On the contrary, Houris are but an addition to the earthly wives of the Mussulmans, and the faithful are assured that “God promiseth unto the true believers, both men and women, gardens through which rivers flow, wherein they shall remain for ever,” and that “whoso doth good works, whether he be male or female, and is a true believer, shall be admitted into Paradise, and shall not in the least be unjustly dealt with.”
CHAPTER XXIV.
PERSONAL APPEARANCE AND COSTUME.
The first years of the life of every girl are spent both in the Harem and Selamluk (or men’s apartment), indiscriminately. The female children being then allowed free access to the society of the men, they imbibe certain notions in their youth, which are not always consistent with refinement.
As there is not in the Selamluk, the restraint which the presence of ladies always imposes, the manners and conversation of the men are often but ill calculated to nurture a sense of delicacy in the minds of the children, who mingle so freely with them. Nevertheless, they seem to possess an innate sense of propriety, and are never deficient in politeness of deportment.
Every girl is permitted to attend either the public schools, or to receive private instruction at home, until she is eight or ten years of age, when she is no longer allowed the freedom of her childhood. Very little learning is acquired by them, the language being difficult, and the mode of instruction altogether unsystematical; so that for all future years they retain their simplicity, and are but overgrown children.
Their minds having had no culture, the senses assume entire dominion over them, and their time is spent either in adorning their persons, or in etiquetical observances, by which they hope to render themselves more bewitching to the lords of creation.
As in all other countries, fashion is regulated by the court, so at Constantinople it is controlled by the ladies of the palace. Their costume, according to the Oriental taste, always consisting of long flowing robes, may be supposed to admit of no change; but on the contrary, the ladies having little other occupation, delight in varying the shape and style of their dress. Sometimes the hair is worn long, again cropped short. A fess with flossy tassel is one day the mode, and a fantastic turban is adopted the next morning. The sleeves are long and wide, and again their drapery is dispensed with, and they are confined at the wrist.
The entary, or dress, is invariably cut high, either closed around the neck, or left open in front; it is made long, trailing about a yard below the person; sometimes left open at the sides to the hips, and at others, made wide, and sewed up as low as the ankles.