6

6

stones. Such, according to the consecrated record of ancient days, was the appearance of the high priests of old; holy men, standing by the tabernacle of the congregation, in fine raiment, the workmanship of Bezaleel, the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah.' It is said there is a convent in Moscow, where women are entirely employed in working dresses for the priests. After two hours had been spent in various ceremonies, the archbishop advanced, holding forth a cross, which all the people crowded to embrace, squeezing each other nearly to suffocation. As soon, however, as their eagerness had been somewhat satisfied, he returned to the sacristy, under a pretence of seeking for the body of Christ; where. putting on a plain purple robe, he again advanced, exclaiming three times in a very loud voice, CHRIST IS RISEN!' The most remarkable part of the ceremony now followed. The archbishop, descending into the body of the church, concluded the whole ceremony by crawling round the pavement on his hands and knees, kissing the consecrated pictures, whether on the pillars, the walls, the altars, or the tombs; the priests and all the people imitating his example. Sepulchres were opened, and the mummied bodies of incorruptible saints exhibited: all of these underwent the same general kissing."

Bells.] The superstitious idea attached to the ringing of bells has been already mentioned. The Russians conceive, that to give a bell to a church is an act still more religious than to ring it when given; and a very natural deduction from this is, that the sincerity of their religion is manifested in proportion to the size of the bell. Boris Godonof, who had ascended the throne by usurpation, and multiplied murders, could conceive no better way of atoning for his crimes, than by bestowing on a church in Moscow, a bell of unprecedented size. He accordingly gave to the cathedral one weighing 312,480 pounds; and died in peace. The empress Anne recast this bell, and added to it 2000 poods of metal. The greatest part of the metal was Godonof's, but the bell, and consequently the religion, was now Anne's. It is the largest in the world, that of Pekin being lost in the comparison. Its circumference is 63 feet 11 inches, its height 19 feet; its greatest thickness, 23 inches; and its weight is 443,772 pounds. When the tower in which it hung was accidentally burnt, it fell, and a part of it was broken off; but none of the Russian sovereigns have been so pious as to recast it, and replace it in its tower. The piece which was broken out, has left a hole sufficient to admit two men without stooping

Foundling Hospital.] No public institution in Moscow is more remarkable than the Foundling Hospital, which was erected by Catherine II. in 1764. It is amply supported by legacies and voluntary contributions, since the legislature allows many privileges to such as aid this charitable institution. The building is extensive, of a square form, and stands on the banks of the Moskwa, where it has the advantage of good air. It is fitted for the reception of 8000 children. Every attention is paid to the health of the children. The bed-rooms are well-aired. Each child has a separate bed. Their linen is changed thrice a-week, and their clothes once in eight days. The use of cradles is forbidden: and the clothes of the children are formed, and put on them, so as to leave them perfectly free in their motions. The children who have been received into this hospital, as they advance in years, are distributed into three classes. For the two first years they are under the care of the nurses. They are then admitted into the lowest or first class. The boys and girls are educated

indiscriminately, till they are seven years of age; and both sexes are taught not only reading, writing, and arithmetic, but the knitting of stockings, and the carding of flax, hemp, and wool. To these the girls add needle-work, spinning, cooking, baking, and such arts as are necessary to housewifery. Those who evince more than ordinary capacity, are instructed in the French and German languages; and some of the boys are taught music, dancing, drawing, and Latin. Fourteen is the age at which they are admitted into the last class. They have at this period the liberty of choosing the profession in which they are to be instructed. And for this purpose it is not necessary that they should quit the hospital, as several manufactures are established within it for the sole purpose of training the youth to particular professions. At the age of twenty they receive a sum of money, and are at liberty to settle in any part of the empire which they think proper.

Dwarfs.] Sir R. K. Porter gives a very lively and curious account of certain freaks of nature, which the nobles of Moscow exhibit in their houses,―These are dwarfs and fools. "They are here," says he, “the pages and the playthings of the great; and at almost all entertainments, stand for hours by their lord's chair, holding his snuff-box, or awaiting his commands. There is scarcely a nobleman in this country who is not possessed of one or more of these unfortunate creatures. The race of these little beings is very numerous in Russia. They are generally well shaped, and particularly graceful in their hands and feet; but their heads are commonly of a disproportionate size. In their features they possess a striking similarity to each other. Besides these Lilliputians, many of the nobility, with still greater barbarity of taste, keep a fool or two resembling the motleys of our ancestors in name alone, for their wit, if they ever had any, is swallowed up by their habitual indolence."

Wells of Mitistch.] Moscow is supplied with water from the farfamed wells of Mitistch, forty-two in number. Each is in form a small house, and the whole assemblage like a little village. The water is transparent, and of excellent quality; hence Catherine II. was induced to order it to be conveyed to Moscow by means of a canal, which cost 1,000,000 rubles.

