orfeback. Upon their arrival at a lace appointed for that purpofe, there a tent is pitched for their res eption, the mob begin to wrestle be, ire them two at a time.' He alfo is a circumftance not recorded by : hiftorian: After this is over, a arcel of live rabbits are turned loofe nong the crowd, which are pursued a number of boys, who endea our to catch them with all the noife ey can make *”” * From the time that wreftling be de unfafhionable, and was rarely difed by perfons of opulence, it lined alfo among the populace, but Blower degrees; and at prefent is lom feen except at wakes and fairs, ere it ftill continues to be partially ibited." P. 63. (To be continued.). XXIV. Tooke's Hiftory of Ruffia. (Continued from p. 418.) THE IMPERIAL PALACE. THE winter-palace of the fovereign is pleasantly fituated on the right ad bank of the Neva, on the fpot ere formerly ftood the house of unt Apraxin, which he made a preit of to the crown, and was used as palace, But in 1754, the Emprefs izabeth caufed it to be pulled down, d the prefent prodigious ftructure to raised in its ftead; which was not afhed till 1762, the year in which at Emprefs died, It forms a long adrangle; each of its fronts, to the eva and to the town, being 450 nglish feet in length, and the fides of 3 extremities 339 feet, It has a very fty basement, on it the principal ory, and above that an entrefol, The hole height amounts to seventy feet, The roof is low; but on the part hich contains the chapel rises a cuola with a crofs, and on the parapet re ftatues and other ornaments. The ain front towards the city is provided vith a magnificent portal, and two arge entrances under fpacious balcodes, one of which is converted into a Dom, from whence on great holidays The Imperial family fhow themfelves to the populace. The lower ftory is decorated on all fides with columns of the Ionic order, and the upper with Corinthian. The front towards the Neva has but one entrance, in the middle between the two extremities which here project forward, like fhort wings. The end towards the admiralty was inhabited by the Grand Duke Paul Petrovitch. The basement story is vaulted with two large rows of pillars on each fide, having fmall apartments for the court attendants, guards, kitchens, &c. Thefe vaulted avenues, which refemble the aifles of a cathe dral, are fo dark in fome places, as to require lamps during the day, and confequently are of a gloomy afpect. The entrefol is filled with people belonging to the court, either of the Empress or of the Grand Duke. "The infide of the palace contains feveral particulars worthy of observation: the large magnificent marble flight of stairs, on the Neva fide, which is only afcended by ambaffadors and grandees on their first folemn audience: the chapel, with its fumptuous paintings and facred veftments. The churchfervice here is amazingly grand, and the folemnity of it much heightened by the exquifite fingers that compose the choir. The masquerade rooms are remarkably brilliant, especially when lighted up on fuch occafions. The chamber of audience, with the throne of ancient fplendour. The cabinet, containing the infignia of the Empire, is the most valuable collection of jewels to be feen in Europe. These infignia are placed on a table in the midst of the room, under a large glafs bell, which admits of their being thoroughly viewed on all fides. The great crown of gold is faced with red velvet, almost entirely covered with various kinds of precious ftones, fome of them of great magnitude; particularly at top is an uncommonly large ruby. The little crown which is feen on the head of the monarch on the great court festivals, is about five inches in diameter, and is esteemed of great value, from the number of large brilliants with which it is befet. The knob of the fceptre is the famous diamond which her late Ma jefty purchased of Safratz the Greek, in 1774, for 450,000 rubles, and a life "Hentzner's Itinerary, firft published A. D. 1598. I have followed Lord Orford's tranflation, from the edition at Strawberry Hill, p. 36.” VOL. VNO. LI. 3 & annuity annuity of 100,000 rubles. It weighs 194 carats: but having been cut in India, where it ferved for the eye of an idol, it is not fo perfectly shaped as it might have been done by an European workman. The mound and its golden crofs are covered to more than half their furface with precious ftones of various hues. Round the walls of this apartment are glass cafes, like thofe in toyshops, full of diamond ornaments, ftars of the feveral orders of knighthood,watches, and watch-chains, rings, epaulets, fword-hilts, fnuff-boxes, etuis, &c. from whence the fovereign felects the prefents fhe is pleased to make. "The apartments of the Emprefs, the Grand Duke, and the Imperial family, are fitted up with the utmost magnificence and tafte. The reft of the rooms are partly put to no ufe, though many of them are highly deco rated in the old ftyle of grandeur. The Hermitage bears that name, as