us, from the light beauty of the girl to the mature graces of the matron, and the venerable dignity of advanced age: the face of a sylph becomes almost at once transformed into a gorgon's head. In discussing this subject with Signor Lusieri, he assured me, that the fault lay not so much in the climate, as in the destructive habits of the Grecian females, more especially in the abuse of the bath, which they attend almost daily, remaining in its hot sudatories several hours at a time, where they discuss more scandal than circulates at an English tea-table in as many weeks: hence their colour vanishes, and their fibres are relaxed; hence they become languid, and unable to take wholesome exercise; soon after the age of twenty, wrinkles begin to appear, and they suffer all the inconveniences of premature debility. Though the Grecian females are not accomplished, yet they possess a considerable degree of elegance in their address and manners: their salutation is particularly graceful, consisting of a gentle inclination of the body, whilst the right hand is brought in contact with the waist: they are generally found by visitors reclining indolently on the sofas of the apartment, their silken robes bound round with a silver-clasped zone, their hair partly wreathed with flowers or adorned with pearls, and partly flowing in curls over their shoulders; their eye-brows carefully arranged, and tinged with surme, a powder of the blackest dye; their nails stained with henna, and their complexion too often aided by artificial lustre; exhibiting melancholy examples of the neglect of nature's choicest gifts, the substantial graces of the mind.

ALGERINES.

THE inhabitants of Algiers, a nation of pirates, who, in aefiance of all the powers of Europe, have robbed and plundered the ships, and enslaved and murdered the subjects, of every Christian state in Europe and America, and for two centuries past, excepting only those of such as condescended to purchase their friendship or forbearance by presents. These pirates, all along the sea coasts, are a mixture of different nations; but chiefly Moors and Moriscoes, driven out of Catalonia, Arragon, and other parts of Spain. There are also great numbers of Turks among them, who come from the Levant to seek their fortunes, as well as multitudes of Jews and Christians taken at sea, and brought hither to be sold for slaves.

The inland inhabitants of Algiers, distinguished by the name of Berebers, are some of the most ancient inhabitants of the country; and are supposed to be descended from the ancient Sabians, that nation of robbers, who plundered the patriarch Job, and who are said to have come to Algiers from Arabia Felix, under the conduct of one of their princes. Others believe them to be descended from the Canaanites, who were driven out of Palestine by Joshua. They are dispersed all over Barbary, and divided into a multitude of tribes under their respective chiefs: most of them inhabit the mountainous parts; some range from place to place, and live in tents, or portable huts; others in scattered villages, in which situation they have generally kept from intermixing with other nations.

The Berebers are reckoned the richest of all the Algerines, go better clothed, and carry on a much larger traffic of cattle, hides, wax, honey, iron, and other commodities. They have also some artificers in iron, and some manufacturers in the weaving branch.-The name Bereber, is supposed to have been originally given them on account of their being first settled in some desart place. Upon their increasing in process of time, they divided themselves into five tribes, probably on account of religious differences, called the Zinhagiuns, Mascamedins, Zeneti, Hoares, and Gornere; and these having produced 600 families, subdivided themselves into a great number of petty tribes. To these we may add the Zwowahs, by European authors called Azuagues, or Assuagues, who are likewise dispersed over most parts of Barbary and Numidia. Great numbers of these inhabit the mountainous parts of Cuco, Labez, &c. leading a wandering pastoral life. But the most numerous inhabitants are the Moors and Arabians. The former are very stout and warlike, and skilful horsemen; but so addicted to robbing, that one cannot safely travel along the country at a distance from the towns without a guard, or at least a marabout, or saint, for a safeguard. For as they look upon themselves to be the original proprietors of the country, and not only as dispossessed by the rest of the inhabitants, but reduced by them to the lowest state of poverty, they make no scruple to plunder all they can meet with, by way of reprisal.

The inhabitants in general have a pretty fair complexion, they are robust and well-proportioned. People of distinction wear their beards; they have rich clothes made of silk, embroidered with flowers of gold, and turbans enriched with jewels. The Turks, who compose the military force, have great privileges, pay no taxes, are never publicly punished, and rarely in private. The lowest soldier domineers over the most distinguished Moors at pleasure. If he finds them better mounted than himself, he exchanges horses without ceremony. The Turks alone have the privilege of carrying fire-arms. Some good qualities, however, distinguish them, in spite of this excess of despotism. They never game for money, nor even for trifles; and they never profane the name of the Deity. They soon forget their private quarrels ; and after the first paroxysm of resentment is over, it is infamy for a Turk to keep in remembrance the injuries he has received. In this respect, certainly, they are less barbarous than other nations that boast of their civilization.