Monastery of the Holy Trinity.] Forty-two miles N. by E. from Moscow is situated the celebrated monastery of the Holy Trinity. The proper name of this convent is Troitskaya Sergieva Lavia, or monastery of St Serge. This monastery has long enjoyed the special favour of the Russian Tzars; and by its enormous wealth and extensive jurisdiction, as well as the sieges it has sustained, has become highly distinguished in the annals of Russia. St Serge was born at Rostof, in the year 1315, and retiring from the world as a hermit while yet a young man, he soon obtained a wide reputation for sanctity, and was joined by other devotees, who formed a religious convent under his auspices. After the death of St Serge in 1393, the Tartars destroyed this monastery; but after the discovery of the saint's incorruptible relics in 1422, the fame of the place revived, and it so increased in power and wealth, that when its effects were attached to the crown by order of Catherine II. it had no less than 106,000 peasants on its property. It is built on the banks of a small stream called Kantchura; and resembles an ancient and strong fortress, being surrounded by high embattled walls and towers. The belfry is a fine piece of architecture, and contains one of those immense bells for which Russia is famous. In this convent, during the rebellion of the Strelitz, instigated by the

Tzarévna Sophia, the young Tzars John and Peter were secreted; and here also Peter the Great was concealed, and saved from destruction, by Scheglovitoi, commander of the Strelitz.

2d. Smolensk.] The government of Smolensk properly belongs to White Russia. It was acquired from Lithuania in 1654, and received its present name from the capital. It contains 24,000 square miles, and a population of 1,297,055. Its physical features resemble those of the preceding government; but the soil is superior. It is upon the whole an elevated tract of land, though not possessed of any lofty mountains. The principal river is the Dnieper. There are some lakes, and numerous marshes. The climate is colder than other provinces of Russia lying under the same latitude,―a quality to be attributed to its superior elevation. The principal occupation of the inhabitants is agriculture. Rye, barley, and oats are the chief corns. Hemp and flax are also cultivated in considerable quantity.

Town of Smolensk.] The town and fortress of Smolensk are situated upon the Dnieper. This fortress, which is considered as the key of Moscow, was stormed by the French in 1812. Its fortifications have been since repaired. Smolensk was thus described by Mr Coxe. "Though by no means the most magnificent, it is by far the most singular town I have ever seen. It is situated upon the river Dnieper, and occupies two hills and the valley which lies between them. It is surrounded by walls thirty feet high and fifteen feet thick, with the lower part of stone and the upper part of brick. These walls, which follow the shape of the hills, and enclose a circumference of seven versts (four miles and three quarters), have, at every angle, round or square towers of two or three stories, much broader at the top than at bottom, and covered with circular roofs of wood. The intervals are studded with smaller turrets. On the outside of the wall is a broad, deep ditch, regularly covered with traverses, glacis, &c. and where the ground is highest, there are redoubts of earth, according to the modern style of fortification. In the middle of the town is an eminence, upon which stands the cathedral, from whence I had a most picturesque view of the town, interspersed, within the circuit of the walls, with gardens, groves, copses, fields of pasture, and corn. The buildings are mostly wooden, of one story, (many of them no better than cottages,) excepting here and there a gentleman's house, which is called a palace, and several churches, constructed of brick and stuccoed. One long, broad street, which is paved, intersects the whole length of the town in a straight line: the other streets generally wind in circular directions, and are floored with planks. The walls, stretching over the uneven sides of the hills, till they reach the banks of the Dnieper; their ancient style of architecture; their grotesque towers; the spires of churches shooting above the trees, which are so numerous as almost to conceal the buildings from view; the appearance of meadows, and arable ground;-all these objects blended together, exhibit a scene of the most singular and contrasted kind. On the further side of the Dnieper are many straggling wooden houses, that form the suburbs, and are joined to the town by a wooden bridge. As far as I could collect from vague information, Smolensk contains 14,000 inhabitants: it has no manufactures, but carries on some commerce with the Ukraine, Dantzig, and Riga. The principal articles of its trade are flax, hemp, honey, wax, hides, hogs' bristles, masts, planks, and Siberian furs." Smolensk is 235 miles W. S. W. from Moscow.

3d. Pskov.] The government of Pskov is nearly equal in superficial extent to that of Smolensk; and its population is estimated at 784,000. The soil is clayey and sandy; a few hills and lakes diversify the surface. It has numerous streams navigable by struses, or small boats. Agriculture is here also the principal employment.

4th. Twer.] The government of Twer is estimated by Schubert at 24,630 square miles, and its population at 1,233,358. It is a highly elevated tract of land, from which a great many rivers, particularly the Volga, take their rise. There are 84 lakes, and 67 streams. The climate is changeable, but temperate and healthy. Twer, the capital of the government, has 20,000 inhabitants, and possesses a considerable commerce. At this city the navigation of the Volga may properly be said to commence. "The first circumstance," says Captain Cochrane, "which attracted my notice upon reaching Twer, was at the gate, where an impost of three large stones is levied upon every horse that passes, These are converted to the paving of the city; nor will the tax appear either slight or useless in a country where stones are not very abundant." 5th. Novogorod.] Novogorod, once the seat of the most powerful Grand Dutchy of Russia, gives its name to the government, which contains about 56,000 square miles, with a population of 960,000 souls. This is an elevated piece of land, and includes the Waldai chain of floetz hills, about 100 miles in length. It possesses 42 rivers, and 48 lakes. Agriculture is the principal occupation of the inhabitants. Iron, lime, clay, slates, coals, and salt, are found here.

