vision of English foremen, so that there is a colony here of our countrymen, amounting to seventy or eighty persons. Divine service is performed for their benefit, in the schoolroom, every Sunday evening, by the British chaplain, Mr. Law,* who most kindly goes over from Petersburg for this purpose.

I believe this excursion to Alexandrovsky is the only incident which is worth mentioning since we have been here; you must therefore be contented with a short letter, as you would not thank me if I filled it up with a description of Petersburg, or an account of the relations and friends who are kind enough to invite us to their houses. However, as Easter is approaching, I hope to have more to tell the next time I write.

It is but justice to my friend Mr. Law to add, that this duty, which is entirely voluntary and gratuitous on his part, is a laborious addition to two full services which he performs every Sunday in the British church at St. Petersburg.

LETTER XXIII.

Conclusion of Lent The Metropolitan washing the feet of twelve priests - Want of decorum in a Russian congregation - Commencement of Easter Sunday- Ceremony at the Kazan church - Christos voscress

- Coaches and

The Emperor and a Mahometan sentry - The katchellies six Grand promenade - The Emperor and Empress - Silent reception of his Majesty, in accordance with Russian ideas of etiquette — Number of holidays injurious to Russia Why not abolished.

Petersburg, April 24th, 1838. LENT is now over, and the Russians, to their great joy, are once more at liberty to eat, dance, and marry, as they please.

On the day before Good Friday we went to the Kazan church, to see the ceremony of the Metropolitan washing the feet of twelve priests. In the centre of the church, which was much crowded, a platform was raised about five feet from the ground, and on this were placed thirteen chairs; six on each side for the priests, and one at the top for the Metropolitan. Mass was first celebrated at the grand altar, and, at the conclusion, the Metropolitan ascended the platform, and took his seat facing the altar, while six or seven deacons placed themselves behind his chair. A service was now chanted, and soon after it had begun two bishops made their appearance on the platform. They bowed to the altar, and then to the Metropolitan, and seated themselves on either side of him. Two priests followed, and took their places in the two next chairs in like manner. Others succeeded them, and at last the twelve chairs were filled. The Metropolitan then rose up, laid aside his ribbons and decorations, took off several robes one after another, and girded himself with a long towel, the chanted service still continuing. He then passed round to each of the twelve priests in succession, with a large silver basin, and went through the form of washing their feet, a deacon accompanying and assisting him. This part of the

ceremony occupied but a very short time, and the service was immediately afterwards concluded.

It is impossible to enter a Russian church without being struck by the want of decorum which the absence of seats produces. The whole congregation, except a few persons of consequence, who are placed near the altar, stand pell-mell, without order or regularity; so that when the church is full the crowd becomes an absolute mob, and those who are attending to the service are disturbed by the moving of others around them. The services in the Greek church are many of them very long, and the fatigue of standing during the whole time is very great.

On the Saturday night, about eleven o'clock, I went again to the Kazan church to see Easter Sunday ushered in. There was a sort of illumination in the streets, earthen lamps being placed in rows on the edge of the foot-pavement; but the light which they produced was far from brilliant. The lamps were wide apart, and the effect very paltry. There was an unusual bustle in the whole town; the pavements were crowded with foot passengers, and a ceaseless stream of carriages with lighted lamps was rolling along.

Inside the church, near the door, were two stalls for the sale of wax-candles of various sizes, and these could scarcely be furnished fast enough to supply the demand. Almost every person who entered bought at least one taper, and many provided themselves with five or six: not, however, lighting them as yet, but keeping them in readiness for midnight. After looking for some time at the crowd which kept moving in and out of the church, I went and stood in front of it until, at halfpast eleven, a rocket was sent up, and a gun fired from the fortress this being a signal for divine service to commence in all the churches in Petersburg. I did not hear the second gun which the fortress fired to announce the actual commencement of Easter-day; but all the people at midnight lighted their candles, and a procession issued from the church, and made the circuit of its walls outside. The ecclesiastics who headed it bore the cross and sacred banners, and chanted a service, while the congregation followed them with lighted tapers. I observed that many of the common people in the crowd

had in their hands what appeared to be plates tied up in napkins; and I find that this was the first meat which they intended to eat on the conclusion of Lent, and which they brought to church, according to an ancient custom, to be blessed by the priests.

