“As to their morality or good conduct, I can say, like Harlequin, that ’tis just as it is with you; and the Turkish ladies don’t commit one sin the less for not being Christians.  Now I am a little acquainted with their ways, I cannot forbear admiring either the exemplary discretion or extreme stupidity of all the writers that have given accounts of them.  ’Tis very easy to see they have more liberty than we have.  No woman, of what rank soever, being permitted to go into the streets without two muslins; one that covers her face all but her eyes, and another that hides the whole dress of her head, and hangs half way down her back, and their shapes are wholly concealed by a thing they call a ferigee, which no woman of any sort appears without; this has strait sleeves, that reach to their finger-ends, and it laps all round them, not unlike a riding-hood.  In winter ’tis of cloth, and in summer plain stuff or silk.  You may guess how effectually this disguises them, [so] that there is no distinguishing the great lady from her slave.  ’Tis impossible for the most jealous husband to know his wife when he meets her; and no man dare either touch or follow a woman in the street.

“This perpetual masquerade gives them entire liberty of following their inclinations without danger of discovery.  The most usual method of intrigue is, to send an appointment to the lover to meet the lady at a Jew’s shop, which are as notoriously convenient as our Indian-houses; and yet, even those who don’t make use of them, do not scruple to go to buy pennyworths, and tumble over rich goods, which are chiefly to be found amongst that sort of people.  The great ladies seldom let their gallants know who they are; and it is so difficult to find it out, that they can very seldom guess at her name they have corresponded with above half a year together.  You may easily imagine the number of faithful wives very small in a country where they have nothing to fear from a lover’s indiscretion, since we see so many that have the courage to expose themselves to that in this world, and all the threatened punishment of the next, which is never preached to the Turkish damsels.  Neither have they much to apprehend from the resentment of their husbands; those ladies that are rich having all their money in their own hands, which they take with them upon a divorce, with an addition which he is obliged to give them.

“Upon the whole, I look upon the Turkish women as the only free people in the empire:  the very Divan pays a respect to them; and the Grand Signior himself, when a pasha is executed, never violates the privileges of the harem (or women’s apartment), which remains unsearched and entire to the widow.  They are queens of their slaves, whom the husband has no permission so much as to look upon, except it be an old woman or two that his lady chooses.  ’Tis true their law permits them four wives; but there is no instance of a man of quality that makes