The City of the Sultan; and Domestic Manners of the Turks, in 1836, Vol. 1 (of 2) — John Shaqi
The City of the Sultan; and Domestic Manners of the Turks, in 1836, Vol. 1 (of 2)Pardoe, Miss (Julia)
History
The City of the Sultan; and Domestic Manners of the Turks, in 1836, Vol. 1 (of 2)
Pardoe, Miss (Julia)
Turkey -- Social life and customs
As he persisted in dancing with me nearly the whole of the evening, and
talking to me during the remainder, I soon became much interested in
his conversation, and it was with sincere pleasure that I heard him
promise that he would get up an extempore ball for us the following
night. The news soon spread through the room, and great were the
exertions made to secure invitations, the more particularly as the
morrow was the last day of the Carnival; and, at half past four in the
morning, after having received an invitation to breakfast with Madame
Logotheti, we made our parting bow to our very handsome hostess and her
hospitable husband, and hastened to secure a little rest, to enable us
to contend with the fatigues of the forthcoming evening.
A Greek breakfast differs little from a Greek dinner: there are the same
sparkling wines, the same goodly tureen of soup, the same meats, and
confectionary, and _friandises_; but, in addition to these, there is the
snowy kaimack, or clotted cream, and the bubbling urn.
I know not whether others have made the same remark, but I have
frequently observed that the breakfast after a ball, where the party is
an agreeable one, is a most delightful repast. The excitement of the
previous night has not entirely subsided—the “sayings and doings” of
“ladies bright and cavaliers” afford a gay and unfailing topic—and all
goes “merry as a marriage bell.” Certain it is, that in this instance
my theory is borne out by the result; for, on the termination of the
meal, the family insisted on our remaining with them during our stay at
the Fanar. Servants were accordingly despatched for our bandboxes and
dressing-cases, and we established ourselves comfortably round the
tandour until dinner-time.
As the house which Logotheti occupied during the winter months was
merely hired,[1] and, although extremely handsome and spacious, was
greatly inferior in magnificence to his residence on the Bosphorus, he
did not consider it expedient to give the ball himself, lest he should
offend many whom he had neither time nor space to invite; but requested
one of his friends, Hage Aneste, or Aneste the Pilgrim, a Primate of the
Greek church and a near neighbour, to open his house in the evening, and
the arrangement was completed at once.
If I had been pleased with Logotheti in the heat and hurry of a ball
room, I was infinitely more delighted with him in the bosom of his
family. His gentle and courtly manners, and his unaffected and fluent
conversation, rendered him a charming companion; and the hours flew so
swiftly in his society, and that of his amiable family, that dinner was
announced before the morning had appeared to be half spent.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account