The Statesman.
London, England, 1812-09-03 00:00:00

PE77IRSBV7IGIL
The following lively description of Petenbergls,
'entreating the varied aspects presented by the
ent quarters of that capital, is altsacterlfrom a recast
French publication 5
" If 1 tad for ono day at my dispese! the ring of
a fairy, I would amuse myself in the following
•
44 Sousa fine day in spring er suataser, I would
take from one of the most civilised countries of south.
ern Europe, a man of well informed mind, an 4 'pos.
Dewitt of the experience which is conferred by tot-
veiling, and by a knowledge of the world, I would
transport him through the air to St. Petersburgh.--
During the sniper, he should hare his eye' blind-
folded, and in that state I would conduct him to the
bank of the Neva, s here the merchant vettelsonload
their cargoes in the quarter of the Ohl Exchange.—
Before taking the bandage from his eyes, I would
say to hire, t can you imagine, Sri where you
are.'
4" I smell,' he would say to me, ' an odour of
merchandise ; I smell packages, and the varied scents
of oranges, citrons, nuts, hides, and dried raisins ;
my ear is struck just now with the noise of putties,
and the cries of sailors hoisting merchandise; I smell
the pitch and tar of cordage ; I hear vessels refitting ;
I hear spoken the English, Danish, Swedish, and
German languages, and other tongues which are un-
known to me, and which sorted very strange; Imest
be in a commercial city.' I would then take the
bandagefrom my traveller, enchanted with his haw-
ing rig ttly dieined where he' was. • Its seeing the fo-
rest of mists, sad the variety of costemee• around
bins, he would'find a sunicient competisafien for hav-
ing been for a Moment deprived of sight. .
" Replacing the bandage, my observer and my.:,
self would then transport ourselves to the midst of
the Summer Garden, We promenade in the grand
alley, and breathe a delightful freshness of air, under
the shade of majestic trees. This is the rendezvous
of the beau monde of the capital. In the eager
throng they can with difficulty give place to, or
avoid each ether, and the rents in their vestments
announce involuntary shocks. All is delightful in
this superb alley, luxury and opulence are every
where displayed, an atmosphere of delicious per-
!times precedes and fellows groups of elegant fe-
males, and Venus recognizes her daughters in the I
ambrosial odour which escapes from theirdivine hair.
Amongst the men sometimes a erase displays itself
at a hutton-hole, sometimes a erarbat may be per.
ceived under a modest frock, brilliant !sequel, and
negroes; 'Dirks in livery, little marmots clothed a la
Chinsise Courant:, bearing awls on their arms, or
handkerchiefs, waiting the °rtes.( their mistresses,
a long file of equipages ranged near the different ex-
tremes of the gardens, the variety of this magnificent
spectacle, wou'd strike my observer with astonish-!
mete. ! ask of him, where he believes himself to
be ? It is another world,' says he, tto that we
were in first, in this is an opulent city, but not a
commercial city. I believe myself lo be in the neigh-
bourhood et a brilliant court, but I know not in
wh•tt city'
" In order that my observer might not perceive
that his journies were within the same circle, I would,
at the commencement of each jaunt, replace the ban.
d•ige. From the Summer Garden, I would transport
him to the midst of the Isle of Kretow.ky, on all j
'idea are bourgeois and artisans amusing themselves
during the interval of labour, some playing at nine
pins, :and others promenading with pipes in their 1
mouths, some extended on the grass with their wives
and children, take tea round an ample copper boiler, '
others drink beer, or eat cold meat, or take milk, on
a napkin spread on the sand. They sing and amuse
themselvest--' Sir,' says my aeriel traveller to me,
4 just now 1 must have been in France, but here is a
fair at a small town in Germany—l recognize the
language, the songs, the accents of joy, I must be at a
considorable distance 'front the place where we were
just now.
" On a sudden, I transport my traveller to Kernel
meni-ostreff. I place him on the bridge, the en-
chanted isle displaying itself liefore as; it seems to'
Jima on silver waves, it is bordered by voluptuous
groves and trees of a majestic height, whose foliage
balances itself in air. In the bosom of this amphi-
theatre
of verdure, are scattered here and there a I
number of delicious habitations, yeHowi• white,
rose-colour, sky-blue, the most lively colours unite
themselves its their facades, the eye cannot divine in
what manner they are constructed, 'they seem to be
made of porcelain., or of cartridge paper, delicate-
le cut according to fancy, and painted in a style of ,
decoration ; they appear to belong to France, to
Italy, to England, to Holland, to China, but their
ensemble is of no country. The etiolate is mild, it
unites all climates, the atmosphere is serene, the;
water is limpid, the agitation is fresh and vigorous.
This isle is surrounded bra umber of other isles; I
every where there is miter, every whero,there is
verdure, every *here there is nothing but fairyism
and enchantment.--e• Sir, he would say, 6 I knew I
not where I am, I know neither the style orihis t
chitecture, nor the climate, nbr'the vegetation?' 14
" I would then transport my traveller to the new •
promenade near the Admiralty-. 6 Here are Eng..l
lish,' he says, 6 here are Turks, here are Spaulards,
here are Americans, these med were born at the foot /,
of Mount Caucasus ; I have seen these • nations in :
prints, they are here in nature, they are busyi they '
promenade, and 'seem to she* eftetition io each
other, is this an illusion, or is it reality? 'They each:
speak their own language. it is a rendezvous Of 1,
different nations, but not of merchants. These edi.
fives are not those of a commercial city. Here is a,
palaee, which must be the habitation of a great
Monarch.. What a vast extent, what imposing gran- ,
deur. I must be in one of the first residences of Eu-
rope.' , •
" The bandage is resumed, and my trifellet is 1,
traasported to the perspective of Newsky.
amend you,' I say to him, 6 examine, Sir, these
houses, and tell me where you think yisti
"rhese depute houses, these hotels with flat top%
one meets wW),'•he replies, in rtaljr and France,
they are simple, and of an agreeable taste, but have
no distinctivi.maik to indirare their country. This
street does not ''belong to 'London, foil' Lottdon has
no geauite;lts streets besides, are neither so larget
nor tits spacious. Neither Amiteldam nor Vetuce
Wier •canal of this Magnificence, 'tit/kite net here

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