The Englishman who witnessed the scene, mentioned that the parties were so overcome at their unexpected success, and the tears flowed so rapidly, that the object of the visit was nearly frustrated by forgetfulness; but he having found the value of rubles, persuaded the serjeant to grant another interview at the next relay, and to keep the sledge in the rear of the Englishman's. The sisters had begun to sew in the brother's clothes money, and to give articles which, in the hurry of departure, they had generously remembered; but they were hurried away by the Englishman, forced into their sledge, and galloped to the next relay. I never can forget the animation which flew into the countenance of my friend as he described the anxiety with which the sisters watched for the approach of the brother; at each delay the serjeant was suspected of having violated his promise, and changed his route; and fancies, the wildest and the most likely to be uttered by doubting fe males, were given vent to, in the most hurried language. The arrival of the brother soon dissipated their fears. The guards were sent to the next village for horses, and the interview took place. A plan by which a correspondence should be carried on was mentioned and approved of; and the sisters, giving him a ring, desired their brother, in the event of its being impossible to send a letter, to give it to the messenger, or some exile whose time of banishment was expired, thus to prove the truth of any statement sent. The parting, the parting for ever, was not the affair of a moment; in vain the serjeant endeavoured to tear them asunder, and equally vain was the attempt of my friend to urge the separation on the score of concealment. The minutes flew, and while in the act of mentioning the glimmers of hope through the brother-in-law's influence, the guard returned, and the whole was discovered. The prisoners continued their route, and the sisters returned to Moscow. It happened that an exile, whose time was expired, was put under the serjeant's care to be conveyed to Petersburg: this exile was entrusted with the ring, and persuaded the serjeant to pass through Moscow, deviating not a little from his proper line of journey. The sisters were informed of the arrival, and received all the accounts an exile could bring, or an exile could send. The picture of the situation of the brother was by no means consoling; his last request was, that some religious books and green spectacles might be sent. The eternal snow had nearly blinded him. The serjeant continued his route. The two young ladies now determined to remunerate the serjeant. They were of great family, and nominally rich, for in reality no Russian can be said to be rich, as I shall hereafter explain. They traced him to Petersburg, they knew of his arrival, but from that moment all clue was lost, and to November 1828 they never could recover the trace, although the family was unremitting in their generous assiduity. I have mentioned this anecdote as a balance against the general unfeeling conduct of Russians, when their relations may be said to be buried alive. One of these sisters died about two years ago, of what is called a broken heart, and the two who witnessed the last parting are mimic deaths, waiting to fill the grave; they never have recovered the last sad moment at the hut, and the Englishman, who had just returned from a visit of condolence occasioned by the death of the mother, mentioned his conviction that the sisters would shortly follow their parent. I was desired to make particular inquiries relative to a gentleman in the Russian service, whose long silence had warranted the idea of his death; and as he is closely connected with a noble family in this kingdom with which I am acquainted, I was desired to inquire what had become of him. I shall never forget the number of evasive answers I received when I pressed the subject; I was promised a positive reply the next day; and at the end of five months I knew no more of the object of my search, than I did before I landed at Cronstadt. Every body knows, or must have read of the suspicions of the Russian Government. Poor old blind Holman was conducted across the frontier, having been mistaken for a spy! I confess I am not astonished at this; for why a blind man should go to see a strange country is quite incomprehensible. The Russians could not comprehend this either, and were equally surprised when Holman published his book. I was myself anxious to know how the book was concocted, or rather, how the materials were procured. An English gentleman, a resident at Moscow, mentioned that he accompanied Mr. Holman on his various peregrinations about the capital-he mounted the tower of St. Ivan with him. Holman desired him to place him towards the North, and then asked what was to be discerned in that direction? The answers he treasured up in his memory, until he procured some one good enough to write them, and, as it was always night with him, he was not very scrupulous in disturbing the slumbers of a friend, who had quite enough occupation during the day. In point of fact, Holman's description of Moscow belongs exclusively to Mr. Rowan, whose father, amongst other