accuracy of his researches; which are sufficiently evinced by his perfect agreement with the learned Dr. King: an agree ment so very remarkable indeed, that the Knight not only does not say a single thing, which is not to be found in the Doctor's "Ceremonies of the Greek Church," but he generally says it in the very same words. This resemblance extends to the most trifling particulars. Thus the Doctor sets out with observing, " As the Greek church is of the highest antiquity, so," &c. ; while the Knight says, " As the church in question is of higher anti"quity, than any other distinction amongst Christians, so,” &c. (Vol. I. p. 69.) Again the Doctor, at the end of his account of Confession, says, "I shall conclude this article with the ingenious remark of Dr. Covell." The very same remark is thus prefaced on the very same occasion by the Knight. "I cannot deny myself the pleasure of repeating "an observation of Dr. Covell's,"-(Vol. 1. p. 77.) It is certainly rather singular that both Knight and Doctor should hit on the same remark, but such things may happen sometimes by accident. Indeed Sir Robert appears to have pursued, accidentally no doubt, the very same track which the Doctor had traversed before him, and meets with the same guides. Thus he mentions the work of Peter Mogilas, intitled, "A confession of the catholic and apostolic faith of "the Greeks and Russians," and tells his friend that he find it in Greek or Latin"-(Vol. I. p. 76). Now it is very probable that he might have gained some credit for this display of erudition, if unfortunately Dr. King had not on the same occasion given some account of the work of this same Peter Mogilas, and added in a note, "An edition of this work in Greek, Latin, and German, was printed at Breslaw, 1751." In one respect, however, the superior address of the Knight is apparent; while the Doctor states, that "the ser"vice of the Greek church is so long and complicated, that it is very difficult to give a clear account of it, and still may "more difficult to give a short one," and occupies a large quarto volume with his description; Sir Robert, with that vigour of compression, which is the surest mark of genius, dispatches church, priests, monks, and nuns, in three letters! The winter sets in during the Knight's stay at St. Petersburgh, and affords him an opportunity of describing the appearance of the natives at that season, and the sports on the frozen Neva: and this he does with a considerable degree of spirit. There is nothing new, indeed, in his picture, but it shews the eye of a painter, if Sir Robert will allow the expression: every object is placed in the most picturesque point of view. But in the splendour of the Russian court, he soon loses sight of all inferior objects. He feels it necessary to account for his having been two months in the capital of the Emperor of all the Russias, without calling on him. “The brave Alexander," it seems, was with his army on the frontiers. “He was set out," says Sir Robert, "before my arrival; hence I have not yet had the happiness of paying my personal “obeisances to so much true imperial dignity. In the course of "a few days, I hope to be in presence with the fair of his illus. "trious family."-(Vol. I. p. 129.) Accordingly the very next letter commences with these words; "I have been at court." The young Empress was "the only one of the imperial family present.” "Her person is not tall, yet it is graceful and elegantly pro66 portioned; and the air of it is tender and interesting. Her 66 eyes are soft and blue; her complexion touchingly delicate."As she passed through the long line of military nobles, she "honoured us (i. e. us military nobles) with the most smiling "affability; and her small regular features expressed a soft "urbanity, almost approaching timidity. Her voice is peculiarly "melodious."-(Vol. I. p. 130, 131.) Soon after this, the Emperor returns from his defeated armies, and Sir Robert is then formally presented at court, where it appears, he is soon received by every member of the Imperial family on the most intimate footing. He gives a very favourable sketch of the figure and manners of the "invaluable" Alexander: nor, in his admira "illustrious,' "The Dowager Empress, who is of a Pallas form and mien, is 66 a most admirable woman. I have before given you an idea of "her numerous charities. She is exquisitely accomplished; and 66 possesses a courtesy of address that is undescribable. To her "fair hand I am indebted for a diamond, which, in devotion to "her virtues, I shall ever wear next my heart.”