PRESENT STATE

OF

TURKEY:

OR

A DESCRIPTION

OF

THE POLITICAL, CIVIL, AND RELIGIOUS, CONSTITUTION, GOVERNMENT, AND LAWS

OF THE

OTTOMAN EMPIRE;

THE FINANCES, MILITARY AND NAVAL ESTABLISHMENTS;

THE STATE OF LEARNING, AND OF THE LIBERAL AND MECHANICAL ARTS;
THE MANNERS AND DOMESTIC ECONOMY OF THE TURKS AND OTHER SUBJECTS
OF THE GRAND SIGNOR; &c. &c.

TOGETHER WITH

THE GEOGRAPHICAL, POLITICAL, AND CIVIL, STATE OF THE PRINCIPALITIES OF
MOLDAVIA AND WALLACHIA.

FROM OBSERVATIONS MADE, DURING A RESIDENCE OF FIFTEEN YEARS IN
CONSTANTINOPLE AND THE TURKISH PROVINCES,

BY THOMAS THORNTON, ESQ.

VOL. II.

THE SECOND EDITION, WITH CORRECTIONS AND ADDITIONS.

"Na festinante et vehementer occupato elegantiam orationis, quam
ne meditatus quidem et otiosus præstare possem, æquum est requirere.
Me quidem consolabitur nullius mendacii sibi conscius animus; quod est
in hujusmodi narrationibus præcipue spectanduin."

BUSBEQUII Epist. i.

LONDON:

PRINTED FOR JOSEPH MAWMAN, 22, POULTRY.

52240

CONTENTS

OF

VOLUME THE SECOND.

CHAPTER V.

FINANCES OF THE OTTOMAN EMPIRE AND

REVENUES OF THE SULTAN.

System of finance under the feudal government.-Divisions of

the Turkish exchequer.-Public treasury.-Sources of reve-

nue;-land-tax-property-tax,-customs,-poll-tax,-mono-

poly-mines,-escheats and forfeitures,-coinage,tribute.

-Expenditure of the public treasure.-Sultan's revenues,

fixed and casual. -Doweries and pensions. Nizam

djedid.

1

CHAPTER VI.

PROGRESS AND DECLINE OF THE OTTOMAN

POWER.

Greatness and extent of the Turkish dominion.-Alarm of Chris-

tendom.-Consequences of the invention of gunpowder. System

of Turkish government over the tributary subjects, and over

Mussulmans.-Partition of lands to the conquerors.-Sources

of revenue.-Inefficiency of the military system.-Considerations

on the probable destinies of the Turks ;—on the justice or policy

of expelling them from Europe;-on the emancipation of the

Greeks.-The modern compared with the ancient Greeks ;—

the Athenians, and the Spartans.-Causes of the superiority

of the ancient Greeks, and of the decline of the national

spirit.-Character of the modern Greeks.-Apprehensions of

the Turks from the power of Russia.-History of the first war

with the czar of Muscovy.-Consequences of the conquest of

Turkey to Russia,—to the other states of Europe, and to

the Ottoman subjects.—Russian church.—Russian government.

—Examination of the arguments for dispossessing the Turks.

-Remoteness of amelioration.

51

CHAPTER VII.

RELIGION, MORALS, MANNERS, AND CUSTOMS

OF THE TURKS.

Physical constitutions and general habits.-Moral and religious

education.Popular belief and practice.-Priests.-Der-

vishes.-Emirs.-Pilgrimage to Mecca.-Predestination.—

Invocation of saints.-Belief in the efficacy of amulets, relics,

and enchantments.-Faith in omens and dreams.-Prejudice

against pictures. Punishment of apostacy.-Morality.-

Proselytism.-Modes of proposing the faith to unbelievers.--