Page:A History of Architecture in All Countries Vol 2.djvu/562

546 546 SARACENIC ARCHITECTURE. Tart III. It might, however, be expected that in the palace of the Sultan some- thing better would be found ; but there are few things more disap- pointing than a. visit to the Seraglio. In situation it is unrivalled, and it has been the habitation of jjowerful and luxurious sovereigns for more than fifteen centuries, yet it contains notliing that is worthy of admiration, and hardly anything that is even interesting from its associations. There is nothing within the inclosure which will stand comparison even with the plaster glories of the Alhambra ; and the contemporary palaces of Persia, or of Delhi and Agra, surpass it to such an extent as to render comi)arison impossible. There is one pavilion, the walls of which are covered with Persian tiles, which is pleasing, both from its form and the mode of dec- oration. Besides this, the various halls being each separate buildings and grouped without formality together, the effect of the whole is picturesque, though neither as parts nor as a whole have they any architectural merit. Among the minor objects of architectural art none are more pleasing than the fountains which frequently adorn the ]»ublic places in the provincial cities as well as in the capital; though their outline is by no means remarkable for beauty. They are generally a square block with a niche on each face, from a spout in which the water flows. The whole is crowned by a very deep cornice constructed in wood, but Avithout any brackets or apparent means of support, which true architectural taste so inevitably demands. Their beauty, in consequence, depends almost wholly on their oriuimentation. That, however, is of the most elaborate character, and not only pleasing in form, but rich in color ; of the same character, in fact, as that of the Alhambra, and pleasing from the same cause, in spite of defects in form. It is probable that if the country towns, especially on the Asiatic side of the Bosphorus, were examined with care, examples might be found of domestic architecture exhibiting more care, and of a more permanent character than any in the capital. The true Turk evi- dently loves art, and has an instinctive appreciation of the harmonies of color — probably, also, of form, and if allowed an opportunity, would have produced much that is beautiful in architecture. The blood of the various races who inhabit the capital must, however, be very much mixed, and various other circumstances militate against any great development in that quarter. The subject seems worthy of more investigation than has hitherto been bestowed upon it, but the first appearance of the Turks among civilized nations Avas only as warriors, pushing forward and fighting. Wlien at last they settled on the shores of the Bosphorus it was at an age too late for much true architectiu-al