with their harmony. To see human nature reduced to such a use, calls up thoughts very inimical to admiration of strains so awakened. I inquired who the instrument belonged to? (by that word, both pipes and men are included!) and was told it had just been purchased by a nobleman, on the recent death of its former possessor.

Some of these individuals, thus destined to drag through a melancholy existence, play at different times on several pipes of various sizes which breathe the higher notes. But the base pipes have each their unchanging blower: they are extremely long, and are laid upon a machine or trussel, close to which the performer stands, and places his mouth to the smaller extremity of the pipe in a horizontal position. The shape is exactly that of a hearing trumpet: a screw is inserted near the bell of the tube, to give it a sharper or flatter tone, as may be required. The performers are in general thin and pale: and I have little doubt but that the quantity of air the instrument takes, and the practice necessary for perfection in execution, must subtract many years from the otherwise natural term of their lives.

The instrumental military bands which I have heard in this country, are very inferior to those of England or France: two essential things are wanting, good cymbals and large drums. The latter instruments are very defective in Russia; and the fifes fall far short of ours.

My introduction to prince Bagration, who is not only one of the first of military heroes, but in his character as a man, is an honour to human nature, brought me to a sight the most degrading to our species. What a difference at once before my eyes! a great warrior, on whom all eyes were fixed with admiration; and a set of poor mechanized wretches, reduced to the level of a child's whistle! Indeed, I was moved with the most distressing pity when I looked upon them. But this was not enough; I was to see the varieties of destiny yet more manifested, in the formation and fortunes of a race of rational beings called dwarfs. They are here the pages and the playthings of the great; and at almost all entertainments stand for

hours by their lord's chair, holding his snuff-box, or awaiting his commands.

There is scarcely a nobleman in this country who is not possessed of one or more of these frisks of nature; but in their selection, I cannot say that the noblesse display their gallantry, as they choose none but males. Indeed, to excuse them, I must confess, that amongst all the unappropriated dwarfs I have seen, I have never met with one female of that diminutive stature. I am told that these pigmy forms are very rare with women; and much to the honour of nature is the exception in their favour, as you will agree with me that the charms of the lovely sex are too valuable to be so sported. How do we pity one of these tiny men, cut off from the respectabilities of his manhood by the accident of stunted growth! What should we not then feel, to see a fairy form of the other sex shut out, by a similar misfortune, from all those varieties of happiness which belong to the tender associations of a wife and a mother? I confess my compassion would be rather painful; and am very glad that as yet I have seen the calamity entailed on the harder sex only, who are best able to contend with its cheerlessness and discomforts.

These little beings are generally the gayest drest persons in the service of their lord; and are attired in a uniform or livery of very costly materials. In the presence of their owner their usual station is at his elbow, in the character of a page; and during his absence, they are then responsible for the cleanliness and combed locks of their companions of the canine species.

Besides these lilliputians, many of the nobility keep a fool or two, like the motleys of our court in the days of Elizabeth; but like in name alone; for their wit, if they ever had any, is swallowed up by indolence. Savoury sauce and rich repasts swell their bodies to the most disgusting size; and lying about in the corners of some splendid saloon, they sleep profoundly, till awakened by the command of their lord to amuse the company. Shaking their enormous bulk they rise from their trance, and supporting their unwieldy trunks against the wall, drawl out their heavy nonsense, with as much grace as the motions of a sloth in the hands of a reptile fancier. One glance was

sufficient for me of these imbruted creatures; and, with something like pleasure, I turned from them to the less humiliating view of human nature in the dwarf.

The race of these unfortunates, is very diminutive in Russia, and very numerous. They are generally well shaped, and their hands and feet particularly graceful. Indeed, in the proportion of their figures, we should nowhere discover them to be flaws in the economy of nature, were it not for a peculiarity of feature, and the size of the head, which is commonly exceedingly enlarged. Take them on the whole, they are such compact, and even pretty little beings, that no idea can be formed of them from the clumsy deformed dwarfs which are exhibited at our fairs in England. I cannot say that we need envy Russia this part of her offspring: it is very curious to observe how nearly they resemble each other; their features are all so alike that you might easily imagine that one pair had spread their progeny over the whole country.

