Quote 1: “I perceived that the ladies with the finest skins and the most delicate shapes…naked, in different postures, some in conversation, some working, others drinking coffee or sherbert, and many negligently lying in conversation while their slaves (generally pretty girls of seventeen or eighteen) were employed in braiding their hair in several pretty manners.”
- This quote is interesting because it highlights some of the exotic/erotic stereotypes that Europeans had about Eatern peoples having voracious or licentious sexual appetites.
Quote 2: “When the pashas travel ’tis yet worse. Those oppressors are not content with eating all that is to be eaten belonging to the peasants, ; after they have crammed themselves and their enormous retinue they have the impudence to exact what they call teeth money, a contribution for using their teeth, worn with doing them the honor of devouring their meat.” However, it was noted, ” …their religion no allowing of this barbarity any more than ours does.”
- This quote also accentuates stereotypes of “Arabs” having enormous and greedy appetites for all luxuries (sex, food, fine wines, luxury goods). In this case, however, it was at least given the caveat that this behaviour is neither permitted, nor encouraged by the rules of Islam.
Quote 3: “…I should be very pleased with reading Alcoran, which is so far from the nonsense we charge it with…I have since heard impartial Christians speak of it in the same manner, and I don’t doubt but that all our translations are from copies got from the Greek priests who would not fail to falsify it with the extremity of the corrupt.”
- This quote is interesting because it is oddly humble and ingratiating of the Turkish/Muslim hosts and their religion. It, unlike many of the other quotes does not just highlight the differences between Islamic/”Oriental” society and Europe, but gives credit where it seems due for the accomplishments and creations of a society.
Quote 4: Regarding womens’ veiling, “This perpetual masquerade gives them entire liberty of following their inclinations without danger of discovery. The most usual method of intrigue is to send an appointment to the lover to meet the lady at a Jew’s shop…ladies seldom let their gallants know who they are, and ’tis so difficult to find out that they can very seldom guess at her name they have corresponded above half a year together. You may easily imagine the number of faithful wives in a very small country where they have nothing to fear from their lovers’ indiscretion…”
- This is yet another quote which indicates the licentious nature of the people in the “Orient”. This may indicate that there is, perhaps, something true about the claims, or that it is merely a very pervasive stereotype. Either way, this would increase the perception of people in the Ottoman Empire as being sexually licentious