408 Dr. Granville's Travels to St. Petersburgh. [Ocr. 
accordance with his own advice to that effect, part company with him 
for a space—not, however, without stating, that what he brings forward 
on this head is well worth knowing, “to those whom it may concern.” 
We cannot help stopping for a moment, however, to smile at the doctor’s 
lamentation over the fact, that in Russia, as well as elsewhere, patients 
are in the habit of occasionally “ changing their medical attendant :’”— 
a practice which the doctor looks upon as the height of human ingrati- 
tude! So hurt is he at this unprincipled abuse of our free agency, that, 
spite of the general bonhommie for which we so much admire him, he, 
in reference to this unpardonable defect in the human character, launches 
a (true) libel against the whole human race, in the shape of the French 
proverb, “ L’ingratitude est de tous les pays.” We must also recommend 
to the particular attention of patients in general, a new plan which the 
doctor most disinterestedly propounds, for the laudable purpose of getting 
rid of the present mischievous practice of giving daily fees to physicians. 
But as he professes an intention of developing this plan more at length, 
on some future occasion, we shall willingly wait. In the meantime, 
however, we must state our entire concurrence with the proposition he 
makes, that all the plans which at present prevail on this subject, “ are 
more or less objectionable and inconvenient to one of the parties.” — 
(Vol. 2, p. 269.) 
The doctor is not very profuse on the subject of Russian sports ; but 
he tells us of one, which, but for his obvious freedom from the traveller’s 
proverbial failing, we might have taken for a piece of innocent inven- 
tion ; unless, indeed, it is to be looked upon as a bit of ingenious satire 
on his part. Our readers shall judge for themselves :— 
_ » © The Russians of St. Petersburgh have no cock-pit among their sports ; 
but they have a goose pit, a fact which, I believe, has been overlooked by 
former travellers. Fighting birds of that noisy yet apparently harmless tribe 
are trained for sport, and the practice prevails to a great extent among the 
hemp merchants. They are taught to peck at each other's shoulders, so as to 
draw blood. The ganders have been known to have sold as high as five hun- 
dred roubles, and betting upon them runs very high. This sort of sport takes 
place in March, when geese, probably like hares, are mad.” 
The doctor does not inform us whether he ever ventured to witness, 
or, as the French have it, “ assist at,” this singular sport. 
We fear our extracts have already swelled this paper to an unreason- 
able, though we trust not an unreadable length. We must, therefore, 
hasten to a conclusion. After visiting and describing in detail: the 
markets, manufactories, prisons, courts of law, &c.; and also the environs 
of Petersburgh, our author, on the 11th of December, 1827, turns his 
back upon that city, and proceeds on his return to London, through. 
Poland, Silesia, Saxony, &c., making a short stay at Warsaw, and also. 
at Dresden, and describing in detail all that strikes him as worthy of 
notice in those cities, and on his route. He also makes a brief stay at 
Weimar, for the purpose of visiting Goethe ; and then makes the best of 
his way back to his zm-patients in England. 
In taking leave of Dr. Granville after our somewhat long sojourn in: 
his company, we must not fail to thank him for much information, and 
some amusement. The engravings and wood cuts—about seventy in 
number—public buildings and views in Petersburgh, are all well 
executed—and doubtless accurate in their representation. ; 
