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

SUNDIV, MAY 2, 1513.

No. 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 wandering life,
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 jukse 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

_ 45'


once her 'fame, and condemn her to everlasting, -elzseurity.
Ou these alone, therefore, rnust her renown be founded, and
though their number may announce less
.barrenness
,than
other lands, yet it does not reveal complete fertility.
I. was thus accounting to myself for the. inconsiderately
warm reception bestowed on total strangers, and had just
came to the conclusion, that none of those men of thought
and talents, that had established the fame of their country,
could be present, when a gentleman forced his way to our
carriage, who, by his size and the rubicund hue of his face,
must be, I thought, very rich, very lazy, and very fond of
good living. Cre irterpreter lead not yet quitted us, and
through his me .ors I was able to hold converse with this in-
quisitive load of fi(sh. His first sentence showed me, that
the learning of this country had been as much over-rated as
its reflecting powerS, and 1 almost blushed for England, that
a poor Cossack, ignorant of every art but war, should have
to detect and expose the want of sense and information, of
one of her. civic dignitaries. You well know, dear YEV A-
°mon, that in the west of Europe, there lives a people
of haughty spirit and undoubted valour, who first gave the sig-
alai for war and conquest on the robbers of the world : you
also know that they instituted orders of nobility to reward
,rnerit, and that D ,' on affixed to a name, is the verbal sign
that its possessor is bcth of Spanish and noble blood ; we:l,
this civil dignitary, totally unacquainted with the position of
sow' country, and the appellation of the mighty river, whose
banks we inhabit, and whose name we bear, c'tnfourided both
publicly with the Spanish title, 'and, as I was told by me in-
terpreter, asked, " well, Don Cossack when did you leave
!" The paitial laughter which followed this expression,
told me, that some were better informed, and many as igno-
rant in the surrounding crowd, which I then fancied must
consist of almost all the population of this city. But bow
mistaken were my notions on this lattertipoint! The banks of the
.Don are wide, but.. swampy ; the huts of our hamlets are
commodieus but small ; the ruins of Moscow, seemed to an-
younce the departed existence of a great metropolis.—But
_what arc the banks of the Don to these of the Thames, lined
with all the wealth of the world !—the buts of our hamlets
to even the dwelliegs of the English poor !—the vast, smok-
ing., and solitary ruins of !Mos.. ow to the crowded streets and
•magnifictoft palaces of London, her manufactories of arts,
her repositaries of science, her gardens of health and tern-
efamusemeht, charity, and religion ! As well might
you comeale tire short-bearded arrow to the towering spear.
0 r. my friend, this is really a land of wonders; but, before
proceed fur tiler in my descriptions, i must prepare to visit
at public rardeit, ie the neighbourhood of this city, called
I lyde Park, where, through an ancient custom, fire people go
to serve their God, on Sundays, by exhibiting their most H-
. &callous fashions, the men much bad horsemanship, tLe
littlies much nakedness, and by swallowing as much fine dust
as will keep their lungs employed until they obtain another
weekly suPPIY. I have been furnished with a superb charger
for the occasion, and am to teach the fools of fashion both
how to iide and how we tight. The latter 1 do not think
they will be tempted to imitate. Expect an account of this,
as well as of mv Second expedition to the city, in my next.
ALEXANDER ZE.II LUTI N,
Cossack of the Duo Regitueot Sotto the 9th.

Fru E--NATION

• . •

it appears, that on the I 2th instant, the French garrisons
of Stettin Neudamm made a sally as far as l'inkenwalde
and Greifenhagen, surprised the out-posts of the blockading
troops, consisting chiefly of militia, and took several can-
ut they were at List drivtt back by the aJvatice of
Ts and Cossacks.

REGISTER.

MA

• FOREIGN INTELLIGENCE.

