RESOURCES, &C., OF RUSSFA. 465 



IS nothing bul a mere name — the forms are scarcely preserved — sub- 

 stance there is none.* It is proper to observe, however, that the 

 punishments which it is in the power of the judge to inflict are not 

 quite so barbarous as they were wont to be. The punishment of death 

 is entirely abolished — an example this most worthy of imitation by 

 our government. The common punishments are corporal punish- 

 ment, fine, imprisonment, church-censure, and banishment to the 

 mines. The barbarous punishment of the knout and slitting the nose 

 is still occasionally inflicted, but is confined lo the very lowest classes. 



The established religion of Russia is the Greek; but — which is sur- 

 prising in a government otherwise so despotic — full toleration is 

 granted to every other. It has been so since the days of the illus- 

 trious Peter the First. The Russian church has a superior judicatory 

 called a synod, which exercises authority over the clergy and the 

 consistories. The parish priests are miserably paid. Their annual 

 allowance varies from lO/. to 20/. in money, with a wretched wooden 

 house and a small piece of land. Ever since the year 1764, when the 

 state confiscated all the landed property belonging to the church, the 

 clergy have been paid, for the most part, by government. They are 

 treated with the most consummate contempt !)y the nobility and gentry. 

 The number of archbishops and bishops is thirty-two. All the ec- 

 clesiastics wear long beards and long hair. The number of monas- 

 teries in the empire is 480, of nunneries 70. The number of Greek 

 churches is estimated at 30,000, that of the Greek clergy at 70,000. 

 The great body of these last are extremely ignorant, the utmost 

 extent of their capabilities being the saying or singing the prayers of 

 the church. Seventy-two different denominations of Christians, ex- 

 clusive of those professing the Greek religion, exist in Russia. The 

 entire number of clergy is supposed not to be much under 400,000. ^ 



The length to which this article has already extended leaves us 

 no room to speak of the manners, customs, &c.,ofthe Russians. This 

 is the less to be regretted, as information of this kind is any thing but 

 difficult to be met with. It abounds in every book of travels in that 

 empire ; whereas, the greatest part of the facts we have communi- 

 cated is gathered from works not so generally accessible. 



From the glance we have thus given at Russia and Russian matters, 

 our readers will be. able to form some idea of the actual strength 

 and resources of that empire, and consequently how far the alarm 

 which has of late been felt by the other European Courts at her grow- 

 ing power is well founded. 



Our own opinion is that the political consequence of the Northern 

 Autocrat has, in some respects, been greatly exaggerated, and in 

 others as nmch underrated. His conquests in Europe are, for some 

 time at least, clearly at an end. The great Powers are, and will be, 

 too jealous of Russia, and watchful of tlieir own interests, to suffer 

 her to make aggressions on any of the weaker states ; and, should she 

 be infatuated enougii to meditate an attack on either of themselves, 

 such Power will be more than a match for her. The Russians possess 



• No pecuniary allowance being made for the administration of justice is one great 

 cause of this corniption. 



M.M.— No. 5. 2 L 



