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Wherever we went we met with nothing but civility: the wish to oblige may often be discovered in little matters. My companion and myself were one day admiring a new silver coin, which we had taken in exchange, and expressing a wish to get some more of the same kind, when a gentleman, in the kindest manner possible, offered to procure us as many as we pleased, and, on giving him our address, he sent them to us the following day.'

The distance from St Petersburg to Moscow is about 460 English miles; and the road, for nearly two-thirds of the way, is said to be as excellent in some parts as it is execrable in others Mr Barrow performed the journey in four days and three nights, in a coach or diligence, which carries four inside passengers, who pay five guineas each for their seat. The conveyance does not seem to be an easy one; and if the traveller is obliged to go outside, he must either place himself in the front coupé beside the conducteur, from whom he is sure to carry off some living remembrances of the juxtaposition, or in the after coupé, the comfort of which is compared to that of a seat against the wall of a shelving garret.' The post-houses, however, are neat and tolerably clean; and if the traveller uses a little precaution, he may always procure a beef-steak and potatoes, undefiled by oil, grease, or garlic. Speaking of the peasantry whom he saw as he passed along, Mr Barrow says that they appeared to be in a very abject state.

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This was proved by the cruelty and insolence with which our drivers treated them. One instance will suffice. Whilst pursuing our journey, we noticed some trifling article-a piece of leather I think it was-fall from a cart at some little distance before us, the driver, as usual, being fast asleep; after the cart had passed on, and while the diligence was still some little way in the rear, a poor man stepped from the roadside, and appropriated to himself the article that had been left behind. Our conducteur, who, though active, was but a person of small stature, happened to see the transaction, and when he arrived at the spot, stopped the coach, and springing to the road-side, ran towards the culprit, who was in company with two other men, and seizing him by his beard, gave him a most severe chastisement with a switch, which he received without offering the slightest resistance, whilst his two friends looked on, without attempting to rescue him. They were all tall athletic men, and any one of them might, with the greatest ease, have annihilated the conducteur; and would, no doubt, have done so, if he had been one of the bearded tribe. Now, making all allowance for the conducteur's being a kind of public servant, and the peasant clearly a pilferer, such an administration of summary justice a little startled us. But the Russians of the lower class are accustomed to be roughly handled; a beating is thought nothing of, and frequently passes down from one to another, after the manner of Captain Absolute, Mr Tagg, and the errand-boy.'

Mr Barrow's stay at Moscow did not exceed a week,—a portion of time sufficient, perhaps, to enable an active traveller to

VOL, LIX. NO, CXX.

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make himself acquainted with the more remarkable buildings, and general aspects of this motley city. Few traces now remain of the great conflagration in 1812, the houses destroyed having mostly been rebuilt on an improved plan; so that the general appearance of the city has been considerably bettered by that memorable occurrence. As a whole, however, it seems still to recall the observation of Dr Clarke, that one might imagine all the ❝ states of Europe and Asia had sent a building, by way of re⚫ presentative, to Moscow.' Mr Barrow took an early opportunity of viewing it from the Kremlin, the ancient palace of the Czars.

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'Its character,' says he, is so totally different from that of any European city we had yet seen; there was so much of the fantastic architecture of Oriental mosques and minarets blended with every various form of European edifices, that the eye became bewildered by the crowds of objects opposed to it. Viewed from this point, the city appeared one large cluster of churches, monasteries, and convents, surmounted by innumerable spires, domes, cupolas, and minarets, varying in height, bulk, and decoration, some painted red, some green, others blue; and those that were not gilt, were splendid in bright copper, but almost all of them tipped with gold. The pavilion at Brighton affords no bad specimen of some of the bulbous-domed churches of Moscow. On the domes and cupolas were poles erected, generally bearing massive crosses, richly ornamented with glittering chains hanging gracefully from their summits. When it is stated that the number of churches, monasteries, chapels, convents, and other buildings appropriated to religious purposes, amount very nearly to a thousand- -some say more-and all of them more or less decorated with gold or paint, some idea may be formed of the effect produced by the congregated mass. Some writer, in speaking of the vast number of places of religious worship, observes that they are only exceeded by the number of brandy-shops.'

