The present state of the Ottoman Empire containing the maxims of the Turkish politie, the most material points of the Mahometan religion, their sects and heresies, their convents and religious votaries, their military discipline ... : illustrated with divers pieces of sculpture, representing the variety of habits amongst the Turks, in three books / by Paul Rycaut Esq. ...

CHAP. VI. Of the method of the Turkish Studies and Learning in the Se∣raglio.

WE have rather shewed in the foregoing Chapter, the education of those young Scholars, in reference to exercise of body, and dexterity in arms, then the method of their studies and speculations, according to the manner of our Seminaries and Colledges, which more respect the cultivation of the mind with the principles of vertue and morality, and the notions of sublime reason, then in the im∣provements of the body by assiduity of exercise, which makes them become active, and begets an agility in the management of arms. And though the latter is a business most attended to by sprightly and ingenious spirits, who know preferments in the Ottoman Court have always depended and still do on the virtue of the Sword; yet spe∣culation and knowledge in Sciences are not wholly estranged from their Schools, which we shall in brief touch upon to satisfie the curio∣sity of our Academies, who I know would gladly be resolved what sort of Physical or Moral Philosophy, what Tongues and Sciences fall within the contemplation of that barbarous ignorance of the Turks. To dilucide which the most clearly that I can, according to the best information of the learned Turks; It is reported by the Kalfaes or Pe∣dagogues of the Seraglio, that their chief design is to instruct their Scholars in reading and writing, so as they may have some inspecti∣on into the books of their Law and Religion; especially the Alchoran, whereby may be produced in their minds a greater reverence to them. For being once passed from the first form of their A. B. C. and joyn∣ing

Syllables, they are then instructed in the Arabian Tongue, wherein all the secrets and treasure of their Religion and Laws are contained, and is a necessary accomplishment of a Pasha, or any great Minister in relation to the better discharge of his office, being thereby enabled to have an inspection into the writings and sentences of the Kadees, or other Officers of the Law within his jurisdiction, as well as furnished with knowledge and matter of discourse concerning religion. And to adorn these young Candidates of the Grand Signiors favour, with more polite and ingenious endowments, the next lesson is the Per∣sian Tongue, which fits them with quaint words and eloquence, be∣coming the Court of their Prince, and corrects the grossness, and en∣riches the barrenness of the Turkish tongue, which in it self is void both of expression and sweetness of accent. It teaches them also a handsome and gentle deportment, instructs them in Romances, raises their thoughts to aspire to the generous and virtuous actions they read of in the Persian Novellaries, and endues them with a kind of Platonick love each to other, which is accompanied with a true friend∣ship amongst some few, and with as much gallantry as is exercised in any part of the world. But for their Amours to Women, the restraint and strictness of Discipline, makes them altogether strangers to that Sex; for want of conversation with them, they burn in lust one to∣wards another, and the amorous disposition of youth wanting more natural objects of affection, is transported to a most passionate admi∣ration of beauty wheresoever it finds it, which because it is much talked of by the Turks, we will make it a distinct discourse by it self. The books they read commonly in the Persian language, are, Danisten, Schahidi, Pend-attar, Giulistin, Bostan Hafiz, and the Turkish books called Mulemma, or a mixture of the Arabian and Persian words both in prose and verse, facetious and full of quick and lively expres∣sions. Of these sorts of books those most commonly read are called Kirkwizir, Humaiunname, or delile we Kemine, El fulecale, Seidbatal, and various other Romances: these are usually the study of the most aiery and ingenious spirits amongst them. Those others who are of a complexion more melancholick and inclinable to contemplation, pro∣ceed with more patience of method, and are more exact in their studies, intending to become Masters of their Pen, and by that means to arrive to honour and office either of Rest Efendi, or Secretary of State, Lord Treasurer, or Secretary of the Treasury, or Dispensatory, &c. or else to be Emaums or Parish Priests of some principal Moschs of Royal foundation, in which they pass an easie, quiet and secure life, with a considerable competency of livelyhood. Others aim in their studies to become Hazifizi, which signifies a Conserver of the Alchoran, who get the whole Alchoran by heart, and for that reason are held in great esteem, and their persons as sacred as the place which is the Repository of the Law.

Those who are observed to be more addicted to their Books then others, are named by them Talibulilmi, or lovers of Philosophy; though very few amongst them arrive to any learning really so called, yet they attain to the degree of Giuzehon or Readers of the Alchoran, for benefit and relief of the souls of those departed, who for that end hath be∣queathed them Legacies. At certain houses they read Books that

treat of the matters of their Faith, and render them out of Arabick into Turkish, and these Books are Schurut, Salat, Mukad, Multeka, Hidaie, &c. which they descant upon in an Expository manner; instructing the more ignorant and of lower form, by way of Catechism. They have also some Books of Poetry written both in Persian and Arabick, which run in Rhime and Meeter, like the Golden Verses of Pythagoras, containining excellent sentences of Morality, being directions for a godly life, and contemplations of the miseries and fallacies of this world, which many of them commit to memory, and repeat occasional∣ly as they fall into discourse. For other Sciences as Logick, Physick, Metaphsick, Mathematicks, and other out University Learning, they are wholly ignorant; unless in the latter, as far as Musick is a part of Mathematicks, whereof there is a School apart in the Seraglio. Only some that live in Constantinople have learned some certain rules of Astro∣logy, which they exercise upon all occasions, and busie themselves in Prophesies of future contingencies of the Affairs of the Empire, and the unconstant estate of great Ministers, in which their predictions seldom divine grateful or pleasiing stories. Neither have the wisest and most active Ministers or Souldiers amongst them, the least inspecti∣on into Geography, whereby to be acquainted with the situation of Countreys or disposition of the Globe, though they themselves enjoy the possession of so large a proportion of the universe. Their Seamen, who seldom venture beyound sight of Land (unless they be those of Bar∣bary, who are Renegadoes and practised in the Christian Arts of Nava∣gation) have certain Sea-carts ill framed, and the Capes and head-lands so ill laid down, that in their Voyages from Constantinople to Alaxan∣dria, the richest place of their Trade, they trust more to their eye and experience, then the direction of their Maps; nor could I ever see any Cart of the black Sea made either by Turk or Greek, which could give the least light to a knowing Seaman, so as to encourage him ac∣cording to the rules of Art, to lay any confidence theron in his Navi∣gation.

The Art of Printing (a matter disputable, whether it hath brought more of benefit or mischief to the world) is absolutely prohibited amongst them, because it may give a beginning to that sublety of Learning which is inconsistent with, as well as dangerous to the grosse∣ness of their Government, and a means to deprive many of their lively∣hood, who gain their bread only by their Pen, and occasion the loss of that singular Art of fair Writing, wherein they excel or equal most Nations: the effect of which is evident amongst the Western people where Printing hath taken footing. And though there be few Histo∣rians among them who have any knowledge of past-times, or the be∣ing of other Empires before the Ottoman, mixing all stories in confusi∣on together (as we have said before) without distinction of Persons, or respect of Chronology; yet as to the successes and progress of Affairs in their own dominions, they keep most strict Registers and Records, which serve them as presidents and rules for the present Government of their Affairs.

And thus the Reader may sound the depth of the Turks Philosophy, who though they reach not those contemplations of our profound Sophies, have yet so much knowledge as neither to be over-reached in

their Treaties with the wits of the World, nor for want of good Conduct of Affairs lose one inch of their Empire.