devoted to the private recreations of the monarch, and is alfo called the Gallery, on account of its forming part of the fuite of the Imperial collection of pictures. The Hermitage is erected at the eastern extremity of the palace, in the fame line with it on the bank of the Neva, reaching to the canal which connects that river with the Moika. This fpacious building is joined to the palace by a covered way, leading from the middle ftory, fo that her Majefty could commodiously walk from her apartments into the Hermitage, which, together with the whole length of the palace, is nearly half an English mile. The caftern part of this great square, towards the Million, was inhabited by the late Prince Potemkin. "Befides these united palaces and their feveral appurtenances, there is ftill beyond the Hermitage, but contiguous to it, the old Imperial winter palace, built by Peter the Great, and in which he and his Catharine refided to the end of their days. It has long been converted into a private theatre for operas, and apartments for the Italian performers, fingers, dancers, and musicians, with their wardrobes and other conveniencies. At the end of the Hermitage, the Emprefs has lately built a Raphael's gallery, with copies of all the paintings, of the fame dimenfions and style with that in Italy. "The picture-gallery employs a confiderable fuite of rooms. By a ca talogue taken in 1774, the paintings then amounted to 2080, having among them originals by the pencils of Ra phael, Rubens, Vandyk, Rembrandt, Le Brun, Holbein, Corregio, Caracci, Jordano, Pefne, Dietrick, and other celebrated painters of the Dutch, Italian, and German schools. In this great collection the Houghton gallery makes, as to number, but an inconfiderable figure. By the frequent pur chafes made by the late Empress, the pictures are now fo numerous that they cannot all be hung up. They may at prefent fafely be computed at upwards of 4000; befides the minia tures and enamels, which are at least 200 in number. "The fovereign's private library contains about 2000 volumes; and in other apartments are the libraries of Voltaire and Diderot, which together may amount to 40,000 volumes. The collection of copper-plate engravings may be stated at 20,000. "The cabinet of medals and coins, contains in both kinds about 16,000. The collection of gems, in which is comprised that of the Duke of Orleans and thofe of Natter, including fuch as are of Taffie's manufacture, and fome compofitions from Italy, exceeds 10,000, not to mention great numbers of impreffions in gypfum. "A choice collection of natural hiftory, from all the three kingdoms of nature, especially from the mineral, which the Emprefs bought in 1786, of that famous naturalift, Profeffor Pallas, was not yet entirely arranged in 1791. Befides this, in an apartment adjoin ing, is a great collection of natural curiofities. "The chamber of confidence is a real folitude. The company feat themfelves at a confidential table, which they find ready prepared, without fervants, and therefore eat and converse without restraint. After the first course, at a fignal given, the table finks through the floor, which clofes of itself. At another fignal the table rifes with the fecond courfe. Each particular plate likewife defcends through the table, which rifes again with whatever has been ordered by a written paper upon it. The mechanism of this contrivance is extremely fimple; lines running over pullies; and a wheel winding it up and down. " Another * Another room contains a lathe for turning, with feveral pieces of turnery by Peter the Great, and others by the hand of Catharine II. In another apartment are models of various buildings and machines, and numberless ingenious contrivances of art: the minfter at Strafburg in mother of pearl; a tower, with a winding staircase in ivory, and a multitude of others. "The hortus penfilis, on a level with the grand apartments, fix fathoms above the ground. In this are gravel walks, grafs-plots, parterres of flowers, rows of orange-trees, birch, pines, lime-trees, and fhrubs of various kinds, exactly as in other pleafure-gardens; with bowers and arbours all around it. The whole is heated in the winter by means of flues conveyed along the vaults beneath. Over the garden is a wire net, so fine as fcarcely to be perCeptible. Here are all kinds of finging-birds, foreign as well as native, flying about from tree to tree, as in the woods from whence they are brought, picking up the proper food diftributed for them, making their nefts, or warbling among the branches." Vol. i. p. 442. very young, that ecclefiaftical authority could have no good political tendency, unless it were entirely subordinate to the temporal power. The Ruffian prelates, especially the patriarchs at Mofco, fhared with the Tzars the fupreme command. The Patriarch Philaretes was held in the higheft veneration by Tzar Mikhaila his fon, and, though not in name, was actually cofovereign. The fucceeding