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plied, "I am ready." The strangers, meanwhile, had] were fixed and glazed as those of a corpse, and her arins spoken Danish, but in such a manner that it was impos-hung powerless by her sides. Thus she kneeled—a picsible to doubt they were foreigners. They now proceeded ture of death; and the by-standers might well be in doubt in silence through the village, and the pastor followed. whether her overpowering terror had deprived her of conIt was a completely dark autumn night, for the moon sciousness, or if nature were merely striving to recruit her had already gone down; but, as they left the village, the shattered frame by a deep and almost preternatural old man perceived, to his surprise, that the church was slumber.

brilliantly illuminated. Onwards, however, in silence Now, for the first time, the pastor observed an old and strode his two companions, wrapped in their white man- ugly female, attired in a fantastic oriental-looking costume, tles, and leaving the sandy plain behind them; while he, with a blue and red turban on her head; who, with a with the utmost difficulty, succeeded in keeping pace with malicious, nay, almost mocking expression, watched the them. kneeling bride. Behind the bridegroom, stood a dark On reaching the church, they bound a handkerchief gigantic man, who seemed to gaze immoveably on over his eyes; immediately afterwards, he heard the well-vacancy.

known side doors open with a jarring noise, and he was The pastor, whose senses had almost forsaken him forcibly thrown in among a dense crowd of men. There from terror, remained some time silent, until a stern was a murmur of many voices pervading the church; and glance from the bridegroom reminded him of the duty he in his immediate neighbourhood he could distinguish had to perform. But what put him into new confusion words of a language totally unknown to him. It was was the uncertainty whether the bridal pair would underRussian, as he suspected at that time. Whilst he was stand his language. It was indeed improbable; nevertheyet standing, with bandaged eyes, pressed on every side, less, he composed himself, and demanded their names. helpless, and in the greatest terror and confusion, he felt "Neander! Feodora!" replied the bridegroom, in a his hand suddenly seized, and he was hurried through hoarse voice. the midst of the throng, which appeared to give way: The old man now began the marriage service; but his At last the bandage was loosened, he recognised one of voice quivered; he constantly went wrong, and repeated his first companions near him, and found himself standing the same words twice. The kneeling pair, however, took before the altar. It was decorated with a row of enor-no notice of his confusion, which confirmed him in his mous wax candles, in massive silver candlesticks; and the previous conjecture that they were either unacquainted church itself was so brilliantly illuminated, that the most with his language, or understood it but imperfectly. distant object was distinctly perceptible. During the When he asked the question, "Neander, wilt thou retime that his eyes were bandaged, the noise of the crowd ceive Feodora, who now kneels beside thee, for thy wedhad appeared to him tremendous; but now the solemn ded wife?" he was doubtful if the bridegroom would unstillness of the multitude had, if possible, on his timid derstand him so as to reply; but, to his astonishment, the soul, a still more appalling effect. Although the seats latter pronounced "Yes," so loudly and distinctly, as to and side passages were crowded with men, yet the mid-ring through the church. Deep groans issuing on every dle aisle was completely empty, and the pastor dis- side from the multitude, accompanied this terrible "Yes;" tinguished, in the midst of it, a newly dug grave; the and a silent shudder, for the first time, set in motion the pavement stone which had covered the spot, now lying corpse-like features of the bride. The pastor now turned against the side of a neighbouring seat. Men only were himself to the latter, and, speaking more loudly, as though to be seen, with the exception of a solitary female, whom he would fain awake her from her death-like slumber, the old man fancied he could discern in the most distant thus addressed her "Feodora, if thou wilt acknowcorner of the church...

The silence lasted for some minutes; not even the least movement being heard; meantime arose in the soul of the pastor a dark and heavy misgiving that some deed of horror was about to be performed.

ledge Neander, now kneeling beside thee, for thy hus. band, then answer "Yes!" Upon this, the inanimate bride seemed to awake, an expression of overpowering terror passed over her countenance, her pale lips quivered, a transient brilliancy gleamed from her eyes, and her bosom heaved. The "Yes" now sounded like the shriek of anguish from the mouth of a dying person, and seemed to find an echo in the involuntary murmur of pity which escaped from the crowd.

