the middle of this fquare. It is it seems to make one of the suburbs bounded on one fide with fome houfes of a bad appearance, and by a beautiful mofque on the other, the periftile of which is a colonade: fome extenfive gaps occafioned by fire increases the extent of this ground, which is fometimes ufed for the amusement of the Giritta, which is a kind of tilting, and ferved formerly for a horfe market. The Seven Towers, an edifice of immenfe extent, furrounded by walls. flanked with large towers, is the prifon fo much dreaded by the minifters of those powers who happen to have any contest with the Ottoman Port; this citadel, whofe fortifications are fufficient only to fecure prifoners, commands the fea of Marmora, and - extends along its fides. The laft fire in 1782, which confumed near a third of Conftantinople, deftroyed a number of unfortunate wretches, who were imprisoned in this fortrefs, many buildings in the interior parts - of which were confumed by the flames. The port of Conftantinople has a vaft depth of water, the currents, which are conftantly scouring it, preferves it always in good condition; veffels of all fizes may anchor here in fafety, and even lay a cable on fhore. There is not one quay round this port; the approaches to the landing places, are only narrow places, and three barks a breast can fcarcely lye at the planks placed there to facilitate the embarkation and landing. The tower of Leander, which has fome cannon mounted even with the ground, has within a very fine fpring of fresh water, although it is fituated on a rock in the middle of the ftrait; fome lanterns are lighted here every night to ferve as a guide for fhips. The city of Scutari, built on the Afiatic fhore, oppofite to Conftantinople, rifes in form of an amphitheatre, and commands the entrance to the canal, to the capital, and has in the environs fome beautiful maufoleums and fuperb tombs. The Ottomans regard the Afiatic fhore as the country of their forefathers; and if the right of conquest induces them to refide in Europe, their fanaticifm makes them wish to depofit their afhes in Afia; this defire makes the number of burying grounds in the neighbourhood of Scutari immenfe. Thefe alfo, like thofe in the environs of Conftantinople, ferve as places of rendezvous to the women of all ranks their pretence for vifiting them, is to weep over the ashes of their relations. The quantity of cyprefs trees planted in them, affords a fine fhade and an agreeble freshness. But as the men have alfo the fame right to refort thither and weep over their deceased friends, the fair devotees have frequent opportunities to comfort themfelves with the living for the loss of the dead. The ftranger who does not go there to dry the eyes of the widow, obferves with regret an infinite number of broken columns, covered with infcriptions in gold, on a blue ground. They proclaim the ignorance of the Turks in all ages, who, after having enflaved and defolated Greece, jealous of the fuperiority of thefe mafter pieces of art over their own bad tafte, have placed over their tombs fome of the most precious remains of ancient marble, lefs for the fake of making their wretched monuments refpectable, than to infult the memory of a people who were able to immortalize their existence by fuch monuments of greatnefs. Such is the capital of the Ottoman empire, which is daily rifing up from its afhes; the population is nearly equal to Paris, and feems for three centuries to have braved the ravages of the plague, which is here equally conftant and deftructive. of “Of the prefent reigning Sultan, Selim; Regulations of the Seriglio; of the prefumptive Heir, and Mode of Succeffion in the Ottoman Empire. By the fame. HE death of Sultan Abdul women to enter until they have been Tandet put an end to the cap- phyfically affared of their fex. tivity of his nephew, Sultan Selim, whofe acceffion to the empire, it was judged, would animate the interior operation of government, and the Janiffaries, who founded all their hopes on the courage and intrepidity of his character, foon forgot their deceafed Sultan, whom they had often accufed of ignorance and weakuefs. The new Sultan, Selim, at first appointed to the command of the armies his Grand Vizier Youflif Pacha, who, from the low condition of a slave to the high admiral, had, by Sultan Abdul Hamet, been raised to the first tation in the empire, and poffeffed his prince's entire confidence. You if Pacha, in a fhort time, was facrificed to envy, banished into Beffirabia, and his post given to the Pacha of Vidin, who had often diftinguished himself in the laft war. The Turks are feldom favoured with a fight of their fovereign: it is only on a Friday that his highnefs repairs, attended by a pompous and magnificent train, to the mofque of Sancta Sophia, from whence, after having finished his devotions, he returns back within those walls where many of his predeceffors have been often troubled with the revolt of their Janiffaries, and have even paid the forfeit of their lives for their own inattention, or for the exactions of their minifters. A very numerous guard of Boftangis, distinguished by a large cap made of fcarlet cloth, and falling down behind, keep watch night and day in the courts and round the walls of the feraglio. A multitude of eunuchs, both white and black, form the interior guard, aud do not permit even VOL. XII. No. 69. Y The manners of this palace, inacceffible to the male fex, are little known; and the various relations thereof given by fome females who have attained admiffion with difficul ty, are not fufficiently attefted to induce us to believe that they have been well informed of the rules preferved in a place fo very extenfive, divided into fo many departments, and where a profound fecrecy reigns; and where intrigue, ambition, hatred, and even treason, are every day prac