army to join Lord Hutchinson.

The seapoys

had many of their women with them, who were
exactly like our gipsies. In regulating their
dress, they lavish all their finery upon their
head. Their costume in Russia is very different
from that of the natives; they wear enormous
caps, covered with ribbons, and decorated in
front with a prodigious quantity of silver coins;
these form a matted mail-work over their fore-
heads. They also wear the same coins as
necklaces, and a smaller kind as pendants to
their ears.
The Russians hold them in great
contempt, never speaking of them without
abuse; and feel themselves contaminated by
their touch, unless it be to have their fortune
told. They believe gipsies not only have the
wish, but the power, to cheat every one they
see, and therefore generally avoid them. For-
merly they were more dispersed over Russia,
and paid no tribute; but now they are collected,
and all belong to one nobleman, to whom they
pay a certain tribute, and rank among the
number of his slaves. They accompany their
dances with singing, and loud clapping of the
hands; breaking forth, at intervals, with shrieks
and short expressive cries, adapted to the sud-
den movements, gestures, and turns of the dance.
The male dancers hold in one hand a hand-
kerchief, which they wave about, and manage

CHAP.

IV.

CHAP.. with grace as well as art. The dance, like

IV.

that of the Almehs in Egypt, although full of the grossest libidinous expression, and most indecent posture, is in other respects graceful. Nothing can be more so than the manner in

which they sometimes wave and extend their arms it resembles the attitudes of Bacchanalians represented on Greek vases. But the

women do not often exhibit those attitudes: they generally maintain a stiff upright position, keeping their feet close, and beating a tattoo with their high heels.

When the Russians dance the barina, it is accompanied with the balalaika. Formerly the nobles were great admirers of that simple and pleasing instrument; but now, imitating

the manners of France and England, they have laid it aside. Many of them are still able to use it; but as they deem such an accomplishment a sort of degradation in the eyes of foreigners, they are seldom prevailed upon to betray their skill; like many of the Welsh ladies, who, scarcely able to speak English, affect ignorance of their native tongue.

Collected in other parts of rooms opened for this assembly, were vocal performers, in parties of ten or twelve each, singing voluntaries. They preserved the most perfect harmony, each taking a separate part, although without any seeming consciousness of the skill thus exerted. The female dancers and assistants in this ball were many of them prostitutes; but the wives and daughters of the peasants and lower tradesmen mingled with these women, dressed out in their full national costume, and were apparently not at all displeased with such society.

Nobles.

The ball of the nobles admits of a very diffe- Ball of the rent description. It took place every Tuesday; and, it may be truly said, that Europe exhibits nothing like it. The laws of the society exclude every person who is by birth a plebeian; and this exclusion has been extended to foreigners;

IV.

CHAP. therefore we felt grateful in being allowed admission. Prince Viazemskoy, who married an English lady, kindly procured tickets for us; notwithstanding the danger at that time of shewing kindness and attention to Englishmen '. If his Excellency be now living, he is requested to pardon this testimony of his generous condeThe author feels sensible that a congeniality of sentiment will render any apology superfluous for the sacrifice he has elsewhere made in the cause of truth..

scension.

The coup d'œil, upon entering the grand saloon, is inconceivable. The company consisted of near two thousand persons. The dresses were the most sumptuous that can be imagined; and, what is more remarkable, they were conceived in the purest taste, and were in a high degree becoming. The favourite ornaments of the ladies, at this time, were cameos, which they wore upon their arms, in girdles round their waists, or upon their bosoms; a mode of adorning the fair that has since found its way to our own country, and

(1) I wish to lay particular stress upon this circumstance, as almost all travellers have celebrated Russian hospitality, and particularly that of the inhabitants of Moscow. L'hospitalité des Russes," say the Authors of the Voyage de Deux Français, paroît ici dans tout son

jour."

was originally derived from Paris; but the
women of France and England may go to
Moscow to see their own fashions set off to
advantage. The drapery was disposed chiefly
after the Grecian costume, and the hair worn
bound up
round the head. The modes of dress
in London and Paris are generally blended
together by the ladies of Moscow, who select
from either that which may become them best;
and, in justice to their charms, it must be
confessed no country in the world can boast of
superior beauty. When, in addition to their
personal attractions, it is considered, that the
most excessive extravagance is used to procure
whatever may contribute to their adornment2;
that a whole fortune is sometimes lavished
upon a single dress; that they are assembled
in one of the finest rooms in the world, lighted
and decorated with matchless elegance and
splendour; it may be supposed the effect has
never been surpassed.

Dress.

In such an assembly, we had every reason Caprice in to suppose a couple of English travellers might

(2) It is related very generally, in the higher circles of the city, that a Princess of Moscow, who had purchased a wig to imitate the colour of her own hair, confined her hair-dresser in a closet, fed him always herself, and allowed him only to come out during her toilette, in order that her false tresses might not be detected.