THE COUNTRY AND THE PEOPLE. 57 



Those rippling streams went meandering through green 

 lawns, flowering shrubs, and mounds blazing with annuals. 

 No mimic rockeries were required, such as 1 have seen even 

 Chatsworth. Wild nature and graceful art combined 

 altogether formed a picture that may be remembered, 

 but cannot be drawn by words. There was a fine country 

 seat on an eminence commanding the whole of this 

 extensive and beautiful view. The adjacent peasants' 

 shanties, the kitchen and garden, stables, out-houses, were all 

 hidden from the house by trees, shrubs, and embankments, 

 forming oi themselves, an agreeable adjunct, all built in 

 that pretty romantic old Boyrian style. 



'While we were enjoying a sumptuous repast, pro- 

 vided for the occasion as Russians only can and will do 

 these things, they related to me the history of the place. 



' When Alexander I. was on the Ural, he found an English- 

 man, Mr Major, in charge of the mines at Parda, and so well 

 pleased was he with him that he gave him more substantial 

 proofs of his Imperial favour than orders or medals. He 

 made him a deed of gift of this Crown estate, and Major 

 had it converted into an earthly paradise. And just as 

 he left it, I saw it. There was an Englishman's stamp, 

 taste, and thoroughness about it everywhere. Fancy an 

 English dirty mechanic in the beginning, in the long- 

 run rivalling an English lord ! Allow me to relate an 

 anecdote which they told me, characteristic of the man, 

 and illustrative of that vien of humour with which the 

 English are so embued that even transportation to Siberia 

 cannot suppress it. 



' One day Major received a notice that there was lying 

 at the post-office a valuable parcel addressed to him. 

 Away drives he himself next day in a carriage and pair, 

 and when he gets it, home he comes as soon as he can. 

 After impatiently unwrapping and unwrapping scores of 

 foldings of beautiful fine tissue paper, he at last finds an 

 old, dirty, worn-out naumre, or trie cast-off bast-mat shoe 

 of a mujik ! He quietly pocketed the intended insult, 

 and said nothing about it to any one ; but he suspected 



