The Press.
London, England, 1855-01-06 00:00:00

16

Nittraturt.

The Englidtwoman in Russia. By a Lady, Ten
Yearti Resident in that Country. London :

Murray.
Russian Life in the Interior. By Ivan Tourghe-
nieff, of Moscow. Edinburgh: Black.

WE have read the Englishwoman's volume on
Russia attentively, and yet find it difficult to
gather any distinct impressions from it.
There are numerous contradictions in it, but
of that kind which tend to establish the truth
of the narrativW, as they are such contradic-
tions as must appear in every society. One
family is amiable and benevolent, another is
morose and cruel, just according to what is
found all over the world. At page 32 we
read:—
It is now ten years since I first went to Russia, and I
have resided there until the last three months, not living
like a stranger in the land, but in the closest intimacy
with Russian families, and I willingly bear witness to their
general hospitality and kindness of heart, not towards the
rich alone ; for a well-educated person, let his circum-
stances be what they may, is always well received. The
ladies are most amiable and polite; they are, however, often
accused of want of sincerity, but in my opinion un-
justly so.
And on the opposite page, 33, we read :
The immoral conduct and the inconceivable want of
delicacy of many of the ladies of rank cannot fail to have a
very unfavourable influence on others below them, espe-
cially as the Court is regarded as the criterion of what is
right. Were I to relate the almost incredible actions of
many of the titled dames, I fear I should be accused of
falsehood, but I am happy to say there are some noble
exceptions.
This contradiction of tone prevails through-
out the book. It will not be thought satis-
factory by those who would fain find Russia
one thing or the other, very admirable or very
detestable, but we are inclined to think it
faithfully reflects that light and shade which
exists in all countries; and which in Russia,
• from the great power possessed by the pro-
prietors, is likely to be flung in broader masses
over the land, than in States where individual
action is under greater restraint.
Of the hospitality of the Russian people the
Lady speaks uniformly well. " They are justly
" celebrated for this virtue," she says, and
she gives many instances iu support of her
assertion :

As far as it has been possible for a lady to remark, 1
have exery reason to feel respect for the country lathes and
gentlemen of the interior of Russia. Their hospitality
is unbounded ; they are for the most part humane to
the serfs, are kind. hearted in the true sense of the word,
and exceedingly amiable and polite to foreigners.—The
Engliehu;oman in Retain, p. 172.
Speaking of such times of festivity as
Christmas, New Year's-day, and. Easter, the
Englishwoman relates :
On all these occasions of public rejoicing the stranger
may remark how kind and hospitable, how friendly and
sociable, the Russian people are. Their hospitality is un-
bounded ; they will give what they can atiord.—/b. p. 222.
Wild though the country be, it is no inhospitable shore,
and the warmheartedness of the people richly compen-
sates for the coldness of its clime. It is that which throws
a kind of charm over the remembrance of Russia in the
mind of one who has long resided on its snow-clad plains,
and gives an interest to everything connected with them.—
lb. 888.
Having often visited at country houses in
the interior, her sketches of what she terms
the genre de vie chez eux—a needless Galli-
cism, as our " home life " is both shorter
and more expressive—are very animated.
" Nothing," she says, " is more pleasant than
" life at a country house," and we have many
passages descriptive of the amusements of the
peasantry :
The peasants have their own recreations, and very often
on Sunday afternoon they assemble before their proprie•
tore house, all dressed in their best, and dance and sing,
not only for their own amusement, but because they think
it agreeable to their master and mistress, who, with their
family and guests, come out in the balcony to see them,
and to scatter apples, sweetmeats, bon-bons, and small
coin among them, which they are quite as eager to scramble
for as AO many children.
Some of their dances are extremely pretty, and others
are monotonous. I remember at one of the village fetes a
handsome young girl and a fine-looking man of about
twenty-two stepped out from a group of their companions
and performed a pas-de-deux, the national dance par excel-
knee.

---- The girl had on the peculiar head-dress, her long hair
hanging in a thick plait down the middle of her back ; a
crimson silk sarafane trimmed with gold lace and gilt but-
ens up the front ; her white chemise gathered into a band