sar had eight thousand wives and concubines; and it is no uncommon circumstance for princes to have four or five thousand at one time. According to the Moresc laws, there are no bastards except the offspring of prostitutes.

M. Lempriere was allowed to see more of their amatory customs, perhaps, than any Christian who ever visited this country, who, being a surgeon, was admitted into the harem to prescribe for some of the ladies who were indisposed, The harem forms a part of the palace; the apartments, which are all on the ground-floor, are square, very lofty, and four of them inclose a spacious square court, into which they open by means of large folding doors. In the centre of the courts, which are floored with blue and white chequered tiling, is a fountain, supplied by pipes from a large reservoir outside of the palace, which serves for the frequent ablutions of the Mahometan religion, as well as for other purposes. The whole of the harem consists of about twelve of those square courts, communicating with each other by means of several narrow passages, which afford a free access from one part of the palace to another, and of which all the women are allowed to avail themselves. The apart ments are ornamented on the outside with beautiful carved wood. In the inside most of the rooms are hung with rich damask, of the most beautiful and various colours; the floors are laid with the most

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elegant carpets, having mattresses at different distances from each other for sitting or sleeping. sides these, the apartments are furnished at each extremity with an elegant European mahogany bedstead, hung with damask; valuable looking glasses, and clocks and watches of different sizes, in glass

cases.

The Sultana Lalla Batoom, and another favorite, were indulged with a whole square to themselves ; but the concubines were only allowed a single room each. They had a separate daily allowance from the Emperor, in proportion to the estimation in which they were held by him. The late Emperor's allowance was very trifling. Lilla Douya, a favorite Sultana, had very little more than half-acrown English a day, and the others less in proportion; though it must be allowed, that the Emperor frequently made them presents in money, trinkets, and dress; but their greatest dependence was on the presents they received from the Europeans and Moors who visited the court, and wished for their influence in obtaining some particular favor from the Emperor, the most successful mode that could be adopted. When M. Lemprier* was at Morocco,

* This gentleman relates a very curious account of the manners and ignorance of these immured females, from his own observations when visiting the harem of the prince. He relates, that, being attended by a eunuch, "after passing the gate of the harem which is always kept locked, and under the care of a guard of

a Jew, desirous of obtaining a very advantageous favor of the Emperor, for which he had long un

eunuchs, we entered a narrow and dark passage, which brought us to the court into which the women's chambers open. We here saw a great number of black and white women and children, some of them were concubines, some were slaves, and others hired domestics. Upon their observing the unusual figure of an European, the whole multitude in a body surrounded me, expressing the utmost astonishment at my dress and appearance. The parts of my dress which seemed most to attract their notice were my buckles, buttons, and stockings; neither men nor women in this country wearing 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 which I wore they conceived to be employed for the purpose of destroying vermin.

"Most of the children, when they saw me, ran away in the most perfect consternation. Every time I visited the harem, I was surrounded inspected and laughed at by this curious mob as if I had been a lion or man-tiger. On my entering the gate, they followed me close to the very chamber to which I was proceeding and on my return universally escorted me out. The greater part of the women were uncommonly fat and unwieldy; had very black and full eyes, with round faces, and small noses. They were of various complexions; some very fair, some sallow, and others were perfect negroes. One of my new patients being ready to receive me, I was desired to walk into the 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 me 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

successfully applied, sent to all the principal ladies of the harem presents of pearls to a very large amount; the consequence was, they all went in a body to the Emperor, and obtained the soughtfor concession.

The ladies separately furnish their own rooms, hire their own domestics, and, in fact, do what they please in the harem; but are not permitted

merely feeling her pulse. It was in vain to ask her where the pain was seated; whether in her stomach, head, or back; the only answer I could procure was a request to feel the pulse of her other hand, and then point out the seat of the disease, and the nature of the pain.

Having neither satisfied my curiosity by exhibiting her face, nor made me acquainted with the nature of the complaint, I was under the necessity of informing her, in positive terms, that to understand the disease, it was absolutely necessary to see the fongue as well as feel the pulse; without which I could do nothing for her. My eloquence, or rather that of my Jewish interpreter, was, however, for a long time exerted in vain: and I am persuaded, she would have dismised me without any farther enquiry, had not her invention supplied her with a happy expedient to remove her embarrasment. She contrived at last to cut a hole through the curtain, through which she extruded her tongue, and thus complied with my injunction, as far as was necessary in a medical point of view; but most effectually disappointed my curiosity. I was afterwards ordered to look at another of the Prince's wives, who was affected with a scrophulous swelling in her neck. This lady was in the same manner as the other excluded from my sight; but she was obliged to show me her complaint, by which means I had an opportunity of seeing her face, which I observed to be very handsome,"

to go out without an express order from the Emperor, who very seldom grants that favor, except when they are to be removed from one palace to another; in which case a party of soldiers are dispatched a short distance before them, to disperse the male passengers in particular, and prevent their seeing of them. This previous step being taken, a piece of linen cloth is tied round the lower part of their face, after which these miserable females cover themselves all over with their haicks, and either mount mules, which they ride like men, or, what is more usual, they are put into a square carriage or litter, constructed for the purpose, having lattice-work, which allows of their seeing without being seen. In this manner they travel, under the charge of a guard of black eunuchs.

Many of the late Emperor's concubines were Moorish women who had been presented to the Emperor, as the Moors consider it an honor to have their daughters in the harem. There were several European slaves who had either been purchased or taken captives, and also several negroes. In this groupe the Europeans or their descendants have by far the greatest claim to the character of handsome. There was one in particular, a native of Spain, and taken into the harem about the same time as Lalla Douya, who was indeed a perfect beauty; nor was this lady singular in this respect, there being several others almost equally hand

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