There is, consequently, no lack of social etiquette among the Osmanlis. A visitor is received according to her station in life, and after being announced, is met by the lady of the house with her suite, at the head of the staircase, or at the door of the saloon, or sometimes by merely stepping down from the sofa, as may be demanded by the rank of the guest.
There is no ceremony of introducing one person to another, nor is there any shaking of hands. The company salute each other without any regard to previous acquaintance; and the younger members of society always kiss the hem of the garment, or the hands of their superiors in rank and age.
The manner of salutation varies--those of equal rank endeavor to kiss the hem of each other's garments, or only exchange temennas.
The temenna, which has already been described, is a graceful salutation, and is used as frequently as thank you by the English; serving as an acknowledgment for all compliments and kind inquiries.
When one thinks of the innumerable occasions on which this expressive temenna is called into action, it seems as if a whole chapter would scarcely suffice to describe them all. But we will content ourselves with its demonstration upon the arrival of a guest among a company of some fifteen or twenty persons.
As soon as the visitor is seated, the lady welcomes her guest by a temenna--which is acknowledged by the same signal, and reiterated by each person in the company successively, according to her rank.
Now another round commences. The lady of the house makes a new temenna, which signifies, "How do you do?" Another temenna from the visitor, is equivalent to an acknowledgment of thanks, who with the same gesture, intimates a desire to know the state of her hostess's health.
The whole company then in succession follow suit, to each of whom the visitor replies in the same way.
This Quaker-meeting style of receiving company, might be ludicrously illustrated in American society, by substituting bows for temennas--if, indeed, the ladies could be expected to preserve the requisite silence and gravity of demeanor.
In Turkey, every attention or compliment, brings its train of temennas, and it is much to be regretted that no mathematician has yet arisen in Turkey, capable of producing a regular formula for their exact computation.