HELIGOLAND MAIL. '

HA M BUR GH, APRIL 2>.—We are at this moment in the highest
exultation here. Intelln.tence has arrived of the surrender of Dant-
zie. No doubt is enturtaine4 of the fact of the capture, but we
must wait for the particulars till the next arrival. The mode of
communication was singtilar for news of such impoi lance. As
Baron SVeugstern, Aid-de-camp of General Tettenborn, who com-
mands here, was passing through Dessan, General Wittgenstein
threw up his window, and called out to him that Dantzic was in the
hands of the Russians. The Baron calve immediately to this place,
and Tetteeborn ordered the news to be published by a notice fixed
up in the Borseni all, the great rend woos of the merchants. it
was received with loud acclamations, Repot t says that the garrison
consisted of 1-1,010 men ; but the terms of the capitulation ire still
unknown. The most important eansequenee, however, are expect-
ed to follow 11.0111 the capture. The value of the town, as a fortress,
!peat as it is, is nothing to the effect of such a success on the Ger.
man mind. The whole nation is strongly exasperated against the
French, and the exasperation seems strongest where its effects must
be the most active, and hard to be rooted out. The common
people speak w iili absolute horror of the French, Whose defeats are
adding contempt to hatred. The disengagement cf the besieging
force, of at least '25,0W Men, is another featere of importance. But
the Russians seem not to have waited for the chalice of such an
accession. By some arrivals of to day, we arc informed, that 95
squadrons of cavalry, and tio,lloo infantry, from the Wilier, were
in full march through Poland ,in the dhection of Silesia. Alexander
is at Dresden. Uwe are still to be disappointed in the result of the
•
campaign, it must be admitted that we have had the prospects of
success that might mislead even less sanguine politicians.
Thorn had been besieged for sonic time, withoat suffering any
impression ; but the means brought against it have been vigorously
e mployed of late, and the last accounts state, that great progress
was making tow arils its reduction. The first parallel was opened
on the 9th of Api ii. A powdemnagazine has already blown up in
the town ; and Cahill. Langeron, who has the direet ion of the siege,
is in full expectation of speedy success. It is -opposed that Spam-
' dart is by this time in :he possession of the Rieilsitins. A breach is
said to have been effected. _

On the Westphalian side, the good cause seems to prosper
equally. By letters from Luneburg, of the 22d of this mouth, we
understand that the light cavalry of the celebrated Blucher had
entered Cassel. The King of Westphalia has adopted the example
set him by * higher power, and fled from his kingdom. We aro
assured that a whole regiment of Westphalian infantry marched
over with their arms to General Dornberg, This officer, who ap-
pears to have a high character among the ancient Hanoveriads, is
moving rapidly through the country, and hitherto the French were
to liave been panic-struck. Their force is at present concentrated
at Burgerstoff, between Zell and Hanover. It is estimated at
7000, almost destitute of cave?. y. They will be sooty compelled to
fight or fly. Ilcside3 Dornberg's and Tehernichefra corps, probably
amounting in all to 6,500, a strong body of Prossians cressed into
Hanover about the 20:11 of this month, to act in concert wig'
them.
We arc of course mote anxious about the occurrences in the
neighbourhood of Bremen. The Frenca have there about 7000, in
the New Town ; but they are closely watched by a strong Russian
detachment, supported by the volunteer corps of the Hanseatic
Legion. The French seem to feel the growing difficulties of their
situation ; and yesterday, the Vd, General Vandamme moved tiire
ward towards Otteraberg, to cut off a Russian detachment in his
front. The Russians, however, were aware of the movement,suffered
them to advance within the range of a masked battery, turned on them
in the morent of surprise, anti repulsed them in all directions, with
the loss of about 100 prisoners. The killed arc not exactly known.
The brave Colonel Becke»dorff had the honour of this success ; but
it is more gratif}iiu to know that our f oung volunteers of the
Hanseatic Legion greatly distinguished themselves.
To turn from actual to prospective hostility, the ativices front
Vienna, of the 16th of April, arc at least promising to the great
cause of the North. Prince Swartzenburgh is at Paris, under cir
CIIIIIStiIIICCA apparently very different from those of a pacificator.
It is said, with considerable contidenee, taut he is the bearer of the
Austrian ultimatum, requiring Bonaparte to abandon the whole of
the territory on this side of the Maine. His retusal to accede to
such a demiind may be easily anticipated. The greater pal tof the
iiAnsti ion army, to the amount of ,400,000 men, has been put en the
war establishment. In the mean time, the Court of Vienna re-
serves that kind of scrupulous cate.ion which shows how naturady

.bollle ; a U;S;