Part 17 (2/2)

”I ive you an idea of what took place during the coronation festival The next thing which took place was a grand parade of all the troops in the camp, now increased to one hundred and twenty thousand men Some of the cavalry had a fine appearance, dressed in Oriental costuhians, and other tribes bordering on the Caucasus--some in chain armour, others in white robes There were Greeks and Albanians in their national costu lances, on shaggy little ponies, looking as if they would bite any one who careat people were there The finest thing was a charge of twelve thousand dragoons, who literally alloped up to the E their swords simultaneously, with loud shouts, exclai round, dashed off at full speed

”I must next tell you about the coronation itself It took place in the Church of the assu in several other churches, and covering thereat people of the nation and their visitors The arched roof of the church is supported by four old; under them sat the Emperor and Empress, surrounded by their Court The E with jewels, from the Metropolitan who held it, and with his own hands placed it on his head This he did to intimate that from no earthly power, clerical or lay, did he receive his sovereignty The E before him, he touched her forehead with the crown, and then replaced it on his own head The Eratulate her son, burst into tears, it is said, while her children, forgetful of all rules of etiquette, clung affectionately round hiht

”That saht all Moscoas illuminated, and a truly fairy-like spectacle it was Every tower, minaret, cupola, dome, the front of its vast palace, and all the walls of the Kreht; so was the vast square with the arches which temporarily surround it, and the superb opera-house at one end, all the palaces of the great people, and the public buildings You remember our description of the Cathedral of Saint Basil, with its wondrous towers and domes, and its various ins-and-outs? Every part of that bizarre building was clearly traced with bright lamps, and the effect was curiously beautiful We walked about, and gazed and gazed onder and delight, till our eyes were so dazzled that we could scarcely see our way hoalas at the opera, and balls at the palace, and one at the English Aured as a very ie The people also had their feast, the preparations for which we had seen; but they rushed up to the tables, and made aith the food, either down their throats or into their pockets, before the arrival of the Ereater part of the intended spectators They, however, behaved ave them at the palace in the Kremlin Dance they could not, but the hters walked about the vast halls, ad as much of the delicate viands prepared for therand display of fireworks, but soht time and place; however, I daresay that the croere equally astonished and delighted as if each squib and cracker had played its part properly One thing I must say for the Russians, that they are a very orderly, well-behaved people; and in all the vast cro, the people appeared kind and good-natured to each other in the extre, and none of that abusive language which is so disgusting in an English crowd; on the contrary, every one appeared good-tempered and happy

”I really like the Russians in many respects Their faults are rather the consequence of bad governion, than such as are inherent in their race If a pure religion were introduced aovernment were to beco thee in thee nunorance and vices of barbarisoverned under the present despotic systening h to risk his life on the chance of success I give you Cousin Giles' opinion on the subject, which is of more value than mine

”I am sorry to say that in the capitals a nu and stealing Not that housebreakers or footpads are to be found, but it is not safe to leave things about in one's room One day, while ere at dinner, I found that I had left et it What was my surprise to find the door open, which I felt certain I had locked, and on looking in to observe a gentle away in a towel some shi+rts and other clothes which had just come home from the laundress

”'Hollo, old fellohat are you about?'

”'_Si chasse_--_si chasse_,' (presently--presently), he answered, with the greatest coolness, as if he was e he had been ordered to do They were some of the very feords of Russian I knew

”'I'll not trouble you, et out of this as fast as you can,' I exclais, and to make a bolt with the out at the top of s fall, and made a dart out of the room I followed him as fast as I could run, and had I not unfortunately slipped, I should have caught hiht the people fro-rooreat disappoint with hi pockets, and at the time of the coronation they had plenty of opportunities in exercising their vocation Harry and I lost our pocket-handkerchiefs one day, but after that we followed Cousin Giles' advice, and fastened thein their e Little felloould be playing at land, if they were not at school, here e shops or stalls in the streets They are as sharp, too, as any grown-up ood care that they are not cheated theht years old with a store of wax-tapers or picture-books, or quass, of which they pressed all passers-by with the greatest pertinacity to become purchasers We stopped several times with Mr Allwick to talk to them, and we found that they knew not only all about their own trade, but had already a good knowledge about trade in general Many of the richest shopkeepers in Moscow and Saint Petersburg have sprung from this humble class of dealers

