It is now a good sea-port, and
neatly built enough, and has a bridge of thirty-two arches. Here is
a famous ancient Greek church. I had given one of my coaches to a
Greek lady, who desired the conveniency of travelling with me; she
designed to pay her devotions, and I was glad of the opportunity of
going with her. I found it an ill-built edifice, set out with the
same sort of ornaments, but less rich, as the Roman-catholic
churches. They shewed me a saint's body, where I threw a piece of
money; and a picture of the virgin Mary, drawn by the hand of St
Luke, very little to the credit of his painting; but, however, the
finest Madona (sic) of Italy, is not more famous for her miracles.
The Greeks have a monstrous taste in their pictures, which, for more
finery, are always drawn upon a gold ground. You may imagine what a
good air this has; but they have no notion, either of shade or
proportion. They have a bishop here, who officiated in his purple
robe, and sent me a candle almost as big as myself for a present,
when I was at my lodging. We lay that night at a town called Bujuk
Cekmege, or Great Bridge; and the night following, at Kujuk Cekmege,
or Little Bridge; in a very pleasant lodging, formerly a monastery of
dervises; having before it a large court, encompassed with marble
cloisters, with a good fountain in the middle. The prospect from
this place, and the gardens round it, is the most agreeable I have
seen; and shews, that monks of all religions know how to chuse their
retirements. 'Tis now belonging to a _hogia_ or schoolmaster, who
teaches boys here. I asked him to shew me his own apartment, and was
surprised to see him point to a tall cypress tree in the garden, on
the top of which was a place for a bed for himself, and a little
lower, one for his wife and two children, who slept there every
night. I was so much diverted with the fancy, I resolved to examine
his nest nearer; but after going up fifty steps, I found I had still
fifty to go up, and then I must climb from branch to branch, with
some hazard of my neck. I thought it therefore the best way to come
down again.

WE arrived the next day at Constantinople; but I can yet tell you
very little of it, all my time having been taken up with receiving
visits, which are, at least, a very good entertainment to the eyes,
the young women being all beauties, and their beauty highly improved
by the high taste of their dress. Our palace is in Pera, which i