PUNISHMENTS IN ALGIERS.

In this country it is not to be expected that justice will be administered with any degree of impartiality. The Mahometan soldiery, in particular, are so much favoured, that they are seldom put to death for any crime except rebellion; in which cases they are either strangled with a bow-string, or hanged to an iron hook; in lesser offences they are fined, or their pay stopped, and if officers, they are reduced to the station of common soldiers, from whence they may gradually raise themselves to their former dignity. Women guilty of adultery have a halter tied about their necks, with the other end fastened to

SERAGLIO OR HAREM OF THE EMPEROR OF MOROCCO.

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a pole, by which they are held under water till they are suffocated. The bastinado is likewise inflicted for small offences: and is given either to the belly, back, or soles of the feet, according to the pleasure of the cadi, who also appoints the number of strokes. These sometimes amount to 200 or 300, according to the indulgence the offender can obtain either by bribery or friends; and hence he often dies under this punishment for want of advocates sufficiently powerful. But the most horrible punishments are those inflicted upon the Jews or Christians who speak against Mahomet or his religion; in which cases they must either turn Mahometans or be impaled a live. If they afterwards apostatize, they are burnt alive, or else thrown down from the top of the city walls, upon iron hooks, where they are caught by different parts of their body, according as they happen to fall, and sometimes expire in the greatest torments, though by accident they may be put out of their pain at once. This terrible punishment, however, begins now to be disused.

SERAGLIO OR HAREM OF THE EMPEROR OF MOROCCO.

THE following account of this seraglio is extracted from the interesting tour of M. Lempriere, who being a surgeon, was admitted into the harem to prescribe for some of the ladies who were indisposed, and was therefore enabled to give a full account of this female prison, and of the manners and behaviour of its inhabitants.

The harem forms a part of the palace. The apartments are very lofty, and four of them enclose a spacious square court, into which they open by means of large folding doors. In the centre of these courts, which are floored with blue and white chequered tiling, is a fountain, supplied by pipes from a large reservoir on the outside of the palace, which serves for the frequent ablutions recommended by the Mahometan religion. The whole of the harem consists of about twelve of these courts, communicating with each other by narrow passages, which afford a free access from one part to another, and of which all the women are allowed to avail themselves. The apartments are ornamented on the outside with beautiful carved wood. In the inside most of the rooms are hung with rich damask of various colours: the floors are covered with beautiful carpets, and there are mattresses disposed at different distances, for the purpose of sitting and sleeping The apartments are also furnished at each extremity with an elegant European mahogany bedstead, hung with damask, having on it several mattresses placed one over the other, which are covered with various coloured silks; but these beds are merely for ornament. In all the apartments the ceiling is wood carved and painted.

The principal ornaments were large and valuable looking-glasses, hung on various parts of the walls; clocks and watches of different sizes, in glass-cases were, disposed in the same manner. The sultana Lalla Batoom, and another favourite, were indulged with a whole square to themselves; but the concubines were only each allowed a single room. Each female had a separate daily allowance from the emperor, proportioned to the estimation in which they were held by him. The late emperor's allowance was very trifling; Lalla Douyan, the favourite

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SERAGLIO OR HAREM OF THE EMPEROR OF MOROCCO.

sultana, had very little more than half-a-crown English a day, and the others less. He indeed made them occasional presents of money, dress, and trinkets, but this never could be sufficient to support the expenses they must incur. Their greatest dependence therefore was on the presents they received from those Europeans and Moors who visited the court, and who employed their influence in obtaining some particular favour from the emperor. This was the most successful mode that could be adopted.

