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thfe descriptions, given, our expectations were raised to the highest pitch, notwithstanding this, so far from disappointing us, (as freąuently hap-pens to me who like myself are sanguine) they exceeded in beauty any-thiiig of which I could have form’d an idea, from every point of view rise new beauties particularly from the harbour & canal of Constantinople the coup d’oeil is really enchanting. [Fol 10] the sides of the Bosphorous that narrow stiait that leads to the Black sea are adoraed with many pictu-resąue buildings & amongst others several parillions & palaces yeryfan-ciful &pretty, such as you may recollect to have read in the story of Aladdin * &c &c. Any attempt I may make to describe the situation of this place & the enyirons must be vain, I shall however get some draw-ings of the finest views which upon my return will give you a perfect notion of these delightful scenes. To counter-balance in some smali degree these adyantages, this town answers in every respect the Account I gave of Adrianople. The houses are illbuilt & of wood & the streets are shock-ingly narrow. The Street in which most of the Ambassadors live & which is the most considerable in this ąuarter of the city, is not much above 3 yards wide & abominably paved, this will be sufficient to prevent your wondering at the freąuency of fires & at the spreading of the plague -, from the latter they have happily been free 2 years [Fol. 11] but upon the very night of our arrival a fire broke out which consumed 1400 houses &early one morning sińce another destroy’d between 2 & 3 hundred, these were both in the neighborhood in that suburb called Pera where the Ambassadors and Christians chiefly live. during the winter fires happen almost every night in the town some parts of which are still closer than where we are, & about eleven years ago nearly 2 thirds of the city was bumt down & the flames continued during 2 days & 2 nights. What is most worthy in the character of the Turks is their perfect resignation under the greatest misfortunes, however severe their losses may have been they never are heard to murmur but say calmly “God’s will be done”. Nor does a person of conseąuence, who chances to lose his pro-perty by fire or by any other means, scruple setting up a shop or using any such method of gaining his liyelihood. At the time of my arrival [Fol. 12] here Mr. Tooke was in the country he howevcr soon came to town & sińce that time I have been settled in his house most comfortably, he has behaved with the greatest possible kindness & is eager to anticipate my wishes. On account of the illness of my companions I have not seen as much as I otherwise should have done. You shall however receive by the next post another letter with an account of everything that has befallen us sińce our arrival. Thank Elizabeth for a letter I received here, Bootle forwarded it from Yienna, it contained the first official intelligence of Mrs. Ed’s marriage which I had before seen in the newspapers. This is the first opportunity I have had of writing to you as the last post went

A principal character in The Arabian Nights⁹ Entertainments.