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which, unluckily, was made of a different material from Fortunatus's wishing-cap, contracted so woefully from their various extortions, that I confess, for once I found the gold-dispensing character of my country, rather impoverishing. In order to expedite the slow movements of the men who brought the cavalry, I was obliged to sweeten their toil with a no inconsiderable douceur. A much larger one is necessary to sharpen the directions of the maître de poste: and another must be put into the hand of the stariost, a sort of overseer of the whole; who is generally the oldest man in the village, the judge of its quarrels, and the umpire in all travelling disputes.

Unfortunately for me, the abilities of this sage adviser of one of the derrevnas, were called into action by the very fellow in my suite who had been inoculated with a fever for battles during our last disastrous campaign on this very road. Having two vehicles with me, one belonging to a friend, and the other my own, I had proceeded in his, and left my kibitka at the village with my servant to get the wheels greased, and then to follow me. Followed I was; but not by my carriage. A man and horse came up ventre à terre, telling me that my man was taken priand my kibitka seized, for an outrage he had committed at the post-house. I returned instantly, and met a scene more vexatious than I had even anticipated. During the absence of the courier, on the men laying hands on the carriage, he had drawn his sword on them all; and cut and slashed about with such might and main, that when I drove into the yard I found half a dozen fellows with gory cheeks, and one unfortunate boor (who, its seems, had been most active with my moveables), with no inconsiderable indents in his cranium. The village was up in arms; and with much ado I learnt that the origin of the fray was

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a little overcharge respecting the greasing of the wheels, which my provident steward was determined not to pay. An altercation ensued: and flying to the Count's argument of a knock down blow with his stick, a score of boors returned it instead of one; my carriage was seized to indemnify the man for his grease and ill usage, till I could be brought back to pay interest for the whole; my honest Scapin no sooner saw a hand laid on his master's property, than out flew his rapier; and I just arrived in time to save perhaps his own life, and one or two others against whom he had pointed his weapon.

I entered the field of action, greeted by the abuse of half the village: for these clowns are very summary in their resentments, clubbing all of a family together; if a father offends, so does the son; if a servant, so does his master; and so on; no individual bears the weight of his own follies, but all who happen to be in his company share the burthen. Another effect of complete ignorance, is this indiscrimination and injustice. However, with much waving of my hand to and fro, and courteous action, though I believe the most powerful one was holding up my purse; I at last commanded silence; and by means of the stariost peased the mob, and compromised with the poor mustick (the name by which these peasants are designated), for his broken head, with a present of ten rubles. Glad was I at any price to get out of a scrape, which might have proved very troublesome to me as a stranger; and to my servant, as a native, most serious, if not dangerous. And thus my trusty domestic, in his zeal to save me ten pence, run me into an expence of as many half-crowns.

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This circumstance, with the eagerness with which gold was received

as an equivalent for a whole skin, will shew you the passion of the lower order of Russians for money. Indeed, when we consider the hardness of their fare, the ruggedness of their apparel, and the baseness of their abodes; and that these are the utmost of their ideas of actual enjoyment, is not their insatiable avidity inexplicable? Here and there we see a monster in nature who loves gold for its own sake: but in general the most avaricious have a further end in view, some particular pleasure to which they intend to devote their wealth. Contrary to this, with the Russian boor, it is a passion for which I cannot account; and rather seems a sort of wish imbibed originally, by imitation, in the cities; thence brought to the country; and so spreads like an infection amongst the people, filling them with an aimless desire. For surely, to wish for gold for no other end but to possess it, is the most aimless, useless, joyless longing that ever occupied the breast of man. A Russian peasant will do any thing, suffer any thing for money. And I believe the wounded mustick would gladly have submitted to a second cut to receive other ten rubles. But why they resent the bastinado more in the villages than in the towns, I cannot guess; though so it is, as the quiet flagellation the afterwards rebellious Istvoschicks took in Mosco, can testify.

All being peaceably settled my servant mounted the kibitka: and I having rather ungratefully threatened his valour, if he ever again exerted it so rashly in my service, we quietly departed from the village, and pursued our way to Mosco.

Mosco, November.

Having slept two nights on the road; one at a small place called

Zinagat; and the other at the town of Torzok, celebrated for embroidered leathern boots, ridicules, gloves, &c. I occupied my days in gazing about me; but saw little to interest, excepting the Valdaia hills, whose ravines and meandering waters reminded me of the vallies in the north of Devonshire. During this long drive of nearly a week, I had much time for thought of every description; retrospection led me back to England and all its dear domestic scenes; my family, my friend, my home, where each loved companion mingles into bliss! then, so quickly do the ideas of them the heart values sympathise, and meet in a point, anticipation fled to Mosco: happiness, exhaustless happiness was there! and hoping at some future day to unite the sources of my past and present joys; to see those of England in Russia, and those of Russia in England: thus musing, on the thirtieth of October I entered Mosco; and for once in my life found a sweet reverie broken by a sweeter reality.

I have been overtaken by the frost, about five posts distant; and on driving into the city, was surprised to see every thing winter and covered with snow, and all the regular sledge equipages out. My arrival being known, I met on this my second visit, if possible, a still more cordial reception than on my first. This at least convinced me, how uncandid was the charge, that the Moscovite nobility were only hospitable to strangers from a fondness of novelty. So far from this being the case, every door, and every kindness, was opened to me wider than before. I rather seemed returned to a city of the most affectionate relations, than the guest of a people of a different race from my own. Neither pride, ostentation, nor caprice, have I been able to discover amongst these generous nobles. Their magnificence is habitual; the pleasures they enjoy

are given with liberality to others; and the friendship they profess, is as free from inconstancy as the object ought to be from ingratitude.

Amongst those whose attentions have been the most flattering to me, is the Grand Chamberlain, Prince Gallitzen. He is a venerable old man of eighty-five years of age, full of wisdom and benevolence. Formerly he passed much time at the court of London: and many are the hours of his valuable society, with which he honours me, to talk over the merits of a country he so highly respects. A pleasant theme for an Englishman, and one which my tongue delights to dwell on.

Perhaps you may be surprised to read of so many persons bearing the title of Prince, inhabiting this capital; but when you recollect that Russia is an empire that comprises about the seventh part of the firm land of the whole earth, is as large as half of all Asia, and more than ́ twice as big as Europe; and that numerous territories of this vast tract of country were, hardly three centuries ago, governed by their native hereditary princes; wonder will subside that there are yet many of their descendants lords of large possessions, still respected according to their birth, and living in all the splendor of rank and munificence.

Knæs is the Russian term for Prince. And whichever of the ancient Princes had the greatest success in throwing a temporary yoke over the neighbouring Sovereigns, he arrogated to himself the title of Velikie Knæs, or Grand-Prince, sometimes the Princes of Novgorod were paramount, sometimes those of Kief, sometimes those of Vladimir, and so of others. Owing to their wars, the Khans of Tartary for a long time dictated to them all. In short, a continual struggle for power deluged

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