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LETTER III.

St. Petersburgh, 1805. AM at a loss, my dear friend, where to commence a description of this splendid city. Every object excites admiration; and those objects are so numerous, that I find it difficult to select what you might deem most interesting, from an assemblage of such, to me, equally prominent beauties. I, who have come direct from London, may perhaps view St. Petersburgh with peculiar impressions. The plainness of our metropolis, the almost total neglect of all architectural graces in the structure of even the best houses, and the absolute deformity of many of the inferior sort; all these things strike the eye as forcibly, though in an opposite direction, as mine was with the magnificence of St. Petersburgh. Such grandeur and symmetry in building, I never before beheld in any of the different capitals to which my fondness for travel has conducted me. Every house seems a palace, and every palace a city.`

On every side are long and wide streets of highly decorated stone edifices; interspersed with the still more stately mansions of the nobility, the roofs of which are curiously painted in rich colours, harmoniously blending with the gilded domes and spires of the neighbouring churches. Although this city abounds in public buildings, in a style of gigantic architecture no where else to be found, yet the taste of the Emperor and the industry of his subjects are daily undertaking new works; which, when completed, will still more strongly call forth the admiration of the traveller. Amongst the most beautiful of these growing structures

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are the Kazan church, the new Exchange, the Manege for the chevalier guards, and the Façade of the Admiralty. I suppose no country can boast so long and uninterrupted a street as the Great and English Quay ; the granite front and pavement of which are unparalleled. The canals are worthy of the same august hand; and the superb bridges which clasp them from side to side, rear their colossal pillars in all the majesty of imperial magnificence. The dingy hue of bricks, or the frippery of plaister, seldom offends the eye in this noble city. Turn where you will, rise immense fabricks of granite: and did you not know the history of the place, you might suppose that it had been founded on a vast plain of that rocky production; whence had been derived the stones of the buildings; and in the bosom of which had been dug the river and canals that intersect its surface. But it is from the quarries of Finland that the Russians dig these bodies of granite, and transport and place them here in lasting monuments of their own unwearied industry. That mass on which is erected the immortal statue of Peter the First, is one huge instance of their indefatigable labour; and the forest of columns in the new Metropolitan church, is not a less worthy proof of the vigour with which they pursue so meritorious a toil. This edifice, as I before said, is dedicated to the Mother of God of Kazan. Though far from being completed, sufficient is elevated of its plan to give a tolerably accurate idea of the sublime feature it will make in the face of this city. The architect, who is a Russian, seems to have had the image of St. Peter in his mind when he laid the foundations of this building; and if it be finished as it is begun, I have no doubt of its being a very powerful rival to the two great cathedrals of Rome and London. The pillars intended for the inside of the church, are to be each of one entire stone; the shaft, in length fifty-two feet, polished to the utmost perfection, and surmounted with a capital of the Corinthian order richly gilt and bur

nished. Every other ornament will be in corresponding taste. Niches are formed on the exterior, for the reception of bronze statues of Saints, fifteen feet high. And at some distance, in front of the building, is to be erected a single column of granite of two hundred feet in length; a piece of that size, sufficient to form it, having lately been discovered. Its magnitude will be so immense as to exceed the height of Pompey's pillar by many feet.. It is expected that in the course of four or five years the whole work will be completed. At that period the old church is to be pulled down; and thus an area will be left that must considerably improve the situation of the new.

The architect of this great design was formerly a slave of Count Strogonoff. But that nobleman, out of respect to his talents, gave him his liberty. Indeed no generous mind could have done otherwise; it would have been sacrilege to the image of God in man, the richly endowed soul, the creative power of genius! to have trammelled it with the degrading reflections of bondage.

Many of the labourers employed on these buildings, come some thousand versts from the interior: and when the frost sets in, they retire thither again, to await the more genial season which will allow them to recommence their toil. The multitudes now engaged in forming the various parts of these large works, are interesting and curious. All difficulties connected with their business, are overcome by human exertions alone. What in England would easily be performed by one horse, with a little mechanical aid, is here achieved by the united strength of numbers of men. Hence there is much useless labour to regret. Frequently we see a hundred men, with ropes and handspikes, busied in accomplishing no more than one quarter of that number, with a few of our assisting inventions, would easily finish in half the time.

Setting aside utility, these groupes add to the picturesque of the scene; which is considerably heightened by their long beards, rugged sheepskins, and uncouth attitudes. How strange it is to look on these apparently savage beings, and think that from their hands arise such elegant and classical structures! Indeed I never saw, in all its parts, so regularly built a city; nor in any place, so much attention to keep all in due order. The present Emperor, who like its illustrious founder, has the perfecting of this residence at heart, leaves no suggestion unexecuted, which can increase its ornament, or the people's convenience.

Amidst the numberless improvements which are daily making, is a flat pavement on one side of most of the principal streets; the benefit of which will be felt by all persons; it being otherwise dangerous to walk without some division from the carriage way, where those vehicles are always passing to and fro with a rapidity that threatens the life or limbs of every unfortunate pedestrian.

While I am yet in the street, though out of the way of these formidable attackers of personal safety; I will give you some account of their shapes and appearance as they roll along. In every respect they differ widely from ours. In the first place, their cleanliness is not of the first water; and a drop of oil, or any other liquid, never by any lucky chance falls upon the leathern departments of the carriage or harness to soften their rigidity. The duty of the coachman seems merely to drive; and as men of rank and fortune are entitled to be drawn by four horses, a postilion is also necessary; but strange to tell, this equestrian youth rides the off horse; a contrary custom to that practised in every country I have seen. Whenever the machine is in a state of rapidity, it is the office of this boy to be on the continual bawl of the Russian word for take care, take care! A precaution, you will understand

from what I have before said, to be indispensable. The rate at which these fellows drive is seldom less than a gallop; and as this is the fashionable pace for carriages of all sorts, you can easily judge how safe it must be for passengers moving in an humbler sphere.

The decorations of the horses driven by the nobility, are very striking. The harness is leather (most profusely spread, almost into net-work, over the creature), studded and embossed with brass, and various other nobs, buckles, crescents, and tassels, with great taste and elegance. This caparison is quite eastern, and has a most superb effect. The horses are in harmony with their ornaments, as their manes and tails are allowed to grow to an immense length; they are plaited and tied up very gracefully. The figure of the animal is fine, and partakes of the Persian in shape and air; his motions are loose and rapid; and apparently so wild, that the spectator must suppose that nature has been his only master.

Hackney coaches (in our form), are not known; but as the extent of the city is very great, conveniences of that kind being absolutely necessary, a sort of hireable machine is to be had, which pretty well supplies the deficiency. It is denominated a Drojeka, and carries an appearance at first sight uncominonly odd and ridiculous. I know not how to describe the visible effect it had upon my mind. It bears not the least affinity to any of the wheeled tribe on our side the water; but looks more like a gigantic insect of the grasshopper genus, pursuing and clinging to the heels of an affrighted horse. As this strange conveyance is totally unknown in England, I shall bring you closer to it, and point out, as correctly as I can, its peculiar shape and modes..

This effort of northern ingenuity runs on four low wheels; being a sort of parallelogram, with four leathern wings projecting at no great