Here is the magnificent crown of Ivan, adorned with the richest gems and diamonds, and then a throne covered with crimson velvet blazing with diamonds. Here are the captured crowns of the various countries which now compose the vast Russian Empire. All these are mounted on tripods four or five feet high, under glass vases, cushioned and embroidered in velvet and gold. Here are numerous diadems and regalia worn at former coronations of the old Czars. Here is the crown of Vladimir, ornamented with pearls and precious stones of great beauty and value. The crown of Alexivitch has 881 diamonds in it, and under the cross which surmounted it an immense and costly ruby. Here is the crown of Peter the Great, containing 847 diamonds, and the crown of Catherine his widow, enriched with 2,536 fine diamonds, to which Anne added a ruby of enormous size bought at Pekin. And here is the crown of Poland, of sad historic interest. Here we saw also many thrones which we can not stop to describe, save a few. The throne of Boris Godunoff is adorned with 2,760 turquoises and other precious stones. Here is the throne of the first Romanoff, enriched with 8,824; and the throne of his son contains 876, and 1,220 other jewels and many pearls. Another great curiosity is the two chairs in which the emperor and empress sit on coronation occasions. The emperor's chair was on every part, the legs, arms, and back, studded with diamonds, many of large size. And the chair of the empress is quite similar, but a few less of diamonds. We could not well count them, but the entire number of diamonds or precious stones on these two chairs can not be less than a thousand. But almost surpassing all else which we saw was the adornments of Catherine II., who appeared on horseback, in man's attire, to her admiring subjects. The bridle-head and reins, stirrups and saddle-cloth, are lavishly strewn with diamonds, and amethysts of dazzling splendor. In the center of the boss on the horse's breast was an immense diamond of surpassing brilliancy, in a circle of pink topazes, inclosed by pearls, and then again by diamonds and gold. All are of marvelous beauty. But enough of thrones, and crowns, and diamonds, and NEW SERIES-VOL. II., No. 6.

precious stones to satisfy a stranger's curiosity, and illustrate the superlative riches and massive grandeur of Russian Imperial monarchs in past ages. And this is comparatively an imperfect attempt to describe what our eyes almost wearied in seeing, examining, and admiring. And all this vast variety of objects, and many others, are comprised within the walls and precincts of the Kremlin, as seen in the engraving. It is true, however, and should be added, that large and extensive buildings, standing in the back ground or rear of the palaces and cathedrals, as seen in the fore ground of the engraving, are out of sight to the eye of the spectator.

A word in regard to the little palace seen quite on the left of the engraving, in the same style as the large palace. The little palace was built by the Emperor Nicholas, who resided in it for some time after his marriage, and before he became Emperor. In this palace he learned his sons the art of war in handling the musket. But we will not detain the reader to describe its interior, though many objects might interest. Other edifices of greater or lesser note might be named and entered; but enough of this. Let us now descend the terraces, re-cross the bridge, and stand for a moment at our first position, on the bank of the Mosqua. Up the river on the left are the Sparrow Hills, to which we wish to take the reader for a few moments. It is a short ride, but offers a most interesting and magnificent view of Moscow. We pass along the broad Boulevard, lined with vast buildings, palaces, hospitals, barracks, all colossal edifices, while numerous convents rear their embattled walls and tapering towers in the distance. We pass the great hospital of Prince Galatzin, the beautiful villa of the Empress, a gift of Prince Orloff, with its spacious gardens, extending to the banks of the river, with every variety of shrubbery and plants. We reach and stand on the summit of the Sparrow Hills, which command the most extensive view of the Kremlin and the whole city of Moscow. You are elevated some two hundred feet high above the river, which here curves around like a vast amphitheater, but close at the foot of the hills. The curve is in the form of an immense ox-bow, about two miles long on each.

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side, and a mile across. The Kremlin stands just within the right side of the bow, near the extremity, where it begins to curve again to the right below the bridge. You stand two hundred feet high outside the main bend of the bow. Within the bow is a wide plain, and green fields, and many public buildings. It was here, on the summit of these high hills, where Napoleon and his grand army came first in sight of Moscow, after their long and weary march amid battles and blood. The loud exclamation, Moscow! Moscow! ran along the extended ranks. We could not avoid the same exclamation, Moscow! Moscow! from very admiration of this great capital city of Russia.

