ing credence,
just in proportion as the growth of European ideas is undermining its
very foundation. I do not say that Mussulmans are becoming more
religious or more elevated from their contact with Christian peoples.
Indeed, I rather incline to the opposite opinion; but the European
tendencies which prevail are marked clearly enough by the facile
adroitness with which the followers of the Prophet contrive to evade the
injunctions of the Koran, whether it be in the matter of wines and
strong drinks, or the more constitutional difficulty touching loans,
debts, and the like. For myself, I rather incline to the view of the old
Pacha, who, after listening with his habitual patience to the
long-winded arguments of a Protestant missionary, completely
dumb-foundered that excellent divine by remarking that he (the Pacha)
felt quite convinced of the similarity of their creeds, since the only
apparent difference was, that the Christian has three Gods and one wife,
while the Mussulman has three wives and one God. Even in this last
matter, the plurality of wives, a marvellous amendment is visible. It is
probably owing to the expense attendant thereon, and also to the little
fact, that it is not quite in accordance with the spirit of the age to
drown, or otherwise destroy, those women who indulge their very
pardonable and womanly frailty of wrangling and fighting one with
another. But, granting all this, it is impossible not to perceive that
the position of Turkish women is daily improving. All of a certain
class receive some education; and I never yet spoke to any intelligent
Turk on the subject without hearing him deplore the existence of those
laws in the Koran which would deprive the world of that which renders it
most enjoyable. That the time will come when the religious influences of
Mahometanism will cease to offer a bar to all progress and advancement,
is sufficiently evident, and it consequently behoves Europe to guard
against the re-establishment of moral heathenism on the ruin of
fanatical Islamism.

Returning to the council-chamber of the Mudir of Niksich, I would call
attention to the similarity of expression and venerable appearance of
nearly every member of the Medjlis. This is one of the faults of the
system, that an undue preponderance is thereby given to the ideas of a
certain class.

From the experience of those Europeans who have had good opportunities
of forming an opinion, it would seem that this double gover