tifed. It is only known, that when a Sultan fucceeds to the empire, all the nobles prefent him with female virgin flaves; this is done with a view to fecure themselves fo many patroneffes from thefe, and the females educated in the feraglio from their infancy, his highness felects fix vir gins, who are called kuduns, or princeffes; but the Sultan Abdul Hamet, finding (doubtlefs) that this number was not fufficient, had installed a feventh. It may be prefumed that Sultan Selim will not omit fol-, lowing his uncle's example in that refpect. Of these kaduns, the first who brings forth a male child has a pre-eminence over the others, without however acquiring the exclufive title of favourite Sultana. There are alfo many other women in the feraglio, whofe numbers are only limited by the will of the Sultan; but they feldom tring forth any children, owing to the jealoufy and intrigues of the kaduns, who think they have an exclufive right to give fucceffors to the empire. His highnefs alfo receives a young virgin every Friday: this facrifice, continued continued every week, cannot fail to be troublesome to him in an advanced age; but it is one of the privileges of the monarchy, and what no Sultan will omit. If their interview appears at the end of a certain time not to be attended with any confequences, great care is taken to provide hufbands for thefe young girls, and there are plenty always ready to efpouse them; but if the Sultan takes a particular affection to any of thefe young flaves, and wifhes to preferve them from the murdering projects of their rivals, who would certainly endeavour to prevent their bringing forth any iffue, he gives orders for their fecurity, but their children cannot claim any title to the imperial fucceffion, provided any of the kaduns have male children. The prefumptive heir is confined in a quarter of the feraglio; he has no women in his power but fuch as are past the age of bearing children'; his mother is confined in the old feraglio, for fear that her wishes to exalt her fon to the throne before his time, fhould produce any intrigues that might bring on a revolt or a revolution; he is permitted to fee her fon only twice a year, at the two feafts of the great and little Beyram, when the Sultan carries him to the old feraglio; the one goes to view the nursery of his pleasures, for there the young Circaffians, Georgians, and others, who are bought in their infancy from thofe who bring them to Conftantinople refide; and the other to enjoy for a few hours, the embraces of her who gave him birth; after which the young prince forrowfully returns through the streets, cafts a few glances on the attendants who furround him, beholds only his tyrant and his guards, and doubtlefs fighs for the moment in which the death of him who holds him in flavery' fhalt bring thofe who now keep him in captivity proftrate at his feet. Notwithstanding this precaution in keeping the prince, who has the tight of fucceffion to the empire, thus fequeftered, the Janiffaries bave often depofed the Sultan, and placed on the throne the perfon thus kept in captivity. The brother fucceeds the brother, and the nephew fucceeding the uncle, acquires, at a more advanced age, the inheritance of his father. Thus Sultan Selim, fon of Sultan Mustapha, fucceeds his uncle Abdul Hamet, and the fon of the latter, who, in his turn, is now confined, will affume the enfigns of royalty after the death of Sultan Selim. This method of fuccef fion appears very judicious, as it preferves the ftate from those fatal con fequences which almoft conftantly attend the minority of the fovereign. At the death of a Sultan, the new emperor removes all the kaduns and other women belonging to his predef for into the old feraglio, and repeoples his haram in the ufual manner; all thofe who have not had any children, or whofe children are dead, are foon married to the lords, who look on it as a great honour to be permitted to efpoufe the widow of their master. The cuftom of the Ottomans is to inveft the new Sultan, when proclaimed, with a fword; he is then furrounded with Janiffaries, of which he becomes one, and his name infcribed, is carried at the head of the first legion of that militia; he takes an oath to preferve their privileges, and promises to all orders of the empire to rule over them with justice. It must be confeffed that this ceremony is much more fuited to a noble and warlike nation, than those used in the inauguration of the fovereigns of Europe, who receive thofe marks of their fubjects obedience on their knees, bending their heads before the prelate who crowns them. It is true, that by being invefted with the dignities of Kalif and fupreme Imam, the the Sultan immediately becomes monarch and high prieft. The fucceffors of Mahomed, who affumed the title of Kalif, or Vicar of the Prophet, fucceffively removed their royal feats from Medina to Couffa, on the Euphrates, and at laft eftablifhed it at Bagdat, where it remained many ages. Thefe kaliffs at firft affumed both the pontificate and royalty, un til the Turkish fultans began to find how dangerous it was to be fubject to a foreign pontiff, who poffeffed a fovereignty; they dreaded expofing themselves to the payment of ecclefiaftical dues; therefore oppofed his bulls, and prevented the exportation of fpecie. They would doubtlefs without this have feen an army of dervifes fpring up, under the name of the company of Mahomet, who would have undermined the Imperial authority, and joined with the Kaliff of Bagdat in the abufe of their miniftry. Thefe reafons combined were fufficiently powerful to induce the Sul tans to deprive the Kaliffs of their double authority. They at first refpected them from policy, but by degrees they affumed the prieftly power tothemselves, and the efteem for them which was fupported only by opinion grew weaker, and a laft difappeared! The fultan now in his joint charac. ters of Kaliff and fupreme Imam, regards the Mufti only as his fecretary and interpreter, to explain the AlcoFrom hence arifes the real ran. grandeur of the Ottoman prince, who never is required to bend the knee to any mortal; while the first prince in Europe, who has only the rank of deacon in the Roman hierarchy, can only be placed after the dean of the cardinals in a pontifical ceremony. 