But leaving this for another Occaſion, I ſhall proceed to give your Lordſhip ſome Account of the State of their Army and Soldiery, their Trade and Revenue, their Laws and Cuſtoms at preſent; ſince the ſaid Period of 1949, to which my Predeceſſors Memoirs and my own little Experience neceſſarily confines me.
It is certain then, my Lord, that both the Spirit and Courage, as well as the Diſcipline of their Soldiery, has been ſenſibly declining ever ſince the coming in of the Tartar Race, and eſpecially within this laſt 150 Years, provided we always except the ſmall Interval of Vizier Ibrahim's Adminiſtration.
This has been chiefly owing to their taking in all ſorts of People (and eſpecially natural Turks, married Men and Tradeſmen) for Money into the Body of the Janizaries; who us'd formerly to be compos'd of Chriſtian Children taken Captives, and bred up in the ſtrict Diſcipline and School of the Seraglio, in all manly and warlike Exerciſes.
It muſt be confeſt alſo, that the ſecret ſpreading of Chriſtianity among their People and the Soldiery, has not a little contributed hereunto; for as the Succeſs of theirArms
