PRICE ONE PENNY. UNDER THE DIRECTION OF THE COMMITTEE OF GENERAL LITERATURE AND EDUCATION, APPOINTED BY THE SOCIETY FOR PROMOTING CHRISTIAN KNOWLEDGE. PUBLIC LIBRARY AT CONSTANTINOPLE. "IT is a ridiculous notion which prevails among us," said Sir William Jones, many years ago, "that ignorance is a principle of the Mohammedan religion, and that the Koran instructs the Turks not to be instructed." There is little question that even now we are too much accustomed to regard the followers of that faith as necessarily rude and ignorant beings, men who will neither cultivate learning themselves, nor allow others to do so; there is still less question that the articles of their creed afford us no ground for such an impression. Mohammed not only permitted, but advised his people to apply themselves to the acquisition of knowledge; "Seek learning," he tells them, in one of his precepts, "though it were in China." The high estimation indeed, in which he held it, is abundantly shown in his extravagant declaration, that "the ink of the learned, and the blood of martyrs, are of equal value in the sight of Heaven." Nevertheless, it must be confessed, that at the present day, there is no Mohammedan people remarkable for proficiency in literature or science; the existing race of Turks, who afford us the readiest specimen of a Moslem nation, are a set of barbarians, as proud as they are ignorant. The early sultans, as well as their predecessors, the Saracen Caliphs, were the zealous patrons of knowledge; "Be the support of the Faith, and the protector of the sciences," was the dying injunction of the first Osman to his successor Orckan, in the beginning of the fourteenth century. The later sovereigns of the Turkish empire have been less zealous in the cause of learning; it is possible, that as the fanaticism of their subjects has abated, the monarchs have become unwilling to remove their ignorance, lest the consequences should be detrimental to both the spiritual and the temporal despotism which afflict their country. One of the modes in which the early sovereigns of Turkey have testified to posterity their regard for letters, is the establishment of Kitab-Khanès, or public libraries, in the great cities of their empire, either in connexion with the mosques and colleges, or apart as distinct institutions. Constantinople possesses thirty-five, none of them containing less than 1000 manuscripts, and some more than 5000. manuscripts are all written on the finest vellum, and some of them afford beautiful specimens of penmanship; each library has a catalogue. Most of these different collections are continually being augmented by the produce of the surplus funds arising from their original endowments, and also by the liberal contributions of private individuals. The scribe who writes a fine hand, generally regards it as a duty to make a transcript of the Koran at some period of his life, and bestow the copy upon one of the KitabKhanès. Notwithstanding the necessary dearness of books where printing is not practised, every citizen takes care to acquire a certain number in the course of his life; and the lawyer, the statesman, or the man of letters, who possesses a fine library, bequeaths it to some public library, that he may receive the benedictions of those who avail themselves of his liberality. Not many years ago it was a favourite opinion that there must exist in the libraries of Constantinople some fragments of ancient literature, which had escaped the general destruction occasioned by the Turks, when they captured the city in the fifteenth century. In the year 1799, a strong desire of bringing to light these concealed treasures, or, at all events, of settling the long-debated question of their existence, led the English government to determine upon sending in the suite of Lord Elgin's embassy some competent person who should conduct the required examination. The plan is said to have originated with Mr. Pitt and the late Dr. George Tomline, Bishop of Lincoln; in all probability it was conceived by that eminent prelate, and readily patronized, as a matter of course, by the enlightened minister. individual chosen for the execution of the task, was the late Rev. Mr. Carlyle, the Professor of Arabic in the University of Cambridge; and the results of his labours were communicated in a series of letters to the bishop, who afterwards placed them in Mr. Walpole's hands, for publication in the Memoirs on Turkey. The attention of the professor was especially directed to the Library of the Seraglio; and we give our readers a short detail of his proceedings, in endeavouring to examine that repository, both because they are interesting in themselves, and because they afford an illustration of the obstacles which oppose all such undertakings in a land like Turkey. The Our readers may acquire a good idea of the As soon after Mr. Carlyle's arrival in Constantiinternal appearance of one of these libraries, from the nople as circumstances permitted, an application engraving contained in the preceding page; the form was made with all the weight of the British Embassy of the books, which, with some very few exceptions, to Youssuf Aga, who possessed extensive influence are all manuscript, may also be seen in the group over the reigning Sultan, through the agency of which occupies the front of the view. Each volume the Valida, or Empress mother, for permission to is bound in coloured leather (red, green, or black,) examine the Library of the Seraglio. The request and is enclosed in a case of similar material, which was favourably received; not only did Youssuf protects it from the dust, and from the worms. The regard it as one which ought to be granted on account title of the work, instead of being written, as with of the friendship subsisting between his country and us, upon the back of the book, is marked first upon England, but he even thought (strangely enough for the edges of the leaves, and then again on the edge of a Turk,) that the inspection might be productive of the outer covering. Cases, with glass or wire-work some advantages to literature in general. A promise fronts, are ranged along the walls of the library, or was immediately given that an inquiry should be set in its four corners; and in those the volumes are on foot; and subsequently, Youssuf declared "that deposited, resting on their sides, one above another. he had made every investigation in his power, and had found that no collection whatever of Greek manuscripts remained at present in the Seraglio." A request was then preferred for permission to examine the repositories of Oriental books in the palace; and to this it was answered, "that there were two of these, one in the Treasury, the other in what is properly called the Library; that the former contained only copies of the Korán, different commentaries upon it, and treatises peculiar to the Mohammedan laws and religion, and as such could not be subjected to Mr. Carlyle's inspection, but that the These libraries are open on every day of the week, except Tuesday and Friday; visiters are allowed to read any books, to make extracts from them, and even to transcribe a whole manuscript. The subjects of the greater part of the works, are, of course, analogous to the usual studies which are followed in the colleges, or medressès; and as law and theology alone occupy the attention of the students, the mass of books consists of copies of the Koran, and commentaries upon it, with collections of the oral laws of Mohammed, and works on jurisprudence. The Library should be open to him, and a day should be fixed for his admission." After the usual delays, permission was granted; and Mr. Carlyle was requested to attend on a particular morning at the house of Youssuf. The Professor attended by a Dragoman (interpreter belonging to the Embassy,) arrived about eight o'clock. "Youssuf was gone out to wait upon the Sultan," is the account which he gives in his letter to Bishop Tomline," and we found his Kiaia (steward) ready to receive us; we were ushered into a room where that gentleman lodged, who, with five others of the principal officers or attendants belonging to the Aga, were still at dinner. We sat down upon a sofa beside them, and as soon as their repast was over, and they had finished their ablutions, the Kiaia gave us a letter to the Bostangee Bashi, (chief of the guard, and in fact, superintendent of the Seraglio.) Furnished with his passport, we rowed to the Kiosk, or Pavilion, where the Bostangee Bashi usually passes the day. He was engaged at the Porte, and we were shown into a small guardchamber, in order to wait his return; a messenger, however, soon arrived to conduct us to him. Thus escorted, we were suffered to pass the guard and to enter the court, or rather, garden of the Seraglio. After waiting some time for intelligence respecting the Bostangee Bashi, his deputy arrived, read the letters we had brought, and as his principal was engaged in the Seraglio, took upon himself to send for the keeper of the library, and direct him to conduct us thither; we accordingly accompanied him and three Moulahs, to a mosque at a little distance, through which the entrance to the library lies." Passing through this mosque "without speaking, and upon tiptoe," as they were directed, the party reached the outer door of the library, which was locked and had a seal fixed upon the lock; over it was a short Arabic inscription, containing the name and titles of Sultan Mustapha, who founded both the mosque and the library in the year 1767. You "The library," continues the letter, "is built in the form of a Greek cross; one of the arms serves as an anti-room, and the remaining three, together with the centre, constitute the library itself. proceed through the anti-room by a door, over which is written in large Arabic characters, Enter in peace.' The library is small, for, from the extremity of one of the arms to the extremity of the opposite one, it does not measure twelve yards. Its appearance, however, is elegant and cheerful. The central part of the cross is covered with a dome, which is supported by four handsome marble pillars; the three arms, or recesses, that branch off from this, have each of them six windows, three above and as many below. So small an apartment cannot but be rendered extremely light by this great number of windows, and perhaps this effect is not a little increased by the gloom of the mosque, and the darkness of the anti-room which leads to it. The bookcases, four of which stand in each of the three recesses, are plain but neat. They are furnished with folding wire-work doors, secured with a padlock and the scal of the librarian. The books are laid upon their sides, one above another, with their ends outwards, and having their titles written upon the edges of the leaves." Mr. Carlyle proceeded to take a rapid survey of the contents