24, 
‘The breadeh of the Great Belt between 
Korfoer and Nyeborg is about 22 milés, 
but the wind being light arid variable we 
were feven hours in croffing, and landed at 
Nyeborg in the ifland of Funen (or Fyen) 
at five o’clock inthe morning. Three of 
the crew of our boat were old Danifh fea- 
men; and though they had been many years 
at fea, they manners were yet fimple and 
to appearance uncontaminated. I have 
had opportunities of bei#s well acquainted 
with Danifh failors, and I have almoft in- 
variably found their charaéters to be that 
of good feamen; as they are very hardy 
and poflefs a great degree of courage, they 
are alfo attentive to their employments, 
and always obedient to the commands of 
their officers. R. STEVENS. 
N.B. In my Sketch of Copenhagen, which 
you had the goodnefs to infert in your Maga- 
zine for May laft, the height of the Round 
Tower is erroneous ; it fhould have been 80 
feet inflead of 180 feet. 
( To be continued.) 
wt See 
¥ 
For the Monthly Magazine. 
VIEW of RELIGION, MANNERS, &c. ia 
ibe ISLAND of CORFU. 
(Continued from Page 489, Voi. XI.) 
HE number of churches in Corfu is 
very confiderable. Each officiating 
prieft is annually elected by the affembled 
parifhioners ; but he has no fixed falary. 
The greater number of thofe churches, 
efpecially thofe in the country parts, have 
been built by private individuals, who, as 
proprietors, nominate the papa. The prieft 
thus appointed is upon the fame footing 
with the others, except that he ufually 
holds his office for life. 
The richeft of thofe churches is that in 
which are depofited the reliques of St. Spi- 
ridion, to whom the Greeks bear a peculiar 
devotion. The defcendants of the family 
which poffefled his venerated remains have 
always enjoyeda fortof apparent property 
in the church, to which they have the privi- 
lege of nominating the officiating papa. 
‘That benefice, as being one of the beft, is 
always conferred on one of their own fa- 
‘ily. 
The feftival of Saint Spiridion is cele- 
brated with the greateft pomp. A week 
previous to the day, the doors, windows, 
and fteeple of the church are adorned 
with myrtle and laurel branches. Round 
the top of the fteeple runs an iron baluf- 
trade, at the four corners of which are 
ereCted four long poles bearing four flags: 
that of St. Marc, the Ruffian, and the 
Englifh, are always of the’ number; for 
View of Religion, Manners, EX, in the Ifland of Corfu. [Aug 1, 
the fourth, the Danifh or Swedifh or 
Dutch, &c. is indifcriminately chofen, 
but never the Turkifh, nor that of France, 
which was not admitted even when France 
was amonarchy. ‘The bells are kept in- 
ceflantly ringing during the whole week. 
At length, on the eve of the feftival, amid 
the fcund of all the bells in all the 
churches, and the report of firing, the 
priefts expofe to the veneration of the 
multitude the facred fhrine containing the 
faint’s body entire and in good preferva- 
tion. ‘The fhrine is of ebony, covered 
with gilded filver plates of very neat work- 
manfhip, and enriched with precious 
ftones. The-front confifts of a large glafs 
plate, through which the faint is difco- 
vered, ftanding in an ereé&t pofture, and ar- 
_rayed in his pontifical robes. 
The governor and his houfehold repair 
in a body to affiftt at this ceremony, which 
is performed with greater tumult than de- 
votion. A detachment of fixty foldiers 
find a difficult tafk in maintaining order 
among the crowd of people who, during 
three fucceflive days and nights, eagerly 
throng to the fpot, to implore the protec- 
tion of the faint. After this, comes a 
proceffion, in which the clergy of Corfu 
are joined by a hoft of papas from the 
neighbouring ifles, and even from the 
Morea. The fhrine is carried on a 
bier by fix papas in facerdotal array, 
under a canopy alternately fupported 
by the governor and the other chief 
officers and magiftrates. They are pre- 
ceded by the governor’s band of mufic, 
who, as well as his fervants, are drefled 
in their ftate-liveries. The whole garri- 
fon are all the while under arms ; and the 
chief part of them accompany the pro- 
ceflion. So foon as, in the courfe of its 
{tated round, it has reached the ramparts 
which cover the city on the fide fronting the 
fea, all the thips of war, with their flags 
difplayed, pay it a falute of cannon and 
mufketry: the gallies and galliots, with 
their colours likewife fying, advance from 
their ufual ftation, and fail along the fhore 
under the ramparts, keeping pace with the 
march of the proceffion above. 
During .all this time the air refounds 
with the report of cannen and mortars : 
and the port of Corfu prefents a moft 
pleafing fpeétacle, efpecially if it happen 
to contain a great number of foreign vef- 
fels. In the ftreets through which the 
proceffion paffes, the windows of the houfes 
are decorated with tapeftry of various co- 
- Jors. ° 
The ceremony is neceffarily of long du- 
ration on account of the flownefs of the 
. march, 