good things, conferred on the Russians the blessings of the potato. Another gentleman, rather eccentric in his manners, and who, from the number of his daily ablutions, was voted mad by the fouler Russian, resided some time in Tobolski, where he was employed in making a collection of the numerous minerals found in that part of the Czar's dominions. When his collection was nearly completed, some unceremonious Cossacks seized the whole, which they distributed to every street within their barbarous reach, and placing Mr. S- in a sledge, drove him across the frontier, not allowing him time to pack up his wardrobe, one half of which was in the hands of his washing-woman. It is but justice to say, that the whole duty of that vexatious police is not confined to the men, whose cocked hats without feathers render them easily known the ladies are sometimes concerned in these tale-bearing employments. I was warned one night in Moscow, that a lady of some rank was in the pay of the police, and to be on my guard how I expressed myself. As I was always pretty cautious of expressing my opinions, I abstained from all observations as to the laws, merely hinting that I most cordially hated any approach to tyranny: she endeavoured to continue a conversation relative to my notions of the Government, and its different departments; I evaded the question, and spoke of the beauty of the women. The only thing a man could spy in Russia would be the nakedness of the land, the uncultivated state of the country, the vast waste of ground, and the thinness of the population. He might remark that, however brave the soldiers may be, some of the heads of the various departments are equally deficient in brains; for when the army advanced in 1828 to the Danube, they took with them land mortars with sea shells; and when they were about to be used, they were found too large for the mortars, a dispatch was instantly sent to Moscow, and the proper shells were forwarded in post waggons. arms, With all the increasing power of the Russians, in the way of they show little inclination to improve in comforts. In the beginning of 1828, a gentleman was dispatched from this country on a speculation, which was to convey water to the tops of the houses, and to give Russia an idea of cleanliness. The whole concern fell to the ground; and the only answer given was, that in the event of the plan being carried into execution, they knew not how to employ the slaves now used to convey water. Neither would the Government lend any assistance, either by word or money, to light the city by gas. Some years ago an attempt was made, but by mismanagement the gasometer blew up, and this quite discouraged any farther attempts. I am of opinion, that, from the time a traveller arrives in Russia, to the day of his exit, he is rarely annoyed by the interference of the police. He has a certain number of forms to go through, such as appearing at the police-office; if he has any military rank entitling him to nobility, they do not sketch his description on the passport, and he is not required to pay any thing. There is a small green box in the room, which is nominally destined to receive contributions for foreigners in distress, into which it is hinted you may drop what would be paid for the passport, if you were not of the nobility. To the gentleman who presides in this office at Petersburg is due all that can be said of a most civil, obliging, and accommodating officer; he is the most attentive public officer I have ever met with in the North. Amongst other recommendations to future travellers, I would strongly urge the necessity of his placing his letters in the post-office, and paying the five rubles himself; I have not the slightest doubt that my valet de place purloined the money and destroyed my letters, not one of which ever arrived in England. We were told that our letters would of course be read, and if they contained any improper remarks relative to the Government they never would be forwarded. This may or may not be the case: I can scarcely see the utility of it, unless they deprived travellers of their tongues and hands; for once free of the soil, once having shaken the snows of Russia from their shoes, they would only give vent to their feelings in stronger language. Amongst the greatest annoyances is that of the search at the Custom-house; it is as rigid as our own, but performed in a more unceremonious manner. My uniform was very nearly seized, because, forsooth, it was new, and they declared it had never been worn: I shortly undeceived them by showing the button-holes. Then came the books, every one of which underwent a most scrupulous examination; and those which the searching officer did not understand were sealed and sent to the Censor: at last he handled a small bible "It is only a Bible," said I-" May be," he said, "but it must go to the Censor, and if there is nothing in it which is prohibited, he will return it to you again," which of course was done. To give an idea of the delays in the office at Cronstadt, I arrived on Monday at noon, and although assisted by the English Consul, had to dance backwards and forwards between the Harbour-master's house and the Custom-house