—(Vol. I. P. 149.) This is quite in the style of a loyal and courteous knight; but the circumstance of this pledge of royal favour might have been rendered more interesting, if Sir Robert had stated on what occasion it was bestowed, or in reward of what services it was given. That he has not done so must ever be a subject of regret with those who love to contemplate noble actions, and to see them royally rewarded. Among the festivities, in which he is engaged, he takes occasion to describe the ice-hills constructed on the Neva, and the ceremony of blessing the waters, which he concludes right piously with a prayer. Those who have read fuller accounts of these things in Coxe and King, will think perhaps that he might have spared himself the trouble. Having run round the whole circle of Russian entertainments, Sir Robert continues no longer at St. Petersburgh, than just to give the patterns of the uniforms of Alexander's motley troops, and to describe their "nicely blacked mustaccios" and "enormous whitened whiskers ;" and then, in midwinter, departs for Mosco. The city of Twer, lying in his road, is a place of too much consequence to be passed through unnoticed. Now, whether there is something in the air of Twer, which inspires one exclusive set of ideas, and one exclusive form of words, those only who have been there can tell but certain it is, that they who read Sir Robert's account, (Vol. I. p. 182.) and that of Mr. Coxe, (Travels into Russia, &c. Vol. II. p. 203, 204, Edit. 1787.) who had been at Twer before him, must suppose the existence of some, such influence, unless there can be imagined any other way, by which the exact resemblance which one description bears to the other, could have been produced. Nor is it only in their account of the place that the Knight and the Clerk agree; their adventures there are exactly alike. The carriage of Mr. Coxe, which had broken down, is sent to a smith at Twer, who, instead of mending it, only makes it worse: Sir Robert is equally unfortunate, but infinitely more witty. His barouche breaks down at Twer, and is mended there; but so clumsily, that, to use his own words, it soon "Shewed symptoms of disunion again, and at the village of "Klin, our servants had the extraordinary pleasure of another 66 summer-set in the snow!”—(Vol. I. p. 184.) It would seem proper, therefore, that future gazetteers should, in addition to their present account of Twer, note that it is a place famous for the breaking down of carriages, and bad smiths. The same cause, whatever it be, that produces this perfect sympathy between the Knight and the Clerk, operates as long as they continue in the vicinity of Twer. The one observes, that it is necessary to cudgel the Russian boors into obedience; the other, more circumstantial, tells a long story in support of the maxim. Mr. Coxe describes the interior of a Russian cottage, and his description is so extremely faithful, that Sir Robert, in a sketch, which he has illustrated by his pencil, has been compelled almost to use the very same words. But it would not, perhaps, be right to point out any further instances of this extraordinary family-likeness in the productions of the Knight and the Clerk, lest ill-natured people should suspect, that it could not have happened by chance: which might tend to affect the legiti macy of Sir Robert's offspring, and his title to their paternity. At length the traveller arrives at Mosco:-fit scene for errant-knight, where there are nought but gorgeous castles, and lords, and princes, and peerless dames, and dwarfs, and giants, and splendid feasts, and fairy revels. But though "pleasure wooes him in as many shapes as ever Armida "assumed to charm away the wits of the doughty Rinaldo," (Vol. I. p. 210,) Sir Robert is happily so secure by nature on this point, that he must be very acute indeed who should discover, that he has less wit during his stay at Mosco, than at any other period of his errantry. Here, as elsewhere, the noble and the fair contend who most shall do him homage: and on one occasion, when he is invited by the young Countess Orloff to a sumptuous banquet, given on her birthday, he makes a notable discovery, which the invention of Cervantes has not exceeded. Music, vocal and instrumental, resounded from all sides: "and when the health of the lady was drunk, a flourish of kettle"drums and trumpets rent the air, and peals of ordnance (to those "who saw them not) reduced by their thunder the roar of festivity "to the murmuring of distant merry-making. "I happened," continues the Knight, who appears to have run about the palace as familiarly as any favourite domestic animal, to be gone into an adjoining room at the moment of one of these 66 explosions, and, most unluckily for their future effect on my 66 senses, got a peep behind the curtain. I found that these "( repeated, seeming discharges of cannon, were produced by an "accumulation of cows' bladders distended with wind, and rapid"ly laid in succession on large blocks of wood, where, with the 66 velocity of a steam-engine, they were burst at once by the "action of a ponderous mould or mallet.”—(Vol. I. p. 212.) At this feast, which, to distinguish it from the many others that were rendered illustrious by the presence of the Knight, may be called the feast of Cow-bladders, he meets with a paragon of beauty, who proves " his guiding star through all "the mazes of that happy festival." This naturally leads him to the subject of kissing; which, it seems, is reduced "to a sort of system in this country, and arranged in classes." Here he is in his proper field, and displays to advantage his |