have been revolutionised or sunk by an earthquake,--at least he
cannot bear the trouble of imagining any other reason for the
non-appearance of its executive ministers, than the obvious one of its
having no ships to send. Thus, in matters of precedence, consuls are apt
sometimes to get snubbed--a point on which, of all others, they are
tender: or in matters of justice, their clients will find themselves
ousted, in spite of the proverbial integrity of the Turkish judges.
Perhaps the readiest way of stumbling on a grievance, is the kind of
thing that gave rise to our visit, where some of the populace presume on
your want of protection, and commit some aggression on your rights as a
man and a brother. This being referred to the authorities, will be apt
to be viewed by them in the light of that consideration which they
happen to be lending at that moment to your nation. Poor fellows! we
must not be hard upon them; nor will we doubt the sound foundation of
the panegyrics which many travellers have pronounced on their honesty.
They are honest, no doubt, so far as they understand the doctrine of the
thing; but the fact is, they do not seem to understand the subject in
the abstract. They have no idea of judging a foreigner's cause, without
reference to considerations of his nationality and personal importance;
and to pronounce readily a decision in favour of one against whom should
lie the preponderance in these particulars, would be to them an
absurdity. We have had occasion lately to be struck with the tone in
which certain writers have spoken on the subject of Mussulman morals.
The first notability about such accounts is, that they are very
different from the reports of their predecessors--of such an accurate
man as Burkhardt for instance; and the second notability, so far as most
of us are concerned, is, that they are contrary to the general consent
of travellers. That there are excellent men, and honest among them, is a
fact; and it is a fact, that in general matters of bargaining, you may
trust to them. But when the idea of probity is carried out, so far as to
imply a view of things comparatively disparaging to Christian morals, it
mounts to an anti-climax, and falls over into the province of nonsense.
The Koran has provided them with much ethical guidance, of which
individual Turks, of any pretence to religion, must be in some degree
observant. But it is not true that the history of such cases, in their
administration of