all Tuesday, and did not get my trunk cleared until Wednesday morning. If I had known the secret of the bribe, as well as I afterwards learnt it, I could have been in Petersburg on Tuesday morning; and even after all I was advised by my servant, who had been accustomed to these plunderings before, to give a blue note, five rubles. On leaving Russia by Polangen, the bitter cold weather had obliged me to close the carriage as much as possible. On arriving at the barrier, a gentleman in uniform asked for my passport, which was duly given. "Be as quick as possible," said I, "for I am anxious to get to Memel to-night.""It will take two hours," replied the officer," before the passport will be properly examined." "Two hours!" quoth I; " here are five rubles for you.' "In two minutes it shall be ready;" and in truth he was not much more. Then came another harpy. "Have you nothing contraband ?"-" Nothing at all," resumed I. "No Russian money?" said the vexatious devil. "Not a copec," quoth I. "Then you must alight, and I must search the carriage." Oh, I crave your honour's pardon, I have," said 1, " a red note, (ten rubles,) which I find accidentally forgotten in my pocket; as it is not permitted to carry Russian money out of Russia, may I beg you to do me the favour of accepting it?" My friend the harpy bowed acknowledgmenthoped I should not catch cold-advised me to close the carriage-ran himself for the passport, and calling to the cossack who attends all travellers across the neutral ground between Russia and Prussia, wished Ine a friendly adieu. 66 INVOCATION TO THE CLIFTON WATERS. Or whether still I should not turn to Thee Who dwell'st all-potent in that upward sphere, To bid the wife for child-for husband live? That eats the rose just as its leaves are spread? But on the banquet of the youthful dead? Oh! then be with the fount our nuptial garland fed. The orphan's lot, nor mourn a mother's care? Since they 're endow'd with all this power to spare,— J. D. TRAVELLING TROUBLES, NO. III. "A traveller! by my faith, you have great reason to be sad!"-As you Like it. Νοστήσεις Ρώμην, καὶ Θύμβριδος ἀγλαὸν ὕδωρ.-Lucian.* "I SHOULD like to see Rome," quoth my wife." So should I, my dear," I replied; "but it is my own room, in my own house in street, London."-" Pooh!" rejoined the lady; you know what I mean well enough. Rome," (making the word obviously rhyme to comb)" Rome in Italy."-" Roam in Italy! what the devil would you roam thither for? Are there not fools enough of the English breed there without you? I should think you have had sufficient travelling already, and paid dearly enough for it. No, no; go back to your home and kindred, and, for the rest of your life, bore any body who will listen to you with all you have seen and heard abroad, which is the only good I see in leaving Old England:"-But I will spare the reader the rest of this conjugal dialogue, in which I was very witty, very satirical, very severe, and very peremptory. The argument, nevertheless, ended, like all other conjugal contests that I ever heard of, in the complete discomfiture of the masculine gender, horse, foot, and heavy dragoons. The ladies, having spent their mornings in the Louvre, were smitten, with a sudden love of virtù, and could talk of nothing but "Correggio, and stuff;" and I, alas! had not Sir Joshua's remedy at hand,—at least the better half of it, for I plead guilty to the snuff-box. The reasons in favour of an Italian voyage were many. There was no use in returning to England in the depth of the summer. There was no distinction in a mere trip to Paris; every body had seen that. In for a penny, in for a pound; it would be good for the youngest girl's health; it would be an excellent frolic, et cætera, et cætera. Que sais-je? In short, "ce que femme veut, Dieu le veut ;" and off we set. I cannot say exactly how it happens, but there certainly is something in travelling, maugre all its accidents and annoyances, which draws a man on, from town to town, and from country to country, in the vain hope of seeing things more extraordinary and remunerating than any which have yet turned up; "as if increase of appetite had grown by what it fed on," '—or rather, like certain cutaneous maladies,-(pardon the unsavoury simile)—as if it itched the more, the more it was scratched; and this, too, in spite of all experience to the contrary. To tell the truth, and the whole truth, I was not unprepared for such an attack; and was more than half convinced, without the proof of a long array of feminine reasons, although (propter dignitatem) I did not choose to acknowledge it. There is no use in complying at the first word, even when you most desire to do as you are bid. It is always prudent, between man and wife, to leave something in store for self-defence; and, in case of any thing going on ill, to be able to say, "You know, my dear, it was none of my doing;-(N. B. always say "my dear" before any thing particularly bitter.) Besides, women have such terrible imaginations, and derive such sweeping consequences! If you concede Rome without a word, it will go hard with them but they will construe * "Alas the day! that ever I should dream Feb.-VOL. XXVIII. NO. CX. " L |