Arabic, that, during the flourishing ages of the Caliphat, had spread it self from the shores of the Tigris and the Euphrates, even to the peaks of Gebel Tarif (Gibraltar)?-What were all these in comparison with Russ, which has not been raised, by favourable circumstances, to a momentary elevation merely, but has continued, with all its dependant dialects, to be, since time immemorial, the language of an immense tract of country? From the eastern frontier of Bavaria to Kamtschatka, and even to the western shores of North America, it is not only understood but spoken.

Having pointed out the necessity of making one's self acquainted with the language of the country, and the value of the acquisition, I would next advise whoever intends to travel in Russia, to provide himself with a vehicle of his own. A hired carriage may always be procured of a post-master; but it subjects those who adopt it, to the imputation of a contemptible poverty. Were any one to make a pedestrian tour, he would infallibly be regarded as a beggar: even the commonest peasant is generally the possessor of two or more horses; and so averse are the inhabitants of some of the provinces, from the exercise of walking, that they will not proceed the shortest distance, except in a carriage.

Indeed so little idea have they of walking for mere amusement, that a promenade appears to them an egregious absurdity; and a man who walks abroad, apparently for no other purpose than that of returning home again, is regarded as little better than a madman. When unoccupied, they indulge in the Oriental luxury of reposing upon a carpet.

With respect to the horses, they proceed with extreme rapidity, although they are but meagre, miserable-looking animals; and instead of there being any occasion, as in Germany, to urge on the postillions to greater expedition, it is here absolutely necessary to entreat them to abate somewhat of their speed. Indeed it is no uncommon thing for them to travel 150 or 175 versts in twelve hours. Such is the celerity and the frequency with which they perform journeys of 500 or 600 miles and upwards, that they attach no

more importance to them than we should to a trifling excursion for a single day.

It is no unusual thing to hear a Russian mention, in the course of conversation, that he is just returned from visiting the catacombs of the Holy City-from Spain, Switzerland, Archangel, or Astrakan, as if from some place in the immediate environs. I remember that, on my arrival at Moscow, there lodged at the same inn as myself, an opulent merchant, who was in the habit of coming, with his family, every year from Tobolsk, to spend the carnival there, and then return home: and although the distance is not less than 2336 versts, he accomplished it in only eight days.

The Director of the Gymnasium at Irkuzk, travelled, with his family, from that city to Kasan, a distance of 5070 versts, in nineteen days; and this journey was undertaken merely for the purpose of paying a short visit to an old friend.

Having procured a carriage of one's own, the next thing to be observed, is to take no more luggage than is absolutely necessary. The drivers, who consider celerity more than any thing else, are exceedingly impatient of whatever may tend to impede it: and it will be found in every respect more prudent, and, I may add, more economical, to have all one's baggage conveyed either by water or land carriage. Owing to imprudence in this respect, Germans, who proceed to settle in Russia, occasion themselves great delay, vexation, and expense: and they often incommode themselves during a long journey, with what they could as well purchase at the place of their destination. I have sometimes seen a caravan of these settlers with their waggons packed with tables, chairs, hen-coops, doors, and windows, in short, with all their moveables and fixtures. Thus they improvidently retard their progress, lose their patience, and become disgusted with the country, the inhabitants, the language, and every thing that is Russian.

Russia has for some time past become an object of attention to the west of Europe, with which it has been brought more immediately into contact. Numbers emigrate thither from Upper Germany; and the Rus

