The monarchs of Europe

We might smile at such titles, were they not claimed in good earnest, and professed in order to be used. It is said to be the popular belief among the Turks, that the monarchs of Europe are, as this imperial style declares, the feudatories of the Sultan. We should smile, too, at the very opposite titles they apply to Europeans, did they not here, too, mean what they say, and strengthen and propagate their own scorn and hatred of us by using them. “ The Mussulmans, courteous and humane in their intercourse with each other”, says Thornton, “ sternly refuse to unbelievers the salutation of peace”.

Not that they necessarily insult the Christian, he adds, by this refusal; nay, he even insists that polished Turks are able to practise condescension; and then as an illustration of their courtesy, he tells us that “ Mr. Eton, pleasantly and accurately enough, compared the general behaviour of a Turk to a Christian, with that of a German baron to his vassal”.

However, he allows that at least “ the common people, more bigoted to their dogmas, express more bluntly their sense of superiority over the Christians”. “ Their usual salutation addressed to Chris-tians”, says Yolney, “is ‘ good morning’; but it is well if it be not accompanied with a Djaour, Kafer, or Kelb, that is, impious, infidel, dog, expressions to which Christians are familiarized”. Sir C. Fellows is an earnest witness for their amiableness; but he does not conceal that the children “ hoot after a European, and call him Frank dog, and even strike him”; and on one occasion a woman caught up a child and ran off from him, crying out against the Ghiaour; which gives him an opportunity of telling us, that the word “ Ghiaour” means a man without a soul, without a God.

Giaour and Frangi

A writer in a popular Review, who seems to have been in the East, tells us that “ their hatred and contempt of the Giaour and Frangi is as burning as ever; perhaps even more so, because they are forced to implore his aid. The Eastern seeks Christian aid in the same spirit and with the same disgust, as he would eat swine’s flesh, were it the only means of securing him from starvation”. Such conduct is indeed only consistent with their faith, and the untenableness of that faith is not my present question; here I do but ask, are these barbarians likely to think themselves info Edinburgh Rev. 1853.