THE NEW WOMAN OF TURKEY.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 312, 26 September 1908, Page 13

THE NEW WOMAN OF TURKEY.

At the rejoicings which took place recently on the proclamation of a Turkish constitution many Turkish women took part, and, says an English paper, for tho first timo in Turkish history they appeared without, their veils. They havo appealed to the Young Turks _ party to abolish th,e harem system, and with it the compulsory veiling of women. Now, the constitution offered to tho Turkish nation, and sworn to by the Sultan, of course (says a writer in an English paper), a copy of or founded upon tho British constitution, which, as it was the first, is.-' universally acknowledged to bo tho best, form of representative government ,in tho world. Moreover, the change of regime is largely the outcome of British policy ;in Turkey, and is so recognised by all classes of the population, especially tho Moslems/ King' Edward is not only the head and representative of the British Government, but' is also the ruler of many millions of Mohamedans,' who are among his most devoted subjects. The granting of a constitution to Turkey ;is looked upon as very much the result of our King's enlightened policy and that of hiis Government. If, therefore, the | minor ( reform referred to should indeed grow out of the present movement, it might) truthfully bo said that Turkish women owed l their emancipation from that sign of slavery and subjection to man, the Yashmak, or face-veil, to-the King of England. The movement for tho abolition of the veil and tho harem, though only a minor "part of the modern reformation of Turkey, is yet peculiarly indicative both of , the strength of the internal revolution and the influence of Western nations, and especially Great Britain. Indeed, one is : almost tempted to think that the Turkish women have heard of our-Suffragist movement, fox never before have Eastern women dared, or perhaps even .desired, to enter into practical politics. No doubt tho Moslom women of' Turkey diave heard of British rule in Egypt—a tributary of Turkey—and of the better, conditions of .their sisters in that country, inhere, 'owing to thero being so many oldfashioned racial customs have gradually disappeared, or 'at any rate diminished ,'in use arid influence. But whatever 1 the cause or causes, the fact that at least a section of the Turkish Mohamodan women should have dared to rise against so old and so strongly established a custom as that of the system of marriage and seclusion of women, generally known among Europeans as thait of the harem, is significant in more.ways than ono, and worthy tho attention of all students of human nature, and particularly that) section of it' termed the gentler sex. The wearing or tho casting aside of a faceveil may appear a very small thing to us in England (concludes the writer), but when it accompanios a movement for better government and typifies the breaking away from bad old customs', it is a matter for rejoicing on tho part of all lovers of their fellow-men. For the sake of the women of Turkey, as well as for its influence on the Moslem and Hindu women of our great Eastern dominions, I sinceroly hope that 1 the anti-yashmak and anti-harem movement imay make immediate and far-reaching progress in tho Osmanli Empire. '

CHRISTINA ROSSETTI

Miss Betham-Edwards, in the "Scottish Review," describes an afternoon she spent with Christina Bossetti, and tells of her surpriso when she discovered that the poetess was urban of the urban, not > only townbred, but townish—the last person in tho world from whom ono could; expect pastoral poems. Hidden amidst brilliant .foliage stood a rose-embowered cottage, its chimney-corner showing a goodly roll-call. On the walls poets, painters, philosophers,, and political economists had left their sign-manual. Here, with their noble-minded hostess, the late Madame Bodichon, George Eliot, and George Henry Lewis had held high discourse. Hero the great French painter Daubigny had dashed in his autograph, accompanying it A with a tiny landscape. Hero Danto Rossetti, William Morris, and William Allingham had discussed poetry and art. Here ' V the blind Profossor Fawcett dis- ' cussed with: his hostess political economy. And hero was matured the scheme of tho first woman's univorsity opened in England—namoly, Girton College. Our little party numbered four. There were tho hostess, who was then, as William ltossetti; has recently described her, in tho plenitude of mental and physical powers, her abundant golden hair a glory to behold, with a nobility of faco much more striking than mero beauty, Mis. Rossetti, the poetess,;and myself. Of her mother I romember nothing. Christina was at this time about forty, a

plainly-dressed, gaunt, rather jerky woman, shy in manner, and very reticent., Such at least was my impression. Herself an inspiring talker, our hostess could . always set shy folks at their ease. On this occa-' sion. she naturally chatted . of suggestive topics—gardening, flowers (she was a very good botanist in the practical sense), the beauty of her environment, and so on. Madame Bodichon was also a very clever .artist, tnd she next spoke of a beautiful sunrise sho had lately, seen. Thca the poetess by her side broke silence. "1 have never seen the sun riße in my life," she observed quietly. The confession' came to me as quite a little shock. That a poetess should reach middle life without, having once beheld •Nature's great pageant seemed unbelievable, one, moreover, who had written how "By fits and starts looks down the waking sun." On second thoughts the matter was easy of explanation. Town born and town bred, an invalid and untravellod, her opportunities of seeing the sun rise had perhaps been few. Her genius, ■ moreover, was rather subjective than, given to outward' impression; inner life, especially devotional life appealing to her more than' the world around. Yet in. somo of her happiest moods she could write charmingly of Naturo.