Thus are the simplest habits of life reversed, and what is excessive rudeness to the one, may be the essence of politeness to the other. Very frequently these contrary customs are the source of ludicrous mistakes.
As we were walking one day with a friend, a sailor from the English fleet accidentally dropped his pocket-handkerchief. The gentleman regretting that the worthy tar should meet with such a loss, hailed him, at the same time beckoning with his hand à la Turque, which is done by extending the arm and moving the fingers with the palm downwards, or just in the same manner as would here be done to imply a more distant removal.
A police officer happening to be at no great distance, the sailor, on looking back, understood quite naturally my friend's movement as a signal for him to make his escape, and accordingly took to his heels with the greatest rapidity, leaving my companion in utter amazement. I endeavored to explain to him the reason of the sailor's conduct, by showing him the genuine European style of beckoning, by reversing the hand and moving the up-turned forefinger back and forth. This astonished him the more, since that motion is equivalent, in Turkey, to that comical American gesture of placing the thumb on the tip end of the nose, and extending the fingers.
Thus things which are in themselves trifles, may lead or mislead to mighty results, and can only be appreciated when circumstances call them into action. Therefore nothing but actual nativity and education among the people, with the enlarged views which are acquired by a residence in European countries, can enable an individual to judge and appreciate the peculiar institutions of Turkey.
The author presents himself to the American public a native of Constantinople, and of Armenian parentage, with the hope that he may be able to unfold some new phases of Turkey and Orientalism, which may tend to remove any unfounded prejudices, and enlighten their minds with regard to the real and existing state of his country.
In order to attain a just and correct idea of the present state of Turkey and its probable future, it is most essential to take a cursory glance at the origin of the nation, its religion, government, civil laws, social condition, and domestic relations, which are the elements of nationality. In so doing, the writer has carefully avoided all partiality, and endeavored to display the truth, simply, and nothing but the truth, invested with the garb of a peculiar nationality, and only adorned with the poetry of Oriental tastes and habits as they actually exist.