I should have told you that on Good Friday all the Court go, the gentlemen as usual in uniform, but the ladies in deep. mourning,--to kiss the representation of our Saviour's tomb in the Palace Chapel. On Easter Sunday nothing goes on but felicitations, presenting of eggs (the emblem of the Resurrection), and kissing. Servants may kiss their masters or mistresses; and a peasant may kiss the Emperor, though perhaps in the latter case the privilege is not very often exercised. "Christos voscress,' ," "Christ has risen," is the universal salutation; and it is a curious thing to see two peasants or tradesmen meet in the street. "Christos voscress," they cry out; off go their hats and caps; and then with one accord they rush together and inflict on one another three kisses on the cheek *-right, left, right. After this each replaces his hat, first making a most profound bow to the other, and at length they separate. There is a story told of the present Emperor, who once on Easter-day, passing a sentry, saluted him as usual with the words "Christ is risen." No; he's not, your Majesty," said the soldier, presenting arms. "He's not!" said the Emperor; "what do you mean? This is Easter Sunday." "I know that, please your Majesty," replied the man; “but I am a Mahometan."

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The Russians, high and low, are great observers of times and seasons; and custom requires that at Easter, as well as at Christmas, all persons should visit their acquaintances to congratulate them on the occasion of the festival. Several carriages broke down last week in the performance of this arduous duty, for the streets were in a terrible state, and some almost impassable, owing to the thaw; the snow not having

*The custom of men kissing one another is as common in Russia as in Germany. Gentlemen hardly ever presume to shake hands with ladies, even if they are intimate acquaintances. In lieu of this, the gentleman kisses the lady's hand, while she at the same time puts her lips to his cheek. This custom is on the decline at Petersburg.

entirely disappeared, but being worn into deep holes, which of course were full of water. On Easter Sunday I saw a few sledges for the last time.

Opposite to the Admiralty, in the open Place, large wooden booths had been erected for theatrical and other exhibitions, and in front of the booths were what are called katchellies, namely, swings, merry-go-rounds, and similar inventions. These continued in full play and in high favour during the whole of Easter-week. On the three last days of the week there was a carriage promenade in front of the katchellies; and in the throng a string of twenty coaches-and-six, followed by six outriders, was conspicuous. The carriages were plain and neat, painted green, and all exactly alike, with handsome powerful horses, equipped in heavy German harness, and the coachman, postilions, footmen, and outriders, dressed in scarlet great-coats with capes, and in cocked hats, leather breeches, and jack boots. The coachmen were evidently not much accustomed to driving four-in-hand, and an English whip would hardly have admired their manner of handling the reins. These were Court equipages, and each carriage contained six young ladies belonging to the public institutions or schools at Petersburg, under the patronage of the Empress, who annually bestows this indulgence upon the pupils.

The last and gayest of the promenades took place, according to custom, the day before yesterday, being the Sunday after Easter. It was attended by the Court and all the fashionable world, and every vehicle in Petersburg was placed in requisition. We remained at our windows, and we could not have been better placed, as, owing to the police regulations, all the carriages were obliged to pass down our street in order to enter the Admiralty Place, and from about half-past five in the evening the stream for two hours was incessant. Soon after six o'clock the officers of the regiment of Gardes à cheval, who had been gradually assembling, drew up under our windows in scarlet uniforms, waiting to escort the Emperor, who in the course of half an hour drove up, seated as usual in a plain open carriage with a pair of horses, and accompanied by his eldest son.

*The horses were driven, not in the Russian style, but in English, or rather German fashion.