take our long seasons of frost into account, and give credit to the long coat for defending the same ancles and insteps from the bitter cold. Our poor serfs are not well off for bed-clothes when they lie on the stove, or round the stove. Don't you see how useful the long coat is to them during the everlasting bitter nights Peter sympathises with the sufferings of his humblest subjects; and so he does not permit his denchtchiks or his gate-warders to meddle with the useful long skirts nor the beards of his serfs."*

Mr. Brindley.-"I am afraid that in some of his reforms he only thinks of making his subjects appear like the English, or French, or Germans, without taking old customs or difference of climate, or difference of circumstances into account."

Colonel Vazile (who has been listening)." In one respect we must own to a thoroughly pleasant and reasonable reformation wrought by the Czar, and for which every gentleman in company ought to feel profoundly grateful. Here we enjoy the refined society of the ladies of our hospitable host's family, and of the other ladies invited to spend the evening. Twenty-five years since our nobles and merchants did not see the face of a lady, nor hear her sweet hospitable voice at dinner nor during the long hours of evening till they separated. There they sat, the host and his guests, drinking wine and brandy, and indulging in oaths and obscenities till the moment of parting arrived. If anyone escaped intoxication the entertainer looked on his house as disgraced.

"When the last minute came, the master tapped at the door leading to the woman's apartments, and presently in walked the lady of the house. You have seen the interior of our houses, and remarked the pictures of the family saints hanging

near each other. It is a good custom. It prevents oaths, and ribaldry, and ill conduct, till the brandy gets the upper hand. But I must not leave the lady of the mansion standing at her door. She was wrapped in a loose gown, a cap of sables on her head, easy in her dress, and neither pinched nor incommoded by those ribbed corselets so much affected in the west of Europe. She first made a low reverence to the saints, and then a grave courtesy to each of the guests, at the same time flinging out her sleeves some three yards long for each drunken man to kiss. Every guest then came forward in turn, and received from her hands, one after another, a glass of brandy, a glass of wine, a glass of mead, and a glass of beer, if he found himself able to add these commodities to the mighty stock (already laid in. A servant standing behind his lady supplied the liquors as they were needed. During the whole ceremony, she never uttered a single word, and when the last man had imbibed the last glass of beer, she dropped her final courtesy, and vanished within her own regions. Our dress, our institutions, our ways of thinking, our unqualified submission to our chief ruler, all mark our Asiatic descent."

Dimitri.-"Indeed, if the gentlemen newly arrived, consent to submit to intoxication some night when they have nothing better or worse to do, and to listen to much unedifying language, I know a family or two where they will be sure to get their glass of brandy, wine, mead, and beer, and a silent salute from the mistress of the house in the good old Russ fashion."

Vazile. "Well, I beg to propose the health and happy reign of our great and good Czar Peter, son of Alexis. The ladies will readily join us, especially when they allow me to relate a still greater and better change made to their advantage by our great

father whom God preserve!" The toast was fully honoured and the officer proceeded.

"Before the accession of Peter, young people had little liberty of choice in regard to their future partners. The parents of a marriageable young woman sent for the old lady who bore a good name in their neighbourhood as a reliable match-maker, and gave her full information about their daughter's good qualities, her dowry in money, jewels, plate, household goods, upper and under clothes, and serfs valued at ten roubles per annum (say £2). She was instructed to find a suitable bridegroom and her fee settled on.

Away went the trusted agent. She lost no time till she had overhauled from seven to twelve families where young fellows were on the look-out for partners for life. She had in her possession a draft of the above circumstances, well or ill engrossed, and this she got signed by every young candidate for the offered prize. Returning to her employers she gave in her list, and they at once sent off invitations for dinner and drinking to all whom they considered eligible.

"The invited being assembled, the dinner was got through, and the serious business of the evening, the drinking, commenced. Every subject was freely treated except that for which all had assembled; and the brandy, and the wine, and the mead, and the beer went the way of all liquors. Meanwhile the young woman, and her mother, and her sisters or other females of the family, enjoyed a private view of the suitors through a well-contrived screen in the partition wall, and naturally the intended victim found herself interested in the appearance and manners of one individual in preference to the rest. The pretendants, as they are called in French, being well aware of this contrivance, were as little intemperate as they could afford, and all separated rather before the usual hour in a state of absolute uncertainty as to the maiden's choice.

Next day some of the lady's relatives visited the parents of the bridegroom elect, and marriage articles were agreed on. Things having advanced so far, some women of the bridegroom's family waited on

the bride, and if they made a favourable report on their return, the young people met for the first time before the priest, and the marriage was solemnized.

