The Sun.
London, England, 1831-01-12 00:00:00

LETTER IL

Peter the Great, in removing the seat of em-
pire from the Moskva to the Neva, appears to
have committed a mistake similar to that of
David, the soil of Jesse, in Jewish history, who
fixed his capital at one extremity of his domi-
nions, while he proceeded to extend his terri-
tories in a diametrically opposite direction.
But the position chosen by the Jewish King,
however much it facilitated the future dismem-
berment of his kingdom, was in the heart of the
possessions occupied by the privileged Levitical
order, the dispensers of good and evil fame, and
his policy united the interests of his dynasty
with those of the most influential and the only
educated class among his subjects.
Peter, on the other hand, owing, perhaps,
more to his naval propensities than to any higher
political views, chose a position, which at the
same time facilitates the future dismemberment
of the Russian empire, and has tended in a great
measure to prevent any thorough union of inte-
rests between the Crown and the Aristocracy.
If Moscow had remained the capital of Russia,
in the hands of rulers not so pig-headed as the
Stuarts in England, the mutual fears and hopes
of the Emperor and his privileged subjects
would, probably before this time, have converted
the Government into a sort of Joint Profit Com-
pany, in which the Romanoff family would have
been the principal shareholders ; whereas, in St.
Petersburgh, owing to the influx of strangers
from other parts of Europe, and the absence of
the grandees, who could have overawed the Court,
the Autocrat has, in the mean time, such a com-
mand of foreign tools, and of the poor and needy
from among his own subjects, that he can beat
down very low the allowance of power to be
shared by his Aristocracy, and keep a very large
portion to himself.
By a natural consequence of this policy, the
old capital had become a focus of discontent so
long
,ago as the time of Catherine 11., who, in
allusion to the freedom of conversation which
prevailed there on political subjects, it is said,
used to call it her " little Republic."
If it was only for• the freedom of speech, the
Autocrat would have little cause for apprehend-
ing danger from this quarter.
But it must be recollected, that by far the
greater part of the officers in the army is drawn
from the Aristocracy (every mother's son of
which is obliged to serve either in the civil or
military departments) ; and that, as this class of
the community musters much stronger in Mos-
cow than in St. Petersburgh, the ties of relation-
ship bind the majority of those who have the
physical force under their controul to the one
place more than the other ; that Moscow lies
more centrically than St. Petersburgh with re-
spect to the bulk of landed property, on which
the officers are much more dependent than on
their miserable pay ; and that it also is much
nearer to the corn districts, which, considering
t he:r importance, may be called, in some sense,
the key-stones of the empire. The Autocracy
having then no moral ties, either on the bulk of
the population or on the influential classes (with
the exception of those who enjoy the sweets of
place) and cooped up for its own safety in a
corner, where the head is too distant from the
heart to preserve the body politic long in a
healthy state, depends for its very existence upon
the good will of the army ; if it should rebel, or
be inclined to revolutionize, the crown•serfs
would be but a poor support, scattered as they
are in patches over all the provinces of the empire.
The double rows of military colonies which
stud the country between the two capitals, and
hedge in St. Petersburgh, Riga, and Archangel,
have at present no inducements to separate their
interest from those of their fellow-soldiers ; and
even if they had, the country which they encircle
would hardly be worth the fighting for, to the
possessors of the fertile southern provinces,
though, of itself, it might form a snug enough
little kingdom, which would place the Czar on
a more equal footing with his Swedish neigh-
bour. Z.

The expedition round the globe, for the
purposes of discovery, commerce, and civiliza-
tion, proposed to be undertaken by Mr. 13uoc-
INGHAM, has now received such high support.
as to render its completion no longer proble-
matical. There are some persons who imagine
greater difficulties in the way of its execution
than are anticipated by its author ; and to
afford every possible explanation to these, we
perceive that Mr. BUCKINGHAM has announced
his intention to give a gratuitous Lecture,: at
the London Tavern, in Bishopsgate-street,
to-morrow, at one, in which he proposes to
answer these objections fully, and to show the
entire practicability of the plan throughout.—
After receiving the cordial support of London
and Paris, and the patronage of the Royal Fa-
milies of England and France, Mr. BUCKING-
HAD' purposes visiting the great mercantile
towns in which his Lectures on the East have
been already delivered, and from whence his ex-
pectations of general support for his proposed
voyage appear to be well grounded.

BLANDFORD, MONDAY NIGHT, TWELVE
O'CLOCK.—Oa my way freni Salisbury to-night, I saw
two apparently extensive fires ; one, which cast an immense
glare for miles around, was, I was informed, in the vicinity
of Wilton ; the other, which appeared a considerable dis-
tance off, I was told was between Wimborne and Ring-
wood. The alarm amongst the people on the road to this
place is excessive. A party who was spending the evening
here, were called off to the fires, and broke up in much
confusion.—From a Correspondent of the Times.

We have just heard a rumour which we do
not believe, that Colonel DUNDAS, commanding the 83d
Regiment in this garrison, has received an order to inspect
the Yeomanry of this county, preparatory to ttieir being
placed upon permanent duty.—Fernutnagh Reporter.
We understand that there is no truth what-
ever in the statement that the County Courts' Bill has
been withdrawn. It has not been withdrawn; there is
not, nor has there been, any intention of withdrawing it.
The confident reports of the withdrawal of the bill have
probably originated iu the wishes of its opponents.—
Morning Paper.

DIGNITY OF AN ELECTOR.--Mr. P.,
Pall-Mall, lately travelling through Germany, presenting
himself at the gates of Maestricht, was desired, in the
usual !manner, to describe himself: " I am an elector of
Middlesex," said he. The Germans, who hold the dignity
of elector as next in rank to that of King, and know
little or nothing of English titles and rank, immediately
opened their gates, and the guard turned out, and did him
military honours.

PRIESTLY AVARICE --" I was One day
speaking to a Greek gentleman respecting the state of edu-
cation among the Greek priesthood. ' To show you,'
said be, the estimation in which they are held, I will
relate to you a story current among the people. There
was a merry fellow once who, wishing to expose the igno-
rance of the priests, led an ass up to the Bishop, and re-
spectfully begged that he would confer ordination upon
him. Out upon you!' said the Bishop in a rage, how
dare you insult the mysteries of our holy religion by such a
proposition ?—away with you 1' The man turned round,
and was leading the beast away, when the Bishop perceive
a purse full of gold hanging to his tail. ' Stop, friend,
he cried out, I we., wrong; bring your animal back ;
for, although only an ass in front, I see that bewill make
i an excellent priest
Trant's Travels in Greece.