The pitiless flames of 1837, having consumed the whole of the splendid interior of the Winter Palace ; the White Hal, and the Hall of St George, the HaU of the Generals, with its 400 portraits of marshals, admirals, and generals ; the apartments of the empress with all their costly contents, the labour of thousands of hands ; the splendid Malachite vases, and beautiful chimney-pieces, and pillars of jasper; a detailed account of the palace as it formerly was, would possess httle interest.
Those who have seen the Winter Palace before the conflagration, will hardly reflect without sorrow on the enormous mass of wealth and industry devoured by the greedy flames. It is a question whether since the burning of Persepohs, so much and such precious fi-uits of human art and labomhave within six hours vanished into smoke. The glorious and prosperous reigns, and the magnificent courts, of Elizabeth and Catherine, and the tasteful courts of Alexander and Nicholas, had for nearly a century been amassing these treasures. The effect of this one conflagration on the industry of St. Petersburg has been and still must be great. It will demand millions to restore what has been lost. The fortunes of many families, nay many new branches of industry, may be said to have arisen from the ashes of the Winter Palace. The fire makes an epoch in the history of the city. From it many families date their titles and diplomas, their rise and prosperity ; many also their disgrace and fall.
The suites of apartments were perfect labyrinths ; it is said that not less than six thousand persons had their abode there. Even the chief of the imperial household, who had filled that post twelve years, was not, it is said, perfectly acquainted with all parts of the building. As in the forests of the great landholders,, many colonies are formed for years together, of which the owner takes no notice, so there nestled many a one in this palace not included amongst the regular inliabitants. The watchers on the roof placed there for different pin-poses, among others to keep the water in the tanks from freezing during the winter by casting in red-hot balls, buUt themselves huts between the chimneys, took their wives and children there, and even kept poultry and goats who fed on the grass of the roof; it is said that at last some cows were introduced, but this abuse had been corrected before the occurrence of the fire.
The Hermitage joins the Winter Palace to the east ; then follows the imperial theatre, some other palaces belonging to private persons, and last of all the Marble Palace. Without doubt every one on hearing this name, will )ictm'e to himself an elegant white, gay-looking palace, shining from afar like a temple of Solomon on the banks of the Neva, and will not be a little astonished to find it a dark fortress-looking building. Such at least is its appearance among the cheerful smiling palaces of St. Petersburg, though it might not be so striking in gloomier cities. It ought more properly to have been caJled the Granite Palace, for much more granite and iron have been employed on it than marble. The extraordinary massive walls are built of blocks of granite, the supports of the roof are iron beams, the roof itself sheet-copper, the window -frames gilded copper. The palace was last inhabited by the GrandDuke Constantine, and is now evidently much neglected. The above named are the only imperial residences in St. Petersbiug itself. The number of the present imperial family (the Russian throne was never surrounded by so many prmces and princesses as at present) affords room for conjecture that later travellers wiU find more palaces to describe.
It is a well-known fact, that Catherine built her Hermitage, as Frederick built his Sans Souci, and Numa Pompihus his grotto of Egeria. So many have made a pilgrimage to the Hermitage and told of its splendours, that it seems a twice-told tale to speak of it again. As it is said, however, that the building, or at least the greater part of it, is to be pulled down, and reconstructed on a new plan, and as we may be the last to speak of it as Catherine arranged it, those who are not prepared to pack their travelling-trunks and set off for the north this winter, will not perhaps object to another description of the doomed edifice. The treasiu-es contained in the place are, moreover, so abundant, that thousands might wander through it, and every one find sometliing new, that had escaped the attention of his predecessors.