8 POftESTRY IN EASTERN RUSSIA. 



while the peristyles are supported by 112 gigaatic 

 polished granite monoliths, each 60 feet high, and having 

 a diameter of 7 feet. This massive exterior has for its 

 counterpart a splendid and costly interior, which some- 

 what disappoints because of its sombreness during the 

 day. This very quality, however, may help to add to its 

 imposing grandeur when at some festival, beginning as is 

 usual in the Russian church at the evening service, it is 

 brilliantly illuminated with some thousands of candles 

 and tapers.' 



Converging towards the central spire of the Admiralty, 

 are the three prospekts of which mention has been made, 

 their length being reckoned by miles. That on the left, 

 the noblest of the whole, perhaps I should say the only 

 noble one of the three, is the Nevskoi, considered by some 

 travellers to be in some respects the finest street in 

 Europe. I have witnessed successive additions made to the 

 heights of the houses, by which it has been improved ; but 

 I have seen the fronts of these houses by degrees covered 

 more and more, from ground floor to attic, with garish 

 signboards, greatly marring the effect. Again and 

 again the long line of these is broken by bridges, 

 churches, palaces, public buildings of different kinds, 

 and palatal and public gardens, My desire is simply to 

 give some idea of the appearance of St Petersburg pre- 

 sented to the traveller setting out thence to travel in the 

 forests and forest lands of the East, and of the Ural 

 Mountains, and of the far stretching land beyond, extend- 

 ing from the Ural Mountains to the Amoor and Katn- 

 schatka ; and in order to this I do not deem it necessary 

 to give details of particular buildings. Amongst others 

 there, are the Imperial Library, the Grand Opera, the 

 Kazan Church, with a fa9ade like that of St Peter's at 

 Rome, and churches of other forms innumerable, and the 

 Gostinnoi Dvor, or Market, where may be purchased any- 

 thing and everything, from a cradle to a coffin, jewels, and 

 old iron and rags, 