Among the new buildings erected since 1812, the Museum attached to the University is mentioned as particularly deserving of notice. It is stated to be extensive, well arranged, and well kept. Mr Barrow describes the Foundling Hospital as a very superb and very extensive building; but when he characterises it as an admirable institution,' telling us, without any other remark, that it receives 4000 infants in the course of a year, we perceive that he has not yet taken any lessons in the philosophy of such Foundations. His candour is strongly manifested in his observations on the promiscuous bathing said to take place in the river. I have only to state,' says he, that I never saw an instance of any impropriety or indecency, and that I do not "give any credit to the relations which I have met with. My companion and myself have frequently strolled along the banks of the river, and on one occasion extended our walk by its side

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'far beyond the suburbs of the city, and the only persons that we saw bathing were a parcel of boys; and if this be the cause ' of so much fastidiousness in the accounts of some of our travel6 lers, I should recommend them to look at home, and particularly on the banks of the Thames, where there is not a day passes during the summer months, in which not only boys but men will be found in swarms annoying the passengers in the 'wherries which ply on the river with their insolent language and behaviour, a nuisance which does not exist at or near Mos'cow.' In his concluding remarks on this celebrated city, he thus contrasts it with St Petersburg:

There is a marked difference in the streets of Moscow and Petersburg; the latter are laid out in regular order, straight, broad, well paved, with trottoirs on each side, while those of Moscow are in general narrow, irregular, dirty, without side pavements, and the foot-passengers are in danger of being run over by the droskies and carriages that are passing through them. In those only, therefore, near the Kremlin and the Beautiful Square, and on the Boulevards, are fashionable people seen; yet, in general, the streets of the city present a more animated appearance than those of Petersburg, being usually thronged with people, buying, selling, and transacting business, of nearly every nation in the world, each distinguished from the other by his own native costume, the great variety of which, though at first it attracted our attention, became ere long so familiar, that, before the end of a week, we passed Greeks, Turks, Armenians, Circassians, Cossacks, Poles, and Tartars, with as little notice as those one daily meets in the streets of London,-so soon is novelty worn off. Indeed, we soon discovered that we ourselves, or our dresses, were the greatest curiosities in the place. Among the crowd we observed but few equipages that could be called handsome; a coach with four horses, which was so common at Petersburg, was rarely to be seen in the streets of Moscow. This, we were told, was not owing to the want of means in the gentry of Moscow, where many wealthy families reside, but to their absence at this season of the year at their country. seats. The private droskies, however, were very far superior to the generality of those at Petersburg; and many of the horses, mostly stallions, were beautiful animals, very much resembling Arabians both in appearance and action, but larger and stronger. The Russian gentry appear to ride but little; in fact, a gentleman on horseback is very seldom seen, unless some young diplomatist, who may have passed a little time in London or Paris. Though Moscow occupies a much larger space of ground than Petersburg, its population is considerably less; the former not exceeding 250,000, while the latter is said to contain 449,000 inhabi

tants.'

After returning to St Petersburg, Mr Barrow proceeded to · Abo, and from thence to Stockholm. The journey to the former, a distance of about 400 miles, was performed in four days and three nights, in a light carriage drawn by three horses. The

roads in Finland are excellent, the rate of posting cheap, and the scenery, though by no means striking, yet of a rather pleasing character. The traveller, however, must carry the necessary provisions for his journey alongst with him. Mr Barrow notices a rather singular preference of paper-money to coin on the part of the Drivers, who frequently refused to take silver, and insisted on notes, which, in this country, run so low as twenty kopecks, or about eightpence of our money. Abo, the ancient capital of Finland, is now of less importance than Helsingfors, which is well built, and favourably situated for commerce. We should have been glad to hear something of the present state of the University of Abo, and more obliged to Mr Barrow for a few particulars concerning it, than for the details with which he has favoured us regarding the very obscure theatre and corps dramatique of that remote place. From Abo Mr Barrow proceeded across the Gulf of Bothnia, in a cutter, to the Swedish capital. Viewed from a distance,' says he, and at particular spots, it has the appearance of a splendid city; but a closer inspection will be apt to disappoint a stranger. There are but few buildings of any importance, and not much to interest ⚫ the traveller. It possesses, however, an excellent harbour, of sufficient depth of water to admit of vessels of considerable • burthen close alongside of its quay. It was now crowded ⚫ with merchant shipping, with a few gun-boats and galleys.' The population is nearly eighty thousand; that of Sweden and Norway united is, according to the latest authorities, 3,802,900. The Sovereign is represented as being extremely popular: 'whenever he makes his appearance in public, he is always well re'ceived.' Stockholm, like other capitals, has its Club-houses.