of this celebrated repository, but the jealousy of the Moulahs, who accompanied him, prevented him from making out a detailed catalogue of the separate articles. He found the whole number of manuscripts to be 1294; there were many Arabic, some Persian, and some Turkish,-" but, alas," to use the Professor's pathetic exclamation, "not one volume in Greek, Hebrew, or Latin!" The subjects to which they related were various, but, of course, the prevailing class was theological. Of the Koran there were 17 manuscripts, and no less than 6-19 relating to the Mohammedan religion, or jurisprudence; on mystical subjects there were 47 treatises, and on philosophy 86; logic and philology numbered 313, and medicine 31; while the histories were 43, and the works of poetry and the belles lettres 79. "Such, my lord," adds the learned examiner, "is the famous Library of the Seraglio! respecting which so many falsehoods have been advanced; but I am now very clear, both from the manner in which it is secured, the declarations of the Turks, and the contradictory accounts of the Franks, it was never before subjected to the examination of a Christian." During Mr. Carlyle's residence in Constantinople, he examined, besides the repository contained in the Seraglio, several other collections, omitting, indeed, no one within his reach "which was likely to contain any valuable manuscripts." The Library of the Patriarch of Jerusalem,-the largest of the empire, -was visited, and a catalogue taken of its contents, which comprised nothing remarkable; the libraries attached to the mosque of Santa Sophia, to the schools, mosques, and colleges of Dervises, and even to the monasteries which are established on the Prince's Islands, in the Sea of Marmora, were also inspected. In these researches Mr. Carlyle was aided by Dr. Hunt; and their result is shortly summed up by the latter gentleman, in a declaration, that "in none of those vast collections is there a single classical fragment of a Greek or Latin author, either original or translated. The volumes were in Arabic, Persian, or Turkish, and of all of them Mr. Carlyle took exact catalogues." We must tell our readers, however, that very competent judges have questioned the propriety of so decided an assertion, grounding their objection on the necessarily cursory, and, therefore, unsatisfactory nature of the examination which was made. "It was not possible," is the opinion expressed in the Quarterly Review," for these gentlemen, without an examination of the books themselves, to ascertain that they contained no translated fragments of a classical author. We think it on the contrary very probable, that some of the Arabie manuscripts may contain portions of Aristotle or Galen, or of later Greek writers." The authority of the Rev. Mr. Renouard, a well-known Orientalist, who was chaplain to the British factory at Smyrna, tends to the same point. "It is not impossible," says that gentleman, "after all that has been said and done about these supposed relics of the Library of the Cæsars,' that some volumes may be still extant in the subterranean recesses of the Seraglio. The Turks allow the monuments of antiquity to fall to ruin, but they seldom destroy any thing; and Mr. Barthold, formerly one of the Dragomans at Constantinople, declared that an eminent Greek merchant assured him that he had seen books from the Library of the Palæologi* in one of the chambers of the Sultan's Treasury, when admitted for the purpose of ascertaining the value of various articles in gold and silver, which the government wished to send to the mint." The Palæologi were a noble race who ruled over the Greek empire for the last two hundred years of its existence, with some slight intervals. EVERY man has something to do which he neglects; every man has faults to conquer which he delays to com bat.JOHNSON. THE LARGE FLOWERING SENSITIVE PLANT. | leaves, approaches the main stem. If the touch has (Mimosa grandiflora.) THIS splendid shrub grows wild, both in the East and West Indies. It is frequently found in the mountains of Jamaica, and was introduced into our gardens in 1769, by Mr. Norman. It belongs to the same tribe as the common sensitive plant, but does not possess the power of closing its leaves at the approach of danger, in nearly so high a degree as its less-splendid companion. We must all have noticed the folding back of the leaves, and the rolling up of the flowers, of many well-known plants, in the evening, or at the approach of rain, and their subsequent expansion in the morning, or after the passing by of the shower. But the sensitive plants include within themselves a power of motion far exceeding this, and approaching, in appearance, the voluntary movements of an animal. The origin of this singular power has never yet been discovered, although numerous experiments have been made, to ascertain the fact. These experiments all tend to demonstrate the infinite variety of ways, in which the Creator of all things has furnished every object of his creation with the means of self-preservation. We have already alluded to the periodical closing of the leaves of plants: the same motion takes place in the sensitive plants, but the wonderful fact in the history of the latter is, that this movement can be produced at any time; and by merely touching the leaves gently, they will instantly recoil, and fold themselves together, as if for self-protection; and at the same