1 The word Islam is mentioned in the Koran as, “the true faith.” It signifies, literally, “resignation.” A professor of it is called Moslem, and, in the plural number, MoslemÛna, which is corrupted, by us, into “Mussulman.”
2 He was lame of one leg, and hence called Demur lenk, which we have corrupted into Tamerlane.
3 The origin of this word is a subject of controversy. Some suppose it derived from the Greek e?? t?? p????, eis ten polin, which they used when going to the capitol. It is, with more probability, a simple corruption of the former name. The barbarians who pronounce Nicomedia, Ismid, would be likely, in their imperfect imitation of sounds, to call Constantinople, Stambool.
4 The fondness of the Turks for flowers was remarked by Busbequius, in his embassy to Soliman the Magnificent, a century before-TurcÆ flores valde excolunt. Busb. p. 47. He notices the tulip as a flower new to him, and peculiar to the Turks.
5 It is, however, more generally supposed that Olympus in Thessaly and Macedon is that designated by Homer.
7 As it may be agreeable to some of our readers to know how to make this ancient food, the following is the mode pursued by the Turks:-A quart of boiled milk is poured upon barm of beer, and allowed to ferment. Of this fermentation two spoonsful are poured into another quart of milk. When this process is repeated, the flavour of barm is altogether lost. The yaourt thus made becomes the substance which forms the future food without more barm. A tea-spoonful is bruised in a vessel, and a quart of tepid fresh milk is poured upon it, and set aside in an earthen vessel: in two hours it will be a rich, thick, subacid fluid, covered with a coat of cream.
8 It is supposed the Hummums in Covent Garden, whose etymology has puzzled so many, were so called from the warm-baths they contain, first introduced from Turkey.
9 To this the Greek girls form an exception. Refined by education, strongly attached to their families, and abhorrent to slavery, their natural vivacity is overcome by their state, and they appear sad and dejected amid the levity that surrounds them.
10 This practice is resorted to on other occasions. When any article is dropped into the water too minute to be discovered by the eye above, or dragged for, a small quantity of oil is thrown upon the surface, and rings and other trinkets have thus been recovered in a depth of ten or twelve feet of water.
11 “Les Grecs appellent Saint Jean Ayos Seologos an lieu d’Agios Theologus, le Saint Theologien, parce qu’ils prononcent le theta comme un sigma.”—Tournefort.
12 Horologia in publico haberent nondum adduci potuerunt.—Busbeq.