At last a man rose up, whose magnificent dress distinguished him from the rest, and showed him to be of higher rank. He strode hastily along the empty aisle, while the multitude gazed upon him, and his steps resounded through the church. He was of middle stature, The bride sank insensible into the arms of the malicibroad shouldered, and strongly built; his mien was ous old crone behind her, and some minutes passed in the haughty; his countenance bronzed with exposure to the most appalling silence. At last she resumed her place, weather; his hair like the raven; his features strongly more dead than alive, and the pastor concluded the sermarked; and his lips compressed with angry determina- vice. The bridegroom now arose and led the tottering tion;-a high aquiline nose increased the hauteur of his bride towards her former seat, while the old woman and aspect, and long bushy eyebrows overshadowed the small the tall man followed behind. The first companions of and fierce black eyes which gleamed beneath them. He the clergyman than reappeared, and having once more wore a green surcoat, richly ornamented with gold; and tied a bandage over his eyes, led him with some difficulty on his bosom glittered a star. through the crowd. When they reached the door, he was The bride, who now kneeled beside him, was also splen- pushed out with violence, and left to his solitary meditadidly dressed a blue robe, embroidered with silver, tions, while they barred and bolted it from within. enveloped her slender form, and fell in thick folds over For a few minutes he stood confused, and uncertain her graceful limbs; while a diadem, resplendent with whether the late scene of terror, with all the extraordijewels, decorated her long fair hair. Notwithstanding nary circumstances accompanying it, might not be a painthe change which it was evident had lately passed over ful dream; but when he had torn the bandage from bis her features, beauty and loveliness could still plainly be eyes, and beheld the church brilliantly illuminated before discerned. Her cheeks now looked as cold and inani- him, and heard the voices of the multitude within, he mate as those of a marble statue; not a muscle of her could no longer donbt the reality of what had happened. countenance moved, her pale lips seemed dead, her eyes In order to learn the sequel, as far as was in his power,

:

he now concealed himself in a niche on the opposite side | Many believed that they could trace some connection of the church; and, while listening here, heard the noise between the facts there stated and the mysterious events within becoming louder and louder, as though a violent which took place in Russia after the deaths of Peter the contest had arisen. He could distinguish the rough voice Great and his Empress Catherine. But to explain the of the bridegroom commanding silence in an authoritative whole mystery attending the atrocious act would be diffimanner-then a long pause ensued-a shot was fired-cult, if not impossible.

and a shriek from a woman's voice was heard! There was silence for a few moments, which was at last interrupted by the sounds of labour and the noise of spades and other implements, which lasted perhaps about a quar. ter of an hour. The lights were now extinguished, the murmur of many voices was heard, and the whole multitude rushed out of the church and hastened noisily towards the sea.

From the Brittania.

THE VALLEY OF JEHOSAPHAT. Nothing can be more picturesque or more melancholy than the view of this ancient field of the dead, the buryingThe old pastor, upon this, hastened back towards his place of the chief people of Jerusalem for ages. The village. He awakened his friends and neighbours, and Jewish Kings here found tombs, of which striking remrelated to them the strange and incredible things which nants are to be seen even at this day. Tradition gives had just happened. But so silent and peaceful had been the sepulchres the names of Jewish chieftains, and even the previous course of their lives, that those simple men, of Christian saints. But the features of nature are still instead of believing their clergyman, were seized with a more interesting; through the valley flows the brook different kind of terror; for they fancied that his intellect Cedron, still of a purple tinge; above it rises Mount had given way. It was, therefore, with the utmost diffi-Olivet, and within view are the towers of unhappy Jeruculty, and more because they were willing to gratify him salem."-MS. Journal.

by humouring his supposed caprices, that he at last persuaded them to accompany him to the church, and to provide themselves with shovels and pickaxes.

