed by us in examining and admiring the magnificence of the apartment in which we were, and which was richly gilt and painted on the roof and columns. The floor was of variegated marble: around the room were sophas covered with costly stuff. In the middle of the side opposite the door, upon a cushion more elevated than the rest, sat the Vizir. Over his head we observed the little window covered by a thick grating, at which it is said the Sultan sits to hear what passes on occasions of this kind. It was evident to perceive through the grating that some person sat there, but conjecture alone could lead us to conclude that it was Selim.

A gracious answer from the Sultan at length arrived, which was received with a shout of "Long live the King of Kings, Selim the Sultan of Sultans!" Here every one arose, even his Highness the Vizir slipt from his throne, and met the bearer half way to the door, The order was delivered into his hands. He first kissed it, then placed it to his forehead, kissed it again, and then, and not till then, presurned to break the seals. The order was to feed, wash, and clothe the infidels, and then admit them to his presence. In a short time, some little stools were arranged in different parts of the divan, on the top of which were placed large trays of gold and silver, about four feet diameter, and of a circular form, from which we were to be fed at the expense of the Turks. A most sumptuous entertainment was served up; first, a kind of blancmanger; next, different kinds of roasted and baked meats; sweetmeats followed, and to conclude, a delicious cooling sherbet was handed round in gold and silver basons.

We experienced one grievous want at this feast, for we were not furnished either with knife or fork, and were obliged to tear in pieces whatever was set before us; for the articles of a liquid kind, spoons of tortoise-shell, studded with gold, were handed to us.

The eating part of the farce being over, perfumed water was poured on the hands of his Excellency, and a napkin of rich embroidery was thrown to him to wipe them with; he was farther perfumed with aloes wood and ambergris.

The usual ceremony of paying the Janizaries takes place in general after this part of the audience, but his Excellency had, I suppose, expressed himself sufficiently satisfied of the riches of the Sultan, and it was dispensed with.

We were now marched to a kind of open room under the piazzas, where coffee was served, and where the infidels were clothed in a manner suitable to their making their appearance before the Sublime Sultan. This dress consisted of pelisses; that of his Excellency was lined with samour, worth no small sum; those for the secreta