sian Universities are principally filled with German Professors, who might here find enough to exercise both their curiosity and their literary industry; and yet, strange to say, very little is the information they possess of the national character of the Rus-sians: little more, in fact, than that vague and erroneous species of information traditionary in popular school-books, and systems of geography. How, indeed, is it possible to become acquainted with the genius and disposition of any people, so long as we continue ignorant of their language? A residence of a few months in the metropolis, where the stranger generally mixes with his own countrymen, or with the higher classes of the natives, is as little adapted to enable him to judge of the people and their peculiar characteristics, as travelling post through the country, and conversing with none but postillions and innkeepers. Whoever travels from Tala to Moscow, and from thence to Volodimir, will be convinced, more perhaps than in any other place, how contagious to morals is the pestilential atmosphere of a great city; but he will be greatly mistaken should he imagine, that the duplicity and cunning, from which he here suffers, are characteristic of the people in general: in order to convince himself of the contrary, he needs only turn aside a few miles from the high road. Traders and artisans, who have the best opportunities of observing the habits and manners of the lower and middling classes, have seldom either the leisure or the ability to publish them; and the traveller who mixes only with the higher orders of society, will find - but little to distinguish them from the same ranks in the other civilized countries of Europe. The best means of becoming acquainted with the most prominent traits of national character, is to intermix for some time with the lower and middling classes, or, if this be not practicable, to study their manners and dispositions in their genuine popular romances, wherein they are faithfully transcribed from the life. Of these, however, there are scarcely any to be found in Russia, with the exception of some national comedies, little, if at all, known, except to the natives.

A series of reverses, misfortunes,

and repeated sacrifices, will at length destroy all energy of character in nations, as well as in individuals; and thus it happens that states verge towards imbecility and complete exhaustion: yet, should a people possess sufficient perseverance to work its way through the storms of adversity and revolution, until they attain security and independence, they will likewise acquire a fixed character. That this has been the case with Russia is well known to every one who is at all acquainted with its history. This fixity and uniformity of character, extending through such an immense empire, is a phænomenon unparalleled among any other nation, whether of ancient or modern times. From Archangel to Cherson, from Wilna and Kiev to Oshotsk and Nishnikamtskatt, there is but one language, with hardly any admixture of dialects, and but one religion; there are the same customs and manners; the same education and way of living; the same costume and the same popular amusements. In his temperament, the Russian is vivacious and sanguine, and it is to this peculiarly happy constitution, that he is indebted for those advantages which distinguish him from other nations, and which may, at some future period, elevate him to a point that has not hitherto been attained. From this cause arises his almost indestructable gaiety, and that truly enviable accommodation of temper, which enables him to elicit enjoyment from every the most trifling circumstance.

Singing is, with the Russian, an almost universal specific with which he sweetens all his toils and difficulties. To a foreign ear their national melodies appear melancholy and plaintive; but for a native they possess something tenderly engaging. Never, no not even in Italy during the vintage, have I heard more singing in the open air then I have in Russia. In every village, a lively troop of youthful peasantry assembles in a circle during the delightful summer evenings; and the air resounds with the finest voices, the most charming melodies, accompanied by songs of such enchanting delicacy and simplicity, that they might be attributed to a Sappho, or an Anacreon, without detracting from the reputation of either. Even in

the depth of winter, when the aspect of inanimate nature is so peculiarly dreary, the lively notes of the sledge driver, and the jingling of his horses' bells, are gay and animated. While the shivering foreigner, buried in some six or seven fur mantles, hastily leaps into the carriage as if fearful of a moment's exposure to the air, and there fences himself round with cushions and curtains; the active driver, attired in his short pelisse, and with his neck bared to the inclemency of the weather, leaps on his seat with an agility equal to that of a French opera dancer; and immediately commences both his journey, and his clear, animated song. The keen winds cut his face, icicles hang upon his hair, his rugged beard is congealed to a mass of ice, flakes of snow fill both his bosom and his open mouth-no matter, he still continues to sing until he arrives at the next in; there he hastens into the warm stove; removes the icicles from his visage, crosses himself be fore the smoked saint placed in one corner of the apartment; salutes every one as Matushka and Batushka, swallows his glass of brandy, and is again on his seat, and on his journey.

Singing is introduced into their most serious employments: while hauling up a vessel on shore through the breakers, while raising immense weights, while extinguishing a fire, they universally keep time in a sort of chorus, as if it aided them in acting simultaneously.

