X. CHAP. Already every trace of her brilliant reign had disappeared. The Russians, on the accession of PAUL, fell back into the barbarism which characterized the empire before the age of their First PETER. The polished nations of Europe will be surprised to learn, that immortal as the name of CATHERINE appears in their annals, it was almost forgotten in Russia within four after her death: it remained among years the number of privations enjoined by the long list of public proscriptions, and was heard only in the howling of the wind that drifted the snows of Siberia. At the same time, her favourites were displaced; her ministers rejected; her officers dismissed; her monuments overthrown: even the verst-posts, which bore some marks of her taste, were demolished; and near to their ruins stood a series of wooden Harlequinades, chequered to suit the foolish fancy of the Imperial ideot upon the throne. The Reader will find them strikingly pourtrayed in the Secret Memoirs of the Court of Petersburg," a work attributed to the Count De Segur. Yet, who shall relate the butcheries of the Orlofs, the Passicks, and Baratinskies, of RUSSIA? All that Shakspeare has fabled of the cruelties of RICHARD THE THIRD seem to have been realized under the reign of CATHERINE; whether with or without her connivance, has not been ascertained. The "quick conveyance" of her husband, of the Holstein Guards, of Prince Ivan, might be the work of her favourites; but can we believe that Alexius Orlof was alone implicated in the fate of the innocent daughter of the Empress ELIZABETH? Tula, in its present condition, is not likely to CHAP. X. prove of any advantage to the empire; because Present the inhabitants are unable to raise a sufficient State of quantity of water for the works. The machinery TULA. is ill-constructed, and it is worse preserved. Every thing seemed to be out of order. Workmen, with long beards, stood staring at each other, not knowing what to do; while their intendants and directors were either intoxicated or asleep. Notwithstanding all this, they boasted of being able to send out of the manufactory, in the common course of business, without any particular order from Government, thirteen hundred muskets in a week. But then the name musket is almost all that connects the sham appearance with the real weapon. It is wonderful how any troops can use them: besides being clumsy and heavy, they miss fire five times out of six, and are also liable to burst whenever they are discharged. The streets of Tula are paved: its shops and public places cause an appearance of activity and of industry, in despite of the neglect shewn to the public works. The number of merchants, including shopkeepers, is estimated at four thousand: and of this number some are very rich. Its commerce, independently of the hardware manufactory, consists in European merchandize, X. CHAP. in Greek wines, and in other productions of Turkey. The Imperial manufactory of arms employed six thousand workmen; and the number of inhabitants was stated at thirty thousand. The town stands in a pleasing valley, on the borders of the river Upa. There are few woods in the neighbourhood, yet they produce sufficient fuel for the consumption of the place. Economy This may be attributed to the very great eco of Fuel. nomy introduced by the use of stoves; for the heating of which, a few billets, kindled early in the morning, suffice; an equal warmth being afterwards diffused, during the whole of the day and following night. If they be properly constructed, there is no method of heating apartments attended with so little expense and so many conveniences. In England, stoves are generally made of cast iron; these are not merely unwholesome, but, in small rooms, they are very dangerous. Why the Russian and Swedish stoves have not become common in our country, where every article of fuel is so amazingly expensive, may be explained by those who prefer more costly, and perhaps more cheerful, hearths. The generality of houses in Tula are of wood; but the number of dwellings built with stone is considerable, and it increases daily. Many new buildings afforded proof of an increasing population. We observed women X. employed in repairing the pavement of the CHAP. streets, which is kept in good order. The dress of the young females displays their persons to advantage. A white shift covers the arms and body in front, and is fastened behind with tape. It is drawn tight over the breast, and there held by a small button. The iron mines in the neighbourhood of this Iron Mines. place are very considerable: they occupy an extent of more than ten miles, in a country somewhat hilly, covered by thick woods. The whole of the soil around them is impregnated with iron, but the richest ore is found towards the west. It lies scarcely concealed by a superincumbent surface, not more than fourteen inches thick, consisting of sand mixed with mould, and sometimes of sand alone. From these mines the celebrated forges of Demidof, distant thirty-eight miles from Tula, derive their ore. As soon as we left Tula, we quitted the main road from Moscow to Cherson, and turned off due south, towards Woronetz. After ascending the heights above Tula, we were carried into a wide and desolate plain, covered only by a thin sod, on which herds of cattle were grazing. This deviation was not made, on our part, without Road from Tula to X. CHAP. apprehension. We had reason to fear that known roads might not suit a carriage ill-constructed for an adventurous journey; being lofty, with narrow axle-trees, and more calculated for cities than deserts. To our great satisfaction, however, and for the comfort and assurance of other travellers who may choose to follow our route, the whole distance to Woronetz may be passed over like a bowling-green, and the lightest vehicle would be exposed to no hazard of injury. This vast plain afforded us the finest road in the world, not excepting even those of Sweden, being all the way a firm hard turf, exactly resembling that which covers the South Downs in Sussex, and with the additional advantage of being for the most part level, extending like an ocean, in which the eye discerns no object to interrupt the uniformity of the view. Over the first part of the journey from Tula, small copses, in patches, might be distinguished; and in these we noticed some dwarf oaks, the first seen since we entered Russia from the Swedish frontier; excepting a single tree in a garden at Moscow, shewn there as a rare plant, and cut into a barbarous form, like the yew-trees in oldfashioned English shrubberies'. Among those (1) The practice of cutting evergreens so as to resemble the shape of animals is as old as the time of the Younger Pliny, and probably much |
