There can be no doubt that the new Michailoff palace, the residence of the Grand-Dulie Michael, is the most elegant building in St. Petersburg. It was built in 1820, by an Itahan of the name of Rossi. The interior is decidedly the handsomest and most tasteful in decoration and furniture in the whole city, and it is a real enjoyment to feast the eye on the noble architectural proportions of the exterior. It would not be easy to give to a royal edifice so advantageous a position as this palace possesses ; even the Winter Palace has it not. Open from all sides, it expands with all its various brings and courtyards, in the most graceful manner, presenting a complete and perfect picture to the eye, not a tower, point or supernumerary building to disturb the beautiful proportion. Behind the palace lies the Little Summer Garden, as it is called, whose lofty trees and groups of foliage form a pleasing contrast with the elegant architectural Hnes. Before the chief front is a spacious lawn scattered with graceful little buildings, the turf embroidered with tufts of flowers and shrubs. The inner court is divided from it by an iron-grating, the design of which, closely examined, must be admitted to be a model of good taste. AW the out-buildings and numerous courts between them, are in such harmony with each other and the main building, that it is evident the whole was one design, and that nothing has been afterwards added or patched on. All the buildings around are occupied by the estabhshments of the GrandDuke Michael, so much so, that this quarter of the city might almost be called his Idngdom. Here are the dwellings of his officers, his stables, his riding-school, &c. The latter deserves particular mention, as the finest of the kind that exists any where. In the estabHshment fifty young people are instructed in riding and in all arts that have the remotest reference to horse or rider ; for this object, and for the carousels in the fine riding-house, at which the court is often present, a number of the finest horses are kept, and both horses and riders are so well lodged and fed, that it is a pleasure to pass through the range of clean and elegant sleeping-rooms, sitting, and school rooms, saddle-rooms, stables, &c. All these apartments have double folding-doors in the centre, which stand open the whole day. A long carpet is laid along all the floors down to the stable, and the inspector at a glance can overlook every thing ; can satisfy himself whether the beautiful white Arabian Asir, so celebrated for his silken hair and broad forehead, and the fiery Haimak of EngHsh blood, out of a mare from the Orloff stud, are in good condition ; at the same time he can see what the yoimg cadets, who value themselves so much on their rosy cheeks and sprouting beards, are doing in their chambers. It is wonderful how pure the air is kept in spite of this shght separation ; It is as if the stud were perfumed with eau de Cologne, as well as the cadets.
The young men go through their course of study in six years. Ten are dismissed every year to the army as riding-masters. The art of riding was originally estabhshed by Germans in Russia ; but it has undergone various modifications, and the riding-masters now coming from Germany must go through a school again to accomplish the requisite feats of art. In the Russian cavalry, the horses must constantly maintain such parade paces that the breaking-in they get from one rider is not enough. The poor animals feel too painfully the severity of Russian discipline ; and there is no army, where notwithstanding the goodness of the horses, so many are destroyed in the breaking-in and the parade, as in the Russian. Nevertheless, a tournament or a quadrille executed by these beautiful steeds in the presence of the court, and by a brilliant illumination, is by no means an imlnteresting spectacle ; the spectators sometimes take a part in it. The riding-school Is splendidly decorated on these occasions ; among other things there are six looldng-glasses, so large that the rider can see himself from head to foot. To keep these glasses In good condition, and repair what the horses hoofs have spoiled, must bring a good deal of money to the imperial manufactory.