earness, and perspicuity in your
above-mentioned treatise. In particular I have ever borne in mind a
conversation when one beautiful moonlight night, reclining upon a sofa
of the Swedish palace, and looking out of those windows which command
so magnificent and extensive a view of the city and harbour of
Constantinople, we discussed subjects which had reference to the life
and manners of the extraordinary people its inhabitants.

Excuse me for reporting back your own words; but as the subject
interested me much, I recollect well the observation you made, that no
traveller had ever satisfied you in his delineation of Asiatic manners;
'for,' said you, 'in in general their mode of treating the subject is
by sweeping assertions, which leave no precise image on the mind, or by
disjointed and insulated facts, which, for the most part, are only of
consequence as they relate to the individual traveller himself.' We were
both agreed, that of all the books which have ever been published on the
subject, the "Arabian Nights' Entertainments" give the truest picture of
the Orientals, and that, for the best of all reasons, because it is the
work of one of their own community. 'But,' said you, 'notwithstanding
they have been put into an European dress, weeded of their numerous
repetitions, and brought as near to the level of our ideas as can be,
still few would be likely to understand them thoroughly who have not
lived some time in the East, and who have not had frequent opportunities
of associating with its inhabitants. For,' you added, opening a volume
of that work at the same time, 'to make a random observation upon the
first instance which occurs here in the history of the three Calendars,
I see that Anima, after having requested the porter whom she had met to
follow her with his basket, stopped at a closed door, and having rapped,
a Christian with a long white beard opened it, into whose hand she put
some money without saying a single word. But the Christian, who knew
what she wanted, went in again, and a little while after returned,
bringing a large pitcher full of excellent wine.' You observed, 'that
although we who lived in Turkey might know that wine was in most cities
prohibited to be sold openly, and that if it was to be found it would be
in the house of a Christian, many of whom disposed of it in a mysterious
manner to the Mohammedans; yet that circumstance would not immediately
occur to the mere European reader, who, perhaps