The Town of Novogorod.] Novogorod still contains about 1540 houses, and 10,000 inhabitants. In the days of its prosperity it is said to have covered an area of 63 versts in circumference, and to have contained at least 400,000 inhabitants. Chancellor, who passed through it in 1554, in his way to Moscow, thus describes it: "Next unto Moscow, the city of Novogorod is reputed the chiefest of Russia; for although it be in majestie inferior to it, yet, in greatnesse, it goeth beyond it. It is the chiefest and greatest mart town of all Muscovy; and albeit the emperor's seat is not there, but at Moscow, yet, the commodiousness of the river, falling into that gulf which is called Sinus Finnicus, whereby it is well frequented by merchants, makes it more famous than Moscow itself." The cathedral of St Sophia contains paintings of the remotest antiquity, and probably anterior to the revival of that art in Italy.

6th. Olonetz.] The government of Olonetz is estimated at 82,400 square miles, and may contain a population of 353,000. The Scandinavian hills run into this government, and surround its two large inland lakes, the Oneyga, and Ladoga. These heights are here a low chain of rocks rising only from fifty to seventy fathoms above the surface, yet are for the greater part of the year covered with snow. There are 1998 inland lakes in this province, and 858 streams; among which the Swir and the Olonka are the most important. The climate is severe but uniform. In winter a cold of 22 or even 30 degrees of Reaumur is not uncommon; yet in spite of this rigorous atmosphere, agriculture is followed in all the circles of the government, even between the 64th and 66th parallels. Fishing is also an important branch of industry. That of the Rapuschka or Muräne, (Cyprinus Muranula) affords the principal source of nourishment to the inhabitants. The mineral treasures are granite, serpentine, porphyry, sandstone, quartz, lime, clay, amianthus,

slate, alabaster, talc, or Muscovy glass, marble in great quantities, and iron, which is little wrought.

7th. Archangel.] The government of Archangel, in ancient times a part of Biarmia, which Vassili Ivanovitch united in 1505 with the Russian empire, and to which, in 1784, the island of Nova Zembla, taken possession of in 1579, was added, takes its name from its capital. Nova Zembla should properly be included in the Asiatic territories, as the greater part of it stretches over Siberia. But as it extends into the European boundaries, and is included in the political division of Russia as European government, we shall retain it here. A few islands in the White Sea belong to this government; Nova Zembla itself lies in the Icy Sea. The whole superficial territory of this government, including the islands, is reckoned by Schubert at 352,082 square miles. Consequently it is the largest of all the European Russian governments, and is alone more than 40,000 square miles larger than the united States of Sweden and Norway; 80,000 square miles larger than the territories of the Austrian monarch; and 120,000 square miles larger than the superficial extent of France. The surface is a vast arctic plain, forming on the west the declivity of the Scandinavian Mountains, and sinking towards the middle. The soil is low and swampy; in winter stiffened by ice, and scarcely thawed by the heat of summer. The number of inhabitants is estimated at 163,000, of whom none are permanently located in the islands, which are only occasionally visited by Nomades. There are only seven towns in this enormous tract of country. Agriculture is hardly apparent here. Hunting and fishing are the principal employments of the inhabitants. A vast number of inland lakes intersect the country, whose principal rivers are the Dwina and Petschora. Several companies are established here for the hunting of fur animals, particularly sea animals, which are hunted in parties of ten or twelve huntsmen, who winter at Nova Zembla in huts. There are extensive forests in the southern parts of this government. A great quantity of linen is woven in the high north, which excels in quality all other Russian linen. The capital contains 8000 inhabitants. It has an extensive dock formed by the Dwina, but the harbour is accessible only from July to September.

Islands.] The island of Nova Zembla is the largest of all the known islands of the Polar Sea, containing a superficies of 90,000 square miles. The eastern coast is unnavigable on account of the huge icebergs; the western is flat, and thickly indented with bays and small embochures of rivers, which render it the usual abode of the huntsmen. The snow lies generally ten feet deep. There is little rain, but dew falls in considerable quantity on the stunted shrubs and lichens. The common animals are ice-bears, wolves, foxes, ermines, rein-deer, phocas, wild fowl, and whales. The mountains are said to contain silver, gold, and naphtha. It is said that silver mines were anciently wrought here. Vaigatz is an inhospitable, rocky island, valuable only as a hunting station, and inhabited only by a few families of Samoiedes. The Island of Kaljujef is wholly uninhabited.

8th. Vologda.] The government of Vologda contains 180,000 square miles, with a population of about 802,178. It consists of an enormous plain, bordering on the east upon the Ural, a branch of which intersects the N. E. It presents immense forests, large marshes, and numerous small lakes. The climate is colder than that of Petersburg,