The dwarf of the governor-general of Mosco is about forty years of age, has a good tempered countenance; but his features and expression have an appearance to the eye as if he washed his face with alum water. I know not whether you can understand the effect that I mean. It is a sort of wizened, sharp look; inconceivable, I believe, unless you saw it. However, this crudeness does not extend to his disposition; his master assured me that he is cheerful, docile, and of a remarkably gentle temper. His height is forty-two inches. The next of his race that excited my attention, was one who measured forty inches and a quarter; he was twenty-five years of age, gay and sensible. He was the property of a naval officer. Count Alexey Orloff has one or two, much more juvenile, who are several inches shorter than the above. All, however, that I have yet seen are inferior in beauty and delicacy of proportion to the little Polish count we visited last spring in London. His head was hardly too large; and the sprightly ease of his finely turned lilliputian limbs was remarkably elegant. His conversation, you remember, surprised us both; for it evinced, that the diminutiveness of his body had not crampt the growth of his mind. We thought him a very interesting as well as odd little personage. His Russian

brethren are known to live to a great age. One (a female!) died very lately at St. Petersburgh, who had been a favourite with Peter the Great.

During the reign of that monarch, his sister Natalia collected all the dwarfs from around the capital, in order to celebrate the marriage of two; and the rite was solemnized with much folly and pomp. The number of the assembly amounted to ninety-three, all displayed in open carriages, adapted to their size, and drawn by the smallest horses that could be found. Many were brought from Shetland for the purpose. A magnificent entertainment and ball were given at court; and, to complete the absurdity, the princess, attended by the nobility, conducted the little pair to a state bed. Whether the union produced any hopes and anxieties to bless or plague the pigmy couple, is not recorded. And I believe this instance is the only one known, of a marriage between these hints of men and

women.

Giants are also in request here: but they are not very numerous; and in stature fall far short of those which occasionally visit England from her sister island.

Having run you through such a legend of princely banquets, fairy revels, &c. &c. I shall leave you to your repose; either to dream of the brave prince Arthur and the elfin court, or to people your slumbers with the more terrific fee-fa-fums of many an enchanted castle. I assure you, the sight of a couple of these giants standing within the superb hall of a Russian nobleman, and the oddly caparisoned dwarfs, ushering you to the presence of their lord, would not a little strike you with its resemblance to a scene in romance. Adieu! ever in truth, your faithful friend.

LETTER XIX.

Mosco, April, 1806.

MOSCO is luxuriantly situated on an extent of country rather irregular, having in its spacious champaign a few rising grounds. Of all cities I ever beheld it is the most curious and un-European. On viewing it from an eminence you see a vast plain, as far as the eye can reach, covered with houses, even to the very horizon; where the lofty towers of gorgeous palaces, and the glittering steeples of churches, sparkle in the sky.

The city is built on the banks of two rivers, the Moskva (whence it takes its name), and the Yausa. Mosco was anciently divided into five districts; and as they in part yet retain their distinctions, you will have a clearer idea of this colossal town by having a description of these partitions. They lie one within the other. The interior circle is called the Kremlin, a Tartarian word for the fortress. The Kitaigorod, or Tartar town, is the second circle. The Biel-gorod called so (the white town) from a wall of that hue which surrounds it, is the third. The fourth circle is named Zemlenoi-gorod from its earthen rampart. The slobodes, or suburbs, inclose all these, and form the extremest boundary of Mosco.

The Kremlin stands in the centre of the city on an elevated bank of the Moskva. Within its walls stands the ancient palace of the tzars; rendered particularly interesting from the circumstance of its having been the residence of princes, whose names need only be mentioned to command the homage of every heart loyal to true kingly virtue. Mikhaila Romanoff, Alexey Mikhailovitch, Feodor, and the Great Peter, once inhabited these towers; and still sanctify them by their memories. The appearance of the palace is venerable; but it contains nothing of any conse quence to see.

The cathedrals around the palace, which I understand are five in number, besides convents, parish churches, and colleges, give it rather a monastic solemnity. These are all richly endowed, and ornamented in the most costly manner. In one of