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dred artillery, did the duty of the town and citadel. I never saw a stouter, and I may add, seldom a more awkward body of men. Their clothing was coarse and ill-made; but had it been on the well-appointed figure of a well-drilled soldier, I could fancy its looking even elegant. The jacket is scarlet, with sleeves and tassels of light blue; long white pantalooned gaiters; a round hat bound with white, and turned up on the right side with a white feather. A broad belt, to which hangs an unwieldy cartridge-box (a fashion prevalent in every country I have seen excepting England); another belt round the waist, carries a very long bayonet. Their muskets are lighter than those used by the French, and differ little in appearance from ours. I cannot say any thing very flattering either as to the manual exercise, manœuvres, &c. or even of the military air of this specimen of Danish soldiery. I learnt that six years is the limited time for their constant service: after this period they are set at liberty, with no other reserve than being obliged, for two months in every year, to attend parade and go through the usual duty of a soldier. Their pay is about three pence a day, including every thing. Clothing is issued to them once in three years; and as they are not very nice disciplinarians, you can easily imagine what a Falstaffian array they are in by the time their new wardrobe comes round. Being abridged of time, I could not examine further into their merits; else, perhaps, we might have found "that within which passeth show!" but, as in temporal as well as spiritual matters there is generally an outward and visible sign of the inward ability, much cannot be augured from the surface of the Danish corps militaire, by your obedient servant, &c.

LETTER II.

St. Petersburgh, September, 1805.

ON re-embarking and leaving Elsineur, the accidental disagreeables of that city were soon forgotten in the natural beauties of the view. The shore, all along the Danish side, presents the most lovely stretch of landscape I ever beheld. Mount Edgecumbe is looked upon as the paradise of England: and what Mount Edgecumbe is in one spot only, so appears the whole of Denmark from Elsineur to Copenhagen. The land is high, and undulating in various romantic and sublime forms. Rich woods, broken by park-like openings and verdant pastures, and interspersed with country-houses and villages for an extent of twenty-three miles, form the clothing of these beautiful hills. A striking contrast to the black and naked line of the opposite coast.

We were too far at sea to discern the capital as distinctly as we wished; but by the assistance of a glass I could plainly perceive its ramparts, and those floating batteries whose cannon bereft England of so many of her gallant sons. Since the action. with lord Nelson off this city, Denmark has been solicitous to increase its strength, by replacing all the works (and adding to them), which were destroyed by the fleet of our great admiral.

Being on this subject, I will not deny myself the pleasure of relating an anecdote of that distinguished hero; the circumstance took place during the battle of the Sound. It at least proves that no situation, however dangerous, can disconcert the truly brave man, or render him inattentive to those minutia, which being watched by the enemy, betray our weakness, or proclaim our power. You must well remember, from the ga zettes of that period, and private accounts, how tremendous was the engagement, and how dreadful the slaughter. In the midst of these horrors, surrounded by the dying and the dead, the British admiral ordered an officer, bearing a flag of truce, to go on shore with a note to the crown prince. It contained a proposal to his royal highness to acquiesce, without further

delay, in the propositions of the British government; not only to put a stop to the present effusion of blood on both sides, but to save from total destruction Copenhagen and its arsenals, which he would otherwise level with the water. Whilst his lordship was writing with all the calmness of a man in his study, he desired colonel Stewart to send some one below for a light, that he might seal his despatch. Colonel Stewart obeyed; but no one appearing with a candle, when lord Nelson had nearly completed his letter, he inquired the reason of such neglect, and found that the boy who had been sent for it, was killed in his way by a cannon shot. The order was repeated: upon which colonel Stewart observed, "Why should your lordship be so particular to use wax? why not a wafer? The hurry of battle will be a sufficient apology for the violation of etiquette." "It is to prove, my friend," replied lord Nelson, "that we are in no hurry; that this request is not dictated by fear, or a wish on our part to stop the carnage from the least apprehension of the fate of this day to us, that I am thus particular. Were I to seal my letter with a wafer, it would still be wet when it reached the shore; it would speak of haste. Wax is not the act of an instant; and it impresses the receiver accordingly." The reasoning of the admiral was duly honoured by the result. The Danes acceded to his proposal, and a cessation of hostilities was the consequence.

