ST. PETERSBURG. 



97 



The drive through the is 1 and s was to me peculiarly 

 interesting from its endless extent, the presence of uncul- 

 tivated, untouched nature, with her Neva streams and 

 quiet Baltic inlets, and primeval trees, and peasant-houses, 

 as rude as if in a distant forest ; while everywhere are as 

 unexpectedly met with, the country seats and beautiful 

 cottages of wealthy citizens, and here and there cafes and 



PEASANTS HOrSES. 



theatres, and scenes of gay amusement, as false and 

 gaudy as in the Champs-Elysees. On the whole, wild 

 nature has the best of it. 



But perhaps the finest feature in St. Petersburg is the 

 noble Neva ! The hotels are filthy ; the police, villains ; 

 the droskies, tortures ; the palaces, shams ; the natives, 

 ugly ; but the Neva seems to redeem all ! It flows on, 