"We are able to drink more brandy without injury, thanks to the climate, than a French, or German, or English man, but even a Russian arrives at the quarrelsome point by dint of swallowing the fiery liquid. Many marriages were made with no love either before or after the ceremony, and some husbands in their drunken furies beat their wives unmercifully. A few of the creatures driven to madness or desperation, killed their brutal tyrants, and I shall never forget the sight of one wretched woman whom I saw waiting for death under the ordinary sentence. I could see nothing of her but her neck and face, all below was buried upright in the earth, and the fresh clay all round her limbs and body. Soldiers stood by to see that no food was given to her. Some copecs were lying near her neck, laid there for the purchase of candles, to be lighted in order to obtain her saint's intercession. Her hoarse screams at one time, the tears falling at another, her poor eyes seeking for sympathy in the faces of the by-standers, and then the stony expression of despair that would come over her features, made me and every one that happened to pass by, forget her crime in pity for her sufferings. She died at the end of the second day; but I have heard of others whose sufferings endured for four or five. It is likely that some food had been conveyed to them with the connivance of the guards.

"It is very probable that the Czar would have abolished this kind of punishment, but there are things which even he is afraid of attempting. He did the next best thing. He ordered that no marriage should be celebrated between parties till they had been six weeks at least acquainted with each other. He also brought in the fashion of having women present at all entertainments where he was invited. He was ever ready to attend at marriages and christenings, and appointed that ladies should be present at dinner and evening parties, taking special care that they should discard the four-yard sleeves, and appear in clothes of English or French

fashion, and that the coats of the gentlemen should have a general resemblance to those publicly hung up at every gate of Moscow.

"Peter effected this most desirable reformation methodically and quietly. He appointed two evenings in every week to be kept as general reunions, the two noblemen affording room and entertainment this week, not being called on again to keep open house till their turn came round again in order. One room was to be used for conversation, one for cards, another for dancing. All of the rank answering to the English word gentleman being privileged to attend, and bring the ladies of his family. They assembled by eight and separated at eleven, the duty of the host being to provide his sideboard with liquors, and to find cards, and have a band in attendance. Peter himself would drop in during the evening, This was a delightful change to the poor ladies accustomed to their former semi-harem seclusion. It is little wonder that Peter ranked next to their patron saints, in their love and

reverence.

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Great as is the power and wisdom of the Czar, he has not been able to induce our women, high or low, to lay aside the pestilent use of paint. They would be well enough if they did not think it necessary to improve their natural complexions. They succeed in using it, as a veil to hide their beauty, in destroying the fine natural hues and texture of their skin, and in acquiring ailments from which unpainted women are exempt." A morning or two after this conversation, the Englishmen, joining their two Russian friends, were sauntering through the city to make themselves familiar with its different parts. They visited the island on the north side of the river where they found Peter's original wooden cabin still carefully preserved. They observed the square block of houses with its spacious inner court, the ground

floor occupied with shops, and the store-rooms and dwelling apartments above, the residence and place of business of the principal merchants. Adjoining was the long series of brick buildings comprising the senate house, the supreme courts of justice, the boards of admiralty, war office, and ordnance. The island containing these buildings was Petersburg proper. North of this island is another, containing at that time the residences of foreigners-Armenians, Persians, Turks, Tartars, Chinese, Indians, but no Jews. There was universal toleration under Peter, this last-named people excepted. He did not think fit to change the former laws for their advantage.*

In a small island opposite the public offices mentioned, was the hexagonal citadel with its arsenal and church, and very lofty steeple. It was connected with the first island mentioned by a drawbridge. When Peter wished to treat foreigners with distinction he met them at Vasilio Ostroff (Royal Island), where his great favourite Prince Menschikoff had built a capacious and stately residence. Finely laid out gardens added to the attractions of the place. Our company had got so far in their explorations having made frequent use of boats in passing between the islands; and as Vazile and Dimitri were known to be personal friends of the Czar, they had no difficulty in making their way to the pleasure grounds. They had occasion to remark the great scarcity of stone since their entrance into Petersburg, almost every building exhibiting the dull red appearance natural to brick. The palace of the great favourite was no exception. While they were enjoying the quiet and beauty of the nicely-kept grounds and admiring the lofty steeple of the citadel church they remarked the entrance of a tall, robust man attended by another tall man bearing what appeared to be drawing materials. Along with this

attendant came a page. The chief directed his steps to the explorers, and the English saw in the faces of their friends that the stout personage could be no other than the Czar. When he came near down went officer and merchant on one knee. He gave them his hand to kiss and bade them rise, and on the foreign gentlemen taking off hats and respectfully bowing, he raised his fur bonnet, and cordially shook hands with them. He had heard of their arrival, and on his approach, he had fixed, but only for a moment, his piercing glance on them. He saw at once that his visiters were gentlemen to their fingertips, and entered into conversation with the utmost unreserve.

While he was drawing near they on their side took a rapid survey of him, and perceived that the ordinary engravings they had seen of his portrait did him but scant justice. He wore a green uniform that had been fresh-looking about half a year before, and its gold lace was tarnished more than a little; leather breeches and jack boots encircled his robust limbs. However the necessarily hurried study of his countenance left them no time nor wish to inspect costume very critically. His face could not boast of that sort of majesty that sat on the features of Phidias's Jupiter. It was short in proportion to its breadth. Strength of will was evident in every feature, especially in the firm-set mouth and the lines about the eyes. Though these were, for the moment, placid and kind in expression, the visiters did not find it difficult to discover there a capacity for the expression of resentment or ungovernable fury that might at times take possession of them, and inspire with mortal terror the unhappy object of his displeasure.