time, the small twig which sustains the been forcible, not only the twig supporting one series of leaves is affected, but the same effects take place in the compound leaf, on the opposite side of the stem, and this motion is sometimes communicated to the whole plant. It is very difficult to touch the leaf of a healthy sensitive plant so lightly as not to make it close: after the leaves are closed, some time clapses before they regain their original position, and the duration of this interval depends on the time of day, the season of the year, and the more or less healthy state of the plant. It seems, however, that light is an agent necessary to the production of some of these movements. In the month of August, a sensitive plant was carried in a pot from its usual situation, into a dark cave; the motion it received in carriage, caused it to close its leaves, and they did not open until fourand-twenty hours afterwards: by this time they had become moderately open, but were afterwards subject to no changes at night or morning, remaining three days and nights with their leaves in the same state. At the end of this time it was brought out again into the air, where the leaves recovered their natural periodical motions, shutting every night, and opening every morning, as naturally and strongly as ever: but although while in the cave, their periodical motions were suspended, they shrunk from the touch with almost as much power as when in the open air. Although a sensitive plant is, as we have seen, easily affected by the slightest touch, and closes when subjected to a heavy fall of rain, it remains unmoved if only exposed to a gentle shower. If the leaves are touched with sufficient force, the branches are also affected, but it is possible, if the experiment is carefully performed, to cause the branch to move towards the stem, the leaves still remaining in their original position with reference to each other; thus proving, that the power of motion belonging to each part of the plant is independent of that possessed by any other part. The same species of irritability has also been noticed in many other plants; one instance occurs in the flower of the common barberry. The experiment was made on a bush in full flower (it was about one o'clock, the day was bright and warm, with very little wind,) and is thus related by Dr. Smith. "The stamina of such of the flowers as were open were bent backwards to each petal, and sheltered themselves under their concave tips. No shaking of the branch appeared to have any effect upon them. With a very small bit of stick I gently touched the inside of one of the filaments, which instantly sprung from the petal with considerable force, striking its anthera against the stigma. I repeated the experiment a great number of times in each flower, touching one filament after another, until the tips of all six were brought together in the centre over the stigma. "I took home with me three branches laden with flowers, and placed them in a jar of water, and in the evening tried the experiment on some of these flowers, then standing in my room, with the same success. "This irritable power appears, however, to reside only in the inside of the filament, as when touched in any other part it remained unmoved." THERE are few occasions in life in which we are more called upon to watch ourselves narrowly, and to resist the assaults of various temptations, than in conversation. HANNAH MORE. RURAL CHRONICLE. APRIL. Departures.-For the north; Frost, Esq. and suite, amongst whom we noticed Messrs. Woodcock, Fieldfare, Redwing, &c. &c. Arrivals.-Early in the month, Mr. and Mrs. Swallow; family expected to follow soon. N.B. Mr. and Mrs. S. go out very little as yet. The Messrs. Blackbird and Thrush have begun to give their annual concerts for the season. Their respective ladies "are at home." The musical foreigner of distinction, the Signor Cuckoo, whose favourite cantatas are so repeatedly encored,-is said to be on the look-out for lodgings in the neighbourhood: strange stories are in circulation respecting a branch of the Sparrow family. The Widow Nightingale, to her seat in Poplar Island. The Miss Martins for the season. Dr. and Mrs. Rook have made great progress in their new dwelling, which is built on the old site. The Wren family, so famous in the annals of architecture, have lately designed some edifices, which show them to be as skilful as ever in that admirable art. COURT NEWS. GAZETTE EXTRAORDINARY. YESTERDAY, her Serene Highness, Queen Flora, held her first drawing-room this season; which was most numerously attended. The court opened soon after sun-rise, Mr. Skylark was in attendance to announce the company. The Misses Daisy were the earliest visitors; after which arrivals were constant. Messrs. Bugle, Broom, Lilac, Orchis, Periwinkle, Ranunculus, Stellaria, &c. &c., all richly and tastefully attired. The numerous family of the Anemonies paid their devoirs early; these elegantes were variously habited,some wore rich scarlet boddices, others purple and green train, the Misses A., in robes of simple white and green, almost surpassed in beauty their more splendid relatives. The Miss Violets, on their return to the country, introduced by the Ladies Primrose; the amiable and modest appearance of the former was much noticed, the costume of each party was thought very becoming, and skilfully The Miss Blue-Bells wore robes of azure tissue, and were much admired