1 The aigrette is, among the Ottomans, the mark of Imperial power; the fulcan and his children only have the privilege of wearing it. It is com pofed of many large diamonds furmounted with black plumes, of great value, and is placed in the middle of the turban, above the forehead. The fultan has a palace on the canal of the Black Sea, and another in the middle of the port. It is a grand and magnificent fight to see this fovereign and his train pafs in his gondolas; the figure of a cock, of folid gold, which is upon the royal gondola, diftinguishes it from the reft. All of them are richly painted and gilt, rowed by ftout boatmen; they pals through the water with a furprizing celerity, while the artillery of the Seraglio, the arfenal, and the ships; by repeated difcharges of artillery, falute his Highnefs as he paffes. The fultan, like the other princes of Europe, has many great officers of his household, who hold the first rank in the empire; their employments are in general fimilar to thofe in other European courts, except the ef tablishment of the eunuchs, which are peculiar to the Afiatic princes. Account of fome extraordinary Structures on the tops of Hills in the Highlands. By Alexander Fraler Tytler, Efq; (Continued from p. 103.) BUT UT those ancient fortifications prefent a much more curious and more interefting object of fpeculation, than thofe uncertain and indeed fruitless conjectures as to the mode in which they have been reared. It is evident, that, were it pof Y fible to ascertain the era in which thofe fortifications were conftructed, fome ufeful light might be thrown upon the ancient history of this country, and the condition of fociety in those remote periods. This I fhall now attempt; and, in the courfe of a short 2 difquifition difquifition upon that fubject, fhall have occafion to mark the progress of architecture in Britain, from its first introduction into the fouthern parts, til it had attained to confider ble perfection, and the knowledge of the art of building had extended itself, in fome degree, to the remoteft quarters of the island. At the time when those fortifica tions were reared, it is evident that the use of mortar was unknown. As It must be fuppofed that the builders exerted the utmost of their architectural kill (fo far as ftrength was concerned) in fabricating thofe ftructures, we cannot doubt that, as the country abounded in lime-ftone, had its ufe been known as a cement, it must have been employed in fuch works. This brings them at once up to a period of time prior to the Roman establishments in the northern parts of Bris tain. The Romans employed mortar in all their buildings, of which many remains are at prefent exifting in thofe parts of the island where they are known to have formed fettlements. They taught the Britons the ufe of that cement, of which, till then they were ignorant. At the time of Cæfar's invafion of Britain, the inhabitants of the fouthern, and probably the most civilized part of the island, lived in huts conftructed with turf, or with the branchés of trees. Their towns or villages were nothing more than an inclofed part of a wood, furrounded by a ditch and rampart, within the circle of which they reared their huts. " Op. pidum vocant Britanni cum fylvas impeditas vallo atque foffa munierunt." . Cæf, de Bell. Gall. lib. 5. cap. 21. These inclosures or towns were but a temporary refidence, and probably reforted to, only when it was necellary to defend themselves against an enemy. They were fo fpacious as to afford fecurity, both to the inhabitants themfelves and to their cattle. "Ur"bium loco ipfis íunt nemora. Arbo "ribus enim dejectis ubi amplum cir. "culum fepierunt, ibi cafas ibidem "fibi ponunt, et pecori ftabula con"dunt, ad ufum quidem non longi "temporis." Strabo Geogr. lib. 4. Of this nature were all the British towns in the fouthern part of the ifland at the time of Cæfar. Such was the town of Caffibelanus, probably a place of the greatest confideration in the island, as being the refidence of that chief under whom the whole of the fouthern Britons agreed to u nite their forces to oppofe the Romans at their fecond defcent upon the coafts. "Ab his cognofcit non longe ex loco oppidum Caflibelani. abeffe, filvis paludibufque munitum, quo fatis magnus hominum peco"rifque numerus convenerit." Cæl. de Belo Gall. lib. cap. 21. This oppidum Caflibelani was Verulamium, the prefent St Albans. (See Camden, and Horfley's Britannia Romas na.) London, or the capital of the Trinobantes, was then a place of inferior note to Verulam. The Romans dignified the latter with the title of a municipium, while the former was fimply an oppidum; and therefore ftrictly correfpondent to Cæfar's general defcription; a portion of a thick wood furrounded with a ditch and rampart. 66 If fuch was the appearance of London at the time of the fecond invafion of the inland by Cæfar, which happened fifty-five years before the Chriftian æra, we have certain evidence, that the fouthern Britons had undergone a remarkable change in their mode of life, and made a great progrefs in refinement and civilization in the space of 107 years, which elapfed from that time to the great victory gained over the Romans by their Queen Boadicea. At this latter period, Tacitus mentions London as a flourishing town, which, though not dignified with the title of a Roman colony, was a place of trade and opu leuce, and a great refort for merch ants |