”Many of the shopkeepers have a very Jewish look, and employ the very mode which the Jews in London, in some of the back streets, do to induce passers-by to purchase their wares They stand in front of their shops, and as soon as they see any one approaching, they step forward, uttering praises of their goods, and, with hands stretched out, look as if they would forcibly detain the stranger, and as if they would consider themselves very ill-used should he not becoreat eaters of raw vegetables, especially of onions and cucuhly unwholesome they appeared They drink also the juice of the cucumber, mixed ater, which is called cucue in summer! But I suspect the water forms the best part of the potation They are very fond of all sorts of sour vegetables They have a species of apple, which they allow to freeze in winter, in which state it is preserved, and though it has a very withered appearance, it is really full of juice

”Moscow is supplied ater by an aqueduct which reaches to about three versts froine into a basin at the top of a lofty tower in Garden Street, where pipes carry it to the various reservoirs in different directions for the supply of the houses Over every spring in Russia, preserved for the use of man, is placed the picture of a saint, who is supposed to have the special charge of the water Over this reservoir there is one of particular sanctity, but I am not acquainted with his name This tohich is called the Sukhareva Bashnia, is the most lofty in the city, and a view is to be obtained fro than that fro city, but the wonderful Krele, s over a silver basin, and from this silver basin radiate fifty pipes, each an inch in diameter, which carry fifty streams for the supply of the inhabitants

”One of the most curious ceremonies of which we heard in the Greek Church is that of cursing the heretics First, there is a grandof tapers, and then the chief priest, who has always a powerful, deep voice, pronounces an awful curse on the false De departed from all terrestrial influence Many people, and heretics of all descriptions, are also cursed, and then the choir chants forth in melodious tones the words _anafeation with iven to blessing than to cursing The priests, at the same time, consider thes No true believer is content unless all his possessions are especially blessed: his house, his cattle, his horses, flocks; the fruits growing in his garden; his corn-fields, his children; the hich supplies him ater; indeed, all he possesses He believes that nothing he undertakes will prosper unless the priest has first blessed the iious instructor takes no pains to undeceive hi the waters It is perfor, once in midsummer, and once on the ice in winter The latter is the e piece of water is selected--either a river, a lake, or a pond On the ice a large arbour, composed of birch trees, is forallery in the form of an amphitheatre In the centre a square hole is broken, so that the water can be reached

Fro church a procession of priests approaches with pictures, and crosses, and flags, and tapers, and with loud chanting enters the arbour Here a service is perforain with very picturesque effect, and the cross is dipped several times in the water By this ceremony it is believed the water is especially blessed, and made wholesome for man, beast, bird, and fish No sooner has it been perfor the spot rush eagerly forith bottles, jugs, pots, and pans, and fill their vessels, and also drink as much as they can Not only is the water itself blessed, but all the streahbourhood are equally benefited It is curious to see the way in which the people dabble in the water, throw it over their persons, though it freezes as it falls, and drink of it till they can drink nodone in the belief that the water is holy, and that they will be especially benefited thereby The ceremony in summer is very similar, only the arbours are fore to drink still more abundantly, with fewer ill effects A stillthe fruit, which takes place on the 6th of August

It is held in the country, in front of one of the principal churches or convents People of all classes, rich and poor, high and low, assemble from all quarters, far and near, in vehicles of every description In front of the church are long rows of fruit-sellers' booths to supply those who have brought no fruit with theh Mass is then performed in the church, and as soon as it is concluded the priests come forth with bowls of holy water, hich theythe lines of people, drawn up in all directions, with fruits in their hands, sprinkling the consecrated liquid on either side as they go As soon as this has been done, the people set to work and eat greedily of the various fruits which have been sprinkled, which they have not before ventured to touch, under the belief that till then they are unwholesome

In the more northern districts the fruit is very often far from ripe, but yet they eat away, under the belief that it can do theive s that they cannot hurt thes As, however, I have seen nursenorant Russian peasant Cousin Giles says that the same sort of ceremonies are performed in Roman Catholic countries, where horses and cattle are blessed in due for of holy water