patriarchs were never by their own confent of lefs confideration than Philaretes. This was particularly the cafe with Nicon, Patriarch of Ruffia under Alexey (from 1652 to 1658). Undoubtedly he had the principal fhare in quelling the Novgorodian infurrection, and his conduct on that occafion was highly laudable. But as foon as the title of Patriarch was conferred upon him; he wanted to be fomething more than primate of the clergy, he required that his voice fhould be of greater weight in matters of government than that of others; and, on finding that his advice was not followed in all things, he voluntarily refigned the patriarchate, and retired into a monaftery which he had previously built. But even here he would not be quiet; by his fpiritual pride he offended Tzar Alexey, and was continually af NICON, THE METROPOLITAN, DE- fronting the great men of the court, POSED BY THE TZAR ALEXEY- "IN regard to religion, Peter unquestionably had clearer perceptions than any of his predeceffors on the throne of the Tzars. His good natural understanding, his found judgment, probably too his travels, and his intercourfe with foreigners, and with men of all ranks, and of the different creeds, taught him very foon to diftinguish religion from church rites; to difcriminate between the lessons of Chrift and the doctrines of the fchools; and to form juft ideas of what conftitutes the true effence and spirit of religion *. It had ftruck him forcibly, while yet till at length he was formally depofed from the patriarchate, and degraded to what he had originally been, a fimpl. monk [1666]. Nicon was the author of much good while Archbishop of Novgorod; and he afterwards at tempted fome reforms in regard to devotional books, introduced the Greek church mufic, hitherto only used in Kief, into the rest of Ruffia; and thus, as chief religious teacher of the Em pire, fhowed himself active for the im provement of what is called divine fervice; he even frequently delivered sermons (at that time a practice extremely rare), and, as he was a very eloquent man, and highly reverenced by the people, effected much good. "As an inftance of his firmnefs of mind, the following anecdote is related. Once as he lay very fick, it was reprefented to him, that he should now, ac cording to the practice of the former Tzars, grant a free pardon to several capital delinquents, in order by this pious act to obtain from God the speedier reftoration of his health. Inftead of following this fuperftitious advice, he commanded these culprits to be immediately brought to trial, and if they were found guilty, to lofe no time in executing fentence upon them, as he hoped that this would be more agreeable to God than the letting fuch rafcals loose again upon the world." 3 Q2 "But "But Nicon's history throughout was a very important example to fovereigns of what an inordinate fpiritual power may lead to, and a convincing proof that the patriarchs might very eafily become rivals of the authority due only to the Tzar*. Peter, there fore, from this example, deduced the maxim, that it would certainly be better not to leave any longer the fupreme fpiritual power in the hands of a fingle perfon, left, by infenfible degrees, a pope might grow up in Ruffia, fharing the fovereignty with the monarch, or even fet him at defiance and directly oppose him. It was neceffary for him, however, to proceed flowly and warily in the execution of his plan: fo, therefore, he did, and in that particular likewise fhowed himself, though an enterprifing, yet a fagacious monarch, knowing how to prepare his people for the regulations he was meditating to introduce. The Patriarch Adrian had died in 1700; and, though Peter was even then already firmly resolved not to confer that dignity again, yet he did not proceed immediately to put his refolution in force. He excufed himself for the prefent, from the multiplicity of business brought on him by the war, as not being able to attend with proper earneftness to so important a matter as the appointment of a perfon to fill the patriarchal throne. Having thus gained time, he now gradually brought on the intended alteration. He began by conftituting an adminiftrator of the patriarchal functions, with power, however, of deciding in very indifferent matters alone, to confult on more important affairs with other bishops, and ultimately to refer every thing to the determination of the Tzar. Thus the nation was by little and little accuftomed to live without a patriarch. And when at length he thought it now time to be able to go through with his alteration, he proclaimed in January 1721, that the patriarchal dignity was abolished, and in its ftead, for the future, the government of the church was to be conducted by a spiritual confiftory, com pofed of feveral members. This con- PETER THE GREAT AN ACTIVE PÅ- "ARTS and fciences in Ruffia were ftill in their infancy previous to the reign of Peter. That prince in thefe likewife began to do something for