of diamonds.—­The curdee is a loose robe they throw off, or put on, according to the weather, being of a rich brocade (mine is green and gold) either lined with ermine or sables; the sleeves reach very little below the shoulders.  The head dress is composed of a cap, called talpock, which is, in winter, of fine velvet embroidered with pearls or diamonds, and in summer, of a light shining silver stuff.  This is fixed on one side of the head, hanging a little way down with a gold tassel, and bound on, either with a circle of diamonds (as I have seen several) or a rich embroidered handkerchief.  On the other side of the head, the hair is laid flat; and here the ladies are at liberty to shew their fancies; some putting flowers, others a plume of heron’s feathers, and, in short, what they please; but the most general fashion is a large bouquet of jewels, made like natural flowers; that is, the buds, of pearl; the roses, of different coloured rubies:  the jessamines, of diamonds; the jonquils, of topazes, &c. so well set and enamelled, ’tis hard to imagine any thing of that kind so beautiful.  The hair hangs at its full length behind, divided into tresses braided with pearl or ribbon, which is always in great quantity.  I never saw in my life so many fine heads of hair.  In one lady’s, I have counted a hundred and ten of the tresses, all natural; but it must be owned, that every kind of beauty is more common here than with us.  ’Tis surprising to see a young woman that is not very handsome.  They have naturally the most beautiful complexion in the world, and generally large black eyes.  I can assure you with great truth, that the court of England (though I believe it the fairest in Christendom) does not contain so many beauties as are under our protection here.  They generally shape their eye-brows, and both Greeks and Turks have the custom of putting round their eyes a black tincture, that, at a distance, or by candle-light, adds very much to the blackness of them.  I fancy many of our ladies would be overjoyed to know this secret, but ’tis too visible by day.  They dye their nails a rose colour; but, I own, I cannot enough accustom myself to this fashion, to find any beauty in it.

AS to their morality or good conduct, I can say, like Harlequin, that ’tis just as ’tis with you; and the Turkish ladies don’t commit one sin the less for not being Christians.  Now, that 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 in reality more liberty than we have.  No woman, of what rank soever, is permitted to go into the streets without two murlins, 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.  Their shapes are also wholely (sic) concealed, by a thing they call a serigee,