Night had by this time disappeared, and the sun had already arisen, when the pastor and his flock ascended the hill towards the church.

They now perceived a ship-of-war, in full sail, rapidly distancing the shore, and steering for the north. A sight so unexpected rendered the inhabitants of the village a little dubious; and they were quite prepared to believe in the old man's words, when they found the side doors of their church forcibly broken open. In breathless expectation, therefore, they entered; the pastor pointed out to them the site of the grave which he had seen open the night before, and they could plainly perceive that the stone had been rolled away, and afterwards replaced. They, therefore, set to work with pickaxes, and on reopening the grave, found a new and richly-ornamented coffin.

The old man jumped down, the others followed his example, and the lid was speedily removed. Alas! the worthy pastor found his worst fears realized; the coffin contained the corpse of the murdered bride, and the splendid diadem alone was awanting! She must have died instantaneously, for the ball had passed right through her heart. The expression of terror and anguish formerly observable on her countenance had disappeared, and in its place a heavenly peace illumed her features; she lay in her coffin placid and calm as an angel. The old man knelt over her, lamenting bitterly; while silent astonishment and horror seized the beholders.

The pastor thought it his duty to announce the circumstance, without delay, to the Bishop of Zealand, as being his ecclesiastical superior; and, meanwhile, until he should receive an answer from Copenhagen, made his simple parishioners take an oath of secrecy. The grave was once more closed up, and no one ventured to allude to the circumstance. Suddenly there appeared in the little village a man of distinction from the capital; he made the inhabitants state minutely all that had taken place, examined the grave, praised the silence hitherto observed, and strictly enjoined them to continue their secrecy, on pain of being visited with the most severe punishments.

After the death of the old pastor, a manuscript giving a detailed account of the whole transaction, was found, written by his own hand, appended to the church books.]

COME, gaze with me upon this vale,

See yonder cypress wave,
Hear yonder mourner's lonely wail
Above the new-made grave;
Mark yonder sanguine-tinted stream,
So slowly gliding by,

All strange and solemn as a dream,
That dream Mortality.

Yet in that vale's forgotten bed

Lies many a glorious name.
The hero's heart, the sage's head,

The prophet's eye of flame.
There kings the diadem laid down,

There royal beauties sleep,
The simple turf alone their own,
Where yonder willows weep.

Beneath that sculptured grotto-tomb,
Lies David bold and brave,
The son of beauty, Absalom;

There Zechariah's grave.
A violet-bed beside a spring,

Where Israel's pilgrims tell
From many an angel's golden string
The midnight anthems swell.

But, in the sunbeams' purple set,

What mount looks bright above?
There stands in glory OLIVET,

Thou scene of more than love!
Thou scene of more than mortal pain,
Mountain of agony!

Where freedom's Lord embraced the chain,
Death's Conqueror come to die!

From the British Critic.

The city itself is more a "midsummer night's dream" than a sober reality. It is a thing of yester

1. Domestic Scenes in Russia: in a Series of Letters day, still raw and green, in all the newness of condescribing a Year's Residence in that Country, quest and dominion, than which nothing in nature is chiefly in the Interior. By the Rev. R. Lister more youthful and more ephemeral. Only in the Venables, M. A. London. Murray. 1839. last century, in the days of our grandfathers, its site

“Vastæ tum in iis locis solitudines erant." As if

2. The City of the Czar. A Visit to St. Petersburg in the was literally nothing but marshes and forests. Winter of 1829-30. By Thomas Raikes, Esq. to show how closely associated in the human mind London: Bentley. 1838.

are the beginning and the end of grandeur, it is call.

