Lakes. These are Ladoga, Onega, and Enara which have already been described.

Mountains. The chain of Olonetz runs in a direction almost due N. for the space of 15°, or about 900 German miles. The Uralian chain has already been described.

Mineralogy. Peter the Great was the founder of the Russian mineralogy, by the institution of the College of Mines in 1719. The control of this college extends over the empire. The gold mine of Beresof, near Ekaterinenburg, on the Ural, employs 2000 workmen; and at present, yields annually from 7 to 8 pood of pure gold, valued at from 70 to 80,000 roubles. The whole produce from 1754 to 1788, was 120 pood, valued at 1,200,000 roubles.

The Silver mine of the Schlangenburg is one of the richest ever known. The produce of these mines from 1745 to 1787 was valued at 30,000,000 roubles. The whole expense only 7,000,000roubles.

The silver and lead mines of Nertschinsk in Dauria near the Amour, from 1704 to 1787 produced silver and gold, both valued at 10,000,000 roubles. The copper mines in the Uralian chain, had, in 1779, 60 founderies, containing 229 furnaces, and yielded, in 1782, 190,752 pood of copper. A copper mine in the Altai yielded in 1782, 18,793 pood. The value of both was about 2,000,000 roubles. The iron mines in the Ural chain yielded, in 1782, 3,940,000 pood of iron; which, added to the product of the mines of Siberia and Qlonetz, made a total of about 4,500,000 roubles. In 1793 the manufactured and unmanufactured iron exported amounted to 3,033,249 pood, valued at 5,204,125 roubles.

Lead is found in all the mines, particularly in those of Nertschinsk, and the Altai. The product of the former is about 30,000 pood. Arsenic is found in all the mineral mountains. Antimony is abundant in the Nertschinsk mines, and zinc ore in those of the Altaian. Quicksilver has been found in Nertschinsk and near Ochotsk.

RUSSIAN ISLES.

NOVA ZEMBLA, whose northern point is in lat. 77 N. is separated from the northern shore of Europe, by the straights of Weygat. It is said to consist of 5 islands. The number of square miles, as given by Hassel, is 125,264. The island nearest the shore is called Weygatz, on the maps. Nova Zembla is uninhabited.

Kalgueva, or Colguef, is a much smaller island, lying at no great distance east of the mouth of the White sea.

POLAND.

BEFORE its dismemberment, Poland was in size the second country in Europe its length being about 700 miles and its breadth 680. It lay between 16 and 34° E. and between 46° 30′ and

57° 35' N. The Dwina and the Nieper separated it from Russia, the Niester from Turkey, and the Carpathian mountains from Hungary.

Lithuania, the northeastern part of Poland, was formerly an independent state with the title of a Grand Dutchy. In 1569, it was made an integral part of Poland, and the king of Poland was constituted ex-officio the grand duke of Lithuania.

About 1320 Gedimin, grand duke of Lithuania, conquered from Russia, Smolensk, Polotsk, Tver, Witepsk, and Kiow, with the Slobodian Ukraine east of the Nieper. Several of these were reconquered in 1477. About 1600 Russia lost to Poland Smolensk, Mohilew and Tschernigow. Kiow and the Ukraine were reclaimed by Russia in 1655; at the first dismemberment in 1773, Smolensk, Witepsk, Mohilew and Polish Livonia. In 1793 the second division of this country took place between Russia, Prussia, and Austria; and in 1795 the kingdom was annihilated.

By the first partition in 1773, Russia gained about 1,500,000 inhabitants, Austria 2,500,000, and Prussia 860,000. By the final partition, Russia gained 4,592,544, Austria 2,075,686, and Prussia 1,037,742. The whole gain of Russia was therefore about 6,100,000; that of Austria 4,600,000; and that of Prussia 1,900,000; making a total of about 12,500,000 inhabitants. The territory acquired by Russia was far the most extensive; that of Prussia the most commercial.

The Poles were divided into four classes, nobles, clergy, citizens, and peasants. All who possessed freehold estates, and all who were descended from such were nobles. The clergy were numerous and amenable to the civil power. The burghers were the inhabitants of towns; they had no right to vote for the nuntios. The peasants were slaves, transferable like cattle from one master to another.

The Poles are said to be the handsomest nation in Europe. Their law of divorce and various other causes had however before the final dismemberment greatly corrupted their morals.

PRUSSIA.

THIS kingdom, which only commenced with the eighteenth century, by gradual accessions became so extensive, as deserved. ly to rank till lately among the first powers of Europe. The dominions of Prussia were small and scattered, till the acquisition of Silesia, and afterwards of a third part of Poland, gave a wide basis to the monarchy. But in 1807 it was reduced to the level of a petty German principality.

Extent. The territories of Prussia, before the acquisitions in Poland, were estimated at 56,414 square miles, with a population of 5,621,400.

Prussia now reaches from the Elbe, near Magdeburg, to the Niemen. Its seacoast on the Baltic is entire except the district of

Dantzic. The acquisitions from Poland are all lost. Its present breadth from the Baltic to the boundaries of Russian and Saxon Poland is from 90 to 100 miles. Its possessions from the southern limit of Silesia to the mouth of the Oder are still uninterrupted; as are those from the Elbe across the Vistula to Polangen. On the Vistula it reaches S. to Schwetz and the mouth of the river Bro. But Culm and Thorn are in Saxony. The present extent in square miles is 62,612. The losses amounted to 58,705. Divisions. These with the population are stated by Hassel in 1809 as follows:

Religion. The religion of Prussia is the protestant, under its two chief divisions of Lutheran and Calvinistic. The universal toleration wisely embraced by the Prussian monarchs, has had its usual effect of abating theological enmity, and the different sects seem to live in perfect concord.

