630 
made, for the author's ftrong prejudices in 
favour of his native country, will be found 
to difplay fuch a fund of political and 
commercial knowledge, and particularly 
uch a view of the interelts and difpofitions 
of France, with refpectto Great Britain, 
asmuft render it valuable and imporiant. 
One makes no hefitation in claffing un- 
der the head of Hiftory «© The Picture of 
Peterfburgh, from the German of Henry 
STORCH; it certainly is an hiftorical pic- 
ture, and is the production of no common 
aruilt: the objects are alive, and one {tes 
the very motion of them as in a camera 
ob{cura. M. Storch refided many years in 
eterfburgh, and enjoyed an opportunity, 
by which he neglected not to profit, of 
frequenting focieties of all ranks and con- 
ditions ; he excels in that moft difficult of 
all defcriptions, the defcription of men, 
manners, and amufements: he fixes the 
attention of his readers by the relation of 
a thoufand little particulars in domeftic 
habits and incidents in private life, which 
Hiftory fometimes thinks it beneath the 
dignity of her volume to have recorded in 
its pages. 
The Winter of St. Peterfburg is the 
bet feafon of the year: the Ruffians en- 
joy it, and feemed to revive at its ap- 
proach : travelling is rendered commo- 
dious and agreeable by excellent fledee- 
roads, and whatever degree of cold the 
thermometer indicates, the Ruffian is we!l 
repared to refift it abroad by his cap, fur 
mui, and boots lined with flannel ; and 
at home, by his double doors and win- 
dows, his felt-covered carpets and weil- 
conftructed ftoves. When the double win- 
dows are put up, the joints and interftices 
are caulked, and neatly palted wich the 
border of the psper with which the room is 
hung: this precaution, M. Storch informs 
us, not only protects againft cold and 
wind, but fecures a free profpect even in 
the depth cf winter, as the panes of glais 
are then never encrufted with ice. From 
this apparatus it appears, and the remark 
ig woith making, that the Ruflians have 
long fince found out by their feelings, what 
a modein philofopher of the highett emi- 
nence in Europe, Count Rumford, difco- 
vered only by a feries of delicate and well- 
conducted experimen's, namely, that air 
is a perfectly non-conductor of heat. * 
The {pring at Peterfburgh is fo fhort, as 
fcarcely to be reckoned one of the feaions : 
-March and April are pleafant months, but 
Ahe ait is keen, and the Neva is frequently 
fill covered with ice. In the monh of 
% ace Kunierd’s lay, Vol. IL. 
Retrofped? of Domiftic Literature. —H-ftory. 
May, fummer fuddenly appears; the ex- 
iftence of this feafon is alfo of fhort dura- 
tion, but its fine warm evenings are en- 
joyed with inconceivable zeft. «* Walking 
parties are met every where, frequentiy 
attended by mufic: on the fmooth furface 
of the Neva, and over all the canals, boats 
are gliding, from which refound the fimple 
melody of the popular ballads, as fung by 
the watermen.’’ An autumn fucceeds, 
which renders Peterfburg one of the molt 
hideous corners of the earth : the horizon, 
over{pread with dark heavy clouds, throws 
a twilight gloom over the already fhorten- 
ed days, and inceflant rains, only diverfi- 
fied with ftorms and tempefts, render it 
altogether dreary and comfortlefs. 
Hofpitality is herea highly cultivated 
virtue : “the particular time when the 
affuent Peterfourgher withes moftly to be 
vifited, is exa€tly that which, in Germany 
for inftance, is moft feduloufly avoided,— 
dinner-time and fupper-time.”” A young 
man at Peterfburg, poffeffing any tolerable 
talents for fociety, is entirely relieved from 
the trouble of houfekeeping ; and it is 
confidered by no means difreputable for 
him to eat and drink every day at the 
table of thofe families to which he has had 
the honor of an introduction. This fyftem 
of domeftic hofpitality is by perfons of 
rank extended toa degree of public libe- 
rality, of which, in this country, we can 
fearcely form an idea. ‘* The country- 
feats of the two Narifhkin, deferve parti- 
cular notice, as being frequented on Sun- 
days by great numbers of the higher claffes. 
A friendly invitation, in four diferent lan- 
guages, infcribed over the entrance to the 
grounds, authorizes every one of decent 
appearance and behaviour, to amufe him- 
felt there in whatever way he pleafes, with- 
out fear or moleftation. In feveral pavil- 
lions are muficians for the benefit of thofe 
who chufe to dance ; in others are chairs 
and fophas, ready for the reception of any 
party woo wifh to recreate themfelves by 
fedate conyerfation, after 1oaming about 
with the great throng; fome paities take 
to the fwings, the bowling-green, and 
other diverfions ; on the canals and lakes 
are gondoias, fome eonftructed for rowing, 
others for failing ; and, ifall this be not 
enough, refiefhments are fpread on tables, 
in particular alcoves, or are handed about 
by-fervan’s im livery.” | 
In his picture of Peterfburgh, M. Storch 
by no means confines himielf to the man- 
neis ani emufements of the Ruffians.— 
He defcribes the civil government, guilds, 
corporations, &c. of the city ; its canals, 
fircets, palaces, {quares, churches, acade- 
4 mits, 
