Book Description

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1817 edition. Excerpt: ... ASIA MINOR. JOURNEY FROM PARIUM TO THE TROAD.--ASCENT TO THE SUMMIT OF IDA.--THE SALT SPRINGS OF TOUSLA.--RUINS OF ASSOS. CHAP. I. Libraries at Constantinople.--Departure from that city.--Sea of Marmora.-- Cephas of the ancient Greeks.--Parium.--Lampsacus.--Dardanelles. An opinion had long been prevalent that the libraries in the palaces of the Grand Seignior, and in the city of Constantinople, contained some valuable Greek manuscripts which had escaped the destruction occasioned by the Turks in the year 1453. The imperial mosques there, particularly that of Saint Sophia, the libraries of the Patriarchs of the Eastern church, and of the Greek monasteries in the Levant, were also supposed to contain many curious inedited writings. This general belief of the existence of unexplored literary treasures in Turkey induced the English government to appoint a person well versed in classical, biblical, and oriental literature, to accompany the Earl of Elgin's embassy to the Ottoman Porte in the year 1799. The plan originated with Mr. Pitt and the Bishop of Lincoln, who thought that an embassy sent at a time when Great Britain was on the most friendly terms with the Porte, would afford great facilities for ascertaining how far these hopes of literary discovery were well founded. They trusted that the ambassador's influence would obtain permission for the transcription at least, if not for the acquisition of any unpublished work that might be found. The Rev. Mr. Carlyle, Professor of Arabic in the University of Cambridge, was prevailed upon to engage in this service; and the choice reflects great credit on the judgment of those who applied to a person so peculiarly qualified for the task. During our residence at Constantinople, Mr. Carlyle and...