for the sylph-like elegance of their assorted to set off the charms of both. forms. The beautiful Germander family, with their never-to-beforgotten eyes of heavenly blue, attracted universal attention. The arrival of the Rose family was anxiously expected. The Miss Cowslips were presented: it has been the fashion to call them the "pretty rustics;" but they were most graciously received, and the delicate propriety of their dress and manners much admired.. The Lady Cardamines, costumes of the finest linen. Mrs. Tulip, body and train of crimson and gold: this truly grand dress had a superb effect. Messrs. Chestnut, Oak, Birch, Lime, &c. &c. sported new bright green liveries, of various shades. Messrs. Blackthorn, Pear, Apple, &c. &c. crowded round their sovereign, eager to pay their dutiful homage: they made a magnificent show, in rich suits of white, red, and green. The company were greatly delighted with a concert of vocal music from a large party of the best performers in the neighbourhood, consisting wholly of amateurs. The Court broke up, having partaken of a few drops of a light and charming beverage; but not before the Widow Nightingale, (who had joined the performers of the morning.) had been entreated to favour the company with a song,—that well-bred lady instantly complied, and poured upon the ears of her delighted auditors one of her most heart-thrilling melodies. BERNARD GILPIN. We have occasionally wandered into foreign lands, in order to bring before the notice of our readers two most exemplary ministers of the Gospel, Oberlin and Neff *. In our own country, and in our church, we rejoice to know there have been many no less bright examples of ministerial zeal and fidelity. Nor, among them, is there one whose character can be contemplated with greater delight or edification, See Saturday Magazine, Vol. IV., p. 69 than BERNARD GILPIN. This excellent man was raised up by Divine Providence at a critical period of our long and arduous struggle with the church of Rome; and if, as a theologian, Gilpin cannot be ranked with some of the other fathers of our national church, we must render our most reverential homage to that combination of zeal, piety, and charity, which procured for him the distinguishing title of the Apostle of the North. But the very able house at Kentmire, in Westmoreland, in 1517. Bernard Gilpin was born of an ancient and honourAt the age of sixteen, he was sent to Queen's College in Oxford, where he so much distinguished himself for his proficiency in learning, particularly in Greek and Hebrew (then rare accomplishments), that he was selected as one of the students to be placed on Wolsey's new and magnificent foundation of Christ Church. For some years, however, Gilpin continued an adherent to the faith of Rome. He even held a public disputation against Hooper, the reformer, and afterwards martyr, for the reformed doctrines; and, subsequently, was one of the persons selected to oppose Peter Martyr, when that great champion of Protestantism was sent by Cranmer, at the beginning of King Edward's reign, to occupy the chair of divinity at Oxford. studies and researches which Gilpin instituted for the purpose of maintaining his cause, led him to doubt its strength; and, when he came to the contest, he acknowledged, with a candour and sincerity of mind peculiar to himself, that he could not support his argument. Still, such was his modesty and distrust of himself, that it was only by the most cautious and deliberate steps that he receded from the faith in which he had been reared; and it was not until he had employed some more years at the university, in a patient investigation of truth, that he was induced to give the preference to the reformed principle. In 1552, when he was thirty-five years of age, he undertook the living of Norton; which, however, he very soon relinquished, having still, it seems, some lingering scruples on his mind which he wished to dissipate, by consulting certain eminent divines on the continent; and for this purpose he spent three years in the Netherlands and France. At length, Gilpin returned to England a confirmed and decided Reformer; and it is remarkable that he returned at the very time when so many persons of his own religious principles were quitting the country to escape from the persecutions of Queen Mary. Gilpin, however, had a protector in his uncle, CuthThis amiable bert Tunstal, Bishop of Durham. prelate, although still an advocate for the Romish Church, maintained his principles with moderation; and, throughout the whole struggle between the two systems of religion, he stands most honourably distinguished from his brethren, the crafty Gardiner, and the ferocious Bonner. Neither, although well apprized of the religious opinions of his nephew, did he hesitate to confer upon him some pieces of preferment, and ultimately, the valuable and important benefice of Houghton-le-Spring, in the county of Durham. If Gilpin was long in coming to a decision, he maintained his opinions, once formed, with a resolution that could not fail to render him obnoxious to the papal party. These men, after making several ineffectual attempts to ruin him with his uncle, proceeded with better hopes of succes, to denounce him before the tribunal of Bonner. Gilpin was not insensible of his danger. He even prepared (according to a practice not uncommon in that age) a garment, in which he might go decently to the stake, and put |
