sorts of cutaneous and nervous disorders, might be alleviated, if not prevented, by a proper attention to bathing. The inhabitants of countries in which the bath is constantly used, anxiously seek it, in full confidence of getting rid of all such complaints; and they are rarely disappointed. I may add my testimony to theirs, having, not only upon the occasion which gave rise to these remarks, but in cases of obstructed perspiration much more alarming, during my Travels, experienced their good effect. I hardly know any act of benevolence more essential to the comfort of the community, than that of establishing, by public benefaction, the use of baths for the poor, in all our cities and manufacturing towns. The lives of many might be saved by them. In England they are considered only as articles of luxury; yet throughout the vast empire of Russia, through all Finland, Lapland, Sweden, and Norway, there is no cottage so poor, no hut so destitute, but it possesses its vapour bath; in which all its inhabitants, every Saturday at least, and every day in cases of sickness, experience comfort and salubrity. Lady Mary Wortley Montague, in spite of all the prejudices which prevailed in England against inoculation, introduced it from Turkey. If another person of equal influence would endeavour to establish throughout Great Britain the use of warm and vapour baths, the inconveniences of our climate would be done away. Perhaps at some future period they may become general; and statues may perpetuate the memory of the Patriot, the Statesman or the Sovereign, to whom Society will be indebted for thei I institution. When we are told, that the illustrious Bacon lamented in vain the disuse of baths among the Europeans, we CHAP. VIII. CHAP. VIII. Foundling we have little reason to indulge the expectation. At the same time, an additional testimony to their salutary effects, in affording longevity and vigorous health to a people otherwise liable to mortal diseases from a rigorous climate and an unwholesome diet, may contribute to their establishment. Among the Antients, baths were public edifices, under the immediate inspection of the government. They were considered as institutions which owed their origin to absolute necessity, as well as to decency and cleanliness. Under her Emperors, Rome had near a thousand such buildings, which, besides their utility, were regarded as master-pieces of architectural skill and sumptuous decoration. In Russia, they have only vapour baths; and these are, for the most part, in wretched wooden hovels. If wood is wanting, they are formed of mud, or scooped in the banks of rivers and lakes: but in the palaces of the nobles, however they may vary in convenience or splendour of materials, the plan of construction is always the same. This universal custom of the bath may be mentioned as an example of the resemblance between Muscovites and more Oriental people: but there are many others; such, for instance, as the ceremony of howling and tearing the hair at the death of relatives; the practice among the nobles of employing slaves to rub the soles of their feet, in order to induce sleep; and the custom of maintaining buffoons, whose occupation it is fo relate strange and extravagant tales for a similar purpose. As a conclusion to this chapter, a few words may be added concerning the state of the Foundling Hospital; as the Institution of that name in Petersburg excites the interest and attention attention of all foreigners; although it is but a branch of the more magnificent establishment of the same nature in the east angle of the Khitai Gorod at Moscow. Both one and the other have been sufficiently described by preceding authors'. Of the latter I shall therefore only add, that, in the space of twenty years, prior to the year 1786, they had received no less than thirty-seven thousand six hundred and seven infants. Of this number, one thousand and twenty had left the asylum; and there remained six thousand and eighty at that time". In 1792, the number of children in the house amounted to two thousand; and about three thousand belonging to the establishment were at nurse in the country. Every peasant entrusted with the care of an infant had a monthly allowance of a rouble and a half. Every month, such of the children as have been vaccinated are sent into the country, where they remain until the age of five years. Before the introduction of vaccination, the mortality was much greater among them than at present, although they inoculated for the small-pox3. it is (1) Since the foundation of these two establishments, similar institutions have taken place in other towns of Russia; such as Tula, Kaluga, Jaroslaf, Casan, &ć. (2) Storch's Tableau de Russie, tom. I. p. 321. Upon the great mortality which this statement allows, the author makes the following judicious remarks: "Si cette note, adoptée d'après un écrivain très-véridique sur d'autres points, est exacte, la perte que cet établissement a essuyée par la mortalité des enfans, est sans doute très-considérable = mais elle le paraîtrait beaucoup moins, si l'on examinait le nombre de ceux qui sont morts au moment d'y être reçus, aussi bien que de ceux qui y ont porté le germe de leur destruction. Pour déterminer l'état exact de la mortalité de cette maison, il faudrait savoir le nombre d'enfans parfaitement sains qui y sont entrés; car ceux que l'on porte à l'hôpital, aussitôt après qu'ils ont été baptisés, ne peuvent être regardés Comme des victimes dévouées à la mort: il y aurait donc la plus grande injustice à attribuer leur perte à un établissement rempli d'humanité, qui enrichit annuellement 'un nombre toujours plus considérable de citoyens sains, actifs et industrieux.” (3) Heber's MS. Journal. que l'état CHAP. CHAP. VIII. CHAP. IX. Visit to the MOSCOW. Visit to the Archbishop of Moscow-his Conversation-Convent of A CURIOUS contrast to the splendour in which we had hitherto seated seated on a turf bank, beneath the windows of the refectory, attended by a bishop, an old man his vicar, the abbé of the monastery, and some others of the monks. I could scarcely believe my eyes, when they told me it was Plato; for though Ihad often seen him in his archiepiscopal vestments, his rural dress had made such an alteration, that I did not know him. He was habited in a striped silk bed-gown, with a night-cap like the silk nets which hang down the back, as commonly seen on the heads of Italian postilions; and a pair of woollen stockings, with feet of coarse linen, fastened on with twine in an uncouth manner. He was without shoes, but a pair of yellow slippers laid at some distance. By his side, on the bank, was placed his broad-brimmed hat, such as is worn by the shepherdesses of the Alps; and in the hat-band, to complete the resemblance, was stuck a bunch of withered flowers. His white beard, and that mildness and animation of countenance which distinguished him, gave to his features a most pleasing expression. He desired to know who we were; and being answered, Englishmen; "What!" said he; "all English? I wonder what your countrymen can find sufficiently interesting in Russia, to bring you so far from home; and in times as these?" But having made this observation in French, he looked cautiously around him, and began to ask the monks, severally, whether they understood French. Finding them perfectly ignorant of that language, he bade me sit by him; while the rest forming a circle, he entertained us with a conversation, in which there was science, wit, and freedom, sufficient to astonish any traveller, in such a country, and at such a period. Memory has scarcely retained such CHAP. IX. |