his "To what length the patriarchs had extended their power, may be judged of by this among other circumstances, that, on Palm Sunday, when a proceftion was held, the Tzar not only went on foot, while the Patriarch rode, but was even obliged to lead the horse of the spiritual cavalier by the bridle. Can it be a queftion, whether, at least on that day, the Patriarch was not greater than the Sovereign in the eyes of the populace?" eyes country, divine judgments. As the obfervatory of St. Petersburg was a fruit of his travels, he had likewife, on his first and fecond journey, procured artists and men of letters in England, Holland, Germany, and France, whom he sent into his empire on terms very agreeable to them, that they might contribute by their writings, or by the exercife of their arts, and by inftruction imparted to the young Ruffians, to the improvement of the nation. For the fane reafon youths were felected and fent to travel at his expense in foreign countries. And as, by means of his good natural understanding, he very foon acquired a knowledge of feveral arts and fciences, he prescribed to the young perfons whom he had fent abroad, what they were particularly to ftudy, examined them himself on their return, obferved whether they had properly employed their opportunities of learning, or had paffed the time in idlenefs; the expert he put into places that fuited their attainments, encouraged and promoted them, and punished the unimproved by tak ing no farther notice of them, or by affigning to them pofts in which they could get Leither honour nor profit. For the more general cultivation of the Ruffians, it were indeed to be wished that their famous fovereign Peter had bestowed greater care on the first education, on the elementary inftitution of the youth in fchools. Though both his father and his brother had already done fomething in this refpect by erecting fome fchools and inftitutions for the information of youth; yet it was but a very fmall beginning. On the whole, most of the schools in Ruffia, even in the time of Peter, were upon a very miferable footing; and Peter, who gave himself fo much concern on a variety of objects, did here far lefs than could have been wifhed, and than he perhaps would have done if he had attained to a greater age. Under him, indeed, it must be owned, though without his concurrence, and only by accident, some scattered rays of reason and moral light pierced even to the inclement regions of Siberia: as the Swedish prifoners who were sent thither by Peter, and particularly the officers, erected schools in those frozen climes, and inftructed the natives in many ufeful branches of knowledge, Even thefe unfortunate perfons, who country, and to lay the foundation in this refpect to farther improvement. He endowed at Petersburg a feminary for future navigators, as well as a mathematical school at Mofco. He caused fome public libraries to be fet up, inftituted a-mufeum at St. Petersburg, for which he collected productions of nature and art himself on his travels, fetched other collections from abroad, and at the fame time made it a repofitory for all kinds of natural products found in the Ruffian Empire. This inftitution he devoted to the nation at large. Every one had free entrance here, and by the contemplation of nature, or the works of human induftry, might acquire jufter conceptions and an encouragement to activity. He provided a Ruffian printing-office, caufed ufeful books to be tranflated from foreign languages into Rufs, and, by means of the prefs, difperfed them among his people. The Academy of Sciences at St. Petersburg, founded by him, and which has always contributed in an uncommon degree to extend the knowledge of Ruffia among foreigners as well as natives, was enjoined by his plan to write learned books, afterwards to tranflate them into the vulgar tongue, that they might be put into the hands of the common people, particularly of the youth. The obfervatory which he had infpected at Paris on his fecond journey through a part of Europe, raised in him a wish to have a like beneficial establishment; and presently after his return an obfervatory was built at St. Petersburg. He himself took great pains to acquaint himself with the course of the heavenly bodies, and when he had acquired fome knowledge of aftronomy, frequently conversed on it with the great men of his court, in order to expand their ideas a little; telling them, for inftance, that an eclipfe of the fun or the moon was an appearance altogether as natural as rain or funfhine, of which it was then as difficult to perfuade the Ruffians, as it has, even more recently, been found to convince the natives in other countries. Peter, who was ever ready as much as poffible to combat and deftroy fuperftition, ordered it to be publicly announced, in 1715, that an eclipfe of the fun would happen on fuch a day, in order to make it apparent that this event was not ominous of any disaster, or an awful menace of |