Another prominent trait in the character of the Russians, is their wonderful dexterity, especially in all mechanical labours. A foreigner is astonished at perceiving with what simple means they will elevate the greatest weights. Their wooden houses, which are executed with such neatness, as to appear cut out of a solid piece, are all formed with no other tool than the hatchet, which serves as a saw, a plane, and level. The fingers, or the teeth, perform the office of pincers for the smith; and the glazier has no other instrument for cutting his glass: even the most dangerous operations are performed with equal simplicity. A raw re

cruit is in a few weeks converted into an expert soldier; into a shoemaker, a tailor, or even a musician, just as his colonel may require: and there can be no stronger proof of the mechanical capacity of the Russians, or of what they may be rendered by discipline, than their extraordinary performances on wind-instruments; for each musician confines himself to one note, which he plays as long as he lives: and yet the most difficult passages are executed with a precision and taste truly astonishing. No other nation can boast of, or could execute, such singular concerts, which, from the number of performers they require, are never heard, except at the entertainments of the nobility. This dexterity is conspicuous in almost all that a Russian does: even the meanest of them has a freedom, lightness, and ease in his walk,-has an unconstrainedness, and even grace, in his motions: without ever being deficient in respect towards his superiors, he addresses himself, even to those of the highest rank, with perfect selfpossession, and without manifesting any mauvaise honte. A similar intrepidity and confidence are displayed in the ease with which he climbs over the most dreadful precipices without becoming giddy. Yet this fearlessness often becomes rashness: to save himself a few steps, he will cross over a rotten plank, or still more rotten ice; in the midst of a crowd of carriages, he sees as little cause for apprehension as if walking in a room. This apathy of, or rather this predilection for danger, mixes itself even in his very amusements, which would otherwise appear to him insipid: a striking instance of this is to be found in their fondness for their precipitous iceslides.

This dexterity is not merely corporal or manual; it displays itself in their mental exertions. It is well known that the Russian acquires every foreign language with particular facility; an advantage for which he is in some degree indebted to the difficulties of his own t: this renders his organs so pliant, and breaks them in so well, that he can imitate any

sounds with facility; while the German is never able wholly to acquire the sound of the English th, the Bohemian r, or the Polish I was also assured by all the German Professors in Russia, with whom I be came acquainted, that the Russian possesses a decided and remarkable capacity for the mathematics.

A third trait in their national character is kindness. Among no other people does this truly amiable virtue appear to be cultivated to a greater extent. Whether in an unknown part of the city, or in the deserts of Siberia, one is equally sure of being directed aright; and even of being accompanied until he is certain of his way. Blind beggars sit in the most crowded streets with the money they have collected, in their hats; to these, persons, even of the lowest classes, will give an alms, and should any one have a larger piece of money than he can well spare, will put it down and take out as much change as he thinks proper; nor is the opportunity for being dishonest on such occasions, ever known to mislead them. This is a piece of confidence that in some other capitals of Europe, would soon be repented of by whoever should think of displaying it. It must not, however, be supposed that the Russians are absoIntely immaculate in this respect ; on the contrary, they make small scruple of appropriating to themselves any little article of value. But robbery, or any thing like violence, very rarely occurs; little care therefore is taken to secure doors and windows. Tra

velling is also perfectly safe, except, indeed, among the Nomadic tribes of the Caucasus, &c. &c.

Whether it arises from the dispo⭑ sition of the people, or from the cha racter of the government, I know not; but nowhere does a more un limited religious toleration prevail than in Russia. Another remarkable trait among the Russians, is their extreme and disinterested hospitality. A stranger, or a young man of moderate circumstances, in any of the larger cities, is sure of obtaining access to tables which he may consider as his own; and can avail himself of the general invitation given, without the least reserve or constraint. Gaiety and good-humour prevail at the entertainments of the better classes, without ever degenerating into Baochanalian excess. The common peaple, however, indulge very freely in the use of spirits, and particularly of their favourite brandy; yet even in their moments of extreme inebriety, they are rarely quarrelsome, and, when unable any longer to assist themselves, are treated with every attention, and all tenderness, by their less intoxicated companions. If Venice be the Paradise of monks, Russia is most assuredly that of drunkards; for, there, a man in liquor is regarded almost as a saint, and is sure to receive all the services his situation demands, an humanity that probably arises in no small degree from sympathy with the disabled person, and a consciousness of their own frequent need of similar acts of charity.