A week is now amply sufficient to transfer the ed the Palmyra of the North, an unintended traveller from London to Petersburgh. He may mockery, and perhaps unwitting presentiment. But leave the former by the Hamburg steamer one Palmyra was nothing to it. On marshy islands Wednesday morning, and find himself by the same divided by deep and rapid waters, or joined by fields hour next Wednesday moored opposite the English of ice, stretch miles upon miles of palaces, within quay in the Imperial city: and if he properly time his whose marble halls a city is entertained, and public excursion, he will perceive no other differences in buildings, under whose roofs armies are reviewed. the climate, except that the air is somewhat drier, Every thing has the Imperial stamp and character. the sky less variable, the sun rather more burning. There is nothing popular, nor even aristocratic, for But his chief memento of the latitude to which he even the palaces of the nobility have been swallowed has ascended will be the absence of real night; the up in that gigantic monarchy. Nothing that wealth sun there at midsummer goes below the horizon for and absolute will can do is wanting to ensure a couple of hours, but the sky retains a red tint, and magnificence. Though there be no pure and original the smallest print or the palest hand-writing may be conceptions, nothing to show the native home of read with ease at a window at midnight. The taste, yet at least whatever we see elsewhere is there brightness of this twilight is its least peculiarity. magnified, exaggerated, combined, multiplied, adornFor the few fleeting weeks of Summer, it seems to ed, and gilded, with a sort of Roman hyperbole. The rival the perpetual spring and "their own peculiar vastest works of antiquity, which our school-books sun and stars" of the Elysian fields. Natives as told us could not be achieved, are there every day well as foreigners feel its pure influence, and grudg- surpassed. The rough pedestal of Peter the Great's ing to give such precious hours to sleep, spend the statue nearly outweighs all Stonehenge put together. whole night in fetes, promenades, and rambles. The shaft of the Alexandrian column, lately erected, What must it be to a home-tied Englishman, seven is the largest stone ever cut in ancient or modern days emerged from the smoke and fog of London, times, and was swung into its place in fifty-four when even an American, fresh from Arabia and minutes. It is four times the weight of the great Palestine, thus speaks of it?bell at Moscow, which Clarke, with ill-directed

"At Moscow and during the journey, I had admir- spleen, defies the Russians to suspend. Mr. Venaed the exceeding beauty of the twilight in these bles was fortunate enough to witness another operanorthern latitudes, but this night in St. Petersburg it tion of this kind, not less wonderful and as these was magnificent. I cannot describe the peculiar things are not done every day, at least in our country, shades of this northern twilight. It is as if the glare as well as on account of the building itself described, and brilliancy of the sun were softened by the mellow- we will quote Mr. Venables' account of the proing influence of the moon, and the city, with its cess.

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superb ranges of palaces, its statues, its bridges, and Some days ago. 1 went to see a pillar placed in its clear and rapid river, seemed under the reflection the new church of St. Isaac, which is now in progress. of that northern light, of a brilliant and almost un- The operation was extremely interesting, from the earthly beauty. I felt I should like rambling all size of the pillar and the height at which it was night. Even though worn with three days' travel, placed; it being the second tier or story of columns it was with me as with a young lady at her first ball; on which they were engaged. The last pillar was the night was too short. I could not bear to throw erected yesterday, and the colonnade, which is it away in sleep. My companion was tough, and by circular, is now complete. Its base must be a no means sentimental, and the scene was familiar to hundred and thirty or forty feet from the ground, and him; but he told me that, even in his eyes, it never each pillar is a solid block of granite, forty-two feet lost its interest. Moonlight is something, but this high, and weighing five thousand poods, or upwards glorious twilight is a thing to enjoy and to remember; of eighty tons, (arger than the pillars of the Panand, as the colonel remarked when we sat down in theou, and both larger and better wrought than any his apartment to a comfortable supper, it always gave him such an appetite. After supper I walked through a long corridor to my apartment, threw myself upon my bed and tried to sleep; but the mellow twilight poured through my window, and reproached me with the base attempt. I was not restless, but I could not sleep."