He entered at once into conversation with the strangers. We must premise that the conversation we here report is, by no means, fanciful, but a literal transcript fitted together in tesselation of many authentic dialogues chiefly collected from old books of tours and travels. He inquired closely after the present condition of their maritime force, and how his brother George, first of that name, employed his time. In giving the Czar information of the daily routine of their monarch's occu

pations, they were unwillingly obliged to allude to his humdrum amusement for the evening.

"George, you say, spends his evenings with those two choice old ladies the Kielmansegge and the Shulenberg cutting little armies out of paper! Well, every man to his taste. Young George Louis was a skilful commander I assure you, and as brave as one of those lions that now figure in his arms. But that a crowned king should have no more real power among his people than my old friend Dimitri here, and should spend his evenings sitting silent, and cutting paper images, and asking the fat Kielmansegge and the scraggy Shulenberg if he was succeeding, faugh! If I could do no more for the good of my people than my brother George, I would lay down crown and sceptre, buy a vessel, man it, and go and trade, or find out nests of pirates and rid the world of them. Oh, poor brother George! How can he endure that humdrum life? I would die of inaction before six months. And he hasn't the consolation of an affectionate and faithful wife such as God has blessed me with above most men. Yet he is as brave as ever William was. Ah, but that was a hero indeed! No selfishness, no coveting of power for its own sake. It lay not in his way to do much to improve the condition of his subjects; but see what exertions he made, what dangers he encountered, what expenses he incurred to keep the western portion of Europe from becoming a bowling-green for Louis XIV.! And all this with a feeble body and indifferent health. Poor William! He wasn't above taking a glass of brandy at times to rouse his sluggish blood no more than Vazile there or Dimitri. And what a heroic loving wife he was blessed with!"

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Peter, son of Alexis," interposed Dimitri, "I hear she was anything but a good daughter."

"Son of Feodor," answered the Czar, striving to look grim, "who gave you leave to judge the conduct of queens? If her fool of a father had put her in a convent as we do with our Russian princesses that misfortune would not have overtaken him."

"I believe," said Peregrine, when the Czar stopped for a moment, "that King William did what he could

to make your Majesty's life pleasant while you remained in England." "He did, and that royally,' was the answer. "He appointed a handsome house for my accommodation adjoining York buildings, provided attendants, and would not, if he could prevent it, permit me to be at any expense. But I was not left quiet enough. People would gather and stare at me. Fine fellows are the English,-stout bull-dogs. But they will gather and stare at a foreign prince, at a house where a murder has been committed, at a brazen pair of German huzzies, or a man going to be hanged.

"I was disappointed in your plays; I expected some drollery or buffoonery that would make me laugh. But there was no fun; nothing except richly-dressed and painted men and women, imitating the modes of high life, striving to confound each other with witty and ill-natured remarks, and everyone neglecting his own wife, and doing all in his power to corrupt his neighbour's."

"I have heard that your Majesty went down to Deptford to be more at leisure to prosecute your naval studies."

"Yes indeed. I was given a house belonging to a Mr. Evelyn with the back door opening on the dockyard, and I had ample opportunity of inspecting the whole process of ship-building from the laying down of the keel. The Earl of Carmarthen, afterwards Duke of Leeds, zealously aided me in all my researches and exercises, and we took several trips together. Ah, if he was a born subject of mine, and seconded my efforts here, how much more would I have done? The greatest treat I ever enjoyed was a naval sham fight, got up for my instruction by

the King. As England and Russia differ from each other almost in every respect, I saw as much as I could of every national institution, not excepting your church services and Quakers' religious meetings. Bishop Burnet interested himself in all religious explanations, as much through his own obliging disposition as the expressed wishes of the King on the subject. I think it must be near my audience hour. Gentlemen, if you have any wish to see where I live, and how one hour of my day is employed, and if you would like to see the inside of a celestial globe, I will row you to the Slaboda (foreign town) where I live surrounded by foreigners of all religious persuasions,-Roman Catholics, and Protestants of every variety. Every congregation has its church or meeting-house. They prefer to be near me, as the most zealous Greek believer would hardly insult one of them just at my threshold."

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May I ask your Majesty," said the younger Englishman, "why the Jews do not enjoy your wise toleration? They use the same form of worship as when they were the chosen people of God."

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"I am glad you have asked me," answered the Czar, as many of my English well-wishers will know my real motive through you. Difference of religious faith has nothing whatever to do in the matter. I object to the Jew, because whatever business he pretends to carry on, lending money at usurious interest is his cherished occupation. A struggling person getting into his clutches can scarcely escape ruin. A foolish young nobleman once entered in his books must go on every month adding to the original debt till he loses estate, serfs, and standing. If a Jew settles down among a small