RUSSIA. 



as they are fit for it, providing tliemfelves with horfcs, clothes, 

 and accoutrements, and only receive pay when they are in 

 actual fervice. See Cossai K8. 



The intercourfe between the fexes is more free than in 

 other countries, which is owing to the contracted fpace oi 

 their habitations and Sleeping rooms, their baths, the fim- 

 plicity oi their converfation, and their artlels fongs. The 

 behaviour of hufbands towards their wives is, in comparifon 

 with that of more poliihed nations, rough and auftere. The 

 marriage contract is made with mercantile punctuality ; the 

 betrothing is performed with eccleliailical rites, generally 

 eight days previous to the marriage, and is indifloluble. 

 The marriage is folemnized in the church before the altar, 

 to which they proceed with the figure of fome faint carried 

 before them ; and daring the ceremony a crown is put on 

 each of the heads of the married pair. The pried, with 

 due forms, changes their rings, admonifhes them of their 

 reciprocal duties, gives them a cup to drink, in token of the 

 union of their fortunes, and dilmilfes them with his bleffing. 



The national diverfions of the Ruffians on holidays, at 

 weddings, and on other occafions of fellivity, are very va- 

 rious, and much refemble thofe that are cultomary with 

 the Periians, Arabians, and Egyptians. Their mufic is 

 more ufually vocal than inilrumcntal. Their fongs are 

 fimple recitations, ancient or modern, on the fubjefts of 

 love, nature, and tales of chivalry, giants, and heroes, fre- 

 quently lewd ; and their melodies are uniform and mono- 

 tonous, but fpmetimes fufficiently pleafing. The little 

 groups of girls, fitting together in an evening and fin 

 afford much amulement. The molt complete vocal mufic is 

 that which is heard in their churches, on Sundays and holi- 

 days ; which, as the church allows of no iultrumental mufic 

 in divine worfhip, is performed bv fingers cxprefsly taught 

 and moltly brought from the Ukraine. The lubltancc is 

 Slavonian poetry ; the notes are exprefled by points, after 

 the very old fafhion, for four voices. The prefent choral 

 mufic is moftly by n-.ottete. The moll common initrument 

 of the nation is the Cow-horn, which is a kind of cornet) 

 of from one to four feet in length, made of wood or tree- 

 bark. For a defcription of the balalaika, fee Balalaika. 

 The gud.ik is a mil. rable violin with three firings : the 

 dutka conliils ot two parallel reed-pipes, each with three 

 holes, diflering in their notes up to an octave, fa that the 

 hear I com th tl two art- played on it. Tug rilek is a 



common village lyre ; and the valinka a diminutive pair of 

 bagpipes. The gulf, ia a horizontal harp with wires, played 

 on with the lingers, and oi any kind of mufic: it 



is a pleafing inltruolent and much ufed ; and fo is hi. 

 the i ' ilors and boatmen : tl llfo make 



a ki.id of jingling noife with two bunclu of little hells, 

 .villi their mufic. Dancing n. a diverlion to 

 which the Ruffians are very much devoted ; and they are uo 

 lefs atl I I i ■■ mi lines. 



I'm long and Qncerely lamented by their fur- 



viving relations; but, from a natural i ipugnance to the idea 



of death, they lile little . . • with the curpi . 



bring it to the grave in art open coffin, ■ Dnly with a 



pall, attended by priells, chanting hvinns, and bearing C 

 and It rhted tapers in their h At tlu.- place of interment 



they t.:ke leave ot the bod) b] a kii , th n f&ften tip 

 coffin, and let it down into t lie /rave. P( foil I of I he I 1 >W I I 



clafs bury their dead iii their ordinan clothe*, At the 

 year \s annually field a frail of the dead ( on which occflfion 

 every body vifits the grave of his i lation , lays fome vi 

 upon it, and hears mals, in payment for which the prieltl 

 get the victuals. 



The ancient orthodox Greek religion is uuiverfally ac- 



knowledged both in do&rine and difcipline. (See Gretl 

 Church.) The churches and facerdotal veftments are very 

 magnificent. The people are Itrict in the obfervance of the 

 outward tonus of religion ; attendance on mats, keeping the 

 faits (which take up one-third ol the year), performance of 

 domeltic d. confeflion, receiving the facrament, &c. 



Pafiion week is obferved with great apparent i ; but 



Eafter week is pailed much as in other countries, in various 

 diverfions, drunkennels, and debauchery. The Ruflia:. s are 

 fuperftitious, bo'.h in their notions and practices, believing 

 in ghofts, apparitions, and hobgoblins. Some fpecimens of 

 their fuperftitious we fliall here fubjoin. On the Thurfday 

 before Whitfuntide, the girls celebrate the feftival of the 

 Slavonian goddefs Lada and her fon Dida, with 

 dancing, and decorating a birch-bufh with garlands of rib- 

 bons ; which they afterwards throw with much folemnity 

 into a river, and infer, from the figures aflumed by the rib- 

 bons in the current, to whom they lhall be married, and their 

 fubfequent conditio::. On the fifth of January they go by 

 night into a crofs-ltreet, or into a cellar, which is called 

 " To go hearing," and fancy they hear, in every found, the 

 prediction of their deltiny. The day after Chriftmas is fo- 

 lemnized by the midwives, becaufe the Virgin Mary's mid- 

 wife had a great hand in the redemption ot the world : but 

 it is needlefi to enlarge in this way. 



The clergy in Ruflia enjoy peculiar privileges : they can- 

 not fuller corporal punilhment without being previoufly defe- 

 crated, and they are exempt from taxes. The empire com- 

 prehends, according to the ufual enumeration, 18,350 parilh 

 churches and cathedrals of the orthodox Greek religion. 

 The number of Ruffian clergy is computed at 67,900 per- 

 fons, without including their families. Some authors ailert, 

 that the whole empire contains 480 monalteries and 74 nun- 

 neries ; the former including 7300 monks and the latter 

 5300 nuns; but thofe numbers are fuppofed to be exagge- 

 rated : Mr. Coxe (lates the nuns at only 1300, and tins is 

 (aid to be a juil ellmiate. The monallenes all follow the 

 rule of St. Bafil. By the laws of Ruflia no cccleliallic can 

 be brought before a temporal judge, ui. iflaries of 



the clerical order be likewife on the bench. For the boors 

 of Ruffia, fee Boons. 



Throughout the old provinces of Ruflia not any boggart 

 are to be feen. The inferior clafs of nobility, which is the 

 molt numerous, live at their eale m the country. They are 

 the true Ruffian fanners : their well-being depends oil the 

 progrcis of agriculture, and it profpers . ads. The 



peafantry are very far from being unhappy. They are i-.i 

 ral much more at their eale than the lame order of men 

 , under the ancient government, when il 

 hardly poffible for a carriage to flop, any where bet-. 

 Lyons and Paris for example, without being furrounded 

 by a clamorous troop of beggars. Even the numl 

 wealthy peafants is by no means inconliderable ; and it mull 

 every day become greater, fo long as they retain their an- 

 cient limplicitv of mai.iiei . 'Hie: ! 1 .e.ily accu- 

 mulate under the form of capitals, and tin 1 • capitate by de- 

 come productive ; for many pealants have ah 



abandoned agriculture, to in other branches of in- 



dullry, as mane 



is only in Finland and the Polilh provinces that th 



are poi 



The power of a Hate does not folely depend on the 

 numl r of its j ut upon their wealth and ac- 



I iillia, in tins 1 1 lain, 



She is fufficiently peopled for the actual 

 riches. What would not this empire become, i: its po] 

 tiou was more concentrated ! 



5 C I The 