* Incidents of Travel in Greece, Turkey, Russia, and Poland, by J. L. Stephens, author of Incidents of Travel in Egypt, Arabia Petræa, and the Holy Land. New York. 1838.

pillar found in the ruins of Zenobia's capital.) The columns on the ground-tier, each of which is also a single stone, are fifty-six feet high, and weigh eleven thousand poods each.

"When I reached the platform to which the pillar was to be raised, I had below me a panorama of Petersburg, and the country round for many a mile; the most interesting part of the prospect being the Gulf of Finland, down which I could see as far as Cronstadt. The day was warm and bright, and the air free from cloud or smoke. From the platform down to the next stage, a depth of about eighty feet,

was fixed a strong timber frame, covered with planks, on it are enormous. In every successive reign since so as to form a very steep inclined plane. At the 1768, something has been done to it; but the founbottom of this slide, when I first looked down, the dations having been at first insecure, the work of each column to be raised was lying horizontally on rollers; emperor has been more to repair the blunders of his it was girthed round with very thick ropes drawn predecessor than to add to the splendour of the strucvery tight, and padded underneath. Other ropes, or ture. Wearied of this endless waste, the present rather cables, secured to these girths, passed length- emperor has very wisely thrown down nearly all ways along the column, crossing each other over its that was done before him, and is now raising it on a lower end, and it was lashed to strong planks which plan of great magnificence and solidity. If spared lay under it, that the polish of the stone might not so long, he is determined to complete in ten years be injured in ascending the slide. Over the base on what had baffled all his predecessors; and for this which the column was to stand was placed a high purpose he has decreed that so much shall be exframe work of strong timbers. The cables, twelve in pended on it every year. What renders this strucnumber, attached to the pillar, passed through blocks ture so expensive is, that while other buildings have fixed in the frame, and with the aid of one moveable but one front, this has four; its form being a perfect pulley to each, were drawn by twelve capstans, each square. The walls are of beautiful white marble; manned by fourteen or sixteen men. There were each peristyle is formed of twelve columns of polishtwo extra capstans for the purpose of guiding the ed red granite, each of one solid stone, sixty feet in lower end of the pillar when suspended in the air. height, and seven in diameter. According to the Altogether upwards of two hundred men were em- fashion which seems so common here, every pillar ployed in the operation. rests on a socket of bronze, and terminates in a Co"When all was ready the capstans began to turn, rinthian capital of the same. High above these, and by degrees, the column instead of lying in a ho- where the dome springs, is a circle of similar corizontal position, rested on the inclined plane, which lumns, also of large proportions. The operation of was well greased, and began slowly to ascend, two transporting these huge stones from the river across men standing on its upper end, to be ready in case the square is a very curious sight; the beams on of the cables becoming entangled. The capstans which they are rolled are bruised to threads by the were all numbered, and the superintendant at the weight. Nothing but marble, or the equally expentop, by calling out sometimes to one gang, and some- sive granite brought from Finland, are to be employtimes to another, to move faster or slower, kept all ed in this immense building. The whiteness of the the ropes drawing equally. The column at length marble on the walls throws out the dark columns reached the top of the inclined plane, and it was then beautifully. The architect is a Frenchman, the raised until it was hanging in the high wooden same who was intrusted with Alexander's pillar. frame exactly over the base on which it was to He has five thousand labourers engaged on this great stand. A coin was dropped into a small hole in the task. The scaffolding is of strength sufficient to centre of the base, which was then covered with a make one believe it is intended to be as durable as sheet of lead; and the tackling round the lower end the building itself. of the pillow being cut and cleared away, it was lo- "The same solidity is visible in the preparations wered gently into its place. The whole operation, connected with all the public works here. The which was now complete, occupied about two hours frame-work employed in swinging Alexander's pilfrom the time the capstans began to work, until the lar into its place is said to have been ten times too pillar rested upon its base. strong-an error on the right side. This peculiarity is worth mentioning, as a proof that the Russians are not so careless of human life as has been represented."-Vol. i., pp. 96, 98.

