An Italian Have, twenty-fix years of
age, who had been ten years fhut up in
the feraglio, and whom my mother va-
lued for her mental talents, and the va-
riety of her accamplifhments, received
me into her arms when 1 firft faw the
light. Among the Turks, unK&i-lful in
all the arts, thofe which contribute to
the prefervation of health cart lift only of
ridiculous notions. From this ignorance
arifes the abfurd practices they employ
*in midwifery, by which the fufterings of
the patient are always increafed, and of
which too* many are the vidtims. Fati-
ma, (this was the name of the Have) the
daughter of a furgcon in the neighbour-
hood of Genoa, had left her country at
an age fufficiently advanced to have ac-
quired fome knowledge of medicine
from her father. She was fortunate
enough to render my rSether's fituatibn
lefs painful than was ufual. This en-
deared her ftill more to Afki. Her cre-
dit inoweafed : the ger^rous Achmct
loaded jier with prcfents ; and I was
thoiithefitation, entrufted to her care.
From-^i-remarkable Angularity of na-
e I refufed the brcaft ; % and a few
"^.s of Cyprus wine were the firft nu-
B 4 triment



io MARIA CECILIA.
to fca, the other mournfully returns to
Genoa. The defpair of Salmoni, and
his wounds, witnefled the truth of this
terrible event. This fcene pafled with
the rapidity of lightning; and the two
lovers were furprized, attacked, and fe-
parated almoft in an inftant.
The "diftrefs of Fatrma may cafily be
conceived, when the d$wn of the next
monting discovered to her, that flie was
in an Algerine bark : and the language
and appearance of her ravifhers left her
no room to doubt of her fate.
