The National Register. — London, England, 1813-05-02 00:00:00

WM THE NATIONAL Cur Mug, Constitution, anti tabu. PUBLISHED AT NO. 11, NEWCASTLF..-STBEET. STRAND. SUNDIV, MAY 2, 1513. N o . 279. THE COSSACK'S SECOND LETTER 70.1 BROTHER WARRIOR ON TILE BANKS OF THE DON I closed my last, YEVANoVITCII, in rather a hurried manner, as I was ca!led down to exlo.it myself and arms to some fa-bit4l:ible ladies, who humbly cut d for a _lance at my. figure and a shake of my hand. " \\*hat," you will exc!aim, " the rough-bearded Cossack of the Don courted by the po lished beauties of the st civilized nation in the world I" Even so, my Blend ; ever since I have resided in this hos pitable land, I have been made to forget the independen't hum Pity of my lA , th, the sweet delights of a wanderi n g l i fe, and the manly yirines of an almost savage State. Had I been the Autocrat of aII-the Russian, I could not have been more caressed, more venerated. I fear I shall be seduced into ci vilization, and already grieve to find the roughness of my native manners softened I always took delight in praise; but it was !he loud clamour of the hunters, when they saw the shaggy bear fall at my feet, or the shouts of hosts, who beheld my deadly spelt - lightening on the rear of a flying enemy. These were manly dec.'s, crowned by manly praise; • and I thought no other could charm the heart. tut, 0, YE VANOVITCH, how sweet it ii"to hear the soft ‘oice of fe male congratulation, to meet the approving lance of beauty " Is this my 'old friend, the veteran wartior of the julin tribe?" you will again exclaim, " who stains with effenii nacy,.a youth, a life of renown?"--Read, YEVANOVITCIiqi learn the treatment I have re( eyed, and juk s e whether it was not sufficient to melt the rigidity of the most savage breast. nn handing in England, 1 was not surprised at the curiosity 1 seemed to excite. I had been .forewarned, that every thing, in opposition to the Common notions of the peol. le of that country, was generally hooted by them as ridiculous, until some fool of wealth or quality chose to adopt it, when it sud denly became notosily pleasing, but fashionable, and the lowest ranks would spend their last *shilling to it state the great, and assume what they had at first called a badge of fo reign folly. As my appearance was ceirainly most incon sistent with the received idea of the mob, I prepared to en counter much laughter, some insults, and to bear some pelt ing; but fully expected, that when sufficient time should have elapsed, some elevated dunce would, by assuming my costume, make it pass current, and I should leave the whole nation, at my departure, clothed in the Cos=ack dress. This expectation has hitherto been but partly realised, and that, you will be astonished to hcar, by the ladies, who already wear Cossack bats and many other articles dignified with our name. They have not yet adopted the pistols or the ;pear, and indeed the latter would be heavier titan the fan CCLWX. with which they hide the absence of natural blushes when they address me, and therefore too cumbersome fur common use. They carry, besides, their weapons in their eyes, every ray of which is a piercing arrow. I passed too quickly through the country to London, to find out how much I had been dece;ved by the representations of the rude.conduct of the people : but when I reached the Metro. Polls and saw the enormous multitudes that crowd In r bosom, I felt some alarm at my exposed situation, and put my spear through the window of our vehicle, to keep the mob in awe. This, on the contrary, revealed who I was, and such a thun der of acclamations rose around me, somewhat resembling the full and general hurrah with which we charge our enemies, that I thought myself on the ev‘., of being murdered. The vehicle was stopped, and my uneasiness encreased, when an Englishman entered it and explained to my Captain, who was equally astonished, that this tumultuous roar was to honour and net threaten us, and politely requested I would put my head as well as my spear out of the window. I complied, and nearly lost my hearing; for the acclamations recom• meneing all *at once from the mouths of many thousands pressing round us, had the effect of a sink, sudden lied tre mendous peal that threw me back into the carriage. I soon recovered, and ventured a second appearance, when the same accident occurred. At my tenth t► ial, however, the shouts diminished and I began to hoar a cetifujoa of voices speak. tng together in an unknown language. with the most cm• phatic accent, whilst all distinction hid hitherto been lost in the dread burst of sound, From the looks and gestures of the crowded spectators, I could distinguish, that they meant to congratulate 115, though for what I was rather puzzled to find. Was it for our arrival ?—of what consequence could that be to thew ? \\' as it for our valour—how did they know we had . displayed any ? They knew nothing of us ; and as there is a mixture of bravery and cowardice in every army, until they had ascertnined to which class we belonged, was it not possible that their very wish to honour us, should have passed the most severe censure on our conduct ? We were brave men, fortunately, and their inconsiderate praise was not misplaced : but upon the whole, I find that this nation, which enjoys thq ►enown of being the most thinking peop!e in Europe, is far from deserving that unqualified commem'ation. It has, up. doubtedly, produced deep and jut thinkers, in, perhaps, greater number than any other soil ; but is it a reason why it should be deep-thinking itself ! The earth brings forth the most gra'eful fruits, hut the earth itself is unpalatable 'and nauseous. Night leads forth $ host of radiant stars in her train---but night itself is cheerless and dal's. Take away tl fruits of the earth, its generations will cease and it .wili g►o ' desolate. Take away the stars of night, and total da►kne will sit upon tire globe. Take away also the men of tale and genius whom a nation has produced, and you quench REGISTER. 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