Government, c. Prussia is an absolute government; but the spirit and good sense of the nation unite with the wisdom and mildness of successive monarchs, (who have uniformly wished to invite foreign settlers by views of ease and freedom, instead of ex

pelling their own people by rigor,) to render the sovereignty as conciliatory, and perhaps more beneficent, than if joined with a venal senate. The late great monarch reformed many abuses in the laws; but it cannot be disguised that the tenor of his government was too military, a fault inherent in the Prussian system.

Army. The army of Prussia, in 1806, amounted to 239,667

men.

The unfortunate monarch in 1808 had only from 60,000 to 80,000 men, and of these only 20,000 were equipped and ready for

service.

Revenues. In 1808, the revenues amounted to 26,300,000 guilders, or about 13,150,000 dollars. Before the peace of Tilsit the revenue was annually from 56 to 58,000,000 guilders. The debt of Prussia is stated by Hassel at 50,000,000 guilders.

Population. The number of inhabitants in Prussia, in 1808 after the peace of Tilsit, was, according to Hassel's tables, 5,030,000. The number of houses was 516,600; of cities 431; of market: towns 81; of villages 20,687.

Prussia lost to the kingdom of Westphalia 602,119 inhabitants; to the grand dutchy of Berg 266,436; to Bavaria 316,141; to France about 478,000; to the New Hanse Towns about 84,000; to the kingdom of Saxony about 2,777,000; and to Russia about 189,300. Sotzman, a German writer, estimates the total loss at 4,805,000, which differs but little from the preceding statement and estimates of Hassel..

Manners and Customs. Travellers have remarked that in comparison with the Saxons, who are a lively and contented people, the Prussians appear dull and gloomy; a character which they impute partly to the military government, and partly to the general anxiety which must have been excited by the repeated dangers to which their country was exposed, when contending with the powers of Russia and Austria.

Language: The ruling language of Prussia is the German.

Literature. The literature of Prussia is of recent origin. Dantzic was the native country of Cluverius, an eminent geographer; and Copernicus, a great name in astronomy, was born at Thorn. Frederic the Great wrote in French, and is classed among the most distinguished authors of his kingdom, as is count Hertsberg, his minister. Among the other names, either natives or who flourished in Prussia, may be mentioned Ramler the poet, Nicolai an original writer of romances, &c. Busching the geographer, Spalding, and Mendelsohn.

Education. Education in this country is much neglected. The number of recruits wanted for the army, and the consequent uncertainty of destination for life, greatly impede the national instruction.

Universities. There are two universities, that of Frankfort on the Oder, and that of Konigsberg, founded in 1544.

Cities and Towns. Berlin, the largest of all the Prussian cities, and the second in Germany, is built on the banks of the Spree, in lat. 52° 31′ 44′′ N. and lon. 13° 28' E. It is chiefly built on a

There

barren sandy plain, much exposed to dust. A part of it however stands upon two islands in the river. It is 4 miles long and 3 broad, containing, in 1804, 156,664 inhabitants, and 7241 houses. The houses are uncommonly beautiful from without, but the finishing within does not correspond with the elegance of the exterior. The streets are regular and of convenient breadth. are 14 Lutheran churches, 10 Calvinistic, and 1 Catholic, all strangely decorated with Mercuries, Apollos, Minervas, and Cupids. The town is surrounded by a wall and palisadoes. The average of temperature for 13 years, from 1769 to 1782, was 49 degrees. There is a free communication by canals, with the Oder and the Elbe.

Konigsberg is well fortified. It stands on the Pregel near its entrance into the Frisch-Haff, and maintains a considerable commerce with the Baltic. It contained 4508 houses in 1802, and 56,410 inhabitants. It is the capital of Prussia Proper.

Breslau, the capital of Silesia, has long been celebrated, as one of the most beautiful cities of Germany. It stands upon the S. bank of the Oder, in lat. 51 3 N. lon. 17 8 45 E. and contained in 1805, 62,923 inhabitants and 3338 houses. The town is not less than 8 miles in length. There are 9 Lutheran churches, 1 Calvinistic, 1 Greek, several Catholic, and 2 Jewish synagogues.

Elbing is in West Prussia, on an arm of the Vistula, called the river Elbing, a short distance from the Frisch-Haff, in lat. 54 7 54 N. lon. 10.27 27 E. Houses in 1802, 2159. Population 19,274. Its commerce has always been considerable. In 1803, it owned 7110 tons of shipping, besides 50 coasters and 25 lighters, employed to take cargoes to the large ships at Pillau. Vessels of 100 tons come up to the town.

Stettin stands upon the Oder, in lat. 53 25 36 N. The river here divides into 4 branches. The town carries on an extensive commerce, and contained in 1802, 1594 houses, and 18,463 inhabitants.

Potsdam, a recent city, is built on an island in the IIavel, in lat. 52 24 43 N. and lon. 13 10 31 E. No expense has been spared in its decorations. The inhabitants, in 1802, amounted to 17,982; the houses to 1959. It was till lately the favorite residence of the Prussian monarchs. .

Bradenburg is also on the Havel, 31 miles from Berlin. Inhabitants in 1802, 10,329. Houses 1485.

Frankfort on the Oder, is in Middlemark, 48 miles E. of Berlin. It contained in 1802, 1314 houses, and 10,291 inhabitants.

Manufactures and Commerce. If we except the linens of Silesia, the manufactures of the Prussian dominions are of small importance. Yet they afford for home consumption, glass, iron, brass, paper, and woollen cloth; and silk. Even the exports of Dantzic consist almost entirely of timber, corn, tallow, and similar articles.

If we except the ancient staple of grain, so abundant in the level plains of Poland, the commerce of Prussia is comparatively of but little consequence. Amber is by nature constituted a monopoly