"The church of St. Isaac will be an edifice not unworthy of the City of Palaces, as Petersburg is sometimes appropriately called; and in its way, it will probably be an unique monument of a century, But as we have not unlimited time and space at which certainly is not an age of cathedral building. About forty thousand pounds have been annually the traveller wishes to leave it as quickly, and to our command, we must take leave of Petersburg. If expended upon it for some years past, and the exterior will not be completed for at least two more. The forget himself and common place "civilized" Euchurch is to be a few feet higher than St. Paul's, rope in new scenes, he can do so here whichever with a dome, the roof of which is to be gilt, of nearly way he turns. At Tornea, on the Gulf of Bothnia, the same size with the dome of that cathedral. No a few days' journey from the metropolis, he may materials are employed in any part of the edifice but once in the year see the sun at midnight. A less marble, stone, brick and metal, so that the building Moscow, (the Imperial expresses have done it in time will take him by a new macadamised road to will be fireproof."-pp. 288, 291.

From another author,* whose work we have not room to notice in this number, we extract the following account of this wonderful structure :

"The cathedral which would best merit a full description is that of St. Isaac, the protector of the empire. As yet, however, it is only in progress toward splendour. When completed, it is expected to rival St. Peter's at Rome. The sums already expended

* Bremner's Excursions in the Interior of Russia. London: Colburn: 1839.

thirty-five hours,) a city whose streets are thronged with Greeks, Armenians, Turks, Georgians, Tartars, Cossacks, Chinese, Muscovites, French, Italians, Poles and Germans, in the costumes of their countries; and whose buildings, including forty times tions. If the tourist is really running away from his forty churches, are in the styles of even more naown shadow, two or three days will take him to those the Ukraine, or to Pultava's famous battle-field. In children of freedom, the Cossacks of the Don and of the same time he may visit the greatest fair in the world, at Nishnei-Novgorod, a remote city at the

confluence of the Volga and the Okka, once designed master, who is an imperial agent, and is obliged, on by Peter to be the capital of his two-fold empire, the production of an imperial document called a pa where, in the confusion of men and things from all daroshna, to furnish whatever number of horses it nations of the earth, milliners from the Rue St. Ho- may specify, at a fixed and rather pinching rate of nore, and Tartars, pier glasses and raw hides, Man- payment. All people who have a sufficient sense of chester cotton goods and bark sandals, Tyrolese gui- the importance of their engagements to wish not to tars and Cashmere shawls, Chinese tea merchants, be behind hand in the world, in which class our counAstrakan sturgeons and rosewood tables, chairs, so- trymen may be included, avail themselves of this fas, pendules, ottomans, bergeres, mirrors, seemingly privilege; though with admirable consistency they fresh from the French salons-he may easily forget first rail at the tyranny of the system, then at the where he is, who he is, and what he has come there expense and trouble they must go through in order to for, and what is next to be done. But perhaps the profit by it, and lastly, at the artifices by which the tourist is already sick of elegancies and Frenchisms: unhappy postmaster attempts to get a trifling addiwell, a week from St. Petersburg, i. e. a fortnight tion to his absolute due.

