118 RUSSIA IN EUROPE, 



navigating a large naval force through the Gulf of Finland, is suffi- 

 cient to guard it on that side from the attempts of any enemy. Peters- 

 burg is the capital of the province of Ingria, one of Peter the Great's 

 conquests from the Swedes. In the neighbourhood of this city are 

 numerous country-houses and gardens. 



The city of Moscow, or Moskoa, formerly the capital of this great 

 empire, stands on the river from which it takes its name. Though its 

 streets are not regular, it presents a very picturesque appearance ; 

 fork contains such a number of gardens, groves, lawns, and streams, 

 that it seems rather to be a cultivated country than a city. The ancient 

 magnificence of this city would be incredible, were it not attested by 

 the most unquestionable authors : but we are to make great allowan- 

 ces for the uncultivated state of the adjacent provinces, which might 

 have made it appear with a greater lustre in a traveller's eyes. Bus- 

 ching speaks of it as the largest city in Europe ; but that can be only 

 meant as to the ground it stands on, computed to be sixteen miles in 

 circumference. It is generally admitted, that Moscow contains 1600 

 churches and convents, and forty-three palaces or squares The mer- 

 chant's exchange, according to Busching, contains about 6000 fine 

 shops, which display a vast parade of commerce, especially to and 

 from China. No city exhibits a greater contrast than Moscow, of 

 magnificence and meanness in building. The houses of the inhabi- 

 tants in general are miserable timber booths ; but their palaces, 

 churches, convents, and other public edifices, are spacious and lofty. 

 The Kremlin, or grand imperial palace, is mentioned as one of the 

 most superb structures in the world : it stands in the interior circle 

 of the city, and contains the old imperial palace, pleasure -house, and 

 stables, a victualling-house, the palace which formerly belonged to 

 the patriarch, the cathedral, five convents, four parish-churches, the 

 arsenal, with the public colleges, and other offices. All the churches 

 in the Kremlin have beautiful spires, most of them gilt or covered 

 with silver ; the architecture is in the Gothic taste ; but the insides 

 of the churches are richly ornamented ; and the pictures of the saints 

 are decorated with gold, silver, and precious stones. The cathedral 

 has nine towers, covered with copper, double gilt, and contains a sil- 

 ver branch with forty-eight lights, said to weigh 2800 pounds. 



The most remarkable edifice as affording a striking monument of 

 Rational manners, is the church of St. Basil, near the Kremlin. It is 

 a complete specimen of the Tartar taste in building ; and was erected 

 by Ivan Basilovich the Second in 1538. To add to the singularity of 

 Its history, it was the workmanship of Italian architects. Its numer- 

 ous and heavy cupolas, surmounted by gilded crucifixes, exhibit a 

 striking contrast of colour and ornament. Pious individuals bequeath 

 legacies towards the perpetual gilding or painting of this or that 

 dome, according to their various fancies ; so that it is likely to re- 

 main a splendid piece of patch-work for many generations. 



The foundling hospital at Moscow is an excellent institution. It 

 was founded by the late empress, and is supported by voluntary con- 

 tributions, legacies, and other charitable endowments. It is an im- 

 mense pile of building, of a quadrangular shape, and will contain 

 8000 foundlings. They are taken great care of, and at the age of 

 fourteen have the liberty of choosing any trade ; for which purpose 

 there are different species of manufactures established in the hos- 

 pital. 



Moscow, when lord Carlisle was the English ambassador there, in 



