In Turkey, no man marries a deformed wife for the sake of a fortune, as
with us; beauty and good sense, to their credit be it spoken, are the
only inducements to matrimony among the Turks. But they are an indolent
people, and are much averse to improving their country by commerce,
planting, or building; appearing to take delight in letting their
property run to ruin. Alexandria, Tyre, and Sidon, which once commanded
the navigation and trade of the whole world, are at present in the
Turks' possession, but are only very inconsiderable places. Indeed,
observes a judicious author, it is well for us that the Turks are such
an indolent people, for their situation and vast extent of empire, would
enable them to monopolize the trade of the world if they attended to it.
They appear to possess very little genius or inclination for the
improvement of _arts and sciences_ although they live in countries which
were once in the possession of the classic Greeks; but seem to prefer a
slothful mode of life to an active one, continually sauntering away their
time, either among women, or in taking coffee and smoking.
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