ies of stone; one of these for the guard, another for
the slaves, another for the officers of the kitchen, another for the
stables, the fifth for the divan, and the sixth for the apartment
destined for audiences. On the ladies side, there are, at least, as
many more, with distinct courts belonging to their eunuchs and
attendants, their kitchens, &c.

THE next remarkable structure is that of St Sophia which is very
difficult to see. I was forced to send three times to the
_caimairam_, (the governor of the town) and he assembled the chief
_effendis_, or heads of the law, and enquired of the _mufti_, whether
it was lawful to permit it. They passed some days in this important
debate; but I insisting on my request, permission was granted. I
can't be informed why the Turks are more delicate on the subject of
this mosque, than on any of the others, where what Christian pleases
may enter without scruple. I fancy they imagine, that, having been
once consecrated, people, on pretence of curiosity, might profane it
with prayers, particularly to those saints, who are still very
visible in Mosaic work, and no other way defaced but by the decays of
time; for it is absolutely false, though so universally asserted,
that the Turks defaced all the images that they found in the city.
The dome of St Sophia is said to be one hundred and thirteen feet
diameter, built upon arches, sustained by vast pillars of marble, the
pavement and stair-case marble. There are two rows of galleries,
supported with pillars of party-coloured (sic) marble, and the whole
roof Mosaic work, part of which decays very fast, and drops down.
They presented me a handful of it; its composition seems to me a sort
of glass, or that paste with which they make counterfeit jewels.
They shew here the tomb of the emperor Constantine, for which they
have a great veneration.

THIS is a dull, imperfect description, of this celebrated building;
but I understand architecture so little, that I am afraid of talking
nonsense, in endeavouring to speak of it particularly. Perhaps I am
in the wrong, but some Turkish mosques please me better. That of
sultan Solyman is an exact square, with four fine towers in the
angles, in the midst is a noble cupola, supported with beautiful
marble pillars; two lesser at the ends, supported in the same manner;
the pavement and gallery round the mosque, of marble; under the great
cupola is a fountain, adorned with such fine coloured pillars, th