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VI.

The same want of taste reigned in the furniture CHAP. and appearance of their houses. On one side you might see gold and silver in heaps; on the other, "a shocking dirtiness." And then he adds', "It was enough for a dealer in the commodities of luxury and fashion to remain two or three years at Petersburg, to gain a competency for the rest of his life; even though he should have begun the world there with goods upon credit." Instances of this kind, during the period of our residence in Russia, might be cited, as having happened both in Petersburg and in Moscow.

(4) Memoirs of Russia, p. 248.

[graphic]

PLAN of MOSCOW; shewing the Situation of the KREMLIN, and the Course of the Rivers Moseva, Niglina, and Yousa.

VII.

Sunday
Market.

CHAP. VII.

MOSCOW.

Sunday Market-Promenades during Easter-Kremlin-
Holy Gate-Great Bell-Great Gun-Antient Palace
of the Tsars-Imperial Treasury-Manuscripts-Superb
Model-General appearance of the Kremlin-First
Christian Church-Festival of the Ascension.

CHAP. THE market on a Sunday in Moscow is a novel and entertaining spectacle. From five in the morning till eight, the Place de Galitzin, a spacious area near the Kremlin, is filled with a concourse of peasants, and people of every description, coming to buy, or to sell, white peacocks, fan-tailed and other curious pigeons, dogs

VII.

of all sorts for the sofa or the chace, singing- CHAP. birds, poultry, guns, pistols, in short, whatsoever chance or custom may have rendered saleable. The sellers, excepting in the market of singing-birds, which is permanent and very large, have no shops; they remain with their wares exposed upon stalls, or they are seen hawking them about in their hands. Dogs and birds are the principal articles for sale. The pigeon-feeders are distinguished in the midst of the mob by long white wands, used for the purpose of directing the pigeons in their flight. The nobles of Moscow take great delight in pigeons: a favourite pair will sell from five to ten roubles in the market. We were surprised to see the feeders, by way of exhibiting their birds, let them fly, and then recover them again at pleasure. The principal recommendation of these birds consists in their rising to a great height in the air, by a spiral curve, all flying one way, and following each other. When a pigeon has been launched, if it do not continue in the same line of curvature which the others observe, the feeder whistles, waving at the same time his wand, and then its course is immediately changed. During these exhibitions, the nobles stake their money in wagers, betting upon the height to which the birds will ascend, and the number of curves they will make in so doing. Among

VII.

CHAP. the dogs for hunting, we observed a noble race, which is common in Russia, with long fine hair, like the Newfoundland breed, but of amazing size and height; this kind of dog is used in Russia to pursue the wolves. German pug-dogs, highly appreciated in London, here bear a low price: we were offered a very fine one for a sum equivalent to an English shilling. We observed also English harriers and fox-hounds: but the breed most valued in Moscow is the English terrier; this is rare in Russia, and a dog of this kind will sell at so high a price as eighteen roubles, or even higher, according to the caprice of the buyer and seller. Persian cats were

offered for sale, of a bluish-grey or slate colour, and much admired. Seeing several stalls apparently covered with wheat, we approached to examine its quality, and were amused in finding that what had the appearance of wheat consisted of large ants' eggs, heaped for sale. Near the same stalls were tubs full of pismires, creeping among the eggs, and upon the clothes of those who sold them. Both the eggs and the ants are brought to Moscow as food for nightingales, the favourite, although common, singing birds in Russian houses; their notes being in every respect as wild and pleasing, when confined in cages, as in their native woods. We often heard them in the bird-shops, warbling

VII.

with all the fulness and variety of tone which CHAP. distinguishes the nightingale in its natural state'. The price of a nightingale, in full song, is about fifteen roubles. The Russians, by rattling beads on one of their tables of tangible arithmetic, can make these birds sing at pleasure during the day: but nightingales are heard throughout the night, making the streets of the city resound the melodies of the forest.

nades dur

The promenades at this season of the year Promeare among the many sights in Moscow which are ing Easter. interesting to a stranger. The principal promenade is on the first of May (Russian style), in a forest near the city. It affords a very curious spectacle, because it is frequented by the bourgeoisie as well as by the nobles, and the national costume may then be observed in its greatest splendour. The procession of carriages and persons on horseback is immense. Beneath the trees, and upon the greensward, Russian peasants are seen seated in their gayest dresses, expressing their joy by shouting and by tumultuous songs. The music of the balalaika,

(1) I have been since informed, that this method of keeping and feeding nightingales is becoming prevalent in our own country.

(2) This kind of Counting-Table, universally used in Russia, and which appears in the paintings of the Chinese, is the ABACUS of the Antients.

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