When Mr. Lempriere was at Morocco, a Jew, desirous of obtaining a very advantageous favour from the emperor, for which he had been a long time unsuccessfully soliciting, sent to all the principal ladies of the harem presents of pearls to a very large amount; the consequence was, that they all went in a body to the emperor, and immediately obtained the wished-for concession. The ladies separately furnish their own rooms, hired their own domestics, and in fact do what they please in the harem, but are not permitted to go out without an express order from the emperor, who very seldom grants them that favour, except when they are to be removed from one palace to another. In that case, a party of soldiers is despatched a little distance before them, to disperse the male passengers, and prevent their being seen. This previous step being taken, a piece of linen cloth is tied round the lower part of the face, and afterwards these miserable females cover themselves entirely with their haicks, and either mount mules, which they ride like men, or, what is more usual, are put into a square carriage or litter constructed for this purpose, which by its lattice work allows them to see without being seen. In this manner they set off, under a guard of black eunuchs. This journey, and sometimes a walk within the bounds of the palace, is the only exercise they are permitted to take. The late emperor's harem consisted of between 60 and 100 females, besides their numerous domestics and slaves. Many of the concubines were Moorish women, several were European slaves, who had either been made captives, or purchased by the emperor; though some were negroes.

In this group, the Europeans, or their descendants, had by far the greatest claim to the character of handsome. There was one in par. ticular, who was a native of Spain, and taken into the harem at about the same age as Lalla Douyan, who was indeed a perfect beauty; and many others were almost equally handsome.

The eunuchs, who have the entire charge of the women, and who in fact live always among them, are the children of Negro slaves. They are generally either very short or fat, or else tall, deformed, and lame. Their voices have that particular tone which is observable in youths who are just arriving at manhood; and their persons together afford a disgusting image of weakness and effeminacy.

M. Lempriere gives a very curious account of the manners and ignorance of these immured females, from his own observation. Attended by an eunuch, says he, after passing the gate of the harem, which is always locked, and under the care of a guard of eunuchs, we entered a narrow and dark passage, which soon brought us to the court into which the women's chambers open. We here saw numbers of both black and white women and children, some concubines,

and some slaves. Upon their observing the unusual figure of an Earopean, the whole multitude in a body surrounded me, and expressed the utmost astonishment at my dress and appearance, some stood motionless, with their hands lifted up, their eyes fixed, and their mouths open, in wonder and surprise. Some burst into fits of laughter; while others, with uncommon attention, eyed me from head to foot. The parts of my dress which seemed most to attract their notice, were my buckles, buttons, and stockings; for neither men nor women in this country wear any thing of the kind. With respect to the club of my hair, they seemed utterly at a loss in what view to consider it; but the powder they conceived to be employed for destroying vermin. Most of the children, when they saw me, ran away in consternation; and I appeared as singular an animal, and I dare say that I had the honour of exciting as much curiosity and attention, as a lion or a man-tiger just imported from abroad, and introduced into a country town on a market-day. Every time I visited the harem, I was surrounded and laughed at by this curious mob, who, on my entering the gate, followed me close to the very chamber to which I was proceeding, and, on my return, universally escorted me out. The greatest part of the women were uncommonly fat and unwieldy; had black and full eyes, round faces, with small noses. They were of different complexions; some very fair, some sallow, and others again perfect negresses.

"One of my new patients being ready to receive me, I was desired to walk within her room; where, to my great surprise, I saw nothing but a curtain drawn quite across the apartment, similar to that of a theatre, which separates the stage from the audience. A female domestic brought a very low stool, placed it near the curtain, and told me I was to sit down there, and feel her mistress's pulse. The lady, who had by this time summoned up courage to speak, introduced her hand from the bottom of the curtain, and desired me to inform her of all her complaints, which she conceived I might perfectly do by merely feeling the pulse. It was in vain to ask her where her pain was seated; the only answer I could procure was, a request to feel the pulse of the other hand. I was under the necessity of informing her, in positive terms, that to understand the disease, it was absolutely necessary to see the tongue, as well as to feel the pulse; and that without it, I could do nothing for her. My eloquence, or that of my Jewish interpreter, was, however, long exerted in vain, and she would have dismissed me without any further inquiry, had not her invention supplied her with a happy expedient. She contrived to cut a hole in the curtain, through which she extended her tongue, and thus complied with my injunction, but most effectually disappointed my curiosity. I was afterwards ordered to look at another of the prince's wives, who was affected with a scrofulous swelling in her neck. This lady was, in the same manner as the other, at first excluded from my sight; but as she was obliged to shew me her complaint, I had an opportunity of seeing her face, and observed it to be very handsome."

It is curious to observe the childish notions of persons who have been totally secluded from the world, All the ladies of the harem expected that our author should have instantly discovered their.com

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