rst
introduced in 1726, by a Hungarian renegade named Ibrahim, (known as
_Basmadji_, or the printer,) who was patronised by the Sultan Achmet
III;--but the establishment languished after his death; and though
revived in 1784 by Sultan Abdoul Hamid, it was only after the
destruction of the janissaries, the enemies of every innovation, that
the press began to exhibit any thing like activity. At present there
are four imperial printing establishments; and the types, which were
formerly cast in Venice, being now manufactured in Stamboul, a marked
improvement has taken place in the character. Though the Koran, and
all religious and doctrinal works, are still transcribed exclusively
by hand, the art of printing is regarded with great jealousy by the
booksellers, who hold that "presses are made from the calcined wood of
Al-Zacum, the dread tree of the lowest pit; while transcribers have
their seats near the gate of the seventh heaven." The newspaper press
of Stamboul is still in its infancy--for though the _Takwim_, or
_Moniteur Ottoman_, established in 1831 by Mahmood II. as an official
gazette, was conducted with considerable ability by the original
editor, M. Blaque, and his successor M. Francesschi, the sudden death
of both these gentlemen, within a short period of each other, awakened
strong suspicions of foul play; and the French translation, published
for European circulation, has since sunk into a mere transcript of the
Turkish original, which consists of little but official announcements.
Several attempts made, by Mr Churchill and others, to establish a
non-official paper for the advocacy of Turkish interests, have been
smothered after a brief existence, by the jealousy of Russia and
France: "the result is, that the _Moniteur_ is a dull court-circular,
and the Smyrna journals, abandoned to chance communications, are
neither prompt nor exact in circulating or detailing events."[30]

The spread of literary cultivation among the Turks of the present day,
and the European education which many of the rising generation have
received, has naturally led to a taste for European literature; and
many possess libraries stored not only with the lore of the East, but
with the choicest treasures of the French and English classics. Ali
Effendi, late ambassador from the Porte to the court of St James's, is
well known to have collected a most extensive and valuable library
during his residence in the regions of the West; and Mr White