It was in the afternoon of a beautiful day in August, that we went to the Sparrow Hills. The evening sun was shining brightly, the sky was cloudless. Moscow lay spread out far and wide, like a map. The domes and towers of five hundred churches, with their golden cupolas flashing and dazzling in the

bright evening sun widely over the extended city, surpasses in matchless grandeur all else in Europe, or the world. In the center of this most attractive scene, stands preeminent and conspicuous the Kremlin, with its domes and towers. It is not strange that Moscow and the Kremlin hold such a place of reverence and affection in the hearts of true Russians. Had Napoleon known fully this important fact, he would not have ventured on the capture of this holy city, nor thus brought down upon himself and his grand army such terrible retribution. On these Sparrow Hills Napoleon caught the first view of Mos cow in all its pride, grandeur, and magnificence; so, from these same hills, a few days after, he took a sad, lingering look of the same city enveloped in smoking ruins.

But Moscow has arisen, like the fabled Phenix, from its ashes, and now appears far more magnificent than before, as the great commercial metropolis of Russia. It is worth a long journey to see it.

And shrieks as he madly swings! Oh, cockatoo, shriek for Antony!

Cry, "Come, my love, come home!" Shriek, "Antony! Antony! Antony!" Till he hears you even in Rome.

There-leave me, and take from my chamber
That wretched little gazelle,

With its bright black eyes so meaningless,
And its silly tinkling bell!
Take him,-my nerves he vexes-

The thing without blood or brain,—

Or, by the body of Isis,

I'll snap his thin neck in twain!

Leave me to gaze at the landscape

Mistily stretching away,
When the afternoon's opaline tremors
O'er the mountains quivering play;
Till the fiercer splendor of sunset
Pours from the west its fire,
And melted, as in a crucible,

Their earthy forms expire;

And the bald blear skull of the desert
With glowing mountains is crowned,
That burning like molten jewels
Circle its temples round.

I will lie and dream of the past-time,
Eons of thought away,
And through the jungle of memory
Loosen my fancy to play;
When, a smooth and velvety tiger,
Ribbed with yellow and black,
Supple and cushion-footed

I wandered, where never the track
Of a human creature had rustled

The silence of mighty woods,
And, fierce in a tyrannous freedom,
I knew but the law of my moods.
The elephant, trumpeting, started
When he heard my footstep near,
And the spotted giraffes fled wildly
In a yellow cloud of fear.

I sucked in the noontide splendor,
Quivering along the glade,
Or yawning, panting, and dreaming,
Basked in the tamarisk shade,
Till I heard my wild mate roaring,
As the shadows of night came on,
To brood in the trees' thick branches
And the shadow of sleep was gone;
Then I roused, and roared in answer,
And unsheathed from my cushioned feet
My curving claws, and stretched me,

And wandered my mate to greet.
We toyed in the amber moonlight,
Upon the warm flat sand,

And struck at each other our massive armsHow powerful he was and grand!

His yellow eyes flashed fiercely

As he crouched and gazed at me,

And his quivering tail, like a serpent,
Twitched curving nervously.
Then like a storm he seized me,

With a wild triumphant cry,
And we met, as two clouds in heaven
When the thunders before them fly.
We grappled and struggled together,
For his love like his rage was rude;

And his teeth in the swelling folds of my neck
At times, in our play, drew blood.

Often another suitor

For I was flexile and fairFought for me in the moonlight, While I lay crouching there,

Till his blood was drained by the desert; And, ruffled with triumph and power, He licked me and lay beside me

To breathe him a vast half-hour. Then down to the fountain we loitered, Where the antelopes came to drink; Like a bolt we sprang upon them,

Ere they had time to shrink,

We drank their blood and crushed them,
And tore them limb from limb,
And the hungriest lion doubted

Ere he disputed with him.

That was a life to live for!

Not this weak human life,
With its frivolous bloodless passions,
Its poor and petty strife!
Come to my arms, my hero,

The shadows of twilight grow,
And the tiger's ancient fierceness
In my veins begins to flow.
Come not cringing to sue me!

Take me with triumph and power,
As a warrior that storms a fortress!
I will not shrink or cower.
Come, as you came in the desert,

Ere we were women and men,
When the tiger passions were in us,
And love as you loved me then!
-Blackwood's Magazine.

W. W. &

'Tis the perfume of a flower,
Or a quaint old-fashioned tune;
Or a song-bird 'mid the leaves
Singing in the sunny June.

'Tis the evening-star, mayhap,

In the gloaming silver-bright;
Or a gold and purple cloud
Waning in the western light.
'Tis the rustling of a dress,

Or a certain tone of voice,
That can make the pulses throb,

That can bid the heart rejoice.

Ah, my heart! But not of joy
Must alone thy history tell,
Sorrow, shame, and bitter tears
Litttle things recall as well.

-Chambers's Journal.