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I had heard much,' says he, of the Nobles' Club, generally called the Society, and to which strangers can be introduced by any one of the members, upon paying a few dollars for a ticket, which admits them for the space of a month, and which may be renewed for the same period, but not longer at once. Being anxious to look at some English newspapers, not having seen any since leaving England, we contrived to get an introduction to the Society, and found it a most agreeable lounge, particularly in the evening. This club is frequented by all the nobility and gentry of Stockholm, and appears to be in every respect as comfortable and well managed as the first of the club-houses in London. It consists of a suite of elegant apartments, which are furnished in the best style. The reading room is well stocked with newspapers, periodical journals, magazines, and reviews. I found it generally well attended, and perfect silence was maintained throughout the apartments; in fact, rather too much so, as one cannot help feeling as if under a restraint, which is by no means agreeable.'

After visiting the celebrated falls of Trolhätten, which are very well described, Mr Barrow proceeded through Gothenborg to Helsingborg, which is about 500 miles from Stockholm, without any let or accident in the course of the journey. The roads of Sweden, like those of Finland, are remarkably good, and the rate of posting cheap. At Helsingborg, our traveller embarked for Elsineur, strongly impressed with favourable sentiments of the kingdom he quitted at this point. Sweden,' says he, I shall • always remember with feelings of pleasure, both as regards the ، inhabitants, who appeared to be a friendly, cheerful, and contented race of beings, and the surface of the country, which ' abounds in interesting and romantic scenery.'

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Copenhagen is about twenty-six miles from Elsineur, and is approached by a road which Mr Barrow calls execrable.' This capital is thus described :

The city of Stockholm cannot for one moment be compared with Copenhagen. The splendid buildings, the spacious squares, and the fine broad streets, more especially the Amalie-gade, render this Danish capital equal, if not superior, to any of the second-rate cities of Europe. The palaces and châteaux of Christiansborg, Amalienborg, Rosenborg, and Charlottenborg, are all magnificent structures. The other principal public buildings are the Hotel de Ville, the Mint, the Post-office, the Exchange, the Theatre; the military and other hospitals, and a splendid range of barracks, said to afford accommodation for 6000 troops. There are several churches; that of Notre-Dame but just finished,-rebuilt on the site of the old one which was destroyed by fire in 1807; the church of our Saviour; and the church of Trinity, in the dome of which is the university library, and the great globe of Tycho-Brahe.

'The buildings in general are striking, and the streets are clean, regular, and handsome, particularly the Amalie-gade, above-mentioned, which cannot be less than a mile in length, and runs nearly in a straight line. In a large open space, about half way of its length, are situated four elegant and well-built palaces, forming, with their several offices, a regular octagonal building. In the middle of this octagon stands a colossal equestrian statue in bronze of Frederick V. The head of the horse is considered to be very fine, but it struck me as a heavy and clumsy piece of statuary; but perhaps the beautiful statue at Charing Cross, which I am daily in the habit of passing, and, I may add, daily admiring, has made me too fastidious. The statue in question was cast by Monsieur Gorr, a French artist, and erected at the expense of the Danish East India Company.

There are several large open squares in Copenhagen; in one of which is situated the hotel where we had taken up our quarters. It is an enormous establishment, and goes by the name of the Hotel d'Angleterre, a name that the English traveller has generally but too much reason to dread when the day of reckoning arrives; here, however, it is but justice to say, this was not found to be the case; every thing was very good and very reasonable, and there was little English about it, but its name.'

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