and intractable enemies, had been converted into friends and
auxiliaries. In the domestic administration, also, the wisdom and
clemency of Ahmed-Kiuprili, supported by a corresponding disposition on
the part of the sultan, who was naturally averse to measures of
severity, had introduced a spirit of moderation and equity unknown in
the Ottoman annals. Such was the condition of the foreign relations and
internal government of the Turkish empire at the juncture immediately
preceding the death of Ahmed-Kiuprili, whose life closed (as mentioned
above) within a few days of the conclusion of the peace of Zurawno:--and
the coincidence of this highest point of territorial aggrandizement and
domestic prosperity, with the last days of the great minister who had so
principal a share in producing them, would almost justify the
superstitious belief, that the star of the Kiuprilis was in sooth the
protecting talisman of the Ottoman state, and inseparably connected with
its welfare and splendour.

FOOTNOTES:

[Footnote B: The Poles were sometimes called _Lechi_, from Lech, the
name of one of their ancient kings.]

[Footnote C: Von Hammer describes him, without quoting his authority, as
of lofty stature, and extremely fair complexion; but Rycaut's personal
acquaintance insures his correctness.]

[Footnote D: He subsequently became grand-vizir, and was killed at the
battle of Salankaman in 1691.]

[Footnote E: This name in western parlance would be Gabriel de Bethlen;
in Hungary, the Christian _follows_ the surname.]

[Footnote F: The anonymous biographer of Tekoeli, believed to be M.
Leclerc.]

[Footnote G: After the defeat of the Turks, Scherban Cantacuzene opened
a correspondence with the Emperor and the King of Poland, setting forth
his hereditary claim to the imperial crown of Constantinople in the
event of their expulsion from Europe! but his intrigues became known to
the Ottoman ministry, and he is supposed to have been taken off by
poison.]

[Footnote H: A _crimson_ banner was again sent to Rome as the
Sandjak-shereef, as the green one of Hussein had been after the victory
of Choczim.]

EXHIBITIONS

British art is in a transition state. Remembering many a year past our
Academy Exhibitions, and the general, the family resemblance the works
bore to each other, the little variety either in style or execution; and
of later years noticing the gradual change, the adoption of a new class
of subjects, and more varie