from London, will place him on the other side of the But it is high time to say a word or two of our Oural Mountains, the first natural elevation higher authors. Mr. Venables is a clergyman, but most than a Celtic barrow which he need see after losing happily devoid of clerical or any other prejudices. sight of Shooter's Hill, unless he goes out of his His profession appears nowhere but in his title page. way to look for such things. There he will find He describes a religious ceremony with rather less himself in the vast plain of Siberia at Tobolsk, prejudice and perhaps also less interest than he does where, however, Europe still haunts him: as, in a good dinner. The turn and style of his remarks strange contradiction to the ideas of our childhood, shows nothing but that he is an Englishman. Like, that city is said to be only another Paris, the most they say, finds like: and odd people undoubtedly are refined, luxurious and profligate place in the Russian always falling into odd adventures; by the same rule dominions. If dissipation has any sweetness, it is Mr. Venables has peopled Russia with a multiplicaa bed of roses on which the Russian noble falls from tion of himself, and made it as easy, comfortable, his sovereign's favour. But we warn the traveller good-natured and hospitable a place as we could who thirsts for nature, genuine savage nature, to wish to retire to for the evening of one's days. Permake haste. There will soon not be a corner of the haps it is too much treated as if it were within reach world where ladies and gentlemen are not to be of the short stages from Gracechurch street. It must, found. Some one met a lady's maid with a green however, be remembered that Mr. Venables, who silk parasol on turning the corner of the great pyra- certainly is not the man either to provoke or frighter mid. But only think of Prince Yousoupoff, a an emperor, saw the country in a domestic way, and great Tartar chief," who arrived at Mr. Raikes' ho- found it peopled with "M's" brothers and sistel from the interior, where he resides "in Asiatic ters, and uncles and aunts, brothers-in-law, &c. This splendour and dignity." More than fifty years ago is an opportunity many have wished for in vain.this venerable satrap" was in England, where he Everybody says that St. Petersburgh is not Russia, knew Garrick, Sheridan, and other wits of that day. but, as it were, the window through which she looks Certainly Russia is the place of all others to con- out upon Europe. Without singular introductions, found one's ideas of place or time. What can be a however, it is not possible to see the indigenous men greater anomaly than the metropolis itself, which and manners of a country, whether high or low, rich has not yet assimilated its own immediate neigh- or poor. Clarke, who had bearded the peevish halfbourhood? Within sight of its golden spires exist witted despot in his den, was a proscribed man, and primeval forests, in which "besides bears and his passage was a flight. Of the Russians, properly wolves," says Mr. Venables, "lynxes are also so called, i. e. those whom he so unsparingly vitolerably numerous," and "elks, twenty hands high, tuperates, he saw nothing. Now a clever man may be met with in the winter within fifty miles of and lively writer may make an interesting book of Petersburg." travels out of antiquities, public buildings, specWe have hurried our reader backwards and for- tacles, bazars, road adventures, inn-acquaintances, wards at a dizzy rate; but we assure him there and such miscellanea, but the book will be no accannot be a more suitable introduction to Russia. It count of the people. Mr. Venable's book is inis all locomotion. People who have a thousand miles teresting, because he did see the inside of everything to go to their country houses have no time to lose. from the governor's palace to the serf's boarded hut. Their customary pace is tremendous; a sort of mean He saw the inside of every thing, except of the Rusbetween the Devonport mail and a rail-road; and to sian himself, which, we confess, it is very difficult effect it they drive four a-breast, like the heroes of to see. His book is completely what it calls itself; antiquity, or sit without the smallest apprehension and is, perhaps, all the better for it: yet some behind a crowd of run-away horses, tied pell-mell of his domesticisms provoke a smile. He visits, in with ropes to a sledge or a droschky, much in the the heart of Russia, "an uncle of M, Genesame way as the Esquimaux harness their dogs. [ral Constantine Poltoratzky," whose wife is descendThis, of course, is not without peril to all parties ed from the unfortunate King of Georgia; curiosity concerned. The postilion is certainly killed if his is awakened in vain, for he of the long name is soon horse falls but there are no ifs in the case of the disposed of "as one of the most agreeable and amuspoor animals, who perish in a known ratio to the ing men" Mr. Venables ever met with; "his house pace, and whose lives are held very cheap. The is large and handsome, though it might be better artrack of the ubiquitous emperor is marked by dead ranged in the interior." Here," he continues, horses, and the roads to the great fair at Nishnei are" we spent two days, much as they might have been lined with skeletons. All this is ruinous to the post spent in a large English country house, except that

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