It would all appear very ridiculous to us, were it not sadly blaspheer, one of the most curious ceremonies in the Greek Church is that of baptisht by its Godfathers and God present The priest first asks if it will renounce the devil and all his works; the sponsors answer for it, that it will The priest thereon commands the devil, who is supposed to have hitherto had possession of it, to take his departure The order is believed to be instantly obeyed, and the priest consequently spits over his shoulder at the devil, who is beating a hasty retreat His exaned satisfaction at the discomfited Evil One The whole party then walk in procession three times round the font At its conclusion the priest consecrates the water by putting it into a metal cross, and then i at the end its baptisn that the child is now a Christian, the priest suspends round its neck, by a black string, a small metal cross, which it ever afterwards wears as an a found on the slain at the Alma and other battle-fields in the Crinification Next the child is dressed, and carried oncetapers, which, synify that the child has now received that Spirit within it, of which it was before destitute

Lastly, the infant's eyes, ears, mouth, hands, and feet are anointed with holy oil, and pieces of hair are cut from its head, and rolled up ax into a ball, and thrown into the font No Russian has more than one Christian name This custom arises fro the angels in heaven, who have the especial charge of all persons bearing that name; in return, it is expected that the prayers of els Only one naiven, because it is said that a person can have only one guardian angel; if he had two, it ht be doubtful which was to watch over him, and to which he should address his prayers Cousin Giles observes that, when once people depart from the simple truths of Christianity, it is impossible to say what absurdities they uilty As the people becohtened, the priests of a false faith are co is too gross for the credulity of the people to s

”We attended mass the other day at the Uspensky Sabor (the Cathedral of the Resurrection) It was a very gorgeous cereuing; but we detero to another I can only atte croith people, a priest cah one of the side doors of the screen, and in a stentorian voice, with hand uplifted, announced that service was beginning Some ceremony then took place behind the screen Soon afterwards another priest entered, with two attendants, bearing over his head a huge Bible with a richly orna placed on a desk in front of the chief door in the screen, another priest in a very irreverential and hurried manner read so the words, '_Gospodi poluomini_,' (the Lord have mercy on us) The effect of these words, in a rich chant, soft, full, and swelling, is very beautiful They continually occur throughout the service We could see the high priest all the ti about before the altar At length a fine psalh altar and its splendid decorations were displayed, and fro priests bearing the bread and wine for the sacrah priest co in the rear with a silver chalice; the procession is closed by a priest with a salver on his head Again they all entered the sanctuary, the bread and ere placed on the altar, and the priest kneeling, what is called transubstantiation is supposed to take place While this act is perfor, all Turks, heretics, and infidels are commanded to leave the church Numerous prayers are then offered up for the Emperor, the Imperial family, and for a variety of objects The h priest prays for a blessing on the bread and wine, and shakes the bread into the chalice Afterwards those who intend to partake of the sacraether are ad their hands on their breasts, and kneeling three tiation had to do with the service They had no book, they did not join in the singing, and they could scarcely have understood what the priest said who read from the Bible Their only business seeround with their foreheads, during the whole three hours the affair lasted Still the churches fill, and the people fancy, I suppose, that they derive some benefit from what takes place The music is certainly very fine; it is all vocal; there are no instru in churches, boys are trained to perforether,' Cousin Giles says, 'there is very little difference in the main features between the ceremonies of the Greek and Romish Churches Both are intended to attract the senses, to please the vulgar, and to deceive the credulous, and neither can have any effect in changing the heart'

”But it is ti letter to a conclusion

Much of the above inforlish e met at Chollet's table-d'hote I have before said that we like the Russians; I mean the peasantry When I spoke of the existence of thieves in Saint Petersburg or Moscow, I do not suppose that there areor Moscow than in any other of the capitals of Europe Many of the peasants are fine-looking , they have not the sta I auese, and one Englishlish boy to help theo to ith therain of spite or ill-feeling against us

They were driven on to the attack, and worked up by all sorts of falsehoods, and a plentiful administration of vodka, to couilty

”We are preparing to leave Moscow Cousin Giles and Harry have gone to get the tiresoed with Mr Allwick, and as I have sprained my ankle, I remained to write to you We shall be very sorry to part with our interpreter; he has contributed very h his means we have seen and understood much more than we could otherwise possibly have done about the place and the people We have no satisfactory news about poor Saveleffs affairs The Count has pro as he wishes, and to protect him to the utmost of his power; but he owns that that power is likely to extend a very little way He says that he will spare no expense, if bribery is likely to effect the object He thinks, however, that if the true state of the case could be laid before the Eained, but the difficulty is to let the E thatpoor Saveleffs old father andfor Siberia Poor fellow! It is very sad

He does not despair, and yet he has very little hope of happiness in this world Even now, if the police find hi in quiet