Having passed through the Sound, a spot ever memorable to England, we proceeded up the Baltic; and during our voyage came in view of several fine islands, which gave much variety and interest to the scene.

On the night of the twelfth of September we arrived at Cronstadt. We landed next morning, when I was amazingly struck by the extraordinary appearance of almost every individual I met. Men with long beards, brown and sun-burnt skins, strangely shaped caps, and greasy skin habits of all possible forms, were mingled with a few dressed in the fashion of our nation; and numberless others in the dapper-cut uniforms of their own military, naval, and civil departments. This widely contrasted crowd meeting my eyes at the moment my ears were first saluted with a language I had never before heard, made

altogether so strange an impression on my mind as is not to be described. I seemed in a new region; and indeed every sense was called forth to wonder and exercise.

The island on which the town is founded, extends nearly five English miles in length, but no more than one in breadth. Peter the Great having fixed on St. Petersburgh as his residence, built and fortified this place as a protection to the mouth of the river Neva, on which was situated his infant capital. The works were completed after drawings by his own hand, which are now to be seen at Cronstadt; and they were of such strength as to require little addition by the succeeding Tzars. The most that has since been done, was to face them with immense stones from the rocks of Finland, and to crown their heights with innumerable pieces of cannon. The well-constructed forts in the gulf, as well as the difficulty of the navigation, from shoals and other impediments, render this place almost impregnable in itself; and make it a certain security to St. Petersburgh, against any attack by water.

Every convenience that is necessary in a maritime depot, is to be found at Cronstadt. Basons, docks, canals, and spacious moles, fronted by solid and colossal masses of granite. Hundreds of vessels from all nations, annually ride with ease and safety within these protections; and in a harbour adjoining, which is solely appropriated to the navy, are many fine ships of war. The town itself has a very commanding appearance; and at the first glance of the public buildings, you are struck with their magnificence. But draw near, and many a wart and wrinkle is discovered on this fair face. Parts of even the most superb edifices are falling into ruins; and it is with difficulty you can ascend the straggling staircases which lead to the offices of those employed in acts of state, they are so obstructed by heaps of rubbish, bricks and mortar. However, as the caprices of the late emperor, by palsying improvement, and corrupting what was already done, threw the whole empire into disorder and decay; so the virtues of his son (who like a presiding genius has his eye over all) will soon restore Cronstadt to the faultless magnificence it formerly boasted.

During my short stay at this port, I received many kindnesses from the governor, admiral Hennacoff. The merits of that

excellent man command my esteem, as much as his attentions do my gratitude. I must acquaint you with one trait in his character; and then I am sure you will revere him as I do. When the emperor Paul, in one of his frantic moods, ordered the English residents at Cronstadt to be sent, during the severities of a very inclement winter, many thousand versts up the country, admiral Hennacoff threw himself between the rigor of the emperor's commands and these unfortunate men. Indeed he treated them with so much humanity and unexampled generous providence, that words are too weak to express his goodness and their sense of obligation. And all this was un-dertaken at the risk of his own fortunes; perhaps, of his life! How grateful is such a view of human nature! How does it prove the pure feelings of a good man, who prefers incurring the chance of ruin, before giving up the godlike joy of dispensing comfort and protection amongst hundreds of desolated strangers lawlessly sentenced to banishment; and too probably to death! When tranquillity became once more established between the two countries, the Russian company, much to their honour, presented the noble admiral with a piece of plate, containing an inscription worthy of his virtues..

Having bidden adieu to this benevolent man, and arranged every thing for my departure to St. Petersburgh, I hired a boat in conjunction with two other gentlemen (purposing to go by water), into which we put ourselves, with all the moveables allowed. But alas! that was no more than what a handkerchief would contain! The rest of our property having previously been imperially sealed in due form and order, by the attendants from the custom-house. It was to follow us with the cargo of the ship, " as soon as possible." But as this soon as possible sometimes lasts a very long time, travellers are very often put to great inconvenience for want of a wardrobe; the government allowance not amounting even to Sterne's "half dozen shirts and pair of black silk breeches."

The boat in which we embarked had a canopy, draperied and fashioned like those belonging to the bodies-corporate, which on gala days adorn the Thames. Ten men, and a superior who guided the helm, formed our crew; all were appareled alike, in a sort of low beef-eater hat bound with yellow and

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