276 CONCUBINAGE AND COURTEZANISM,

over her own household does not equal thatof the

Turkish, which is absolute, the husband scarcely ever
interfering in the domestic arrangements; that the
women can, if they choose, exclude their husbands
from their apartments; that they actually walk out
whenever they please; that they are very fond of the
bath, where large parties of them frequently meet and
spend the greater part of the day, displaying their rich
dresses to each other, conversing and taking refresh
ments; that they sometimes walk disguised through
the streets of the city, without observation; that they
walk veiled to the favourite promenades near the cem
etery, or in the gardens of Dolma Batcke, with their
attendants; that arobas full of laughing young Turk
ish ladies may be met driving outside of Constanti
nople, unattended by a guardian—going perhaps to
enjoy a party of pleasure on the banks of the Bospho
rus, or merely taking exercise; they often sail in their
pleasure-boats to various parts of the Bosphorus, &c.
Mrs. Elwood even says, “I suspect the Turkish
ladies are under no greater restraint than princesses
and ladies of rank in our country, and the homage
that is paid them seems infinitely greater. The seclu
sion of the Harem appears to be no more than the
natural wish of an adoring husband, to guard his be
loved from even the knowledge of the ills and woes
that mortal man betide” | | |
In the preceding statements, referring
chiefly to
Constantinople, there may, as to mere physical re
straint, be some truth ; and there can be no doubt
that, with the advance of civilization, much greater
relaxation will take place; but that even such free
dom is far from being general in polygamous coun