New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1852-12-10
NEW PUBLICATIONS.

PICTURES FROM ST PETERSBURG. By EDWARD
JERRMANN, translated from the German by FRE c
lex HARDMAN. limo. PIP ~ g. r. Putnam To-
This entertaining volume is the production
of play actor, who passed three years in st.
Petersburg as manager of German company.
II consists of series of lively sketches, pcr-
traying such features of Russian society rs
came under the personal observation OF the
writer during his residence in the capital.
The work makes no pretenslOns to profound re-
Election or brilliant writing, but its easy, con-
versational style, and its frequent racy narra-
tiyes, attract the attention of the reader and
keep him from nodding over its pages.
Here is an agreeable picture of the freedom
ofsocial intercourse in st. Petersburg:
Should any one who reads these lines visit ST. Pc
tersburc without introduction acquaintance let HIM
90 TO the fret wineiouse restdurdev he meets WIN,
there is no lack OF them and inspect the bill OF fare
Inscribed in German as well IA in Russian. In such
places too there is generally an attendant VINO can
spe ak German Let the stranger walk in seat himself
tie first unoccupied table he comes TO- ana order n'
breakfast in German, and in rather loud voice. lie
may be pretty certain hat before he has halt hnhed
his repast--and provided he be not TOO entirely en-,
crossed in its dscusson-he will observe some one Oh
the persons present call the waiter, and Whisper IL"
words in bis ear The waiter replies by the same sort
Of psntOmme usually performed by German court
chamberlain when his royal master asks him why the
people do not cheer as he goes by The ha1n having
received this shoulder Struggling answer 10 his inquiry
seems 10 cOneult moment with his companions then
emptes his glGss, fills it again, rises from table sp-
proaches tue stranger, and greet him a countrynan
Some conversation ensues and If there be anything IN
the new comers mode OF speaking, occupation country,
journey manner to inspire the slightest interest
may safely be wagered het before his in,erocutor mas
emped his glass he has invited him 10 JON his party
IT, in the intercourse which then follows. he ju'tihe5
ever little the good opinion which his new acquain
ance are well disposed 10 entertain OF hi he asked
20 call upon them, and thencetorward it only depends
upon him to consider their houses, If he 80 pleases as
he own. There is little ceremony used with anybody.
stranger is invited only once 10 dinner II does not
please his entertainers they nevertheless tor that once
endure him with good and hospitable grace II, upon
the other hand he makes favorable impressions, on
leaving table his host says 70 him, with cordial shake
OF the hand Do not wait for another invitation your
knife and fork will be laid here daily aud the Otener
YOU and them, the greater tine pleasure You
will do us" And when this is sad the guest may feel
assured that it Is meant literally spoken Nor neoi
he fear to Inconvenience hs hosptabe entertain
err 20 when he will he will be welcome. His place is
ready for him II oysters and champagne ere upon the
table, bis host smcs well pleased that be has come
a day Of good cheer But though beef and potatoes
alone be the board lady OF the house bereys not
tign Of vcxation or embarrassment Enough there al
ways is how il is managed know not but Tia en-
trance oil mai Unforeseen guests netnef eNcfes
surprise nor occasions Inconvenience On the other
hand, however honely the repast. the hostess
deems apology requisite. What sac gives is freely
given and she therefore makes that il will be
tcntedly received. How she wonld laugh, could she
witness, in some German household in Dresden or Der.
hn the housewives deadly agony when her husband
expectedy brings home from Change q friend or two
10 dinner Such agony, for such motive "a unknown
Ia ST. Petersburg unknown too, there l. the German
custom Of making tIing presents 10 servants often
rs youtake meal in friends house AT CnristmaI
and Easter Il s customary 10 make calls az the houses
Of your friends. and then money ia given to servants
and in handsome amounts; ten or twenty rublea 20
each, even more, according 70 the means and ncna
ton Of the donor. Ii the two customs come much to
the same IN the end at any rate that OF the Russians il
more seemiy and convenient
Conversation at Russian dinner tables is not very
striking diversified This nay be partially accounted
for by the separation of the Be it obseI we'd that
here depict the manners Of the middle classes He
who desires 10 learn those OF the nobitynot only of
Russia but OF the rest OF Europehas only to study the
usages OF Parsian society and ne then knows those of
al other erstocrutc societies In the burgher crcss az
s. Petersburg, the two usually group Themselves
very much apart from each other Even at meals the
gentlemen take hall Of the table and the ladies the
ether. Will not venture exactly 10 praise such
rangement, but certainly il spares many OIL grey
beard or busy merchant engrossed with sgos sn per
centages, the uoubeo of having entertain sinpering
sixteen-yeer-od neighbor.
TIE chief subjects of conversation with the ladies of
ST. Petersburg at the dinner table, and in the circle they
subsequently form round their coffee cups rnusic
hcasricas, he gossip Of the town, very little l;tera
ure and above ell the fashions On this last subject
they nexhsustble and truth demands the con.es
tion that they do not cultivate barren soil They do
not as many dstnguish cd national assembly has dons
waste their time in frhess theories Every project de
vised speedily becomes accomplished fact; plans are
no sooner sketched than carried out theory quickly
blossoms into practice no undertaking 10 too difficult
no obstacle insurmountabls sacrifice too great for
these devoted priestesses OF the Graces.
Turning over the leaves, we fall upon
NOVEL NODE OF STREET SWEEPING.
Startling contrasts abound in st. Petersburg One
morning, before four O'clock driving to the Neya
baths when on the Csmino-aost the stone bridge my
progress was impeded by long procession Of thee H.
re eugrants proceeding into the country in their car
rages Still under the influence Of the impression tlis
scene had made upon me, and medtatng on the temp
ations and peril 20 which the children and especially
the daughters OF the poor, exposed in this age Of
luxury and corruption, drove past the MAGNIFICENT IA
-eRsky End reached the Newsky Prospect stretching
away IN i's vas. length beyond my range Of vision and
at that hour OF the morning. kushed In stiffness which
was not thou certain soleInnity Suddenly. 10 my
a.tonsned eyes the srangest scene presented Itself
teheid before nc an rseo ball number OF elegant.
~ alfred ladies', como Ia handsome shawls and with
feathers IN Their hsts performing the etrangest
OF Dance which they accompanied with sort OF bowling
motion. necessarily repeated. / could recognise
fFench or Gerinaa dance in their singular eyolutions
Gould Il be some Russian national dancel thought
what KIND OF dance could be that thus dgn-ei in
broad daylight On the public highway, and without male
chreerst few men were certainly there but merely
as ookerton touched the arm OF my ktworstschk,
called his attention 20 the group, and made nterroy-
ka a..